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Shoot First — No Questions Asked (mega barf alert!)
NY Times' Terrorist Tip Sheet ^ | August 14, 2006 | Meathead Editorial

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: 2a; 2ndamendment; bang; banglist; firearm; handgun; longarm; newyorkslimes; nyt; pistol; revolver; rifle; rkba; secondamendment; shotgun; sidearm
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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.

I think they're yapping about disclosing traces of the ATF, IMHO.

Bloomberg Has Nothing but Harsh Words for a Gun Bill Before Congress

1 posted on 08/14/2006 3:24:51 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

bump


2 posted on 08/14/2006 3:25:29 PM PDT by lowbridge (I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather. Not screaming, like his passengers.)
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To: neverdem

This crap from the NYT is consistent with their cut and run philosophy concernimg Iraq.


3 posted on 08/14/2006 3:28:35 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: neverdem

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.


4 posted on 08/14/2006 3:29:13 PM PDT by mkjessup (The Shah doesn't look so bad now, eh? But nooo, Jimmah said the Ayatollah was a 'godly' man.)
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To: neverdem

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.


5 posted on 08/14/2006 3:29:40 PM PDT by Killborn (Pres. Bush isn't Pres. Reagan. Then again, Pres. Regan isn't Pres. Washington. God bless them all.)
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To: Killborn

Future firearm owner? Why not now?


6 posted on 08/14/2006 3:33:32 PM PDT by Roccus
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To: neverdem
What a pile of crap.
Sorry I don't have more to add but this makes me angry.
7 posted on 08/14/2006 3:34:14 PM PDT by Jean S
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To: neverdem
They're New York liberals - they know what's best for everyone and anyone who disagrees with them is just stupid or evil.

And they want Hillary for President (shudder)...

8 posted on 08/14/2006 3:36:41 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Killborn

great tagline, amazing how far the field has shifted, unfortunately.


9 posted on 08/14/2006 3:37:56 PM PDT by SFC Chromey (We are at war with Islamists, now ACT LIKE IT!)
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To: neverdem
"If ever a law was designed as a get-out-of-jail-free card for the trigger-happy gun owner"

Written by a butt happy bitemunch.

10 posted on 08/14/2006 3:42:34 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
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To: neverdem
when a person simply doesn’t want to back away from a confrontation.

The writer's opinion may change (if he lives through it) should he ever find himself in a situation where he cannot just "back away" and is unarmed.
11 posted on 08/14/2006 3:45:23 PM PDT by D1X1E
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To: neverdem

Society armed

People polite


12 posted on 08/14/2006 3:48:12 PM PDT by BenLurkin ("The entire remedy is with the people." - W. H. Harrison)
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To: neverdem

"...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?


13 posted on 08/14/2006 3:55:08 PM PDT by Felis_irritable
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To: neverdem
If ever a law was designed as a get-out-of-jail-free card for the trigger-happy gun owner, sop to freedom hating nanny statists, it's one that comes to us via the gun lobby and the State of Florida. every other freakin law on the books!

Why is it such a terrible thing when the pro-rights crowd actually wins one?

14 posted on 08/14/2006 3:59:28 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: neverdem
There are legitimate kill-or-be-killed situations, but those are defensible in court already.

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.

15 posted on 08/14/2006 4:03:21 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: neverdem
To defend homes and vehicles, an owner can wield lethal force with a freedom not granted to the police.

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?

16 posted on 08/14/2006 4:05:42 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: neverdem
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.

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"...

17 posted on 08/14/2006 4:15:14 PM PDT by The Electrician ("Government is the only enterprise in the world which expands in size when its failures increase.")
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To: neverdem
The NY TIMES is off its rocker if it really believes what it prints.

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!!

18 posted on 08/14/2006 4:21:17 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: neverdem
They did however miss the little part about how every single fatal defense shooting by an armed citizen defending their property in FL ended in the termination of a career criminal. - every single one.
19 posted on 08/14/2006 4:24:45 PM PDT by xcamel (Press to Test, Release to Detonate)
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To: Roccus

Still a college student + money is tight.


20 posted on 08/14/2006 4:33:59 PM PDT by Killborn (Pres. Bush isn't Pres. Reagan. Then again, Pres. Regan isn't Pres. Washington. God bless them all.)
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