[Avodah] halachic attitude to the convicted

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 11:13:14AM -0500, Zev Sero wrote:
: Since it is permitted to inform on someone who poses a threat to the
: community, it makes no sense to claim that one must then get him
: released!

So, you believe it's okay to inform on someone who steals, but due to
ahavas Yisrael only picks nachriim? Or is a Jack the Ripper who only
kills prostitutes?

I'm talking about the gov't's Torah-given authority to do what's
necessary to protect its people. Which isn't the same as our own
right to protect ourselves.

: But that requires a determination that the person actually does pose such
: a threat, not merely that he has been convicted of a crime which has been
: put into a category of "crimes that affect public safety".  Labels don't
: change reality.

Yes it does, as I noted, it would keep poseqim busy. A jaywalker is
arguably a threat to public safety. My boss was out of work for 5 months
recovering from an accident caused by someone who reflexively swerved to
miss a jaywalker -- not realizing he was swerving into a head-on collision.

Another issue is whether we trust the gov't and its courts as a reliable
way of determining guilt. A person found guilty of a crime that is
dangrous to society is not necessarily actually guilty. I trust the US
court system to the extent that I would assume we should ignore the
minority of errors. I'm under the impression you (RSZ) would not.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When we are no longer able to change a situation
micha at aishdas.org        -- just think of an incurable disease such as
http://www.aishdas.org   inoperable cancer -- we are challenged to change
Fax: (270) 514-1507      ourselves.      - Victor Frankl (MSfM)