But There's a Flipslide Here, Folks

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Sometimes I get accused of being heartless or have little compassion. It's not true. But I do often take a harsher stance on certain things, or have a different perspective, or at least try to present one. Looting and theft, if anyone has been paying attention to the news, has gotten terribly out of control. Unfortunately, it seems business owners and employees are left a bit with their hands tied. "Just let 'em take what they want," seems to be the mantra these days. But that is also a big part of the reason it IS so out of control. We talk about consequences a lot. And we talk about what happens when there aren't any. There are consequences, for example, for speeding. It won't stop all speeders. But if there were no cops on the highway, it would literally be the autobahn, and everyone would speed. A Game Stop employee confronted a shoplifter and the shoplifter ran from him when the employee pulled a concealed weapon, shot at him, and ultimately killed him. The employee was charged with manslaughter. As he should be, by the way. But this isn't the first time recently that a shoplifter or looter has been killed, and certainly not the first time an employee has tried to take measures to stop the situation. While this shoplifter did not deserve to die just for stealing something, at the same time if more of these things happen, it may leave more would be shoplifters and looters thinking twice about doing what they do. Because maybe the cops won't get you. Maybe the courts won't prosecute you. But perhaps the law isn't what you end up fearing most. A situation like this is tragic on many levels. But also adds a new level of risk to something that, barring an incident like this, otherwise poses no potential real threat to the shoplifter. It doesn't make anything right, here. It's a hell of a way to send a message. But at the same time, it's a more poignant message than the one the LAW is currently providing. If you steal, you may not go to jail. But you very well may die.