A Laumer, Keith 1925-1993 creator text utu 2016 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "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.) Release date is 2016-02-21 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction United States -- Fiction Ethics -- Fiction PS Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51258 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51258 UtSlPG 260607 20260610134159.0 51258