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Old 09-25-2002, 01:21 AM   #11
Dangus
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 48
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I would agree on not beating people up over your wallet if it is not necessary, but I think using as much force as necessary to deter them is justified, and if they choose to refuse to disengage in the face of your resistance, then they do bear a great deal of responsibility for the further injury they are subjected to. I agree on the legal system, and if someone tries to take my wallet, I will deter them and apprehend them if able to do so without becoming an agressor. Once they are under control the police will be called, if not sooner.

There are cases of crime where I would most definitely become the agressor, and would have little mercy. Stopping a major crime like rape or murder would certainly be included. I would be a great deal less likely to become agressive and risk my life and their's to stop a property crime, though in some cases I would do so, such as attacks on religious organizations, or robbing of a charity organization of some sort. Even then, I believe that unwanted violence is a bad thing. There are types of violence in life we ask for, that we want, such as sparring with a friend, or playing sports, but hostility is just a bad thing, and so even then, I would prefer greatly not to use as much force as I possibly can. With even my limited training, I can really hurt someone badly, and I am mindful of that. I realize there are many that are not though, but I consider them martial practicioners rather than martial artists.

In the wallet case, I am just saying that in most cases I believe it's more a matter of principal than of necessity. I would defend my wallet out of necessity and would do so quite agressively due to that fact, but were that small amount of money not so essential to my daily welfare, I would base my response level on what it means to straightening out the theif, and protecting the community, an I'm sure my violence level would be much lower.

"Those who beat their swords into plowshares plow for those who keep their's" -Ben Franklin
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