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Comment by kintamanimatt | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure what you mean. Suing someone isn't an act of violence.

What do you imagine the state uses to compel obedience to its laws, if not threats of violence? Sometimes that violence might be appropriate, but some firm sending you an unwanted email falls short of the mark.

Australia doesn't use crowbars or fists to remedy wrongdoings, therefore it's not an act of violence. If the punishment for sending bulk unsolicited commercial mail were canings, it'd be violence, but this isn't how civilized countries operate.

Of course it uses violence; try declining the "non-violent" penalties. Even criminals don't immediately resort to physical violence, but you still know precisely why you should hand over your wallet.

Show me an instance where a modern Australian court has ordered corporal punishment and I'll agree with you.

With respect, I think attagart has a valid point.

Violence can also be confining someone to a jail cell, or confiscating (taking without voluntary consent) some or all of their property (e.g., imposing a fine on a person)

Your modern Australian courts must do this, to compel compliance with their decisions.

Not really.

If you lose a lawsuit and fail to pay, then they just come and take your money and/or your possessions. If you attack the sheriff's deputies carting off your stuff, or assault the bank manager for having given away "your" money, then yeah, you are in for a world of hurt.

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