This page was last updated on December 29, 2011.
Group not Robin Hood; John Haaf; Beaver County Times; December 29, 2011.
Mr. Haaf has written at least 35 letters since 2007. Previous letters I critiqued are here and here.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I noted in Tuesday’s paper that an organization called ‘Anonymous’ hacked into Stratfor, a think tank organization. Obviously stealing identities and using them to steal monies from individuals’ credit cards under the pretense of being a modern day ‘Robin Hood’ does not minimize the fact that it is still a felony.”
[RWC] This is more of a reminder than a critique. A lot of folks like to draw an analogy between their actions/policies and the actions of Robin Hood. There’s usually a problem with that analogy, however. As the legend goes, Robin Hood took from the ruling class and gave to the poor. What too many of us forget is that which Robin Hood took from the ruling class were the confiscatory “taxes” extracted from the poor and the rich who did not support Prince John. Therefore, Robin Hood returned to the poor that which they earned and had been stolen by the government.
“If the organization wants to do good, it should use its talents for good and make the quality of life better for all.
“Theft is the same no matter how it is committed. We consider crime with a weapon more evil than simple theft, but rarely consider the seriouness [sic] of the crime to those offended. Talent crime, stealing from many using trained skills, is no different than using a weapon to commit a crime and should be penalized just as severely as a crime committed with a weapon, since acquired knowledge in commission has the same end.
“Therefore, talent-used skill in commission of a crime should be penalized by serving time in a prison and not a federal country club.
“Talent crime is a heinous evil committed against society and should be punished accordingly.”
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