[thechat] Bowling for Columbine

Lachlan Cannon luminosity at members.evolt.org
Tue Jan 28 09:03:02 CST 2003


Bob Davis wrote:

>> Generally, I consider attacking someone with a (by design) lethal
>> weapon
>> to be unreasonable.
>
>
> When they have clearly exhibited a disregard for the law and the social
> rules by breaking into your home? I have to assume that such a person
> is capable of anything. Any reasonable person in a situation like this
> could very well fear for his or her life.  I believe deadly force is
> well within reason. I have no problem defending myself or my loved ones
> with whatever force necessary.

See, now I'd argue that you're actually putting your loved ones at more
risk by having that gun there.

Scenario 1. No Gun.

Armed robber enters your house. Encounters you. You are unarmed and feel
vulnerable so you are less likely to do something stupid, more likely to
agree with robber. Robber feels less threatened so is less likely to
fire. Also, robber doesn't see a need to discharge their weapon, and if
there's a possibility they could get charged for breaking and entering
why the hell would they want to add murder to it?

Scenario 2. Gun.

Robber enters your house. Sees people and has weapon out. You don't tow
the line because you have your gun with you. Robber panics and fires...
firefight ensues. You and your loved ones make more targets in the same
direction. Even if you take the robber down, he's likely to have taken
down either you or a loved one even if his firing was fairly random.

Plus I find people justifying killing abhorrent. Sure, have that robber
tracked down and pay the appropriate punishment for he did, but can you
really justify *killing* someone, even if they have entered your house?
Especially when that situation could probably have been avoided?

My house was robbed about a year ago.. I was the first home after it
happened. Sure, I was pissed off, but if I'd run into the robber there
and had a weapon and tried to fight someone would have ended up injured
or even dead. Without a weapon I'd be more likely to run... which one
leaves me safer?

Funnily enough, even after that I feel safe in my own house. I don't
have a weapon here. A weapon wouldn't make me safe, it'd put me in more
danger. the only time a weapon would help would be if someone
specifically wanted me dead... not a likely scenario, afaik.
--
Lach
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Web: http://illuminosity.net/
E-mail: lach @ illuminosity.net
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