What did it cost
The victim of this "wrong doing"?
What is legal,
Or ethical?
What was done,
To whom?
Newsgroups: rec.running
From: "np426z" <[email hidden]> - Find messages by this author
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2004 19:32:38 +0000 (UTC)
Local: Sat,Jul 24 2004 3:32 pm
Subject: I have a dilemma...
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....well, actually, I have lots of dilemmas (dilemmi?), but the dilemma
over
which I seek the advice of the rec.runners is as follows:
I know someone who's been bad. Not a tiny bit bad, or even a
medium-sized
bit bad, but *very, very* bad. Of their badness I will say little,
other
than it was BAD. Of them I can say but a fraction more. They are
male,
of means, well-educated (and before you put two-and-two together and
come up
with five, NO, it ain't moi) and have - in my eyes - no apparent reason
for
falling off the straight and narrow.
I knew nothing of their badness until after the dirty deed was done.
It
cannot be undone, nor will the application of time, money or effort
heal the
scars of their stupidity. They confessed their folly to me openly and
freely. They sought my advice upon what to do next.
So, what should I say? Actually, I know what to say 'cause I've
already
said it. I guess I'm raising the subject with you as a sort of 'straw
poll'
to see if y'all agree with me. I told them to walk away and never
speak to
anyone, ever again, of their deed.
Reasons? OK, firstly - as I said - his act can't be undone, therefore
contrition is futile, punishment merely vengance, and retribution is a
matter for the gods. Secondly, this soul has led a blameless life to
date - even, in my eyes, a useful one - therefore I see no-one better
suited
to be his judge than himself. And finally, and *most* importantly,
life is
full of odd little events. What looks terrible to me may be judged by
others, in a different time and place, to be sensible or even laudable.
I
have to trust that - based on my knowledge of him, of his life and his
previously demonstrated personal values - he acted as any reasonable
person
would have, given the circumstances in which he found himself. In
other
words, it could have been me.
Is that fair? Does the fact that I accept that I *can* fail excuse
the
fact that others *do*? Would it have been worse if he wasn't such a
decent
bloke? Can the fact that you've led a good life in any way mitigate
against the commission of a bad act? Or it it all black and white,
right
and wrong?
The floor, rec.runners, is all yours...