Drug dealer tarred, feathered; public outraged?

[HForrest]

There's no excuse for this kind of sick, cruel torture.

[Stand_watie]

I expected that the bit about how knee-cappings, tarring and featherings and punishment beatings were not always strictly reserved for drug dealers or often aimed at those competing with the IRA/loyalist's own pushers would be the bit that was ignored. Nice fantasy, horrible reality.

I'll start by saying I think that (most, other than drugs like antibiotics, which when abused can reasonably be expected to cause a grotesquely disproportionate harm upon others than the user or his/her dependants) drugs should be legal and treated as we (Americans) treat alcohol, legally speaking.

That said, If he was really a drug dealer I feel no sympathy for him. His deliberate illegal trade in something which engenders murder and mayhem of innocents (due to it's illegality, I believe) makes him beyond my sympathy.

Now who really did the tarring and feathering? I'm afraid I had exactly the same question as you have Ian, when I read the article. If it was neighborhood "vigilantes" who are upstanding citizens, and knew for sure he was a drug dealer, "Good on them".  Just as likely I think (and I suspect you think), was that it was other drug dealers who didn't like him taking their business.

[jpk1md]

Just so you know, fistful ... I shot a dog for killing our cats  undecided

And my old dog killed 7 neighborhood cats that climbed the fence on my property and invaded his turf.

Generally speaking Cats suck and are nothing more than leeches that *expletive deleted*it inside in a box, puke furballs under the bed and annoy the f out of people...there are exceptions but....

Dogs on the other hand generally speaking are useful...they bark (or more) at intruders, retrieve (hunting) etc etc etc.

[HankB]

. . . I think (and I suspect you think), was that it was other drug dealers who didn't like him taking their business.

That would make them remarkably non-violent drug dealers . . . usually the message "stay off my turf" is fatal, or will at least involve stitches and splints, if not a full body cast. Tarring and feathering seems more in line with what John Q. Public might do . . . especially if the tar wasn't heated before application.