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loyalsister

(13,390 posts)

68. If a criminal is a criminal is a criminal

Sat Oct 31, 2015, 05:07 PM

Oct 2015

how can one credibly argue against diparities we see in the rates of incarceration and the mentality that suggests it's okay because "they probably did something they didn't get caught for anyway"?

There are differences between murder and marijuana possession yet the offenders are sometimes treated exactly the same. Do we use the phrase marijuana possessor vs murderer? To label both "criminals" suggests that is appropriate to treat them the same.

I prefer precision and acknowledging the differences between an accusation vs conviction and language specific to a crime. I think it is also important to acknowledge the difference between a behavior and an intrinsic characteristic. Making an effort to minimize generalizations and abstractions makes language more useful.

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Be more respectful and call him or her "the person who stole my bicycle" rather than a "criminal" [View all] Liberal_in_LA Oct 2015 OP

Call me a bluff old traditionalist Nye Bevan Oct 2015 #1

Sure, but isn't precision worthwhile? Chan790 Oct 2015 #2

How about "thief?" Warpy Oct 2015 #7

That was my first thought as well independentpiney Oct 2015 #29

I'd say: Yes, "thief" is more taxonomically accurate. Chan790 Oct 2015 #34

"Thief" is a subset of "criminal" 1939 Oct 2015 #37

I'm arguing that makes it a useless word in nearly every context due to imprecision. n/t Chan790 Oct 2015 #38

But you would have no trouble calling everything a "tank" 1939 Oct 2015 #48

No. I'd be the guy being critical of calling everything a "tank." Chan790 Oct 2015 #50

If we're talking about a stolen bike pintobean Oct 2015 #13

Sure, in the same sense that we're both people. Chan790 Oct 2015 #33

Context matters. pintobean Oct 2015 #35

Not confused. Chan790 Oct 2015 #39

I bet that goes over big at parties. pintobean Oct 2015 #45

Do I strike you as the sort of person that goes to those kinds of parties? Chan790 Oct 2015 #51

No, not at all pintobean Oct 2015 #52

More edges than bismuth, m80. JackInGreen Oct 2015 #53

You are, alas, mistaken, confusing "details" with "better." "Criminal" is the general term; THEN can WinkyDink Oct 2015 #56

I'm suggesting something akin to that. Chan790 Oct 2015 #70

Good luck! (BTW, I am not against precise language. I banned the word "thing" from students' WinkyDink Nov 2015 #71

"Butt-stink." It was a bike, after all. Eleanors38 Oct 2015 #62

Technically, there is no criminal until a conviction. morningfog Oct 2015 #8

Tell that to the prosecutor jberryhill Oct 2015 #28

I disagree. Lizzie Poppet Oct 2015 #47

Wrong. As I said, any number of circumstances could make it morningfog Oct 2015 #64

Nope, not wrong. Lizzie Poppet Oct 2015 #65

Perhaps a better word for the thief would be "asshole" world wide wally Oct 2015 #3

I prefer "ownership-impaired" nt Xipe Totec Oct 2015 #14

Only someone with money, who has never been a victim of crime could ever entertain such a daft Monk06 Oct 2015 #4

+1000 smirkymonkey Oct 2015 #15

BBFTS for the win !! Monk06 Oct 2015 #69

Well, typically a "criminal" is someone who has repeatedly done crimes and... AZ Progressive Oct 2015 #5

Ms. Cyril, no one's saying they're not human. Lizzie Poppet Oct 2015 #6

+1000 smirkymonkey Oct 2015 #16

Great point. Lizzie Poppet Oct 2015 #41

In other words "bullshit, bullshit and bullshit". smirkymonkey Oct 2015 #49

In my book, they are classified as a criminal. n/t Waldorf Oct 2015 #9

Please excuse my lack of sympathy and understanding for the dirtbag crooks who stole my bike; NBachers Oct 2015 #10

I'm pretty sure criminals are humans (nt) Recursion Oct 2015 #11

Until stealing bikes isn't a crime, someone who steals one is a criminal. Warren DeMontague Oct 2015 #12

I'm willing to bet Ms. Cyril would have a different attitude if her stuff was stolen. hobbit709 Oct 2015 #17

So is she going to tell us next that it's disrespectful to call people who smirkymonkey Oct 2015 #18

Criminals get no respect from me. bigwillq Oct 2015 #19

My friend had his bike stolen while we ate at burger king when I was a kid. NutmegYankee Oct 2015 #20

How about scumbag motherbleeper....criminal is being too nice IMHO. ileus Oct 2015 #21

So now calling someone who steals a criminal is not PC. B Calm Oct 2015 #22

I think there should also be empathy for the person who lost their bike kcr Oct 2015 #23

I've known people that were that lost in the ozone. hobbit709 Oct 2015 #25

Malkia Cyril is an idiot. GGJohn Oct 2015 #24

No! She is a person who is an idiot. Thank you. elehhhhna Oct 2015 #26

You're right. Thanks for the clarification. eom. GGJohn Oct 2015 #27

No, she's a person who is right. jberryhill Oct 2015 #31

LOL. GGJohn Oct 2015 #32

Everyone's a person who talks like a comedian jberryhill Oct 2015 #30

It is a slippery slope when you over-PC activity that clearly falls into a category of stealing. Baitball Blogger Oct 2015 #36

Many years ago, H2O Man Oct 2015 #40

BWAHAHA! FLPanhandle Oct 2015 #42

lol Go Vols Oct 2015 #43

The only good to come out of this article is learning about Next Door GoneOffShore Oct 2015 #44

The young gentleman who held me up... meaculpa2011 Oct 2015 #46

"young"? Are you an AGIST?! WinkyDink Oct 2015 #57

Batshit crazy. hifiguy Oct 2015 #54

To commit a CRIME is, ergo, to be a CRIMINAL. I am sick of DULL-WITTED nincompoops! WinkyDink Oct 2015 #55

I have no problem calling a criminal a criminal, but why did the guy they quoted feel Squinch Oct 2015 #58

Because victimhood is a rhetorical trump card? Recursion Oct 2015 #59

My mind went more toward the idea that he was telling us, "well, yeah I'm white... Squinch Oct 2015 #61

When I use the word 'criminal' I always intend it to mean "a respect-worthy human petronius Oct 2015 #60

Anyone here who sympathizes with criminals has never been a victim of a serious crime AZ Progressive Oct 2015 #63

This is the kind of shit that makes it hard to be a lefty. 11 Bravo Oct 2015 #66

Fucking A TransitJohn Nov 2015 #76

Malkia Cyril is off base here discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #67

If a criminal is a criminal is a criminal loyalsister Oct 2015 #68

Besides terminology, WTH is up with "be more respectful"? I HATE when cops call suspects "gentlemen" WinkyDink Nov 2015 #72

Im reminded of this thread Quackers Nov 2015 #73

It's not only wrong, it's doubleplusungood! nt Buns_of_Fire Nov 2015 #74

Oh Jesus Fucking Christ TransitJohn Nov 2015 #75

Wouldn't it be better to call him a brute? B Calm Nov 2015 #77