Imagine my surprise when I asked myself more questions and discovered things about me that aren't that nice. I treasure my "IF" books. They are small books of questions, some for the fun of it, some for your soul and some for you to discover things about what other people are willing to reveal to you. I find them to be very cathartic.
Perhaps it's the book I have finished reading. LIFE LESSONS, by David Kessler and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross written as a collaboration back in 2000. They suggest that there is a Mother Teresa and a Hitler in all of us. I totally agree. I find it shocking to think that some people will only acknowledge their Mother Teresa side and have all but buried the "other side." Well, it's not polite and it's not nice and it's sometimes down right shocking or disgusting, but in truth, we all have that side.
I guess I realized this one night, when in front of family, the question from the "IF" book was"Could you kill somebody?" and without hesitation my answer was, "YES!" Now simmer down, because I don't have any plans. But (and you are never to start a sentence with AND or BUT) I know that IF the situation was just right, I could kill somebody. Not with my bare hands or with a stern glance, or good looks, but with a gun...........IF I had one; which I don't. I have since asked this question to others and to my surprise not one person has said that they could kill anybody...........some have said they would LIKE to think about it!
Perhaps I have been watching too many movies or too much true crime, or for that matter reading the paper too much, but I know IF somebody harmed my grandchildren or I found myself in a situation where it was kill or be killed, I know I could pull that trigger. So much evil exists in the world today and just read the paper or watch CNN to hear all about it. It must be all the rage now to murder your pregnant lover or wife, because look at all who have done it or have been accused of doing it. The mere thought of somebody endangering the life of or molesting my grandkids would make me want to go hunt them down. AND yet the other side of me, doesn't believe in the death penalty......go figure! Sounds like a paradox to me. A true conundrum. So my friends, if I have any left after this entry, think about it, COULD YOU? .............................................. I think Luke and I will mosey on down to the shooting range right now. I bid you adieu.
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23 comments:
Having spent six years in the U.S. Army (1966-71), I can assure you I'd drop someone in a New York minute, especially in these times. Watch the evening news every evening and see the innocent people that are injured or murdered by street monkeys.
Then, again, I could just have a V8.
Jimmy
PS: You have my dark side to thank for that question. ;)
Hooray for your honesty. I could kill someone, too. In fact, I've been mad enough to do that very thing. Of course, I was a lot younger then and quicker to anger. But, had a couple of very close friends not been there, I might be on death row myself right now.
I totally get the Mother Teresa/Hitler idea. I know I have a dark side. And I do indulge it in nondestructive ways. But overall, like everyone I suppose, I nurture the Mother Teresa side a lot more.
Here's one for you: if you were in the situation where you had the opportunity to taste human meat, would you? I don't mean in a Jeffrey Dahlmer kind of way where you go out to actually find someone, or are in a plane crash on a mountain top and no one knows you're there. I'm thinking more like imaginary exotic travel to a place where eating human meat is normal, accepted, and on the menu of the restaurant you're in.
In most situations, most of us would not kill, I think. But - harm a loved one or threaten us with serious damage, and survival instincts kick in. I would kill to protect my child. I would kill to protect a child I don't know. It's not a nice thing to think about, but yes, I would use my hands if necessary. Sometimes when I worked in children's protective services I had moments when I wished I could....but I depended on the courts to mete out justice instead.
xoxo
I have little doubt that i could shoot someone down, or otherwise i know my survival instincts would kick in for myself or another don't even let the s.o.b. even think about it!~kbear
For some reason I was reminded of Suzanne Sugarbaker saying "You know what ya'lls problem is? You think too much!" I think it was the episode about fur coats.
xxx
Russ
thanks for writing this entry; you are dead-on when you acknowledge that given the 'right' circumstances most of us could do just about anything. good/bad not withstanding, it just is. kudos, debra
Anne, thank you for stopping by my journal and saying "Hi", I put your journal on my alerts, you seem like an awesome person, I have a CSI journal too if you are interested in being a reader, As you probably saw I love Jorja Fox, she is my favorite actress, nice meeting you , Take Care Lisa
Thinking about it and doing it I feel are two different things. I pray that none of us will ever be faced with having to find out. 'On Ya' - ma
Seeing what is going on around us or hearing all the bad news from the media/tv---I,too, asks questions how a person can do those horrible things..like the father who dumped all his kids to the river...the only thing I could think of what was happening in his mind at that time was that he's totally blackout, nothing logical is coming through his brain/mind/head. Whatever he did was uncalled for. Things like this makes me wonder...like you said, if someone hurt our loveones specially my kids, I'll probably do something I'd never imagine I'd do, but unless I am in that situation, I cannot say what EXACTLY I will do. Could I kill someone? It's easy for me to say yes now..but I truly don't know, and I hope God would never put me in that situation.
Did you hear about the Amish kids that got killed by a madman a few months back? The Amish families/community went to the funeral of the guy who opened fire in Amish school that killed thier children.
It has got to take a LOT of courage, bravery and forgiveness for this Amish community to face this madman who killed their children.
Interesting entry..
Gem :-)
Gem :-)
Yep, no problem... threaten me, my family, or the 'furkids' and you are meat! I don't think I could do it in cold blood, but in a situation where it is an them or us thing.... oh yeah.
You pose a very interesting question and one I have asked myself numerous times. My answer is "I don't know". I would like to think that I could/would kill in defense of a loved one, or even of anothers life, that if I had a weapon or the means I would act. Then I find myself mentally pausing to take another look, seeking another solution, "warning" first, all of which would probably be deadly for me. I've taken self-defense classes, you know the kind, where they teach you to go for the vulnerable spots, poke out the eyes, shove a pen in the ear canal, etc. I've always wondered if I could inflict grave bodily harm on someone else, or would I do too little and just add to the problem? Heaven knows I'm not mother Theresa, and I have thought of murder many times, or various forms of delightfully painful and drawn-out revenge. The fantasy is great! Paulette
I don't think I could ever hunt someone down and kill them, no matter what they had done to me or my family. However, if the circumstances were horrible enough....I probably can't predict what that would do to my sanity.
However, if I were faced with a kill or be killed situation, I probably would as instict, to save myself or my loved ones.
Thou shall not kill? How about thou shall not break into my home or attack me or my loved ones? I don't ever WANT to kill or even hurt anyone, but sometimes the other persons actions have to be taken into consideration. I shall not kill you if you leave me the heck alone.
~Mary
I hope I am never faced with that situation, but if I had to kill someone to protect myself or one of my loved ones, I would. I wouldn't want to, but I would.
Love you Anne! And thanks for your comments in my journal. They always make me feel better.
~Connie
I happened to find your journal as I was "hopping" around. It was your side bar that hooked me in more. I have a 21 year old son who won't admit he's an alcoholic and he is, no matter how much he denies it right now. I just hope and pray something turns him around before it's too late. I haven't talked about in my journal at all ... I guess I try to live in denial, it's a better place. Which leads to this entry. Could I? If I live in denial over my sons habits ... I'd say yes, if I or a loved one was in danger. My older son is a cop, so, it's something he has to face. Again, it's something that I hope and pray I never have to deal with. Guess, I wouldn't since I don't have any guns.
Monica
My immediate answer was YES. Same reasons as you.....protection of self or family or friends or strangers.
Could I? The people in my beat are counting on it.
It is only slightly more humorous that my H.S. bandmates voted me "Most Likely to Take A Life." They still chuckle at that one.
I never really thought about killing anyone - - until I moved to Texas. Now I have about fifty people on my list. At the very least.
BUT, of course, I'd never really do it......honest.......honest injun (was that a racist remark? Do you think I'll get killed for saying it?????)........... Jon
There was actually a moment in my life when I realized that I actually could kill someone. That's not a very comforting thought. But I though my child was in danger, and that's all I was thinking about.
Lori
Anne
Last month there was another home invasion in our city. They broke in and murdered the innocent inhabitant who just happend to be the same age as I. It happened on the other side of town, but that one was just one too many for me. I went to my storage unit and brought home my 38 revolver and the ammo. It is now in the night stand by my bed and yes... I would not WANT to, but if they come through the door or window... they are history!
Sam
Yes, I could with out hesitation. If it were a life or death situation yes I would. To protect those I love, yes again. It wasn't always that way....I realized years ago if I felt the way I do now I would probably have a history of it. Just the anger and rage that seeped into me for all the abuse and pain I had endured. Now my mind frame is a little different. I wouldn't kill someone for revenge or to be spiteful and evil.....but for my life and the life of those I loved, Yes I would. (Hugs) Indigo
I could certainly kill someone in the right circumstances. I know I have a very dark shadow side that I am not completely blind to, though it has taken me a long time to acnowledge this side. I think it is very easy to deny the dark side, in which case it leaks out unconsciously, causing lots of problems in our lives. Margo
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