Sunday, March 28, 2004
NEW HORIZONS IN VICTIMLESS CRIME:
As Dave Barry would put it, when someone asks us how leftists interfere with family values, we can always point them to this story from Romania, which shows big government sticking its oppressive nose into traditional religion. The helpless people might as well still be living under Ceausescu.
"Before Toma Petre's relatives pulled his body from the grave, ripped out his heart, burned it to ashes, mixed it with water and drank it, he hadn't been in the news much. That's often the way here with vampires. Quiet lives, active deaths. Villagers here aren't up in arms about the undead - they're pretty common - but they are outraged that the police are involved in a simple vampire slaying. After all, vampire slaying is an accepted, though hidden, bit of national heritage, even if illegal. ...
"Ghindeano added that police were expanding the investigation, which began in mid-January, to include the after-deaths of others in area. "The investigation is ongoing, and we expect to file charges later," he said, referring to possible charges of disturbing the peace of the dead, which could carry a three-year jail term. ...
"Vampires are obvious when dug up because while they will have been laid to rest on their backs, arms folded neatly across their chests, they will be found on their sides or even their stomachs. ... But the biggest tip-off that a vampire is near is his or her family, for vampires always prey on their families. ... "That's the problem with vampires," said Doru Morinescu, a 30-year-old shepherd who, like many in the village, has a family connection to the current case. "They'd be all right if you could set them after your enemies. But they only kill loved ones. I can understand why, but they have to be stopped.""
When vampire killing is outlawed, only outlaws will kill vampires. Read the whole tale of modernist assault on traditional values at "Romanian villagers decry police investigation into vampire slaying", which was spotted by James Russell.
As Dave Barry would put it, when someone asks us how leftists interfere with family values, we can always point them to this story from Romania, which shows big government sticking its oppressive nose into traditional religion. The helpless people might as well still be living under Ceausescu.
"Before Toma Petre's relatives pulled his body from the grave, ripped out his heart, burned it to ashes, mixed it with water and drank it, he hadn't been in the news much. That's often the way here with vampires. Quiet lives, active deaths. Villagers here aren't up in arms about the undead - they're pretty common - but they are outraged that the police are involved in a simple vampire slaying. After all, vampire slaying is an accepted, though hidden, bit of national heritage, even if illegal. ...
"Ghindeano added that police were expanding the investigation, which began in mid-January, to include the after-deaths of others in area. "The investigation is ongoing, and we expect to file charges later," he said, referring to possible charges of disturbing the peace of the dead, which could carry a three-year jail term. ...
"Vampires are obvious when dug up because while they will have been laid to rest on their backs, arms folded neatly across their chests, they will be found on their sides or even their stomachs. ... But the biggest tip-off that a vampire is near is his or her family, for vampires always prey on their families. ... "That's the problem with vampires," said Doru Morinescu, a 30-year-old shepherd who, like many in the village, has a family connection to the current case. "They'd be all right if you could set them after your enemies. But they only kill loved ones. I can understand why, but they have to be stopped.""
When vampire killing is outlawed, only outlaws will kill vampires. Read the whole tale of modernist assault on traditional values at "Romanian villagers decry police investigation into vampire slaying", which was spotted by James Russell.
