I find it hard to desire to read anything else that follows, after reading this line.
That ain't the way it is at all, bub. The fundamental truth about this country, is that any citizen has the authority to use deadly force, whether against fellow citizens or members of law enforcement (should officers of law enforcement abuse their trust) at any time should it be necessary to do so.
Simon is implying that public safety is the sole province of the state. In reality, it rests with the public. We police ourselves, and "police officers" are merely paid volunteers who have chosen to make a profession of every citizen's responsibility.
There is nothing wrong with any average citizen killing another if it a measure of last resort. We would do well to discover that truth again.
Law enforcement on the other hand have AUTHORITY to use deadly force within certain boundaries which are supposed to be described by law.
My take on the distinction between the words RIGHT and AUTHORITY are that the citizen's right flows from natural law while the authority of the law enforcement officer is only bestowed as a servant of the collective citizen. This authority of the law enforcement officer therefore is temporal, much more restricted and subject to continual review, assessment and re-approval.
The right's of the citizen have none of these extra limits.
Thwy way I view it, FLE abdicates its authority when it tries to shirk its responsibility. The FBI is an absolutely worthless agency for the kind of government laid out in the Constitution. There should be one Federal LE agency, the US Marshall's service. Criminal law is not the province of the federal government except in a very few areas. We don't need any of these bogus agencies and all but the one permitted by the Constitution should be disbanded.