Can I ask for opinions on the Texas Law with regard to protecting your...

[LakeSamish706]

property? Do you feel that it's right to be able to kill an unarmed burglar? This law just blows me away!

Sorry for any confusion, but I am specifically referring to the case in Texas that just happened!

[MadBadger]

1. Is somebody watching Dobbs?

[LakeSamish706]

2. I'm afraid that I am and just can't; wrap my head aournd this Texas law! n/t

[MadBadger]

3. I dont have an issue with wounding, but killing goes too far.

[LakeSamish706]

4. Uh huh, you must be watching it as well or you wouldn't know what I was talking about.. lol n/t

[MadBadger]

7. Yea, wanted to see what Mr. Racism was saying

Amazing how whenever I turn on Dobbs, he always it talking about illegal immigration. Low and Behold, thats exactly what he was talking about.

[MadBadger]

5. Plus, wasnt it somebody else's property too?

[LakeSamish706]

8. Yes it was his neighbours place and he was on the phone with the police...

He told the dispatcher exactly what he was going to do before he did it... But it's the Texas law where the problem lies IMO.

[Hippo_Tron]

6. If you have good reason to believe your life is in danger, yes

If they are out the door running away, then no. If they are in your house, it may be a different story.

[LakeSamish706]

11. I agree with that, but then it would seem to me you might be defending your...

life at that point, not your property or neighbors property.

[Hippo_Tron]

23. Which is, more or less, the way that the law should be

Human life takes precedence over property. Granted, and I got a lot of flack the last time I said this, people need to realize how utterly fucking stupid it is to burglarize someone's house and expect not to get shot. Breaking into someone's house will scare the shit out of the owner and their fear will generally make them not even think twice about whether your intentions are to just steal or to harm them. No, burglars don't deserve extra judicial death sentences, but their own stupidity often leads to that.

[LakeSamish706]

26. Point well taken... It just seems to me our whole society is heading backward...

to the wild, wild west where everyone just straps on the six shooter and settles things there way. Pretty damn brutal if you ask me...

[Hippo_Tron]

27. Agreed, and I think the recent case with Joe Horn was indefensible

They were outside of the house walking away and I think his decision was perfectly rational. He wanted to shoot somebody.

But if somebody were in my house and I had a gun, I could honestly say that fear might lead me to just shoot them in the back of the head if possible. Acting rationally, I probably wouldn't do that, no matter what property I might lose, but acting out of fear I definitely might.

I pretty much side with the person claiming self defense unless the burglar is out the door running away.

[ellaydubya]

9. Are you armed?!?!?!

I am a native Texan. You are going to ask this burglar if he is armed? Get real! Shoot and ask questions later. I hope not to offend but sometimes you have to use common sense. I value life, but put yourself in the same place and be honest with yourself.

[LakeSamish706]

12. But they weren't even in this guys house, it was the neighbours! n/t

[MadBadger]

13. But in the OP your not talking about this specific case

I think this case is completely different because it wasnt his property.

[LakeSamish706]

18. Sorry if that was confusing, but I do mean the case that just happened in Texas...n/t

[ellaydubya]

19. Love thy neighbor as you love thy self!

[TomInTib]

25. Remember when LB and I almost killed the car thieves?

Super Bowl Sunday out in Dogwood and we were holding the whole goddamned family at bay.

And I punched a hole in Uncle Fats' forehead with that riot gun (and he was armed, remember).

Ahhh, the Good Times.

[TomInTib]

17. We replied within a minute of each other.

Hah!

Shit like this always reminds me of Mike.

What if he had walked out in the hall without being ready to get with it?

That fucker would've killed him, that's what.

Instead, another dickhead got exactly what he deserved.

[ellaydubya]

20. I wonder why!?!

[TomInTib]

10. Case at hand aside, how do you determine if they are armed?

If I am inside my house and discover an intruder, said intruder will be leaving the planet post-haste.

And if I am arriving home and catch some asshole walking out my door or crawling thru a window, same thing.

People who waste time trying to decide if an intruder is armed are taking a good chance on making the News.

[LakeSamish706]

14. I agree with what you are saying... But then you probably would be protecting...

your own life and possibly that of your family, this to me is different... This to me is just plain and simple cold blooded murder...

[TomInTib]

22. Difference is, I wouldn't have called 911.

I have done it before.

Luckily, we didn't have to kill them, but we were prepared to do it without stopping to think about it.

And we broke up a car-theft ring that had stolen over fifty of our neighbors' cars in rural southeast Texas.

There were two of us against maybe 15 of them, and some of them were armed. We overcame the odds because they knew damned well that we were ready to kill them all.

It all started when they threatened my 8 year old son.

[ellaydubya]

15. Don't you just love it!

Are we heathens or what?!?!?! Think about your step-brother! If he had asked he would be dead and so would his family.

[panader0]

16. Arizona now has this law.

My policy: Give the burgler what they want. (I have nothing of real value except my Gibson ES335)
Protect my kids. I do not own a gun, live 'way out in the boonies, and don't lock my door. I am not a Xtian, but I believe that the idea of not killing is by far the best commandment.

[LakeSamish706]

21. Your post is exactly my point... I feel the same way except to say that protecting...

your own life or that of your family should be legal....

[Hangingon]

24. If he is on my property

I will stop him. If threatened, I will use force, incuding deadly for if appropriate. The law is a good law and is the will of the Texas people.

[jody]

28. How do you propose that law-abiding citizens find out whether a criminal who unlawfully invaded

a citizen's home has firearms or other arms with which the criminal could assault, injure, and possibly kill the law-abiding citizen?

Forget about hindsight which is the context of your question, "Do you feel that it's right to be able to kill an unarmed burglar?"

How can a citizen know a priori the criminal is not determined to rape and murder?

How can a citizen know a priori that the criminal is completely unarmed?

[LakeSamish706]

30. I really don't have an answer to your question, but I guess at this point...

my remarks are to say that our country has gone from something that seemed like laws were important to "who gives a shit anymore mentality".

[jody]

31. Agree with no one cares. Given that SCOTUS says self-defense is a personal problem, IMO it's

important for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

Less people forget, it was law-abiding citizen Jeanne Assam bearing arms for self-defense and defense of others, not a law enforcement officer, who wounded or killed 24-year-old Matthew Murray after he killed several people at the New Life evangelical church in Colorado Springs.

Assam's act most likely prevented others of the 7,000 members gathered for Sunday worship from being murdered.

Of course if gun-grabbers had their way and handguns had been banned, Assam would have been unarmed.

Sorry I forget, Assam was supposed to call 911 and wait for law enforcement officers to save the 7,000.

[tammywammy]

29. For this case

I think it was wrong, because he was going to a neighbors property, while he knew police were on the way.

In general, I have no problem with the law. If someone is breaking into my house I would not have a problem with my boyfriend shooting them (him because they're his guns and he's the one trained and has a concealed carry permit, I'm not). Personally, if someone's trying to break into my shed, I might not go after them, but once they try to get in my house, I'm perfectly fine with shooting.