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Are you a vigilante and do you support vigilante justice?
- Thread starter Musketeer
- Start date
"Vigilante = criminal, in this case, a murderer, on of the worse types of criminal there is."
East of here, over in Dechutes County, the Sheriff's department used to have a small display of stuff they'd picked up over the years. Among the photos were a couple of shots showing several men hanging from the railroad bridge across the Crooked River gorge. The explanataion stated that during the early part of the twentieth century some of the ranchers seemed to be losing too many cows. They'd call the Sheriff but he had a long drive from the county seat, so by the time he got to the scene he really couldn't do much. The ranchers, who knew perfectly well who was stealing their cattle, decided to "help" the Sheriff a bit and one night they had a little 'round-up' of their own and hanged the rustlers from the bridge. None of the ranchers were ever prosecuted and the rustling stopped.
Wild - for once I agree with you.
East of here, over in Dechutes County, the Sheriff's department used to have a small display of stuff they'd picked up over the years. Among the photos were a couple of shots showing several men hanging from the railroad bridge across the Crooked River gorge. The explanataion stated that during the early part of the twentieth century some of the ranchers seemed to be losing too many cows. They'd call the Sheriff but he had a long drive from the county seat, so by the time he got to the scene he really couldn't do much. The ranchers, who knew perfectly well who was stealing their cattle, decided to "help" the Sheriff a bit and one night they had a little 'round-up' of their own and hanged the rustlers from the bridge. None of the ranchers were ever prosecuted and the rustling stopped.
Wild - for once I agree with you.
katana8869
New member
To me the whole animal thing is a non-issue. I grew up on a farm where animals either provided food or some other service (ie: protection and companionship - dogs, pest control - cats). I was always taught to treat animals well but not see them as "friends". I was also taught to abhor cruelty. If I saw a dog about to be set on fire I would intervene but, no I would not use deadly force.
For me the question of becoming a vigilante arises in cases like child murder and abduction. There was a case here a few years ago where a young girl was abducted by her next door neighbor, raped, tortured and buried alive. The murderer escaped the death penalty, as most seem to do, and is now serving life in prison. How that poor father was able to endure without blowing a large hole in that piece of filth at some point during the proceedings is beyond my imagining.
For me the question of becoming a vigilante arises in cases like child murder and abduction. There was a case here a few years ago where a young girl was abducted by her next door neighbor, raped, tortured and buried alive. The murderer escaped the death penalty, as most seem to do, and is now serving life in prison. How that poor father was able to endure without blowing a large hole in that piece of filth at some point during the proceedings is beyond my imagining.
Slugthrower
New member
"Lethargy [is] the forerunner of death to the public liberty." --Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787.
"Let the eye of vigilance never be closed." --Thomas Jefferson to Spencer Roane, 1821. ME 15:326
"We, I hope, shall adhere to our republican government and keep it to its original principles by narrowly watching it." --Thomas Jefferson to ------, March 18, 1793. ME 9:45
"It behooves our citizens to be on their guard, to be firm in their principles, and full of confidence in themselves. We are able to preserve our self-government if we will but think so." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., 1800. ME 10:151
"Very many and very meritorious were the worthy patriots who assisted in bringing back our government to its republican tack. To preserve it in that will require unremitting vigilance." --Thomas Jefferson to William T. Barry, 1822. ME 15:388
"To secure [our inherent and inalienable] rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." --Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas Jefferson, 1776. ME 1:29, Papers 1:315
"I deem no government safe which is under the vassalage of any self-constituted authorities, or any other authority than that of the nation, or its regular functionaries." --Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 1803. ME 10:438
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vigilante
"member of a vigilance committee," 1856, Amer.Eng., from Sp. vigilante, lit. "watchman," from L. vigilantem (see vigilance). Vigilant man in same sense is attested from 1824 in a Missouri context. Vigilance committees kept informal rough order on the frontier or in other places where official authority was imperfect.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
justice
1140, "the exercise of authority in vindication of right by assigning reward or punishment," from O.Fr. justise, from L. justitia "righteousness, equity," from justus "upright, just" (see just (adj.)). The O.Fr. word had widespread senses, including "uprightness, equity, vindication of right, court of justice, judge." The word began to be used in Eng. c.1200 as a title for a judicial officer. Meaning "the administration of law" is from 1303. Justice of the peace first attested 1320. In the Mercian hymns, L. justitia is glossed by O.E. rehtwisnisse.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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The law is in the hands of the people. When a individual takes that law into their hands and administers justice, a jury of his peers will decide as to wether or not that that person's actions were in fact just or unjust. The consequences of that person's actions will be rendered.
The Founders would have hanged if King George would have had his way. We as Americans praise those men for their courage. Those men would be considered vigilantes and terrorists today. Were their actions just or unjust? The laws of that time served the king. Do the laws of this day serve the people or do they serve the politicians, who think we serve them, and those who they appoint?
We can have the definitions of words perverted and be left in confusion if we like. This resulting confusion will cause the people to doubt themselves and result in inaction to perceived injustices. This confusion suits the government just fine.
If you take the law into your own hands, be sure that you there will be consequences for it. Since most people are ignorant today, we could be put to trail and convicted by a jury of fools. The dumb masses are more common than this country requires to be a free nation. It is a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in today. Freedom and liberty wanes as we give up personal liberties for false protection that the police can never provide, nor are obligated to provide.
"Let the eye of vigilance never be closed." --Thomas Jefferson to Spencer Roane, 1821. ME 15:326
"We, I hope, shall adhere to our republican government and keep it to its original principles by narrowly watching it." --Thomas Jefferson to ------, March 18, 1793. ME 9:45
"It behooves our citizens to be on their guard, to be firm in their principles, and full of confidence in themselves. We are able to preserve our self-government if we will but think so." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., 1800. ME 10:151
"Very many and very meritorious were the worthy patriots who assisted in bringing back our government to its republican tack. To preserve it in that will require unremitting vigilance." --Thomas Jefferson to William T. Barry, 1822. ME 15:388
"To secure [our inherent and inalienable] rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." --Declaration of Independence as originally written by Thomas Jefferson, 1776. ME 1:29, Papers 1:315
"I deem no government safe which is under the vassalage of any self-constituted authorities, or any other authority than that of the nation, or its regular functionaries." --Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 1803. ME 10:438
_________________________________________________________________
vigilante
"member of a vigilance committee," 1856, Amer.Eng., from Sp. vigilante, lit. "watchman," from L. vigilantem (see vigilance). Vigilant man in same sense is attested from 1824 in a Missouri context. Vigilance committees kept informal rough order on the frontier or in other places where official authority was imperfect.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
justice
1140, "the exercise of authority in vindication of right by assigning reward or punishment," from O.Fr. justise, from L. justitia "righteousness, equity," from justus "upright, just" (see just (adj.)). The O.Fr. word had widespread senses, including "uprightness, equity, vindication of right, court of justice, judge." The word began to be used in Eng. c.1200 as a title for a judicial officer. Meaning "the administration of law" is from 1303. Justice of the peace first attested 1320. In the Mercian hymns, L. justitia is glossed by O.E. rehtwisnisse.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
_________________________________________________________________
The law is in the hands of the people. When a individual takes that law into their hands and administers justice, a jury of his peers will decide as to wether or not that that person's actions were in fact just or unjust. The consequences of that person's actions will be rendered.
The Founders would have hanged if King George would have had his way. We as Americans praise those men for their courage. Those men would be considered vigilantes and terrorists today. Were their actions just or unjust? The laws of that time served the king. Do the laws of this day serve the people or do they serve the politicians, who think we serve them, and those who they appoint?
We can have the definitions of words perverted and be left in confusion if we like. This resulting confusion will cause the people to doubt themselves and result in inaction to perceived injustices. This confusion suits the government just fine.
If you take the law into your own hands, be sure that you there will be consequences for it. Since most people are ignorant today, we could be put to trail and convicted by a jury of fools. The dumb masses are more common than this country requires to be a free nation. It is a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in today. Freedom and liberty wanes as we give up personal liberties for false protection that the police can never provide, nor are obligated to provide.
Start with a premise.
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I believe this poll is slanted and the underlying question is reflected in this response:
Wrap it in pejorative language to telegraph the "right" answer.Either you are an advocate for the use of lethal force beyond that allowed by law or you are not.
And heap derision on anyone with the audacity to question the "right" answer.Are you a vigilante and do you support vigilante justice?
"There are obviously people here who believe they are justified in meeting out justice as they see fit and I find that reprehensible."
"If you become the judge, jury and executioner then you are no better than a criminal."
"I think its pretty *&%$&ing sick that 15 of you would murder someone who poses no immediate threat to you or any other human. SICK"
"stop posting stupidity on the internet"
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I believe this poll is slanted and the underlying question is reflected in this response:
Therefore, I have posted a new poll that poses the question (hopefully without bias) "Do you believe that it is correct to follow the rule of law?"I am glad 27 so far have put some faith in the rule of law.
This reaction could have been shared with General Gage in April of 1775.The very fact that two folks voted to be vigilantes is absolutely frightening and is the best argument for gun control I have ever seen.
Double Naught Spy
New member
This reaction could have been shared with General Gage in April of 1775.
I have news for you. This isn't 1775 and we are not a colony commanded by a kind thousands of miles away on another continent.
Colonial references to dislike of laws that resulted in the Revolution and establishment of a new country are not the same goings-on as we have today.
You can't justify the killing of another person today, outside of the legal system and due process, based on allusions to what happened 230 years ago. The context is simply not there for a comparison.
Thank you, Double Naught Spy, for pointing out the obvious.
Such a comparison was not made - other than by yourself. "This reaction" referred to the conclusion that something frightening is "the best argument for gun control I have ever seen."
You can't justify the killing of another person today, outside of the legal system and due process, based on allusions to what happened 230 years ago. The context is simply not there for a comparison.
Such a comparison was not made - other than by yourself. "This reaction" referred to the conclusion that something frightening is "the best argument for gun control I have ever seen."