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Originally Posted by nostatic
You, the individual, are deciding who is worthy to live or die.
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A little melodramatic, isn't it? People make that decision about one another everyday. I think we all agree that if we caught some thug in the act of beating and/or raping our wives, we would hasten to such a decision.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic
Because someone is (allegedly) coming to "take your stuff", they are scum and should be eliminated. If you "think they are a good kid" then they are passed over for execution.
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The real crux of this matter is just where each of us draws this line. Again, this is not (at least for me) about my "stuff". It's about someone violating the sanctity and security of my home in their efforts to relieve me of my stuff. It's about their inferred willingness to put me and my family at risk by breaking into my home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic
You can spin it any way you want - you're playing God and elevating your physical possession over the life of a human.
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More melodrama. I don't get that impression in reading this thread. I've earnestly tried not to give it, and I don't think anyone else (save for Sammy) has given that impression. To kick the dead horse one more time, it's not about the possessions. It's about the kind of guy who would break into your home to relieve you of them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic
If someone is a direct physical threat to you or your family, then I understand the use of deadly force. But that is not what some here are saying. My stuff - you try to take it, I kill you.
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I think we can all understand the use of deadly force under these circumstances. Again, I think the rub lies in where we are willing to make that call. Some folks might have to wait until a loved one is lying in a pool of blood before they begin to perceive a threat. Others prefer not to let it get that far.
Re-reading the articles and re-reading this thread, coupled with a day of pondering the questions involved, has led me to shift my position. I now believe, in these two specific cases, that the home owners were properly charged. It's a very fine line, and one I very much hope none of us has to toe, but I do believe they crossed it. I very much believe in the premise of protecting what is yours, from loved ones to property. I do still very much believe that under most circumstances anyone caught in my home should be perceived as a threat and dealt with accordingly. Even under the worst conditions, however, I don't think I could ever just start blazing away without saying something first. Unless, of course, a loved one is already in peril.