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Discussion: Valor

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Sir Patrick:
I guess we could say valor mixed with vanity is a recipe for folly.  Valor as an instrument of honor, on the other hand, is chivalric.

Sir James A:

--- Quote from: The Red Knight on 2010-11-06, 22:17:21 ---Intervening when someone is being beaten/attacked/raped/what-have-you is without a doubt the correct thing to do (laws be damned), but trying to be a hero during a gas station robbery is just plain stupid!  The "victim" in this situation is a company with insurance and the means of absorbing the loss of the till.  A knight would not risk the lives of other bystanders should things start to go south.
--- End quote ---

What if the person is being robbed at gunpoint and threatened? Or hostages? At that point, while it's the company being robbed, there is a very grave potential for loss of life as well.

I saw this video years ago, and it's still epic to me: - I won't spoil what happens, but it's a purse snatcher in an elevator. Highly doubt that would ever happen in America; but I think we'd be a better place if it did.

There was news a little while back about a 20 year old student in Maryland who had some things stolen from his house while he was out (laptop, game consoles). That same night, around midnight, he heard noises in his garage; and he decided to check it out. He found an intruder in his garage. Did he dial 911 and hope for the best? Let the suspect flee? Call his roommates to help?

He decided to confront the intruder. Not with a gun, with a katana. There are a number of articles, and colored both ways in the typical "there are 3 sides to every story; yours, theirs, and the truth". Some paint the burglar as the "victim" of the brutal homeowner, and others paint the homeowner as an almost hero. The end result was that according to the student, the burglar assaulted him when confronted ... and paid for it with his life.

I'm a bit torn to call it a tragedy, or a victory. The burglar was a repeat offender, with a total of *29* prior criminal convictions, including breaking and entering. He was released from an 18 month jail sentence just 3 days prior to his death. He initiated the combat. I think centuries ago, the student would be a hero, and the townspeople would be glad to have one less "career criminal" around. Modern day? He faces potential charges for his actions and criticism from the "victims" family that paint the student as a homicidal killer who took the life of a good person.

By definition, valor is "strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness". Was it a knightly act to confront an intruder in a home that he shared with other people? Or was it poor judgement? Or...?

Sir Patrick:
It would be interesting to see see how different (if at all) the fallout would have been if the student had confronted the intruder with a firearm instead of a sword (I'm assumming the intruder was armed).  Was it so much the necessity of employing deadly force, or the exotic nature of the weapon that has caused the controversy?  Now, I have to go check that the drawbridge is up before retiring for the evening :).

Sir William:
Sir James, that video IS epic...not sure if it is contrived or not but I think that girl showed courage under fire and it all happened so fast that she obviously did not give it any real thought, just reacted to the situation.  Changed that would-be mugger's life, I'll bet she did.

As for that college student, I remember that story- of course the intruder's family would paint him out to be a 'good' guy, that's a knee-jerk reaction.  Having 29 priors means he was anything but- and I do not like saying whether or not someone deserves to live or die, but did the student who was being robbed deserve it?  In this day and age, any time you take matters into your own hands you must be prepared for the backlash.  There are those who believe that life is precious no matter what...I do not necessarily subscribe to this notion.  Life itself is precious, the life of a proven criminal however, is not.  Not to me.

Sir Edward:

That was definitely an interesting case. Personally, I think anyone who intrudes into someone's home (even the enclosed yard, like this case) with criminal intent and behaves violently towards the residents puts his own safety, and life, in forfeit. Period. :)

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