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From: (no name) (no email)
Date: Mon Dec 10 2001 - 07:37:52 EST
In a message dated 12/10/01 4:51:36 AM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
<< When you hear that
=the local Brazilian police already have these fellows in custody, what does
=that tell you?
That they rounded up the usual suspects? Certainly not unheard of when the
political pressure goes on.
Rick
>>
I understand that the gunshot wound to the hand is what brought attention to
one of the suspects, who divulged the identities of the other perpetrators
upon questioning. My impression is of a group of unsophisticated casual
thieves. It's most interesting to see how the pirates apparently consider
theft/piracy to be to be fairly acceptable while they were shocked to find
someone willing to defend their property with deadly force. This seems to be
a common attitude in many places outside of the US -- that it's OK to rob but
killing is outside the realm of acceptability, even among thieves.
The problem is knowing if your would be attackers are of this mindset or if
they're the type that have no reservations and realize the logical advantages
of leaving no witnesses. It's similar to the 9/11 attacks. Prior to that,
people submitted to hijackers knowing that normally they make some demands,
fly to some destination, and eventually release the passengers. Now people
have the attitude that they would fight a hijacker to the death since he's
probably going to crash the plane anyway.
Are the suspicious people approaching your boat going to take your watch and
cash and leave you to enjoy the rest of your cruise? Are they going to tie
you up, rape your wife and daughter, slit your throat, ignite your boat and
leave you to burn/bleed to death? Or are they just wanting to sell you
something? What a dilemma! If we could know they were the worst kind, I
think we would all defend ourselves with whatever means available. But on
the other hand, who wants to make a mistake and blow some poor fisherman away
(and probably get locked up forever in some third world prison).
By the time you have a good idea of your attackers' intentions, you've
probably lost the element of surprise (which is by far your most effective
weapon -- right beside that Mossenberg stainless mariner loaded with
buckshot). I believe you may still mount a formidable defense against a
small number of unsophisticated attackers, but your chances are marginal
against well-organized, well-planned attacks by a practiced group armed with
AK-47's (which are the ones that probably won't leave witnesses).
If you defend yourself against every suspicious boat that approaches, you're
going to be shooting several people a year! Your cruise probably won't be
very long...
Tough choices, tough decisions -- even sitting here in front of a computer
rather than sitting in the cockpit hearing a boat rowing up in the dark...
JP
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