What is a mistake?

Something I hear over and over again is really pissing me off. Basically it is when I hear the words "so and so made a mistake". For example, Joe Dumbass made a MISTAKE when he got in his car sloppy drunk and killed a family of five. Murdering a family of five doesn't really rank in the same category as when you hit reply all on that email you got last week. How about a kid who robs 6 gas stations before being arrested. What is the first thing his lawyer says. Well little Johnny made a mistake when he robbed those stores, so lets take it easy on him. Really? Did Johnny think it was ok to rob that store, did someone tell him robbing a store was an accepted practice. Was Johnny confused when he robbed those six stores that he was taking part in a socially accepted act. Sorry Johnny but that is not a mistake. When someone misspells a word, that is a mistake. Consciously performing an act which you know to be wrong is not a mistake. I think it is about time we chose a better word for these things. How about we use words like Johnny committed a criminal offense. Lets reserve the word mistakes for things that really deserve it. Like spelling errors and picking up the wrong kind of milk at the store. Just think about your reaction to these two statements. "Sorry honey I must have grabbed two percent milk by mistake." Now how about a little different spin on that. "Sorry honey, I seem to have mistakenly shot three people during a bank robbery on the way home. Oh, and the police are probably on the way here now." Do you see my point now?

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