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Do you have a right to defend yourself?
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Baloo: [QB] It's simple. Michael_T has the very real concern that since it is public knowledge (or at least not a secret) that he is gay, that some violently homophobic person could break into his home for the express purpose of doing him grievous harm. If someone breaks into your home, you have no way of knowing what their intent is, apart from it being [i]hostile[/i] intent. They didn't knock, they didn't send a postcard saying: <Blockquote><hr>Don't be alarmed, but on Saturday, the 1st of July, around 2:00 a.m., I'll be breaking into your home. Don't worry. I just want the T.V. and silverware. [list] ~~Your friendly neighborhood burglar [/list] P.S.: I'm bringing a gun, but don't worry, it isn't for you. I'll need the protection when I go back to my own neighborhood.<hr></blockquote> If anyone breaks into my home, I will, if given the opportunity, call the police and hold the breaker at gunpoint until the cops can come collect him. If at any time during this process I feel that I, or someone else, is in immediate danger of serious injury or death from this person, I will shoot. If he lives, I will let the police know that an ambulance will be required also (hey, I dialed 911, right? They're still on the line). If the perp is definitely rendered unable to resist further, I will possibly render first aid, but only if I can do so without putting myself at risk. I will not shoot to wound. That's foolish. A shot that's intended to wound has a very high probability of passing through the victim's body, retaining enough kinetic energy to be a lethal danger to anyone behind that person. Another consideration the "shoot-to-wound" crowd fails to consider is that bullets have LOTS of kinetic energy and do very serious damage when they strike bones, muscle, nerves and arteries. Even shooting someone in the leg (provided you don't miss such a difficult-to-hit target in the heat of the moment) you risk severing an artery, shattering bone, destroying muscle, damaging nerves, etc. You can do lethal, inhumanly painful damage to a person even if you hit a limb. If the victim does not die before paramedics can stabilize him, he stands a very good chance of being crippled for life. Your efforts to be "kind" have resulted in a tragedy some consider worse than death. Be sure that if the victim (or his family) sues, you will be described in terms that will leave the jury in little doubt that you are a sadistic, evil bastard, delighting in the damage you inflicted upon this "poor, tortured soul". If you shoot to wound, you are gambling that your bullets will not strike innocents, and (secondarily) you risk cruelly wounding your target. You don't pull the wings off a bee to keep it from stinging you, do you? If you are going to use or threaten lethal force, then use it as intended. Don't play with it -- you're a danger to yourself and everyone around you otherwise. Shoot yourself. It's less trouble. Then maybe if the cops catch the guy it will be [i]your[/i] family suing for wrongful death. Me? The cops' job would be much easier if we didn't just stand back and let the criminals alone. I'm not suggesting that we all buy guns and play vigilante, but that we be aware of our surroundings, and be wise enough to take appropriate action when the circumstances warrant, from dialing 911 to confronting a violent person (if you are capable) and stopping them from doing further harm. ~~Baloo [/QB][/QUOTE]
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