Feel free to scratch Nazis and insert any other example of extreme injustice perpetrated by organizations that considered themselves to be apart of some sort of

Feel free to scratch Nazis and insert any other example of extreme injustice perpetrated by organizations that considered themselves to be apart of some sort of law enforcement or judicial system. Change the setting to the Underground Railroad and try that on for size: As far as the law was concerned, the people who were transported by the Underground Railroad were property. The law enforcement did not necessarily consider themselves to be apart of some sort of atrocity (although we can of course all agree that they were). They were, undeniably, law enforcement. There is no question in either of our minds that they were acting in a reprehensible manner, but they were nevertheless law enforcement. It would be, unambiguously (in my not so humble opinion, although I can't believe there's anyone on HN who would disagree), justifiable to kill anybody that threatened to bring law enforcement down on the 'operators' or 'passengers' of the Underground Railroad. Note that I am not saying that DPR putting out a hit is justifiable (and to continue to head off the annoyingly standard complaint others here like to throw out: No, I am not saying the Underground Railroad and the Silk Road are comparable in importance, severity, morality, etc). What I am saying is that it sits in a gray area that requires some consideration. I am not willing to write it off carelessly.