PDS -immoral bystander or collectivist diner?

[caroljane]

As the news increasingly shows us examples of ordinary people who fail to act to stop injustices and prevent evildoers from doing more evil, I remain troubled by certain admitted non-actions by one in our midst, to wit, PDS.

As he has recounted himself, years ago, he found himself in the same restaurant as Peter Pocklington, better known as Pocketed It All, who at that time was in the process of betraying hockey's greatest player for his own gain and tearing the heart and soul out of Canada, and probably kicking his dog also. And everybody knew it.

Did PDS stroll casually over to that fiend's table and elbow his fat face into his soup? He did not. He may have sneered, he may have shuddered, his pint of Molson may have tasted suddenly bitter, but he stayed in his seat.

Well, you might say, "ordinary people" rules do not apply to PDS.I have heard on absolutely reliable evidence that he is an honest lawyer. Also, he is an Objectivist or at least a Rand fan and these are extraordinary people by definition. Yet Rand enjoined everyone to make moral judgments, except on her, (See, she's up there at the top, enjoining!)

Thus with heavy heart and many soul-searching sessions with the Ethics Committee of the Sacred Igloo, I bring my dilemma into the public arena.

What would you have done?

[9thdoctor]

I have a similar experience to share. Maybe 5 years ago I was out with some friends when it came to our attention that OJ Simpson was holding court in a nearby restaurant. One of my friends excitedly took this as his cue to race home and change clothes; he wanted to get his picture taken with the Juice. He got back in time, and what, you may ask, had he changed into? A t-shirt with a picture of a white Ford Bronco and the text: Drink apple juice, because O.J. will kill you. Fearlessly he sought the photo, note that this was in a steak restaurant and his target had knives within reach. Anyway, he got the shot, O.J. thought it was funny, but I stayed outside. Good chance that if I had gone in I would have hit Mr. Simpson with some projectile vomiting, but I wasn’t in the mood for random acts of justice-doing that night.

[caroljane]

I have a similar experience to share. Maybe 5 years ago I was out with some friends when it came to our attention that OJ Simpson was holding court in a nearby restaurant. One of my friends excitedly took this as his cue to race home and change clothes; he wanted to get his picture taken with the Juice. He got back in time, and what, you may ask, had he changed into? A t-shirt with a picture of a white Ford Bronco and the text: Drink apple juice, because O.J. will kill you. Fearlessly he sought the photo, note that this was in a steak restaurant and his target had knives within reach. Anyway, he got the shot, O.J. thought it was funny, but I stayed outside. Good chance that if I had gone in I would have hit Mr. Simpson with some projectile vomiting, but I wasn’t in the mood for random acts of justice-doing that night.

I like the sound of your friend. Me,I would have stayed outside too, or if I couldn't get outside, under the table.

[PDS]

I question the timing of this post.

First of all, I was but a wee lad of 25, stranded in a foreign land, and a foreign land known for ill-treatment toward law abiding Americans. [We used to refer to Canada as "Gitmo" back in those days, before being in Gitmo became cool.]

Secondly, as a Paul Coffey hero-worshipper (he was, I believe, the "Hank Riordan" of the Oilers at that time), I was not interested in saying anything that might affect Mr. Coffey's interests. I assume, of course, that Daunce is talking about Mr. Coffey, in her diatribe above, and not the highly overrated Mr. Wayne Gretsky.

Thirdly, defying the time honored custom of when "in Rome", I don't recall that I was drinking Molson that night.

Finally, and I think this may be dispositive: I am and always will be a Red Wings fan. Please note that Mr. Coffey became a Red Wing not long after the events in question.

[by the way, I have never been an enjoiner. Introverts are notoriously reluctant to enjoin clubs, organizations, etc.]

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

I have heard on absolutely reliable evidence that he is an honest lawyer.

Daunce,

Honest lawyer?

Isn't that a contradiction or stolen concept or floating abstraction or something?

Michael

[PDS]

I have heard on absolutely reliable evidence that he is an honest lawyer.

Daunce,

Honest lawyer?

Isn't that a contradiction or stolen concept or floating abstraction or something?

Michael

Michael:

In basketball, I believe your comment is referred to as a "layup."

[caroljane]

I have heard on absolutely reliable evidence that he is an honest lawyer.

Daunce,

Honest lawyer?

Isn't that a contradiction or stolen concept or floating abstraction or something?

Michael

I dunno, you're the Objectivist. All I know is, he told me his cheque is in the mail and I believed him.

[caroljane]

I question the timing of this post.

First of all, I was but a wee lad of 25, stranded in a foreign land, and a foreign land known for ill-treatment toward law abiding Americans. [We used to refer to Canada as "Gitmo" back in those days, before being in Gitmo became cool.]

Caveat visitor. As Teemu Selanne recently reminded, it's "Friendly Manitoba" on the licence plates. Not Friendly Alberta.

[caroljane]

[by the way, I have never been an enjoiner. Introverts are notoriously reluctant to enjoin clubs, organizations, etc.]

Give it a try, you might enjoi it.

[john42t]

As he has recounted himself, years ago, he found himself in the same restaurant as Peter Pocklington, better known as Pocketed It All, who at that time was in the process of betraying hockey's greatest player for his own gain and tearing the heart and soul out of Canada, and probably kicking his dog also. And everybody knew it.

Did PDS stroll casually over to that fiend's table and elbow his fat face into his soup? He did not. He may have sneered, he may have shuddered, his pint of Molson may have tasted suddenly bitter, but he stayed in his seat.

[...]

What would you have done?

I wonder how much of this is meant to be a joke.

[Selene]

As he has recounted himself, years ago, he found himself in the same restaurant as Peter Pocklington, better known as Pocketed It All, who at that time was in the process of betraying hockey's greatest player for his own gain and tearing the heart and soul out of Canada, and probably kicking his dog also. And everybody knew it.

Did PDS stroll casually over to that fiend's table and elbow his fat face into his soup? He did not. He may have sneered, he may have shuddered, his pint of Molson may have tasted suddenly bitter, but he stayed in his seat.

[...]

What would you have done?

I wonder how much of this is meant to be a joke.

Hmmm maybe all of it?

[caroljane]

As he has recounted himself, years ago, he found himself in the same restaurant as Peter Pocklington, better known as Pocketed It All, who at that time was in the process of betraying hockey's greatest player for his own gain and tearing the heart and soul out of Canada, and probably kicking his dog also. And everybody knew it.

Did PDS stroll casually over to that fiend's table and elbow his fat face into his soup? He did not. He may have sneered, he may have shuddered, his pint of Molson may have tasted suddenly bitter, but he stayed in his seat.

[...]

What would you have done?

I wonder how much of this is meant to be a joke.

Hmmm maybe all of it?

That crack about Gretzky was NOT funny .. watch your back, Counsellor!

Mark Messier

still in shape

[john42t]

Hmmm maybe all of it?

Neither all of it nor none of it is likely.

[caroljane]

Mom, can I go back on Facebook to like, defend Dad with all my clothes on?..Pleez...

-Paulina

I'd like to say yes, dear, but it's a solid 4 to 1 that he'd hit the roof again.

-Janet