[*BCM*] Cyclist foils heist, Boston Phoenix 9/28

[thom3 at aol.com]

Nothing, what are they gonna do, rationalize with a guy wielding bolt cutters at them?

"Hey Mr. Bike thief, why did you try to steal my bike?"
Whoosh
"Easy now, I know you're a good soul, screwed over by the system."
Whoosh
"That was close. How about I give you a few bucks and if you're looking for a fix, maybe I can find you a good methadone clinic."
Whoosh.
"Hey I wasn't planning on getting my hair cut til nxt week! Maybe we can find an internet cafe and look up ways to improve your life...."

>>>>>>>>>>>>who says this guy is just not some repeat criminal who just doesn't want to fit in because of choices HE made? 


-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Toomajian <andytoomajian at hotmail.com>
To: Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Sent: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 3:03 pm
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Cyclist foils heist, Boston Phoenix 9/28



While I didn't read Caitlin's piece in the Phoenix, I didn't take the dialogue on the list as being about "the rule of Law and Order" at all.? The whole beauty of the story was all about Direct Action.? The cops alone would not have done much, it was Andrew and Lee who made this happen.? The fact that as citizens and bikers they took the charge to do something to foil a bike thief, and later connected their stories via the CM list is pretty awesome and deserves celebration.? 

?

And, while I have a lot of criticisms of the way our criminal justice system functions, and I'm sure that the bike thief in question needs rehabilitation more than he needs jail time, I would still rather he be in the criminal justice system as it exists rather than out on the streets to steal more bikes.? 

?

Think about it this way - is there good reason to think about what might be going on for a serial rapist, or any other person perpetuating social malaise?? Is it possible that they had some really fucked up stuff go on in their life?? Do they need help?? Sure, and I hope they get it.? Does any of that stop me from wanting to see them off the street, or from taking direct action against them if I happen to run into them messing with someone?? Emphatically, No.? Similarly, seeing this guy arrested, or even playing a part in his arrest is not mutually exclusive from working to create a better, healthier, saner judicial system.

?

As much as I would like to see this discussion die off, I am curious to hear from anyone who has a proposal of what Andrew and Lee could have done differently in this situation that would have been better in terms of its outcome for all involved parties.

?

- Andy



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