000 02471cam a22003853u 4500
001 51258
003 UtSlPG
005 20260610134159.0
006 m
007 cr n
008 260607r2016||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d
040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPS
100 1 _aLaumer, Keith,
_d1925-1993
245 1 2 _aA Bad Day for Vermin
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2016
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
490 1 _aProduced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964
500 _aRelease date is 2016-02-21
508 _aProduced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
520 _a"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.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aScience fiction
653 _aShort stories
653 _aExtraterrestrial beings -- Fiction
653 _aHuman-alien encounters -- Fiction
653 _aUnited States -- Fiction
653 _aEthics -- Fiction
830 0 _aProduced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51258
999 _c92096
_d92096