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Subject: 
Re: Go ahead, make my day!
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Tue, 24 Jul 2001 17:14:10 GMT
Viewed: 
733 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Richard Marchetti writes:
Bruce:

No offense, but this is a rather small point you are making.  Okay, okay --
reasonableness in the use of firearm is prerequisite. Fine. I don't actually
think anyone is arguing with that as a foundation before deadly force is
used.  I have never used my gun against another person -- EVER!

1. Considering that we are talking about felonies, it's rather a large
point.  And yes, the constant statement is "I'm going to come out blazing no
matter what the circumstances are, and I'll fake evidence and even execute
people to cover my tracks if my unthinking attitude puts me into a bad
situation."  It is this attitude that may get you into trouble, and I'm
trying to point out that you are on serious shakey grounds, legally and morally.

2. There are scenarios where you have every right to come out blazing - why
the collective lot of you seem to think I have said otherwise, I don't know.

I just numbered those so I can refer you back to them as I work through this.


But...

Once I discover, by whatever means I may, that the intruder in my house is
not someone I want there -- y'know I am not going to wait until he's done
with my girlfriend to find out how he enjoyed her, and then offer this
person some tea -- I think I'll just take him out of the game before such a
terrible thing happens to her or to me (happens to men too, more than we
think it does). Is that okay with you?

See 2 above.


INSIDE my home, I will be the last one standing.  One story to tell, no
opposition.  If my blurry vision tells me the intruder was armed, but s/he
was not -- well, that's why the gods allowed me to have Wustoff Trident
knives in my kitchen: precisely so that I could plant the big chef knife in
the hands of the unarmed dead!

See 1 above.


Just for one moment, I want to ask you to stop thinking about what the
courts have said (your apparently revered stare decisis) and think instead
about someone hurting the person(s) you love most in the world -- hurting
them in ways it will NOT be easy to recover from, ways that might scar them
physically and psychologically for years, or for life (may the gods forbid it!).

3. I have neither mentioned stare decisis, or expressed an opinion on it.
Kindly do not make up stuff out of the blue and project it onto me.  Better
number this one, too.  As to the rest, see #2.


It's 3 a.m., it's dark, you think someone is downstairs, you go down with
your [weapon of choice here] in your hand(s), you do not recognize the
person, suddenly you realize the person is standing very still --but for
some movement within their jacket, suddenly the person spins around, you
cannot see what the object in their hand is because it's still dark, AND...



...then you do what...?



1) Ask them who they are and what they are doing in your house.
2) Do nothing, waiting to see what they will do first.
3) Shoot them in the kneecap, because you don't want to kill anyone.
4) Shoot them dead.

5) Duck for cover and if they come around the corner let 'em have it (intent
implied by pursuit).
6) Don't wait for them to fumble and spin, but announce they are trespassing
and covered by a weapon and take it from there ("Freeze or die!" sort of
thing).  Now if they fumble and spin, I shoot.  If they dive out the window,
fine by me (the police don't clean up the gore).  If they turn on the light
and show that it's just Uncle Harry a little drunk and had walked into the
wrong house, better still.
7) Don't be a moron and go downstairs.  Instead, call the police, then
announce to the trespasser that they can steal whatever the heck the want,
but they are hamburger if they come upstairs (i.e. don't force a
confrontation)?  Punctuate pronouncement with the intimidating sound of a 12
gauge chambering a round.

Gosh - now that I have something besides straw man choices, it seems a bit
easier.  I'd go with seven.  Maybe keep my mouth shut, but I know my wife
would probably start screaming.


I am not a lawyer, but I think you may well pull a number 4.

You'd be wrong.

The rest isn't worthy of comment (ka-snip).  If you insist, see my points
1-3 above.

Bruce



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Go ahead, make my day!
 
(...) Actually, that last bit there riles me up some. Mostly because this sort of started (at least on my end of it) because I did not sufficiently qualify the scenarios I made up. I really never stated anything to the effect that I would come out (...) (23 years ago, 24-Jul-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Go ahead, make my day!
 
Bruce: No offense, but this is a rather small point you are making. Okay, okay -- reasonableness in the use of firearm is prerequisite. Fine. I don't actually think anyone is arguing with that as a foundation before deadly force is used. I have (...) (23 years ago, 23-Jul-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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