Critical thinking concepts and applications

¶ … Woman and Law Enforcement Involved in a Standoff That Lasts 39 Days

The thoughts expressed in the comments about the way the officers handled the standoff between the woman who was deemed unstable in the head, the numerous officers were less than very critical. They were based on perfect conditions on both the side of the officers and the woman. First, bearing that the woman had hallucinations that some aliens were after her life already predisposed the woman to grave danger to herself since the ultimate price she could have paid and was ready to pay was taking her own life rather than surrender it to the aliens. This insinuates that the combative approach of lobbying OC into the house to suffocate her into surrendering needed if the victim was capable of rational thinking, otherwise she would feel that the aliens have cornered her and kill herself, yet she was needed alive. Making a stealth entry while the lady slept, though one of the considered opinion, was only viable on the grounds that the target was visible from a safe distance and a proper coordination could be made to reach her before she woke up which in this case was not assured. Tagging the cost factor to the life of the woman during the 39 days standoff was also not an option in any way since the value of life in a 24-hour period cannot be pegged on any monetary value whatsoever even if the individual contributes nothing into the economy in the period give. The fact that they are alive attaches unequaled value to their lives. This is the same argument for sick people on life support machine in a vegetative state (Marcou, D. 2013).

2. The law enforcers, the Nevada ranchers and the militia groups

This was a case that could have easily deteriorated to a situation of two wrongs making no right, and not necessarily the wrongs being illegalities. The officers were acting lawfully in driving out the cattle from the land and could have been justified to use force of the gun to defend themselves (Allen, J. 2014). They also had the duty to stop militia groups from taking control over government land at that time but they considered it right to let them prevail, at least for the moment. This was a critically considered option and action that the officers took at the time. The interest of the general safety of the intruders and any other possible passersby was of higher interest that the enforcement of the law at the immediacy of time. The commanding officer must have critically considered that there was no immediacy and urgency in the enforcement of the law since there was no life that was in danger that was to prompt immediate action, indeed the immediate action could have possibly aroused emergency. It was also critical opinion that that was not the only chance to enforce the law on the offenders over the same offence such that if the officers let go would see them lose the chance forever. It was clear in the mind of the officers that they had a later chance to apprehend the criminals at a later moment with sufficient backing and safer conditions for both parties. The commanding officer also had a rational thinking and was within his knowledge that even his officers were susceptible in this environment hence enforcement of the laws at the moment was not a reason enough to risk the life of his officers, this ought to have been the same argument for sparing the life of the insane lady with a gun, her life had to be spared no matter what and not be subjected to any risky situation as was the case and all this despite the long period of time. This is what critical thinking entails, not always going by the book but weighing the options available at the moment and the short-term and long-term consequences of these options and making up your mind towards a decision based on this.

3. Juvenile residents and assault on staff