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Outlawry - by Böðvar Ásbjörnsson

(Written as part of a discussion on respecting the decisions of others to outlaw members from members from among their number)

We ally with people not on the subject of outlawry, but because we see eye to eye enough, see the similarities between their law and our law (speaking of "tribal law") that we can see ourselves as answering to roughly the same law.

Not only that, but we would then see them as being more or less as observant of the law, remembering that nobody -- not us or a legion of "thems" out there -- gets it right all of the time. That's why we have a law in the first place.

Then, someone violating the peace in their area is, in essence, breaking our law.

So, beyond any quibbling, we're protecting our own peace and order by honoring an allied group's outlaws as we are by honoring our own...which sometimes doesn't happen.

We need in all of this to remember that we don't outlaw someone lightly, for being uncomfortable in debate or for personal hygiene reasons, or whatever. We outlaw someone when they've placed themselves outside the common peace, outside the law, meaning that they have disregarded the law in their doings, and stand to take our peace and order, as well as our collective luck/örlög down with them.

It's a classic case of the "limits of individualism". Be an individual, Mr. Outlaw, go your merry way. We've just gone on record as shunning you.

In former days, you'd be a non-person, and we could kill you with impunity...oh, for the good old days!

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