The Rude Pundit: Man Who Shot Movie Theater Texter Is Using "Stand Your Ground" Defense ...

[malthaussen]

20. There are times I think we've lost all sense of proportion in this country.

The good Load knows, there have been times I've wanted to kill an asshole or two, and by all accounts Mr Oulsen was being a prime asshole. Funny thing, though, I've never killed anyone no matter how mad I've gotten. I still have, apparently, some idea of what constitutes an appropriate response.

OTOH, "Only cops, cowards, and criminals carry concealed weapons" seems a little disproportionate to me as well. It scans really well and makes a nice easy-to-remember meme (such lovely alliteration!), but like most simplistic, broad-bush statements it glosses over just a whole helluva lot. I think that it can reasonably be argued that an ex-cop has a greater threat than the average man in the street for facing a lethal attack. Even before we became a Guns-are-god nation, most licensing authorities would not think twice about issuing an ex-cop with a carry permit. So what does that make them, cowards or criminals? Does the Rude Pundit want to suggest that anyone who feels fear is a coward? If so, then we are all cowards, so what's the point?

But on yet another hand, this is the Rude Pundit, after all. "Proportion" is not supposed to be in his repertoire, and I'm certainly not going to knock him for not being what he isn't.

Personally, I think Mr Reeves should be made to pay dearly for his lack of control and proportion. In the final analysis, though, there really is no way to make someone "pay" for what he did. The sad thing is, they probably won't even take away his license to carry concealed.

-- Mal