Robin Hood: Good or bad guy?

[RandellG]

Crazy question? Here's the deal.

We were on this topic about a year ago at work. I can't remember how it came up but a few of us was debating over Robin Hood. We where arguing over whether he was a good or bad guy.

Most say without a second thought, he is a good guy. Because he helps the poor.

I beg to differ. IMHO he is a bad guy, no matter how you look at it. Stealing is wrong no matter what the reason.

I say Robin Hood is a bad guy with good intentions. He stills but he does it for a good reason. He doesn't do it for his own gain, but to help others. But (again IMO) he is still a bad guy.

Use this as an example:

If I were to go into Walmart and steal some diapers and say they where for a friends child and they don't have the money to but them, would that make stealing them diapers right? No. Was I stealing them for a good reason? Yes. It is still wrong.

So tell me Robin Hood, good or bad, or like I said bad guy with good intentions?

[DaveS1138]

Your example is a little lacking.......in the story of Robin Hood he is not steeling an item that is going to make somebodys life a little easier. He is steeling to save these people from death. They are being taxed to the point that they can no longer feed their family.

Its not like the family have to have diapers.......man seemed to live for thousands of years without them. Their life would be better with them.....but they are hardly going to die without them.

The point made in the story is also that the peasants were being taxed at an unbeleivably high level. One that they could never hope to afford.

So it would be more accurate to say.

Imagine that you went into Walmart
Walmart have priced their bread at a level that no average family could afford and that you could not hope to buy for them.
But their child is starving to death.
In that example would it be ok for you to steel the bread to feed the starving child.

I dont think too many people could think Robin Hood was the bad guy in that example.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

Like the above said, it depends on who is being stolen from. If the person got that money by illegal means themselves, then it would be fine. Taking from everyday people who busted their asses to get where they are is wrong. Its not their fault that they have ambitions and dreams, and set out to accomplish them.

In the real world I dont want any part of my paycheck going to anyone else that doesnt want to work for their money. It promotes ignorance and lazyness among the people, which leads to a lack of production and lack of pride.

I would refuse robin hoods offerings out of pride alone. Yes my child needs diapers (every kid needs them in these days....its nonsense to think otherwise), and Im going to do all I can to get him the basic necessities and anything else I can to improve his like. Why, because I love my family and want them to be better than me. Not depend on others and be a leech on society. You should be fucking embarrassed if you are on welfare and do not have any sort of job.

The problem is the "whats owed to me attitude of today" that stops people from being productive. The lack of pride in our country is disturbing. There are thousands upon thousands that would rather be unemployed than serve in the Military and make a decent living for themselves and their families.....because they dont want to fucking work. Fuck'em. And fuck Robin Hood.

If you are truly disabled or cant work for some other reason, yes the common man should chip in (by taxes) and help you. But if your just a lazy POS you should be fucking ashamed. The sad thing is nobody is ashamed.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

By the way, you have to define poor. Because I live in a nice house with a garage and decent back yard, while millions of people live in trailers and shitty apartments. But, they are living just fine in them as long as they pay their bills. If they are considered poor would they be justified in getting free shit from me? Or would I have to let one stay at my house?

[Maxx_75]

This conversation could be classified as political since this is really a question of socialism. One of the candadites seems to think that spreading the wealth around is a good idea. I think that we are already well on our way. Welfare should only be for 90 days max. I knew people growing up that lived in low income housing and on Welfare for 20-30 years. Its rediculous. When you take from thouse that work hard and give to to the lazy you only get more lazy people.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

Please refer to post #3 paragraph 2 sentence 2.

[weaponX]

Wow, an honest topic has taken a dangerous turn.....

I think Robin Hood was a good guy because the Prince and Sheriff were a-holes that were power hungry and had to "steal" from common people by way of taxation to make their lazy lives better. Robin Hood took back from the evil powers what belonged to the everyday people. Plus anyone who is that good with a bow is a bad ass, so I like him.

[project-blu]

I think this thread CAN be kept off of politics, if users make the effort to not drag their POLITICAL beliefs into a thread about a CHARACTER. if the new W thread in film forum can (and did) do it, this one should be able to, also.

I personally think the character of Robin Hood is an anti-hero. neither good, nor bad, but he's the one to root for.

[weaponX]

I think this thread CAN be kept off of politics, if users make the effort to not drag their POLITICAL beliefs into a thread about a CHARACTER. if the new W thread in film forum can (and did) do it, this one should be able to, also.

I personally think the character of Robin Hood is an anti-hero. neither good, nor bad, but he's the one to root for.

I can see the whole anti-hero thing.... like cool hand luke... but still I thought luke was a "Good Guy". good and bad are relative to the person perceiving it.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

If the people had the nuts to stand up to the prince and sheriff there wouldnt be a tax problem.

[RandellG]

I personally think the character of Robin Hood is an anti-hero. neither good, nor bad, but he's the one to root for.

That actually makes a lot of since

[weaponX]

If the people had the nuts to stand up to the prince and sheriff there wouldnt be a tax problem.

that really isn't the point of this question.

"well, if the people all had apache helicopters, the prince and sherriff wouldn't be able to tax them"

the point is the people couldn't do it themselves.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

that really isn't the point of this question.

"well, if the people all had apache helicopters, the prince and sherriff wouldn't be able to tax them"

the point is the people couldn't do it themselves.

Couldnt, or wouldnt?

Not trying to do something because your scared isnt the same as can do something because your physically or metnally disabled.

Live free or die. Do you think everyone in the princes military (or police or whatever they are) believes what he is doing is right? Ever hear of civil wars?

The one war Marines actually pretty much sat out.

[weaponX]

I say couldn't, if the Prince has all the money, he has all the power. He controls the sherriff, who controls the deputies/foot soldiers/enforcers. The people couldn't defend themselves. The Prince's men had horses and weapons, the towns folk had nothing. They could not defend themselves.

I'm sure the local blacksmith couldn't make up a whole bunch of swords to give to the people since they had no money to buy them..... how could they defend themselves?

Sure, there are other ways to create weapons, but with the limited resources at their disposal they couldn't exactly go out an make defensive aquisitions or practice. Look at the village as being under marshall law, do you think the police (who are no doubt corrupt) would allow you and your friends to practice archery or plot together to assassinate the prince or sherriff? Likely not.

if you have enough money, you could have enough power.... that's why robin hood was important, he knew where to attack, had the resources to attack, and the will to do it. If Robin Hood had no weapons or horses he would have tried one time to rob the sherriff's men and would have be slaughtered.

[Ghost of Vincent Price]

They could of left for greener pastures.

Look, if you take 2 nitwits and kill one nitwit that has a sword....now you have 2 nitwits with a sword and a dead badguy.

A little planning goes a long way. Ever hear of the trojan horse? Anyways this is pretty silly, but end result Robin Hood bad guy with good intentions. Sheriff bad guy with bad intentions. When in doubt take'em out.