They! Them!

My parents house was burgled on Thursday night/ early Friday morning. Luckily no one was home but quite honestly, it sucks! It isn't the stuff so much as the invasion of your own space and the sentimental stuff like my Omi's jewellery or my Grans binoculars.

What is interesting in this situation is how people speak about crime...
They did it... They broke in... They are @#%6*!

I know i have blogged about this before but i think it is important!
I think we talk about "they" or "them" because that makes the people responsible separate from us. And then it is easier to think badly, speak badly or down about a group of people. Don't get me wrong I don't condone crime or excuse it but maybe the people who broke into my parents place aren't as different from me as i would like to believe.
If "they" were people who lived in my neighborhood, went to my school or university, had similar aged kids to me would i have to rethink the dismissal or disgust with which i view this crime?
If "they" were people i hung around with would i have to rethink what punishment i would suggest?
If "they" were people i had relationship with what feelings would i have about why this happened?

What i do know is that "they" are people... (Skinny people!) But people...