I've been reading this thread off and on for well, a long time now. This is my second post, so hopefully it goes well, if not, I sincerely apologise.
I realise the "complimenting" I suppose that's a word for it, of anothers opinion is well within the rules of the forums, but I wanted first just to say that, I thought the discussion in the latter part of this thread has been quite well worded and written out, by several posters. I can understand the viewpoints held and the position from where they are argued. I don't really want to get drawn into them, but, well, I like my own opinion also.
I must say though, that almost every post made and this is in my opinion a necessary general statement, the people have a tendency.. to fire off one or two little sniping remarks about the person they're discussing. I will try not to do this, belittling someone is just not who I am and I do apologise yet again, if I ever do insult anyone, either at a minor level or more seriously. It has never been my intention to attempt to hurt someones feelies, over an opinion.
However, I have felt to add my sixpence into this thread, that started about racism, opinions of anti racists and seems to be currently totally derailed and talking about with taxation, greed, productivity or generally murderering people. Topics which normally, I'd not feel particularly at ease discussing.
In my opinion, a murderer is anyone, who kills anyone else. It is an active choice one makes, to take someone elses life. It is an unforgivable choice. Even in the cases of arguable justification, such as self defence of yourself or another.. it is still a terrible action to commit. A life is not measured by someones past actions, but really on the possiblities of their future ones. Which are denied at the moment they die. It is a terrible, horrible action, to even imagine, let alone commit. Yet.. clearly something that is up for discussion.
In the case of the infamous Axe Murderer versus the shadowy person with the automatic rifle standing apparently and allegedly behind him. (or her).
I would say, that again, in my opinion, that someone on a killing spree... wouldn't be able to call it much of a spree, if they hadn't killed at least one person. So if said murderer is on a spree, it should be safely assumed they have killed at least one individual. Irrigardless of how that individual feels, imo, it is still murder.
It would be justified for the rifleman to shoot and kill him, from any angle or position. Purely in the defence of either themselves or others. Also, simply, because the murderer, has murdered someone. But this act, would still be a terrible action to take. An unforgivable action, even if an understandable one.
Now, certainly we all have our personal opinions, which are subject to change roughly every 20 seconds or so I've read somewhere, we also have our individual cultural upbringing, our taught and learned morals to guide our opinions, our own personal subjective point of view. Someones terrorist is often anothers freedom fighter. Justified killing is often excused and found acceptable, by people, by thier own opinion of their understanding of a given situation or their experience of life in general. But to me, if you or anyone were to ask me, I would say that the Axe Murderer deserved death by rifle from behind. Preferably from a distance, maybe from a window or balcony..
As for someone asking to be killed, in my opinion, anyone doing so, is unfit to make such a decision. Life is for living, not for deciding how or when you die. I fully accept that making such a decision is based on my own subjective opinion, but having lost a very close friend to cancer and sitting by him as he died in extreme pain, even with the generous amounts of painkillers administered and the absolute fear of knowing that soon his life would end. I still hold to my opinion that even with his attempts to end his own life prematurely, which in his case was endlessly and secretively asking for bottles of whiskey to be smuggled in to his ward so he could choose is own way. Was not a decision he had the right to make, that any of us, will ever have the right to make.
To try to explain my position, it is not what rights we have, regardless of where we're born or what rights others think we should have. But our natural and generally agreed upon (universally agreed) [yes i went there] rights as humans, as animals. They don't really matter.
It is what we are asking others to do that does. We're asking someone we might claim to love, to hold dear, to cross that singular line, that no human should ever have to cross. To place upon their shoulders, for the rest of their lives, that responsiblity. That pain and sorrow, the days, weeks and months, maybe years or decades of hindsight and second guessing that there might have been another way. Noone has the right to put that on someone else.
I'd go so far to say, that even trying to put that on someone, is worse, than murdering them. This also goes for the Axe Murderer, for forcing someone to shoot and kill him. A secondary offence for sure, but still a wrongdoing. Thus we should never put anyone into such a position, by choice.
All my opinion, hope it made sense. I will edit out any obvious spelling mistakes or clearly misunderstood or badly written sections. At a later time.
Hope you all live full and happy lives.. except maybe anyone who might wish any of us ill. I hope that those who do, find their own wishes descending upon themselves.
Does my opinion make me wrong, probably.. everyone has their opinion, read this thread for many great examples. (no that wasn't a snipe.. a compliment, meant as a compliment)
