02471cam a22003853u 4500 51258 UtSlPG 20260610134159.0 m cr n 260607r2016||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Laumer, Keith, 1925-1993 A Bad Day for Vermin Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2016 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964 Release date is 2016-02-21 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "A Bad Day for Vermin" by Keith Laumer is a science fiction short story written in the early 1960s. The narrative unfolds in a small town where an extraterrestrial being makes contact, prompting a heated debate about the definition of life and human rights. Through its engaging plot, the story tackles themes of prejudice and the nature of humanity in the face of the unknown. The tale begins with Judge Carter Gates witnessing the arrival of a friendly alien, only to have that moment shattered when a local man, Cecil Stump, shoots the creature. This act sparks an uproar among the townsfolk, leading to a contentious community meeting where the very concept of personhood is fiercely debated. As emotions run high, the townspeople strive to redefine what constitutes a “person,” ultimately deciding that a "person" is any harmless creature, whereas those who commit violent acts are deemed "vermin." The story culminates in a twist as a new exterminator arrives, leaving readers to ponder the implications of their decisions. Laumer deftly explores the complexities of morality and societal norms, making this short story thought-provoking and timely. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction United States -- Fiction Ethics -- Fiction Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51258 92096 92096