The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - (TX) Man shoots boy he said was stealing his chickens

kjm · April 21, 2001, 12:33 AM

Libertarian, sounds like you aren't real familiar with your ideology. My property is an extension of me. It is mine. You can't steal it from me. Remember that I have a right to life, liberty and PROPERTY so long as my exercising my rights does not interfere with someone else's rights to LLP. This criminal was depriving a person of his rightful property. Sounds pretty simple to me. I don't care that he was 12. Really, I don't. Different places have different standards. In Saudi Arabia, if caught they'd have cut his hand off. Most older societies see a 12 year old as the age of reason. He knew better. It's all pretty simple. You may think that Singapore is barbaric for lashing a young American kid for vandalizing cars, but guess what? The people in Singapore don't worry much about their cars being vandalized, and I suppose that American kids who go to Singapore should mark vandalism off their iteneries.

It is imaterial if he was stealing a penny, or stealing a billion dollars. He knew it was wrong. He took his chances and now he's paid the price. Guess he wasn't so lucky. I could give two hoots in hell over what you think about Texas law. It is there for a reason, and I don't care about those who break it and get killed doing it. The only reason we're even discussing this to the length we are is because of the age of the criminal. If he would've been 18, you'd probably be singing a different tune, but principles only count when you want them to.

A principle isn't worth a tinker's damn if you don't stick to them consistently. I suppose if anyone wants to steal from you at night, all they have to do is send over a minor to do it, and they'll know they're safe. As for me, I probably wouldn't have shot him, but I'll be damned if I'm going to second guess the PROPERTY OWNER who was having HIS property taken from him CRIMINALLY.

April 21, 2001, 12:33 AM	#46
kjm Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 1999 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 1,871	Libertarian, sounds like you aren't real familiar with your ideology. My property is an extension of me. It is mine. You can't steal it from me. Remember that I have a right to life, liberty and PROPERTY so long as my exercising my rights does not interfere with someone else's rights to LLP. This criminal was depriving a person of his rightful property. Sounds pretty simple to me. I don't care that he was 12. Really, I don't. Different places have different standards. In Saudi Arabia, if caught they'd have cut his hand off. Most older societies see a 12 year old as the age of reason. He knew better. It's all pretty simple. You may think that Singapore is barbaric for lashing a young American kid for vandalizing cars, but guess what? The people in Singapore don't worry much about their cars being vandalized, and I suppose that American kids who go to Singapore should mark vandalism off their iteneries. It is imaterial if he was stealing a penny, or stealing a billion dollars. He knew it was wrong. He took his chances and now he's paid the price. Guess he wasn't so lucky. I could give two hoots in hell over what you think about Texas law. It is there for a reason, and I don't care about those who break it and get killed doing it. The only reason we're even discussing this to the length we are is because of the age of the criminal. If he would've been 18, you'd probably be singing a different tune, but principles only count when you want them to. A principle isn't worth a tinker's damn if you don't stick to them consistently. I suppose if anyone wants to steal from you at night, all they have to do is send over a minor to do it, and they'll know they're safe. As for me, I probably wouldn't have shot him, but I'll be damned if I'm going to second guess the PROPERTY OWNER who was having HIS property taken from him CRIMINALLY.