Historical moment #1: Walk by shower, see adult sodomizing kid.
Appropriate response: (1) Beat crap out of said adult if possible. Otherwise (e.g. said adult looks like a DT and you struggle with 12-oz curls): (2) run/call/get policeman as fast as effing possible.
Go to your boss before you go to the police: FAIL.
Employment policy that suggests go to boss before police: FAIL.
Historical moment #2: Someone comes to you, having not taken the appropriate response at historical moment #1.
Appropriate response: Run and beat crap out of said adult if possible. Otherwise run/call/get police as fast as possible.
Passing it up to your boss: FAIL.
Historical moment #3: You observe scumbag indicted. Very well-written indictment details claims of scumbuggery at historical moment #1. Prosecutor, CNN, ESPN, and the Pope decry scumbuggery by scumbag.
Appropriate response: Wait for justice system to do its thing. If it does, and indictment proves to be not only well-written but true as to facts, castrate said convict and send him away for 1000 years.
Historical moment #4: You observe, today, people alleged to be observers and FAILers at historical moment #1 or #2. You read very well-written indictment from historical moment #3. You, however, are not a victim or the representative of a victim, but just an ordinary citizen.
Appropriate response: Wait for justice system to do its thing. If it does, and people alleged to be observers and FAILers, decry them as scumbags and scumbag enablers. Support and applaud those suing the crap out of said scumbags and enablers.
I think everyone agrees on #1 and #2.
On #3 and #4, I'm with the minority, at least on the principles. I think Rourke has it right. Sorry, Dave and Troy, on #3 and #4 I think you are wrong.
Of course I'm wrong along with you, since while the reasoning part of me that cares about principles might agree with Rourke, my gut still controls my primary reaction.
And that, too, is one of the reasons the constitutional protections have to be there. Not just to protect us from the abuses of the government, but to protect us from our own gut impulses to beat the crap out of scumbags.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)