[ae-mod] Re: "Target hardening" RE: [SCA-AE] ANNOUNCE: Background check FAQ

[Karen Finnemore]

Actually, I believe that the logical equivalent to this statement
would be, "If we can save one person from dying in an automobile
accident, then testing drivers is worth it."  We do test drivers to
make certain that they are safe in regards to driving an automobile,
much as a background check would be the first course in testing
whether an individual is safe to work with our youth.  Does giving a
license result in lowered death rates?  Obviously people still die
from auto accidents but I would surmise that our the driving exams do
sway the statistics considerably.  Likewise, when we realized that
drinking and driving was dangerous, we enacted laws to revoke the
licenses of repeat offenders.  This has definately been shown to save
lives, perhaps not as many as we would like, yet again, I argue that
saving one life alone makes this policy worthy.

Renata the posh rot

On 4/14/07, Monica Cellio <cellio at pobox.com> wrote:
> > If these background checks protect even _one_ child in
> > Aethelmearc from sexual molestion or rape, it is worth it.
>
> Try this logically-equivalent statement: "If outlawing all motor
> vehicles saves even _one_ innocent victim from being killed by a
> reckless driver, it is worth it."  Of course you wouldn't agree
> to that; while we want to minimize deaths due to reckless drivers,
> we recognize that there are other relevant factors, like the needs
> for commerce, transport to employment, and so on.
>
> The world is not 100% safe.  Any society (small "s") has to balance
> *all* of the legitimate needs of *all* of its members in trying to
> figure out where the best balance point is.  Even if background
> checks were a silver bullet (and I can argue that they do *harm*
> to the childen they supposedly protect), you aren't done until you
> also address the problems they would impose.
>
> I am not personally affected by the background-check rule, but we
> are all harmed when bad "logic" is allowed to steer policy.  A
> restriction imposed on the society needs to be accompanied by
> sound argument, not hyperbole and appeals to emotion.
>
> She'erah
>
>

-- 
O Lord, help me to be pure... but not yet.  -Saint Augustine