What if every crime was legal for one night a year?

reply to post by Gazrok



The other part of that is that the question posed to the Members in this thread is purely fictional...ie: Anyone can say anything without any real likelihood they'd actually do it.

Just saying that so many people think they could take a life, or do this or that, so many people even perhaps honestly believe they would be able to pull the trigger or plunge the knife or swing the axe...

Reality: Not so much.


Theres a HUGE difference about thinking about something and actually being put in a position to be able - or willing - to do it.


Me - I doubt strongly I'd be able to take a life unless a whole multitude of factors came into play, such as immediate threat to the life of my loved ones...not even of myself, I'd still *think* about other options even when faced with my own impending demise. Seriously. I'd prefer to die clean minded that live with the skipping record of trauma and potential 'what if' guilt.

Originally posted by alien
Theres a HUGE difference about thinking about something and actually being put in a position to be able - or willing - to do it.

It's one of those things that about 10% of the military get first hand experience in. It takes a good bit of training to get over your natural reluctance to do it, and it really messes with some people. Well, pretty much everyone the first few times unless you're a total psychopath.

In the framework of the OP, I'd say a lot of the populace would just hunker down, who'd you have to be watching for would be cops, direct action military guys, the occasional 1%er with the little lightning bolt insignia and some gang bangers.

reply to post by alien


I have been in that situation. Luckily, I did not have to take a life, but I was armed, aimed, and mentally prepared to do so if the person didn't stand down. Lucky for them (and my sanity and potential legal woes), they did. I know exactly what I'm capable of, to protect my loved ones. I have no wish to prove it, but I have had enough experiences where I could have killed or could have been killed, to know that if it came to it, I'd do what is necessary.

As for those saying they'd do this or that...I think you'd be surprised what a person is capable of in the total absence of authority. Just look to some of the riot incidents (like Katrina or the Rodney King verdict, etc.) that have happened in the past. It doesn't take long for some people to revert to complete animals in such a circumstance. That is why the premise of this movie is so off. Such a night would be a complete slaughterfest. Anyone in the street either an animal or prey. Those in fortified homes, defending them with absolute resolve.

That would hurt, and it sounds like a faustian deal. So you get 12 hours a year, but the other days of the year, everybody knows what you did and might be running a karma tab for next year. And it would be a minefield, if everybody else is out there breaking laws.

Thinking like a politician with executive privilege is hard. I'm thinking of world peace crimes, sadly, not video game violence. I don't really have any priorities in law breaking; granted life is not peaceful at the moment, but to go out of the way to even things out, nothing is standing out except typical material gain things.

12 hour anarchy is strange; most of the ultimate liberty of lawlessness that I'm keeping in reservation is designed for the end of the world anarchy with ufos invading and buses of people being sent to incinerators kinds of horror, not the 12 hour stuff.