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Rittenhouse. What an American Hero. Will Biden apologise?

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
We're talking about killing people and what makes someone a killer. Not jay walking.

I was trying to make a point and I think you're trying to evade it. OK then, I'll spell it out:

In common usage, applying the tag of "criminal" to someone is intended to speak more to their nature than to their history. "Criminal" is usually used to describe someone with a propensity towards crime, not necessarily anyone who's ever committed a crime.

Same thing with the word "killer". Technically, anyone who's ever killed is a "killer", but the term isn't usually used in reference to anyone without consideration of the circumstances. Otherwise, every surgeon who's ever performed an unsuccessful operation is a "killer" . Every food service person who's ever inadvertently served contaminated food to a customer is a "killer".

Every asymptomatic covid carrier who passed it on to someone who wound up dying from it, etc.

The terms "criminal" or "killer" as used in modern terminology are meant to serve as a warning label, a predictor of future activity. None of that is necessary if we're just describing someone involved in an isolated event.

Unless you want to lower the bar in which case the term(s) becomes meaningless.

Hence my question asking if you killed someone.
So, sorry but I don't understand your question.

That must have taken quite a bit of effort.
 

SkepticThinker

Veteran Member
I was trying to make a point and I think you're trying to evade it. OK then, I'll spell it out:

In common usage, applying the tag of "criminal" to someone is intended to speak more to their nature than to their history. "Criminal" is usually used to describe someone with a propensity towards crime, not necessarily anyone who's ever committed a crime.

Same thing with the word "killer". Technically, anyone who's ever killed is a "killer", but the term isn't usually used in reference to anyone without consideration of the circumstances. Otherwise, every surgeon who's ever performed an unsuccessful operation is a "killer" . Every food service person who's ever inadvertently served contaminated food to a customer is a "killer".

Every asymptomatic covid carrier who passed it on to someone who wound up dying from it, etc.

The terms "criminal" or "killer" as used in modern terminology are meant to serve as a warning label, a predictor of future activity. None of that is necessary if we're just describing someone involved in an isolated event.

Unless you want to lower the bar in which case the term(s) becomes meaningless.



That must have taken quite a bit of effort.
I didn't use the word "criminal." I used the word "killer."

I am talking about a person who killed someone as a killer. Because they have killed.
That's it.
Maybe it's an isolated event for this guy, maybe not. It doesn't really matter.
 

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
I didn't use the word "criminal." I used the word "killer."

I am talking about a person who killed someone as a killer. Because they have killed.
That's it.
Maybe it's an isolated event for this guy, maybe not. It doesn't really matter.

Yes, it does.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I guess it depends on whether you're trying to understand the situation, or just looking to pass judgement on the people involved.
I can understand their side...I think....
Rittenhouse killed them wrongfully because he put himself
in the position of having to defend himself, ie, by exercising
constitutional rights as he did, he provoked the responses
leading to the deaths. Setting aside the law, he's a murderer.

I can't argue against that view.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
The terms "criminal" or "killer" as used in modern terminology are meant to serve as a warning label, a predictor of future activity. None of that is necessary if we're just describing someone involved in an isolated event.
Why would we assume that this will be an isolated event?

What message do you think Rittenhouse will take from this experience? Not only has he learned that he can kill without legal consequence, but he's also seen that killing can get him attention and praise from the peer group he's chosen to associate with.

That's a heck of a thing to drop on an impressionable kid. I'd say it's better than even odds that he'll kill again.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
 

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
I can understand their side...I think....
Rittenhouse killed them wrongfully because he put himself
in the position of having to defend himself, ie, by exercising
constitutional rights as he did, he provoked the responses
leading to the deaths.

I think provocation is up for grabs here too:

This is the most comprehensive video of that night that I've found so far:


Time stamps to help get some idea about the relative motives/disposition of the participants:

13:25

14:33

15:20

Here's how the confrontation between Rittenhouse and Rosenbaum played out:

16:04



Setting aside the law, he's a murderer.

I can't argue against that view.

To me, "murder" suggests some sort of premeditated intent. I've yet to see anything to suggest to me that Rittenhouse went to Kenosha with the intention of hurting anyone.
 

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
Why would we assume that this will be an isolated event?

Make you a deal: if he does it again and someone calls him a killer, I won't argue about it.

What message do you think Rittenhouse will take from this experience? Not only has he learned that he can kill without legal consequence, but he's also seen that killing can get him attention and praise from the peer group he's chosen to associate with.

That's a heck of a thing to drop on an impressionable kid. I'd say it's better than even odds that he'll kill again.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

Until he does, this is still an isolated incident.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
The determining factor by me for identifying a large group's racial bias is if the group has mostly fair skinned people in contrast to having mostly beautiful colorfully skinned people. Hence, a group like the Proud Boys seems to me to be very racially biased towards white privilege.

ed0a756508c150e793b423ebdde5724c

"Beautiful colorfully skinned people"? That sounds quite racist to me, and I'm not white myself.

Putting non-white people on a pedestal is racist too, as is automatically associating being white with racism or privilege.
 

ecco

Veteran Member
In common usage, applying the tag of "criminal" to someone is intended to speak more to their nature than to their history. "Criminal" is usually used to describe someone with a propensity towards crime, not necessarily anyone who's ever committed a crime.

Same thing with the word "killer". Technically, anyone who's ever killed is a "killer", but the term isn't usually used in reference to anyone without consideration of the circumstances.

Don't ya just love it when people try to make up their own definitions!

crim·i·nal
/ˈkrim(ə)n(ə)l/


noun
  1. a person who has committed a crime.
    "these men are dangerous criminals"

kill·er
/ˈkilər/


noun
  1. 1.
    a person or thing that kills.
    "police are still searching for the killer"
 

Wildswanderer

Veteran Member
Why do you think people should act as vigilantes?
Not such a great idea if we want a functional society, is it?
It is when leadership refuses to protect those they are supposed to protect. If the National guard had been called in it would not have been necessary for citizens to do thier job.
 
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