I might be agreeing with you on this one Larry. What I want to know is: when is the online computer game coming out so that we can all have a go. (It could prove as popular "throw a shoe at bush" game.)
@Grumpy Bob, Bart Sibrel is a filmaker who has made 'documentaries' claiming the moon landings were a hoax. From Wikipedia: The most infamous incident involved Apollo 11 crew member Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. According to Aldrin, he was lured to a Beverly Hills hotel under the pretext of an interview on space for a Japanese children's television show. When he arrived, Aldrin claims Sibrel was there demanding that he swear on a Bible that he had walked on the moon. When Aldrin refused, Sibrel called him a coward, a liar, and a thief. Aldrin punched Sibrel in the jaw and the incident was captured on video. Sibrel later attempted to use the tape to convince police and prosecutors that he was the victim of an assault. However, it was decided that Aldrin had been provoked, and did not actually injure Sibrel, and so no charges were filed but the incident was covered in the media.
Aldrin was being a hothead. That was assault. He should have just called the police or security.
An assault that was called for is a benefit to society. Betcha there would be a lot less dishonest, intrusive, manipulating assholes behaving antisocially if they knew they could get get a good punch in the face any minute they behave like pigs.
Think of it this way: would Aldrin acted the same way if Mike Tyson were the one acting this way?
Obviously, any act is someone's balance of pro and cons. Don't know about Aldrin if it was Mike Tyson insulting him. In general, it depends on one's upbringing, temperament, etc. For some people/cultures, it is imperative to not be a coward and respond adequately (that is, to punch) no matter what, even if one's life is at stake. I.e., Honor > Life. That's just one of the survival strategies.
Obviously, there can be lots of sensible reasons to not assault Mike Tyson if he gravely insulted you. It's all about individual's decision at any given point in time.
My point is that in a reasonable society the kind of response Aldrin gave should always be 100% legal.
Would you feel the same way had it been a woman getting in Aldrin's face and he acted the same way?
Of course not. Women, physically, are in a completely different category from men. It makes perfect sense to make hitting a woman a taboo - and that's exactly what it is in most cultures. And so, obviously, you can bet that if Bart Sibrel were a woman, Aldrin would not do what he did. That does not mean that women should be off the hook in any circumstances. In this particular case, IMHO, if Bart were a woman, a really hurtful insult (even if it is a misogynist) and then walking away would be perfectly appropriate.
12 comments :
wow! he almost landed him on the moon
One of these days, Bart, pow! Right in the kisser! Bang, zoom, straight to the moon!
[/Honeymooners]
As if he wasn't enough of a hero already.
I might be agreeing with you on this one Larry. What I want to know is: when is the online computer game coming out so that we can all have a go. (It could prove as popular "throw a shoe at bush" game.)
Aldrin was being a hothead. That was assault. He should have just called the police or security.
Sure, the guy talking to him is, uh, mentally ill.
Why was that nutter calling him a liar and a coward in the first place?
@Grumpy Bob,
Bart Sibrel is a filmaker who has made 'documentaries' claiming the moon landings were a hoax. From Wikipedia: The most infamous incident involved Apollo 11 crew member Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. According to Aldrin, he was lured to a Beverly Hills hotel under the pretext of an interview on space for a Japanese children's television show. When he arrived, Aldrin claims Sibrel was there demanding that he swear on a Bible that he had walked on the moon. When Aldrin refused, Sibrel called him a coward, a liar, and a thief. Aldrin punched Sibrel in the jaw and the incident was captured on video. Sibrel later attempted to use the tape to convince police and prosecutors that he was the victim of an assault. However, it was decided that Aldrin had been provoked, and did not actually injure Sibrel, and so no charges were filed but the incident was covered in the media.
Aldrin was being a hothead. That was assault. He should have just called the police or security.
An assault that was called for is a benefit to society. Betcha there would be a lot less dishonest, intrusive, manipulating assholes behaving antisocially if they knew they could get get a good punch in the face any minute they behave like pigs.
DK: sorry. Think of it this way: would Aldrin acted the same way if Mike Tyson were the one acting this way?
Would you feel the same way had it been a woman getting in Aldrin's face and he acted the same way?
I think Aldrin was pretty brave to just punch that large, much younger guy. I like this lively old man!
Of course, the case can be made that Sibrel is mentally ill, in which case he should be pitied rather than punched.
Think of it this way: would Aldrin acted the same way if Mike Tyson were the one acting this way?
Obviously, any act is someone's balance of pro and cons. Don't know about Aldrin if it was Mike Tyson insulting him. In general, it depends on one's upbringing, temperament, etc. For some people/cultures, it is imperative to not be a coward and respond adequately (that is, to punch) no matter what, even if one's life is at stake. I.e., Honor > Life. That's just one of the survival strategies.
Obviously, there can be lots of sensible reasons to not assault Mike Tyson if he gravely insulted you. It's all about individual's decision at any given point in time.
My point is that in a reasonable society the kind of response Aldrin gave should always be 100% legal.
Would you feel the same way had it been a woman getting in Aldrin's face and he acted the same way?
Of course not. Women, physically, are in a completely different category from men. It makes perfect sense to make hitting a woman a taboo - and that's exactly what it is in most cultures. And so, obviously, you can bet that if Bart Sibrel were a woman, Aldrin would not do what he did. That does not mean that women should be off the hook in any circumstances. In this particular case, IMHO, if Bart were a woman, a really hurtful insult (even if it is a misogynist) and then walking away would be perfectly appropriate.
That really was some punch. I believe at the time, Sibrel was 37 and Aldrin was 72.
See also this article on Bart Sibrel, "Moon Stalker":
http://www.newsweek.com/id/65087
Mike Tyson would bite your ear off, wouldn't he?
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