[WikiEN-l] Viajero/Zero and Lance6 - POV terms

Wed Jul 28 19:22:32 UTC 2004

--- Harry Smith <lance6wins at yahoo.com> wrote:
> with regard to calling an act murder.  The common
> definition of murder and the definition that appears
> in wikipedia is: Murder is the crime of
intentionally causing the death of another human
being, without lawful excuse.

Exactly - though the word excuse doesnt work well.
Better to say 'without lawful reason,' or cause.
Excuse already implies a defiance of an existing law.
Keep in mind now that "law" is also a tricky word;
human law requires context, or juristiction. So,
according to a local variety of "law," it's "murder"
to do that here, but if youre over there, 'go right
ahead.' Is this act called "murder" in Palestine? I
dont know. But even if it was, its a very close call.
I would say that its not our place to pass judgement;
that if "murder" is the judgment of a local "law" for
an event, then we can report that.

> If we accept this definition, then we need to ask if
> the individuals that shot the boy had lawful excuse.

There is no lawful excuse for murder. "Murder" is a
term which carries a meaning of wrongfulness, while
other terms are used for killings which are
"justified," or "lawful." Is murder the term generally
used for cases of "collateral damage" or
"assassination" or "targeted bombing?" etc. etc. While
I agree that its valid to 'call a spade a spade,'
having any pretense of a consistent general policy
would require a preference for the use terms that do
not carry such a judgement. 

The reason is that these terms just dont work in an
international discussion context, because 'just cause'
is always an issue of POV, unless the "law" we are all
talking about is in place, active, global, and
applicable equally. Currently neutrality is the only
such law, othet than the law of force; sometimes
called 'tyranny,' juristiction by 'right of might' is
very weak, IMHO, if there are mechanisms and means by
which people are free to communicate clearly.

'Cerely
S

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