Re: Question for Gatt

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Article #1548

#1548

From: Bill Shatzer
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:52

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Paul J. Berg wrote:

> While we are debating terminology, vandalism or terrorism, maybe the
> real questions we should be asking ourselves are:

> Is the destruction of property a legitimate form of political protest?

Well, no.  Or at least generally no. I seem to recall that individual 
draft cards remained technically the property of the US government but 
burning one's draft card as an act of political protest seems legitimate.

Ditto burning a flag if it's your flag.

> Should the punishment be different for those destroying property as a
> form of political protest versus those doing it for pleasure, revenge,
> or financial gain?

Punishment should fit the circumstances of the crime and motivation and 
intention are part of the crime. Political protest may call for a 
greater or lesser punishment depending on the preceived motivation and 
intention of the actor.

> Personally, I do not find the destruction of property as a legitimate
> form of political protest.

Well, one needs to distinguish legitimate morally from legitimate 
legally.  Legal justification is different from moral justification.

An act might be morally justified without being legally justified.

Extreme example: ripping up railroad tracks to stop the trains running 
to Auschwitz.

-snip-

> IMHO, as far as punishment is concerned, those who destroy property as
> a form of political or social protest should be, at the very least,
> treated the same as those who do it for a financial gain.

Nah. Generally financial gain is the most culpable of motivations and 
should be punished the most severely.

Peace and justice,

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Subject: Re: Question for Gatt
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