by
Reynolds
on Wed 21 May 2008 12:01 AM BST
Leading on from the previous post (and because I'm interested)...
The drug user, chasing that feel-good feeling, in too deep and now addicted. Robbing and mugging people - Victim or villain?
The paedophile, abusing your child, he was abused himself. Victim or villain?
The person who steals your car, he thinks he is poor - so he helps himself to your property, doesn't he deserve it? Victim or villain?
Brought up by his gang, he stabs an innocent family man to death to earn his stripes. Victim or villain?
He's unattractive, has poor social skills - he wants sex, so he rapes women. Victim or villain?
The nurse, she wants to be special, maybe has a mental health problem - so she kills the children under her care. Victim or villain?
His wife doesn't love him any more, so the husband kills her out of sudden rage. Victim or villain?
The leader of a country, fears revolt by an ethnic group, in order to keep his country stable drops bombs on men, women and children. Victim or villain?
The terrorist who blows himself up on the tube. Victim or villain?
The man in the cave who sends the terrorist bomber to kill people he'll never know. Victim or villain?
The burglar who breaks into the house and gets stabbed by a frightened housewife. Victim or villain?
The alcoholic who punches me in the face, breaking my glasses, cutting my face. Victim or villain?
The person who robbed my ambulance, stole my crewmate's belongings. Victim or villain?
At what point do you say, "No, it was not right to do this, there is no excuse"?
I have seen acts done out of evil, out of carelessness and out of illness. In my job I can't judge, won't judge. But at some point shouldn't we say, "That is unacceptable, there is no excuse" and to demand some personal responsibility?
There are people abused or unlucky, or that live in poverty who don't turn to hurting other people to get what they consider is their right. We don't hold up those people as paragons, yet their law-breaking counterparts are victims?
Life is complicated, but sometimes isn't someone to blame?
I look forward to reading your comments, please do keep them civil.
A more ambulance related post later today methinks...