Justice versus emotions

[DMB]

I was discussing this idea this evening with my husband. He thought it a bit odd that I feel strong sympathy for someone I can't stand as a person. But I don't think it's that difficult to put aside one's personal dislikes and do justice to someone, perhaps appreciate all their good qualities even if you still don't like them. I assume judges, if they're any good, must do this all the time.

Justice for arseholes!

I say.

But it's the other side of the coin I find difficult. If someone I love were to do something awful like a murder, would I turn him/her in? I have no doubt that I ought to, but could I bring myself to do it? It's one thing to turn an adolescent in for a relatively minor transgression, but what about something really big?

[LoneWolf]

I have wondered about that myself. I too can usually be fair to someone I don't like. TO some extent I am doing that when I go to see a movie with an actor in it who I can't stand as a person but who I have to admit is a talented actor.

But the other way around can be tough. If someone I loved committed a crime would I turn them in? If I thought it was in their best interest I would. If my son were older and kept stealing or something like that I would likely end up calling the cops on him after all else failed.

I also would turn in a loved one for something like rape or cold-blooded murder.

But I'm not so sure about something that would be considered involuntary manslaughter. If it was an accident but was something that would still likely put him behind bars for awhile I would be much more torn.

[Goldie]

It would depend on the individual circumstances.
Example: Would this person likely harm others?

[Rie]

When my brother was using heroin I never thought of anything but to help him .And he tried , he tried to 'get better' but now is dead.....and that's an awful word.
Unsavoury individuals with unsavoury connections came to my parents' house but we all rode it out and in the end, who knows, this was a way of loving him.