Re: OT: Corpses, etc. (was: Re: Gender in conlangs (was: Re: Umlauts (was Re: Elves and Ill Bethisad)))

--- Isidora Zamora <isidora@...> wrote:

> Yeah, policemen aren't really supposed to kill
> armed civilians.  People get
> pretty upset when that happens.  I don't know
> what it is that the policemen
> are supposed to do in certain situations, but
> it's always a big problem
> when the police kill someone.
I think the idea is that the police are allowed
to use deadly force if they believe they are
themselves threatened with same. Sometimes
they're a little quick on the trigger, to be
sure; but there's absolutely no reason they
should have to stand there like fish in a barrel
and take whatever is shot at them. It's bad
enough all they have is service revolvers, while
criminals often have firepower that would make
your average banana republic generalissimo drool.

> I expect that a Trehelish soldier* who kills an
> armed civilian would be
> considered justified, in the way that I think
> you meant armed.  I assume
> that you meant that the arms were being used
> against the policeman, not
> that the civilian was simply carrying a weapon.
Same in the human cities around Westmarche, and
certainly in old Hoopelle. It is certainly every
Man's right to bear weapons, but if you try to
use them while commiting a crime or in an attack
on the City Guard, you can expect some deadly
force comming your way. Guards wear leather
armour with fancy bronze plates riveted on;
leather boots (bronze studs and bronze upper
plates, for kicking); leather and bronze maniples
and leggings; a short sword (bronze); a dagger
(bronze or iron); a truncheon (stone tipped or
bronze plated wood) and a set of manacles. There
were special Guards in the Bank and in Court that
walked up around a catwalk and had crossbows or
short bows.

> *Trehelan has a standing army which doubles as
> a police force.  They have
> absolutely no concept that there even could be
> separate military and police
> forces.  Since they don't even have a concept
> of "police," I simply use the
> words "soldier" and "military."
In Hoopelle, the Army was separate from the City
Guard. Guardsmen were often retired military or
"B soldiers" sent to the Guard for toughening up.

> **A dagger being a weapon, a knife being a
> tool.  Everyone, man or woman
> (and some children) carries a knife, and a
> knife can be pressed into
> service as a weapon, but a dagger is intended
> to be a weapon.
No semantic difference in Westmarche. Everydaine
carries at least a knife with him; when
travelling, a sword, club and bow as well.

> ***The populations of the smaller cities and
> towns are less heavily
> armed.  Sovchilen has the higest crime rate in
> the country, thus more people arm themselves.
Hoopelle had a high crime rate as well, largely
because of the restrictions placed on the Daine.
If they didn't nick things, they'd have nothing,
as they weren't allowed any kind of industry,
etc.

Padraic.


=====
To him that seeks, if he knock, the door will be opened;
if he seeks, he shall find his way; if he searches for a way, he shall find his path.
For though the Way is narrow, it's wisdom is written in the hearts of all:
if ye would seek and find Rest, look first within!  [The Petricon]

--

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