Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Science of Libertarian Morality?

There is a new(?) social psychology study which explores the formation of the libertarian personality. Naturally, I have issues with many of the conclusions presented, but it is an interesting read anyway. It can be found here.

- Steve

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Insanity

Steve,

Here's one I really don't get. Some guy murders another guy, then goes to court and pleads "insanity".

Huh? How does that work? I mean, don't you have to be insane in the first place to murder someone?

While I'm thinking about it, what's the deal with this "crimes of passion" malarkey? OK, murderer "A" gets the maximum penalty because they prove in court that he "planned" to murder some poor schmoe. Murderer "B" gets off easy because they prove he just all of a sudden went off the deep end and started blasting away.

I mean, what possible difference would it make if you "planned" to murder someone or just got a wild hair? For that matter, why would society enact laws which are more lenient for people who are "insane" and tend to start shooting at the drop of a pin? Shouldn't it be the other way around? I mean, if the aim of our justice system is to "rehabilitate" people, wouldn't it be better to start out with a sane person who plans ahead instead of some whack job who doesn't even know what day it is?

One more thing. How come most of the time when a murderer causes death they sentence him to life? This makes no sense to me.

Now I assure you I'm not a big revenge guy. But doesn't it seem a little ridiculous that when some creep murders somebody they turn around and "punish" him by giving him three squares a day and a warm bed to sleep in for the rest of his life? Wouldn't it make better sense to let Hell foot the bill for the dude's room and board rather than the American tax payer?

If you've got an explanation for any of this, I'd love to hear it.

-Chris

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Saturday, January 1, 2011

You've miles to go before you sleep...

Gentlemen.

As LRA&H approaches its third year in business, I should like to wish you both a Happy New Year.  May you both prosper this year in all ways civil and honorable - not to mention those endeavors to which civility and honor may not be as tightly fastened.

I wish I could say all of your posts have been uniformly entertaining.  Some, to be honest, have been stupefyingly boring - a category in which Mr. Rhetts leads by a nose (Though Mr. Green has made many remarkable contributions).  Yet no road fashioned by human hands will ever be free of ruts and potholes, and at least this one appears to be going somewhere.

Whither?  I suppose you'll know when you get there.  But let's hope that won't be anytime soon...

Best wishes,

Bernardo