thirteenth rune; frost; video

[deadelfwalking]

[Hello, friends. A cold-eyed elf with a fairly significant skin condition stares at the camera, his jaw set, his mouth a thin, inscrutable line.]

Talk of a council is all well and good, but we have another matter in front of us.

As many of you have pointed out, there is no formal system of law in place. At present, those of you who acted as peace officers have simply continued as you were in your own worlds. If you brought others to justice, if you spoke about justice -- you have continued to see this as your right.

[His eyes narrow, drawing his long eyebrows together.]

But it is not your right. Your laws are not universal. Your morality is not sacrosanct.

We must decide on appropriate conduct as a whole, with consideration given to perspectives outside of our own.

I propose that any code we settle on be simple and direct. For example:

1. Murder shall be abolished. In the case of murder, execution.

2. Theft shall be abolished. In the case of theft, the hand shall be cut off at the wrist. Repeat offenders shall lose both hands.

3. Conspiring with the United Earth shall be considered treason. In the case of treason, suspected or actual, execution.

4. Bodily autonomy shall be respected. Knowing efforts to mind control, telepathically invade, steal, or otherwise forcibly take spiritual or physical authority over another sentient being will constitute assault. In the case of this assault, execution.

And so forth.  These are merely ideas, of course.

[His lower lip twitches, suggesting that he's perfectly aware of the extremes he's recommended. Suggesting that he's just trying to get your attention, to get you to think about how you would define your own terms. What constitutes murder? Theft? Conspiracy? Justice? He's only asking.

Maybe.]

[After several hours, the post is edited with a very carefully recorded text attachment.]

Proposed countermeasures to theft:
public humiliation 
fines
time locked away

Proposed countermeasures to murder:
temporary exile
(where?  to a safe place?  to a random location in time?

General countermeasures
better jail system (?)
compassion (???)
mercy (???)
trials (how?  who receives authority?  who takes what position?  what verdicts should result?)
jail time (general solution?)
punishment via the VR room (?) 

Comments

[deadelfwalking]

How would we make a better jail system? What would time in confinement accomplish?

[deadelfwalking]

You're not. But the rest of us should not be excluded, either. The people who are not human. The people who are not from Earth. And so on.

[vocalizer]

A-ah... well I don't actually know a lot about these things, so I'm not sure I could help much there. But for the second question, it'd keep them from being able to steal again for awhile though, and if they didn't want to get stuck in jail again it'd keep them from stealing in the future without having to remove parts of their body, right? It's still a punishment, but it's not so severe.

video;

[getoffmyearth]

Does the phrase "adding fuel on the fire" mean anything to you?

[deadelfwalking]

What of murder? Violation?

[deadelfwalking]

You are free to read it that way.

[deadelfwalking]

I am a 'fan' of practical solutions, not conceptual attitudes. How would we arrange a trial?

[applethief]

Extenuating circumstances, then
I'm supposing that ties in with 4

I'd also say that would, in all technicality
Leave fault with whoever was doing the enslaving
Wouldn't it.

[vocalizer]

I'm not sure about murder. If they spent time in jail it might be better to just keep them there for the rest of their lives, or at least for their rest of the time in this universe.

[ That second one..... ]

Everything else it depends on how serious the crime in, doesn't it? Even if it all falls under the same umbrella some things are still going to be worse than others. [ Hesitating. ]

If someone had the ability to force other people to do what they wanted, there's still a difference between forcing them to do something small and forcing them to kill other people. I'm not saying either is right! But we can't punish it all the same way.

And as for treason... I don't know if there's really levels to that or not. It's dangerous for the rest of us if they give the United Earth information, but I still think we should judge those on a case by case basis.

[fintastic]

I guess it would depend on what they did, but make them do a VR course that was unpleasant. It would have to be relevant to what they did. Like if they betrayed us to the UE, make them see what it would be like if the UE destroyed their world.

Voice

[maddeninghatter]

As others have pointed out, execution is sadly temporary and dismemberment frightens the kiddies, thus may I modestly propose a judiciary system that addresses all difficulties, to wit: sufficient deterrent capabilities as well as rectifying a significant shortcoming we all suffer up here on the moon, that is to say — a lack of entertainment.

video.

[matre]

"Bodily autonomy shall be respected." Is prostitution to be acceptable then?

[payback]

Oh...

[...]

Never mind!

text

[lazyinlove]

kinda harsh.

[biwinning]

Who?

[notadamnvampire]

Things will hardly be practical when a bunch of people are missing hands because people start crying wolf. Not everyone accused of a crime is guilty. And while maybe trials and a fill system of justice isn't practical, that doesn't mean was can't have any sort of due process of law.

[Koltira plz, Al is 16, clearly he knows everything, okay]

[crocodilesmiles]

You mean just like the rest of life?

[legal_eagle]

Ohhh, I see. So this was all just a bid for equality.

[doubleoohbaby]

I don't really care what you're trying to gather with this sort of discussion, if I'm honest, but fair play.

Rules need to be established, but clashing cultures/worlds/beliefs etc. Entertaining.

[deadelfwalking]

[He makes a frustrated noise in his throat.] No. This is a useful discussion. I have been clear and reasonable in --

[He stops; shakes his head.]

No. You dislike me, and so you are going to continue missing the point. There is nothing more to say to you.

[legal_eagle]

No, I dislike what you said here. I found it pointless and asinine. And if you're so badly prepared to deal with people attacking the points you raise, probably you shouldn't raise them.

[deadelfwalking]

You have not attacked my 'point'. You have attacked trivialities and misdirections, and substituted them for the point. You know the purpose. You simply don't like it. But the others have responded well, and fruitfully.

[he shrugs.]

Snipe away, if you wish. Or offer something I can record for later use.

[legal_eagle]

[Sardonically:]

"How can you eat with only one hand?" "Which hand should be removed?" "Should executions be public?" All so fruitful and helpful. Definitely not scaremongering that just makes people even more freaked out and even less likely to like the possibility of laws.

So yeah. There's my fucking offering for you. In doing this, in starting this line of dialogue because you wanted to be some big-dicked smug motherfucker, you have further brought down the level of discourse. You have scared people. You have thrown up another obstacle in the way, because people are going to hear chatter about hands getting cut off and resist even more the possibility of getting anything in place. Does that make you and your ego happy? Well done; you've made an impact upon the population at large.

[deadelfwalking]

People are offering alternatives, as I expected them to do. That you choose not to read them is, of course, your business.

[He smiles the smile of someone who doesn't have to prove that he's a big-dicked motherfucker to anyone. He already knows he is. His voice is soft; gentle, despite the guttural quality.]

I eagerly await your next insult, Ms. Karimov.

[legal_eagle]

That wasn't an insult. Engage with my point. Do you deny that this sort of scaremongering gets people scared?