Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few criminals?

[jamesrage]

Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few criminals? I say no.

 

[madman]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few criminals? I say no.

NO! i want my freedom. Government should not dictate what i can and can not do.

 

[ecofarm]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

I don't mean to sound cold and heartless, but... How many people die in Boston from car accidents per day? Smoking? Drinking? I'm guessing a few. Locking down a city because a terrorist will try to kill people seems like giving into terrorism. I think it's an overreaction.

Shutting down millions of dollars in business because a couple people might get killed? If we did that for every minor risk, no one would ever leave home.

 

[Fisher]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

These are not garden variety criminals. Yes to this situation.

 

[specklebang]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

During the week following 9/11, the whole country was on lockdown. Tourists in Las Vegas were stuck here for a week.

So, was that OK? I thought it was greatly exaggerated but some actions trigger sweeping reactions. At least this time there is a point - we want this fugitive. For 9/11, there were no fugitives - they were already dead.

So, I support this action. It isn't arbitrary. The suspects are confirmed as probably guilty, have nothing to lose and are armed and dangerous.

 

[aseidner]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Under most circumstances, I would say that it is not ok. However, the situation in Boston is not most circumstance. The individuals involved have shown themselves to be capable of inflicting great harm upon innocent people and must be apprehended.

 

[LowDown]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few criminals? I say no.

City government has plenary powers when it comes to public safety, so it has the right to put an area in lockdown. When it comes to perpetrators who shoot cops at the drop of a hat and toss explosives around like there's no tomorrow, and may be wearing explosive vests, it may well be reasonable to lockdown the area where they are thought to be.

The take away is this: Pay more attention to who you vote for in local elections. They have more power to directly affect your life than you might think.

 

[mtm1963]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few criminals? I say no.

this person is not just another criminal. most of the lock down is voluntary.

 

[Tigger]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

This goes back to Benjamin Franklin's commentary about Essential Liberty and Safety. In our current situation you also have to factor in one more thing.... Litigation. If the City of Boston did NOT lockdown, and people were injured who could have otherwise been kept our of harm's way, our legal system is going to start handing out financial awards that the City of Boston cannot afford to be paying out. Likewise, the public relations disaster that would ensue would be monumental in nature.

Therefore, Governor or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has REQUESTED (not demanded) that everyone stay inside. They have REQUIRED the closure of businesses and streets in the immediate vicinity of the crime sceens under normal procedures. The Governor has made a very strongly worded SUGGESTION that people stay at home. The Boston Bruins - Pittsburgh Penguins NHL game and the Boston Red Sox - Kansas City Royals games for this evening are still up in the air, but my bet is that they'll be postponed.

The potential for injury until the situation is stabilized and dealt with is heightened, due to the modus operendi of these individuals. Their use of explosives and the fact that the whereabouts of one individual are still not confirmed make it unsafe for the City of Boston and its immediate suburbs to go about their business in a normal fashion today.

 

[Gathomas88]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

That would depend entirely upon how dangerous the criminals in question happen to be.

 

[Redress]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Under normal circumstances, no. However, this case involves some one who has used explosives, may have more explosives, and is probably mentally unstable. In that case, a "lockdown" might very well be the best action to limit potential casualties. How effective it might be, that I cannot say.

 

[Baralis]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

I say no. A warning to the public would suffice, then I can weight the dangers for myself and make my own decision to go out or not.

 

[chromium]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

If they want to shut down a few blocks around the area that they have reasonable suspicion to believe is harboring violent criminals, sure, that's nothing new. That's a genuine safety issue. Shutting down an entire city, unless the criminals have a jetpack and can traverse the whole city in a few minutes, no, that's not reasonable.

 

[soccerboy22]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Given the situation and the danger involved, then yes it is okay in these rare circumstances.

 

[Mathematician]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

The better people cooperate and let police get this guy, the sooner Boston can get back to life as normal.

 

[joko104]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

No, nor do I think the military should be employed and seriously doubt that federal law enforcement should either. Militarizing the police at a federal level and converting the military to a domestic police force would have been unthinkable to Americans in the past. However, the laziness and profit motives of mass media has created routine mass panic has made massive federal power of the citizenry possible.

Incredibly, the media and government have convinced we-the-people are the eneny of ourselves and they our saviors and necessary masters.

 

[Ikari]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

I say no. In fact, it's dangerous precedent. 2 guys shut down Boston. The last thing you want to show to the world is that a mere handful of individuals is all it takes to shut down you major cities.

 

[Unitedwestand13]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

I don't mean to sound cold and heartless, but... How many people die in Boston from car accidents per day? Smoking? Drinking? I'm guessing a few. Locking down a city because a terrorist will try to kill people seems like giving into terrorism. I think it's an overreaction.

Shutting down millions of dollars in business because a couple people might get killed? If we did that for every minor risk, no one would ever leave home.

you consider a cold blooded killer with a penchent for using explosive devices, probably is armed to the teeth, roaming the streets of a major city a minor risk?

 

[Ikari]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

you consider a cold blooded killer with a penchent for using explosive devices, probably is armed to the teeth, roaming the streets of a major city a minor risk?

Statistically speaking.

 

[ecofarm]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

you consider a cold blooded killer with a penchent for using explosive devices, probably is armed to the teeth, roaming the streets of a major city a minor risk?

Yes. The odds of being killed that day in a vehicle accident far exceed the likelihood of encountering the terrorist unprepared.

Shall we compare causes of death in Boston and re-assess the need to halt millions of dollars in business? Please, don't give me the "if it saves one life" routine.

 

[ecofarm]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

The better people cooperate and let police get this guy, the sooner Boston can get back to life as normal.

 

[Unitedwestand13]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

Yes. The odds of being killed that day in a vehicle accident far exceed the likelihood of encountering the terrorist unprepared.

Shall we compare causes of death in Boston and re-assess the need to halt millions of dollars in business? Please, don't give me the "if it saves one life" routine.

the same thing could be said of the chances of a group of determined maniacs hijacking and flying commerical airliners into the tallest buildings in new york, the building that serves as the heart of our military, and into a field in the same day.

 

[ecofarm]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

the same thing could be said of the chances of a group of determined maniacs hijacking and flying commerical airliners into the tallest buildings in new york, the building that serves as the heart of our military, and into a field in the same day.

And I'm about as scared of terrorists hijacking my plane as I am of being struck by lightning. Actually, being struck by lightning is FAR more likely.

 

[molten_dragon]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

If it's for a short amount of time and there is extremely good evidence that the criminals are in the area being locked down, I would say yes. Otherwise, no, it's not worth the disruption of people's lives that it causes.

 

[Unitedwestand13]

Re: Should the government be allowed to put a city on lockdown to catch a few crimina

And I'm about as scared of terrorists hijacking my plane as I am of being struck by lightning. Actually, being struck by lightning is FAR more likely.

Yet 9/11 caused the United states to start a war on terror, invade two countries, and spend billions upon billions fighting enemys in the shadows.