16 ~ Voice

[missesthestars]

Tell me City, those of you that are finding out the names of those who cursed you - what do you intend to do about it? Mete out your own idea of justice, blast their names across the City in the hopes of making them pariahs, let them get away with it?

What is the appropriate punishment for a person who acted with such disdain toward the well-being of their fellow citizens? In my world, things like hazing, drag racing, and other activities that could be termed blatant disregard for the safety of others are punishable by the authorities even if they don't result in injury or death. And if they do? The perpetrators face trial and prison.

Did these individuals act any differently when they pressed their buttons? You all saw the posts, people were injured- killed even -are we to let these crimes go unpunished?

And those of you who did press that button? Were your short trips home, lucky souvenirs or what-not worth it? For that brief period of happiness, was it worth the death of an innocent? Do any of you feel you should be punished?

Please, I'm curious. Enlighten me.

[ooc: TL;DR - Promise knows who pushed her button and is considering action, but wonders how far she can go before she's crossed a line. With Niko gone, and still trapped in the City, she's somewhat concerned that her moral compass as it were is sliding off to the left a bit.]

Comments

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

Why do anything? It's like any other curse in the City; the primary difference was that someone other than the deities benefited from our suffering.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

But doesn't that make all the difference? Had the populace simply put the boxes aside there would have been no curses - for once, the citizens of the City would have prevailed over the ones who kept us here.

[absinthe-eyed.livejournal.com]

One way or another, I'm sure it would have ended poorly. If no one pushed the buttons, something else would happen.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

But then we'd at least know that our fellow citizens hadn't been the cause of our pain.

[aibyoukaonigiri.livejournal.com]

I think that is a hard thing to judge. Because I don't know the heart of another, I can't pretend to understand how important or unimportant it was to them to press the button.

I wouldn't want to be vengeful toward someone though. Ultimately it would only hurt many more people. To those people who did press the button, even knowing the risks...they must have been very passionate about their wishes and desires.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

Now, if one could have saved a life by pushing the button, then this would be a completely different conversation, but there was no... common good to be had by gaining wealth, gaining something from home, or even leaving for a time.

Many would argue that just because you want something, it doesn't give you the right to cause another pain to get it.

[aibyoukaonigiri.livejournal.com]

I think it was a large gamble. People hurt each other every day all of the time, and it's always because of some desire or want, whether intentional or not.

But personally, I wouldn't have been able to press the button as well. I'd rather achieve my own wishes with my own two hands.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

Perhaps, but I wonder... did the remoteness of this crime make it easier - the perceived anonymity?

[venomouselle.livejournal.com]

You got to break a few eggs to get an omelette. Unless you like starving.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

I doubt anyone was in that dire of a need.

[venomouselle.livejournal.com]

Because all actions need to be in dire situations?

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

If you're going to unleash that kind of chaos on an innocent bystander, yes.

[alittlewild.livejournal.com]

I could care less about the fact that I was cursed because of it. I think it's selfish and irresponsible of everyone who pushed it though. And stupid. There are children here and some people that come from completely normal worlds where they'd never have to face things like that.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

do you think they should stand to some kind of justice - should there be a price that they have to pay?

[alittlewild.livejournal.com]

Someone I care for was hurt by the button pushing. I'd want revenge against them. But I don't know if it'd be justice.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

What would you want to happen to them? Regardless of justice?

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

I was the victim of a button being pushed. The results were embarrassing and inconvenient more than anything. However, that's not the point. I don't believe in revenge. I lean more toward karma but I am planning on confronting the person who pushed the button. She should at least realize there were consequences and those consequences affected a real person. My hope is that in the future, she'll think a bit harder about pushing a button.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

And if she refuses to see the consequence?

[only-fell.livejournal.com]

I'm not a deity and no one has appointed me to deal out justice. I believe whole heartedly in karma. She will reap what she sows. While I may wish to see her realize the consequence of her actions, it's not my place to force her to do so.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

You're a rare sort, then.

[coyote-walking.livejournal.com]

I don't think I want to know who pushed the button that got me killed. What would be the point?

And I definitely don't want Thomas to know.

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

Some might argue that the point would be catharsis - the ability to confront your tormentor.

Who's Thomas?

[coyote-walking.livejournal.com]

I don't believe it was done to hurt me. The person may not even have any idea who I was.

Thomas is my boyfriend. And he definitely believes in the concept of an eye for an eye. He killed the man who shot me. I don't know what he'd do to the person who pushed the button.

[comment does not exist]

[cry-reaper.livejournal.com]

[But someone's watching this very closely and quietly freaking out.]

[missesthestars.livejournal.com]

Yet you feel you're owed no reparations for what was done to you?