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The one constant in life: Though frequently illegal, duels often avoided prosecution, possibly because the participants tended to hold positions of power, such

The one constant in life: Though frequently illegal, duels often avoided prosecution, possibly because the participants tended to hold positions of power, such as United States senator.

aaronbrethorst 5y ago
And don't forget, you pay the doctor in advance, treat him with civility, and have him turn around so he can have deniability.
- mattkrause 5y ago
  Very apt username (at least the first part)!
  - aaronbrethorst 5y ago
    I occasionally think about this 1990 “Got Milk” ad directed by Michael Bay and note that the identity of Alexander Hamilton’s duel partner (saying nothing of his own identity as the ten dollar founding father without a father) is no longer esoteric knowledge, but a well known fact in popular culture: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSsswr6z9Y https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSsswr6z9Y
    - rriepe 5y ago
      My favorite pop culture reference to it is Lazy Sunday: https://youtu.be/sRhTeaa_B98?t=97 https://youtu.be/sRhTeaa_B98?t=97
krrrh 5y ago
It’s hard to get a definitive answer, but as a matter of law there are several states with legal “mutual combat”. One would imagine most of these cases happen on the other end of the SES scale. https://www.quora.com/Where-is-mutual-combat-legal-and-what-are-your-thoughts-on-it https://www.quora.com/Where-is-mutual-combat-legal-and-what-...
watwut 5y ago
That was not the only reason. The other reason was that duel was socially required in some situations. If you refused, you was really looked down at and would became sort of outcast. Everyone of relevant cast understood that. Also, they did not ended up with death all that often. There was whole process how to got there, negotiate compromise via seconds and often participants were not so eager to kill each other. The big point is to show willingness to be shoot at or something of that sort. C-span had pretty good lecture about duels in south.

The one constant in life: Though frequently illegal, duels often avoided prosecution, possibly because the participants tended to hold positions of power, such as United States senator.

aaronbrethorst 5y ago

And don't forget, you pay the doctor in advance, treat him with civility, and have him turn around so he can have deniability.

mattkrause 5y ago
Very apt username (at least the first part)!
- aaronbrethorst 5y ago
  I occasionally think about this 1990 “Got Milk” ad directed by Michael Bay and note that the identity of Alexander Hamilton’s duel partner (saying nothing of his own identity as the ten dollar founding father without a father) is no longer esoteric knowledge, but a well known fact in popular culture: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSsswr6z9Y https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSsswr6z9Y
  - rriepe 5y ago
    My favorite pop culture reference to it is Lazy Sunday: https://youtu.be/sRhTeaa_B98?t=97 https://youtu.be/sRhTeaa_B98?t=97

krrrh 5y ago

It’s hard to get a definitive answer, but as a matter of law there are several states with legal “mutual combat”. One would imagine most of these cases happen on the other end of the SES scale. https://www.quora.com/Where-is-mutual-combat-legal-and-what-are-your-thoughts-on-it https://www.quora.com/Where-is-mutual-combat-legal-and-what-...

watwut 5y ago

That was not the only reason. The other reason was that duel was socially required in some situations. If you refused, you was really looked down at and would became sort of outcast. Everyone of relevant cast understood that. Also, they did not ended up with death all that often. There was whole process how to got there, negotiate compromise via seconds and often participants were not so eager to kill each other. The big point is to show willingness to be shoot at or something of that sort. C-span had pretty good lecture about duels in south.