meru

I have no idea what actually happened, so this is a pure hypothetical. Let's suppose it was Zach's brother who shot the three men, and Zach didn't do anything but watch, and that he wouldn't have shot anyone. (Again: I'm not saying this is the truth, I'm saying "what if".) Apparently what he's in trouble for is giving a misleading statement. Suppose it was "I didn't see anything" or "My brother didn't do anything." In other words, he lied to protect his brother. Should he have done otherwise? Would you have done otherwise? (I'm not saying what answer I'd give either way - this is not a rhetorical question, I'm seriously asking.)

SodaPopinski

I would lie to protect my brother. Absolutely.

But we'll see if that's supposedly what he did.

-Pop

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Ed O

I would lie to protect my brother in MANY situations. I can't say that I would in every situation, and I don't know if I would have in Zach's shoes.

Feigning ignorance about something to protect my brother, even if it's misleading, is something that I'd be even more likely to do.

Ed O.

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"In the end, it all comes down to talent. You can talk all you want about intangibles, I just don't know what that means. Talent makes winners, not intangibles. Can nice guys win? Sure, nice guys can win -- if they're nice guys with a lot of talent. Nice guys with a little talent finish fourth, and nice guys with no talent finish last."

-- Sandy Koufax

Blazer Freak

So if Zach gets charged, does he get Jail time? If he does how long?

BFreak.

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Dan

depends on the situation.

if I catch my brother cheating on his girlfriend/wife and she'd ask, I'd narq.

if someone was trying to hunt down my brother, or he was being wrongly accused of something, I'd like like (insert your least favourite politician here).

If it was a life and death situation, I'd lie too.

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A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?

The world respects the power of our example, not an example of our power.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

meru

Why does everyone want to change the question?

I'm asking in the particular situation I described would you lie? Is the problem that you just couldn't imagine your brother shooting someone? (Maybe you don't HAVE a brother.)

Talkhard

Of course your first instinct is to protect your brother, but why the heck was the kid packing heat in the first place!!

If Zach really cared about his brother, why wouldn't he have insisted he leave the gun at home, or in the car?

For that matter, why did the kid feel he NEEDED to carry the gun into the bar? Did he think there were people there who were going to give him a hard time? If so, why didn't he and Zach just pick another bar?

This whole thing is so ridiculous. What it sounds like to me is two young men trying to be macho, to walk into a bar like John Wayne and stake out their turf.

There's a stupid code of "respect" in the black community that is probably responsible for thousands of needless shootings every year. This sounds like one more example of it.

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"Damn the Blazers. Damn them to hell. They are working the rest of the league like a speed bag." --Jay, lifelong Pacers fan

GOD

I'd lie. My brother would never do something like this, but if he did, it would come down to if I thought there was a chance he would harm someone again. In my brothers case, I see him as non violent so I would lie for him. If I thought he could shoot people again I would not lie, and I would help the cops find my brother. As it stands I would lie.

Dan

ooh, sorry..

hm...tough question. I don't particularly have a close relationship with my brother (or any of my siblings actually)...and we didn't grow up in the same situation that Zach did...but I'd probably have to say I would not lie.

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A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?

The world respects the power of our example, not an example of our power.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

MJG

I'd tell the police what they wanted to know, assuming I did in fact witness my brother shoot someone. Do I really want someone out and about (and who is probably around me fairly often) who is willing to just open fire on another human being so openly? What kind of person is he? Certainly not the person I thought he was.

I admit though that I am one who very, very rarely follows the heart over the brain.

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stockfire

Poll: Do you...?

1. Ask *someone* if they are carrying a concealed weapon before participating in a social activity?

2. Ask *everyone* if they are carrying a concealed weapon?

3. Ask *everyone, everytime,* if they are carrying a concealed weapon?

Honest quesiton, not rhetorical.

-----
Shootings are a bad situation. No arguments there. However, I do believe that Zach is not responsible for his brother's actions and is definately not responsible for knowing the firearm status of those in his company anymore than anyone of us would be in the same situation.

As for misleading police, well we'll have to see how it plays out. I don't know the details of what was said, or when. But I do know that I would refuse from making incriminating statements against my friends/family in order to rationalize one of their mistakes.

Lie? Maybe, maybe not, but as Ed O said in another topic, "feign ignorance", sure.

Simply put, Zach should not have *known* that his brother had a gun, unless he had prior knowledge. His ignorance of his brother's gun should not even be considered part of this. The validity of his statement to the police, however, is the part that should be looked into.

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COME ON YOU SPURS
THFC || RBNY || STL CARDINALS || BLAZERS

"Not only do I want an elite president, I want someone who's embarrassingly superior to me." - Jon Stewart

Playmaker0017

I would not lie to protect my brother in this instance.

In my mind:

HE put me in this situation.
HIS stupidity could destroy my life.

Basically, he put me in the situation and if he expects me to lie for him - then his true selfish colors are showing through.

I'd feel bad doing it, but again, he put me in a situation I didn't want to be in.

People always say dumb things like - "Blood is thicker than anything" or "You always should love and respect your family" ... blah, blah, blah ... to me ... Family must earn that.

Play.