--- Harry Smith lance6wins@yahoo.com wrote:
with regard to calling an act murder. The common definition of murder and the definition that appears in wikipedia is: Murder is the crime of
intentionally causing the death of another human being, without lawful excuse.
Exactly - though the word excuse doesnt work well. Better to say 'without lawful reason,' or cause. Excuse already implies a defiance of an existing law. Keep in mind now that "law" is also a tricky word; human law requires context, or juristiction. So, according to a local variety of "law," it's "murder" to do that here, but if youre over there, 'go right ahead.' Is this act called "murder" in Palestine? I dont know. But even if it was, its a very close call. I would say that its not our place to pass judgement; that if "murder" is the judgment of a local "law" for an event, then we can report that.
If we accept this definition, then we need to ask if the individuals that shot the boy had lawful excuse.
There is no lawful excuse for murder. "Murder" is a term which carries a meaning of wrongfulness, while other terms are used for killings which are "justified," or "lawful." Is murder the term generally used for cases of "collateral damage" or "assassination" or "targeted bombing?" etc. etc. While I agree that its valid to 'call a spade a spade,' having any pretense of a consistent general policy would require a preference for the use terms that do not carry such a judgement.
The reason is that these terms just dont work in an international discussion context, because 'just cause' is always an issue of POV, unless the "law" we are all talking about is in place, active, global, and applicable equally. Currently neutrality is the only such law, othet than the law of force; sometimes called 'tyranny,' juristiction by 'right of might' is very weak, IMHO, if there are mechanisms and means by which people are free to communicate clearly.
'Cerely S
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