# Would you shoot out three people's knee caps to save a loved one's life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 12, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400 "2015-11-12T19:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/61 "2015-11-14T06:02:47Z")
If the other two were hardcore enough to continue on their nefarious deed, after seeing the first one get kneecapped, I might just head shot from then on. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/62 "2015-11-14T06:34:19Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Crippling them for life is going too far. I might be able to shoot off one little toe from each victim. Maybe even the off-hand small finger. Cause a big scar somewhere that isn’t prominent. > > But leave them in a wheelchair the rest of their life? That’s too harsh. I couldn’t do it. > > (FWIW, I’ve asked my closest friends and family questions like this, and they agree: they’d rather be assassinated than have their lives saved at this kind of outrageous cost. And I agree too. I don’t want to sacrifice my life to save three strangers from being crippled for life…but if some evil puke compels me to that choice, then goodbye cruel world.) ditto ---
**Author:** ![katpohl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@katpohl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katpohl)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/63 "2015-11-14T09:25:48Z")
My loved ones are very special to me , but none of them are known by anyone who would or could hire an assassin . What would three innocent people, magical or otherwise ,be doing hanging out with an assassin for ? IRL if someone has become a serious threat to a loved one of mine , I may try for a kneecap or an elbow to slow them down enough to allow my loved one enough time to get out of the way ,before I shoot to permanently stop the threat. Haven’t you heard all the anti gun folks enplaning that a gun is made for only one thing , and that is killing . IRL pulling out a gun to pretend your going to use it, is a very bad habit to get into . " If your gonna go , go like hell . If your minds not made up , don’t use your spurs ." from ’ cowboy quotes ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/64 "2015-11-14T11:09:26Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Everybody speeds. Everyone is guilty. Kill them all. > > I too find it disturbing that so many would cripple, for life, innocent people. They are putting a gigantic burden on that person and their loved ones. I think it’s much more compassionate to just kill the innocent people to save the loved one. Which is what I would do. So, if somebody couldn’t live the quality of life that you think everybody should have, you would kill them? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/65 "2015-11-14T11:14:29Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I’m sure as hell going to fight the agency behind the hypothetical! If I ever meet the bastard who is compelling people to make these kinds of choices, pow!, his kneecaps are the least of his worries! So, you would inflict evil upon somebody who never did you any harm? And, yet, you could not do it to save a loved one? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/66 "2015-11-14T14:13:54Z")
I couldn’t do it, shoot out the kneecaps of 3 random bystanders? Though if my loved ones died from my lack of action and being unable to rescue them, I probably also wouldn’t be able to live with myself. I would probably die trying to get those who killed my love ones. I’m sure I would fail. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/67 "2015-11-15T00:17:39Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > So, you would inflict evil upon somebody who never did you any harm? And, yet, you could not do it to save a loved one? I can only presume that you completely misunderstood what I was saying. The guy who says, “Either cripple three people or else your sister dies” has done immense harm to me! He’s threatened my sister’s life, and he’s made threats against three innocent people. He’s a terrorist, and, yes, I would inflict harm upon him! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/68 "2015-11-15T01:51:50Z")
The views of some Dopers span the spectrum of what they’d do in a situation: > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I will murder any other than my wife, stepdaughter, favorite niece, and baby sister if such is necessary to save my kids’ lives. > > Merely crippling somebody? Please. > [@handsomeharry](#): > > Are you kidding? I’d desolate an entire nation to save a loved one. In the most painful way imaginable. As opposed to: > [@Resolved: Our Moral Intuitions Regarding Torture Make No Sense.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-our-moral-intuitions-regarding-torture-make-no-sense/729098/21): > > Want to bet?No. I would die rather than torture someone. I would see you die. I would see my wife die. I would see my kids die. I would see _the whole of humanity burn_, before I torture someone. So where does that leave your argument now? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/69 "2015-11-16T14:00:35Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > I think the option you want is there: “_I’m going to be difficult and fight the hypothetical._” > 🙂 Nah, that would indicate that I considered the hypothetical. I’m an American, I just wanna vote! And be difficult. But not read or think. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/70 "2015-11-17T00:32:13Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > And then to post it here as if they were proud of the fact. Yes, I’m damn proud of the fact. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400/71 "2015-11-18T16:59:50Z")
Maybe I could shoot out one person’s kneecap 3 times? Presumably after the first medical treatment there would be some kind of artificial kneecap to shoot out? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-shoot-out-three-peoples-knee-caps-to-save-a-loved-ones-life/737400.md?page=3)