un: aquila

[leitstern]

Name: Jasper
Date: 12/21 [Forward-dated]
Format: Text

[Come the evening of the 21st, a message pops up in words and sentences. Not a single letter is out of place. The script is formal and almost designed for an audience.]

It is a truth unfortunate that joyous times bring out those villainous souls who prey on the citizenry.

Bandits and cutpurses. Thieves who steal and contribute nothing. Should it be illegal to transmogrify those vermin into forms more suited for their crimes?

[The message falters for a moment; its sender considering his own question. Would he curse such boorish people? Yes. Would he were it illegal? Well, he ignores the fact he might have done so and continues.]

Rats, perhaps?

There is poetic justic in such literal representation if nothing else.

[This is all hypothetical. Clearly.]

Comments

[leitstern]

It would certainly be a predicament requiring firm oversight. But can you imagine the alternative? Living amongst foul and obnoxious filth? I would consider it a fault of any government to leave people of inferior grace to spread rot and infestation.

Scour the slums of their depravity if nothing more. If they do not change their ways, starve them and let them learn, lest they devour each other.

[fuelingfire]

How unexpected. I am in complete agreement on the principle, though the fine points of application may need more thought to prevent an outbreak of vermin.

Mayhap consider flies instead of rodents. Or swine, that may be fed the refuse of the city and by doing so unwillingly help clean it instead of fouling it further.

[leitstern]

Perhaps there is a case to be made for enforcing some contribution to society instead of enduring their infection of the same. But should the rulers of this city listen and endorse such punishment? That is the burning question.

Alas, I fear awaiting their ruling should prove inefficeient. There are few people in government who are entirely competent.

[fuelingfire]

Should? Yes.

Will? Unlikely. The vast bulk of those in ruling positions are interested only in what affects their lives directly, and these thieves and pickpockets by and large predate on the lower classes. What concern is it of theirs, safe in their gated homes?

Consequences beyond meager fines and brief stints behind bars may do well as a deterrent.

[leitstern]

That is where I am afraid you shall meet disappointment. Consequences to those running this land amount to a meagre slap on the wrist. Light chastisement accomplishes nothing when it comes to halting criminals in their tracks.

Nay, I would say it encourages disorder. Deprive these trangressors of food, warmth and shelter and they should be too busy surviving to indulge in petty larceny. Or address their quarry and turn them against their tormentors; let them be your eyes and ears. That is what I should do.

[fuelingfire]

I inevitably meet disappointment when it comes to the handling of such individuals.

But these alternative means are certainly appealing, though I'm certain there are those who will stand against such an idea. Such as the local law enforcement, or what passes for it. But if they are doing nothing, does it not behoove the citizens to take matters into their own hands?

If you have had difficulty with thieves, then employ the methods you suggest, but mayhap quietly. When there is ample evidence that such a method works, the ruling class will surely have to acknowledge its usefulness.

[leitstern]

Hold your cards close to your chest, or so they say. I dislike revealing a full hand, myself. Plenty of witless fools on this "network" are unduly fond of the concept. One would assume being stranded in a strange land would engender caution. At present plenty hardly mind who might read their correspondence.

It is amazing, how many lack the insight to be more cautious.

[fuelingfire]

Although I have not been in this world terribly long, I have not been particularly impressed by the displays of intelligence and common sense on this device.

Reading the rest of the responses you've gained so far, I wonder how many of them are thieves themselves, that they defend stealing so vigorously.

[leitstern]

Not so many as you judge guilty, perhaps. But that hardly absolves them of their sympathies.

Earlier I claimed there is ironic poetry in making those rats adopt a befitting form, but perhaps there is justice in seeing their sympthisers become their victims.

[Joy and pleasure. He means joy and pleasure - not that he finds joy in either.]

[fuelingfire]

I would not go so far as to condemn them without evidence of a crime done, as that is a very good way to lose any backing for such a cause. Suspicions I certainly have, but to exact punishment without knowing for certain that something has occurred?

Heavens forbid. But criminals tend to out themselves sooner or later, else their victims come forward. I am content to wait for those ones, and focus on the thieves that are known and presently a problem!

If the sympathizers are among the friends of these pickpockets and burglars, I wonder, would such actually victimize their companions? I'm not familiar enough with their mindset to know if there truly is "honor among thieves".

[leitstern]

Oh, yes, absolutely. Without question, it is the truth that humanity victimises comrades and companions without the excuse of greed or envy. Poor treatment can even boil down to blind ignorance of concern and compassion. Even a lack of insight into connection, I dare say.

Thieves and scoundrels are hardly the exception to the rule, surely?

[fuelingfire]

Although it is very rare that I am surprised or proven wrong when it comes to mankind, I can accept there's a small chance that mayhap somewhere, on some star or other, there is indeed such a thing as 'honor among thieves'.

But not here.

sorry for delay. busy with christmas and moving home

[leitstern]

Indeed. By and by I have observed that people are highly disappointing.

I do love being free of them come the end of the day.