Posted on 08/14/2006 3:24:50 PM PDT by neverdem
If ever a law was designed as a get-out-of-jail-free card for the trigger-happy gun owner, it’s one that comes to us via the gun lobby and the State of Florida. The law, passed in the last year in 15 states and being considered in eight others, allows the extraordinary use of deadly force when a person simply doesn’t want to back away from a confrontation.
There are legitimate kill-or-be-killed situations, but those are defensible in court already. There seems little reason to legally enshrine the right to maim or kill in response to a perceived threat. These laws do just that, and already a creepy picture of “Death Wish”-style justice is emerging.
In one case, a retired police officer shot twice and seriously wounded an apparently unarmed neighbor who had knocked on his door in a dispute over the number of garbage bags put out for collection. The shooter will remain free as long as his self-defense argument holds, and it well may.
The contorted logic of these laws reverses the notions that favored flight over fight and held deadly force to be a last resort. The Florida law holds that a crime victim may “stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary.” To defend homes and vehicles, an owner can wield lethal force with a freedom not granted to the police.
Redefining lethal force is bad enough, but it also comes with near-automatic immunity from prosecution and civil lawsuits. Florida’s law is a sick cousin of the work of the gun lobby on Capitol Hill, where it has successfully protected the interstate traffickers of guns used in crimes. And it is the evil twin of laws passed in 38 states that allow concealed weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I think they're yapping about disclosing traces of the ATF, IMHO.
Bloomberg Has Nothing but Harsh Words for a Gun Bill Before Congress
bump
This crap from the NYT is consistent with their cut and run philosophy concernimg Iraq.
Does this mean that the New York Slimes and Rino Bloomberg will never move to Florida as a result of this law?
I would say that is definitely to the benefit of the Sunshine State.
As a future fireamrm owner, I very nmuch resent this characterization of me as a "trigger happy yahoo". I'm only like that on certain occasions, like around the NYTimes head office. See, that makes me a very responsible gun owner.
Sixty years ago, this POS rag hut would be downsized by the chair.
Future firearm owner? Why not now?
And they want Hillary for President (shudder)...
great tagline, amazing how far the field has shifted, unfortunately.
Written by a butt happy bitemunch.
Society armed
People polite
"...neighbor who had knocked on his door in a dispute over the number of garbage bags..."
'scuse me, mind yer own damn business. It's between the too-many-bags-guy and the waste hauler.
Some people think it's their right to stick their nose into everyone else's lives. You shouldn't get shot for it, but why tempt fate?
Why is it such a terrible thing when the pro-rights crowd actually wins one?
Not exactly. In most states, "make my day" laws harmonize burden of proof in self defense cases with all other crimes one might be accused of, on the state, as it should be. When a state makes a special rule to change procedure for a specific crime, it's up to them to justify why it would be different, not up to the people to justify why it should be the same as every other crime.
Well, DUH! We're talking about a homeowner here, why WOULDN'T a member of the public have more latitude than one of their employees?
No, what they meant to say was "The New York Times is a sick cousin of the yellow-journalism tabloids that they used to ridicule in journalism school - its main goal is to successfully protect and advance the cause of criminals and traitors"...
allows the extraordinary use of deadly force when a person simply doesn’t want to back away from a confrontation.
If you are attacked the NY TIMES believes you should be arrested for fighting back. Sure sounds like it, this ain't the UK!!
Still a college student + money is tight.
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