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Perhaps I am being stereotypically Texan here, but sometimes I wish there was space in our legal and ethical system to kick someone's ass for behavior that does

Perhaps I am being stereotypically Texan here, but sometimes I wish there was space in our legal and ethical system to kick someone's ass for behavior that doesn't reach the level of provable criminality but that still calls for more than a sharp rebuke, public shaming, or ostracism. Our current status quo of 'violence is never the answer' seems to give assholes a bit too much wiggle room to make the rest of us suffer.

jessaustin 10y ago
In many jurisdictions, that space does exist, because cops and prosecutors are comfortable "looking the other way" when it's clear there is a reason to do so. It is to Texas's credit that much of that state is such a jurisdiction, but in fact much of the fly-over country is. Of course, a fake-ass "anarchist" like Applebaum might file a civil suit for a well-deserved ass-kicking, but that's still sunlight.
- srtjstjsj 10y ago
  fake?
  - jessaustin 10y ago
    Anarchism is a principled opposition to arbitrary authority. The behavior described in TFA is totally unprincipled grasping at any position of unearned dominance that could facilitate the gratification of selfish desires. It's difficult to imagine a person of this low character cheerfully accepting the personal autonomy of other humans he perceived as lower in power.
- ElComradio 10y ago
  This is one of the many reasons why Texas is filled to the brim with happy and well adjusted people.
  - clavalle 10y ago
    As compared to where, California?
- GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago
  Among all the problems with this kind of folk justice is it tends to "criminalize" things like "breathing while black" or "looks gay".
  - jessaustin 10y ago
    What you're talking about is (and especially, has been) a real problem, but that's because of institutionalized racism and prejudice, not because LEOs look the other way when an asshole deservedly gets his nose busted. Not least because many of the jurisdictions that have institutionalized racism of this sort would be quick to jump in if a "stereotypical" white-dude asshole was on the receiving end. However, perhaps something about this works better when all parties are in the same "community", in a sense. The situation under discussion seems to fit that mold.
srtjstjsj 10y ago
We banned that for a reason. _Who_ decides what calls for more than a sharp rebuke? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching
- clavalle 10y ago
  Yeah, I get that. It can get really bad, really fast. But, then again, I'm not saying we should kill anyone or even damage them permanently so I'm not sure it is fair to take the statement to that extreme.

jessaustin 10y ago

In many jurisdictions, that space does exist, because cops and prosecutors are comfortable "looking the other way" when it's clear there is a reason to do so. It is to Texas's credit that much of that state is such a jurisdiction, but in fact much of the fly-over country is. Of course, a fake-ass "anarchist" like Applebaum might file a civil suit for a well-deserved ass-kicking, but that's still sunlight.

srtjstjsj 10y ago
fake?
- jessaustin 10y ago
  Anarchism is a principled opposition to arbitrary authority. The behavior described in TFA is totally unprincipled grasping at any position of unearned dominance that could facilitate the gratification of selfish desires. It's difficult to imagine a person of this low character cheerfully accepting the personal autonomy of other humans he perceived as lower in power.
ElComradio 10y ago
This is one of the many reasons why Texas is filled to the brim with happy and well adjusted people.
- clavalle 10y ago
  As compared to where, California?
GFK_of_xmaspast 10y ago
Among all the problems with this kind of folk justice is it tends to "criminalize" things like "breathing while black" or "looks gay".
- jessaustin 10y ago
  What you're talking about is (and especially, has been) a real problem, but that's because of institutionalized racism and prejudice, not because LEOs look the other way when an asshole deservedly gets his nose busted. Not least because many of the jurisdictions that have institutionalized racism of this sort would be quick to jump in if a "stereotypical" white-dude asshole was on the receiving end. However, perhaps something about this works better when all parties are in the same "community", in a sense. The situation under discussion seems to fit that mold.

srtjstjsj 10y ago

We banned that for a reason. _Who_ decides what calls for more than a sharp rebuke? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching

clavalle 10y ago
Yeah, I get that. It can get really bad, really fast. But, then again, I'm not saying we should kill anyone or even damage them permanently so I'm not sure it is fair to take the statement to that extreme.