Monday, April 17, 2006

Defining Self-Defense

Maybe I'm crazy, but the first definition I looked at seemed like it had the basics down:
Use of force is justified when a person reasonably believes that it is necessary for the defense of oneself or another against the immediate use of unlawful force. However, a person must use no more force than appears reasonably necessary in the circumstances.
Immediate use of unlawful force, no more force than appears reasonably necessary, OK, that looks rational to me.

Suicide bomber kills 9 in Tel Aviv
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called the attack "a natural result of the continued Israeli crimes against our people."

"Our people are in a state of self-defense and they have every right to use all means to defend themselves," he said.
I call bullshit. There's nothing in self-defense that implies that you'll be dead when you finish committing whatever acts it is you're committing in "self-defense". In fact, I'm pretty sure that strapping dynamite to yourself is not defending yourself at all so much as going on a desperate offensive.

I have no sympathy for those who target shoppers and civilians and claim "self-defense".

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