I WISH to comment on Malcolm Pittock's letter of July 6. He is still as blinkered as in previous letters.
He quotes Article 3 of the UN Declaration on Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." He then makes the error of stating "...which is cast as a universal to which there is no exception." I didn't read that in the Article!
He then goes on to say that "everyone has the right to life." Another error. The Article also goes on to say "liberty and security of person." Has he conveniently forgotten this section? Didn't the victims of September 11 also have the right to life, liberty and security of person? The perpetrators of September 11 contravened Article 3. Do they not deserve to be punished?
Will Mr Pittock answer this question?
There are 30 people held hostage in a room. In the room is a time-bomb armed and primed to go off within two minutes. In the only entrance is an armed man blocking the way and refusing all attempts to release the hostages before the bomb explodes. The only way to release the hostages alive is to remove the armed man. Would it be right to kill one man to save the lives of the 30, or should nothing be done and allow all 31 people to be killed?
Peter Greenhalgh
Belmont Road
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