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From: dbongard@netcom.com (Dan Bongard)
Subject: Re: Quake, Violence, Guns, Constitution, et al
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Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997 01:04:00 GMT
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Ed Jankovsky (syrinx@leave.me.alone.primenet.com) wrote:

:: Its hard for everyone to say that.  many people keep valuables and
:: family heirlooms in their house that can't be replaced.

: I would still bet they would choose their life over those valuables.

What makes you think they would have lived if they'd just handed 
over the valuables? Statistical evidence? "Well, gee, burglars
don't _usually_ kill people who don't resist"? The decision you
are making here isn't "your life vs your possessions". It is "the
chance of you being killed if you cooperate" vs "the chance of 
you being killed if you fight back". I'll take the latter, because
I am not willing to trust to the kindness of an armed stranger
burglarizing my house.

: There ain't a damn thing in this world you can own more important
: than a life.

If you let an armed burglar into your house, what makes you think
he won't kill you? Why _wouldn't_ he kill you? You are a witness
who could potentially identify him. If you fail to violently resist
a robbery all you are saying is "Gee, I sure hope this armed thug
is a nice guy", because the only thing keeping you alive is the 
kindness, if any, in his heart.

-- Dan
