Young woman who was shot in head at Lealman church dies

[Starboard Tack]

130. OK, one at a time

The same restrictions are also in place (in some localities) for lethal force used in your home, and even for simply owning a gun in your home. If you don't retreat, you're charged. And even if you follow the law, you can be sued in civil court by the family of the guy that just violated your home and threatened your family.

Let's discuss owning a gun in your own home. First of all, if I feel the need to own a gun in my own home, the last thing I'm thinking about is the paperwork or legality of it. I would be doing it because I felt a very real need, ie. credible threats, suspicious behavior, prowlers, shit going down in the neighborhood or a general feeling of vulnerability (out in the sticks) etc..
If I am inside my home, I do not have to retreat. If I encounter a possible intruder outside my home, but on my property, I have a right to display a weapon and warn that person off. If they continue to invade my home I am justified in stopping them, by shooting if necessary, but I must still be on my property and so must they. If they retreat, with or without stolen property, I have no right to shoot them if they present no physical threat to me or others. Some states have more relaxed laws and allow what would be manslaughter or murder in other states and countries. I follow my own code of ethics on this one. Don't shoot those who pose no immediate physical threat.

My issue is that you don't have any problem coming down extremely hard on people that legally carry concealed in public and have to use their gun to defend themselves, while coming down much less hard on the suspects that are threatening them. As well as with making the potential consequences of legally carrying concealed so onerous that people figure it's better to be mugged and assaulted than to carry a gun or other effective means of self-defense.

I don't come down on people who have to carry a gun to defend themselves, I come down on those who think it is unsafe to navigate this world without carrying a gun everywhere, or just about everywhere they go. I understand there are certain occupations, locations and circumstances where common sense dictates certain precautions, which may include being armed. I'm neither naive nor stupid and have a strong sense of self preservation and have carried a handgun in a situation that called for it. But, I'm sorry, the routine carrying of a handgun to go to the mall, work, college, ball game, restaurant, bar and church is sheer madness, in my opinion. I think it is a behavior which is harmful to society, by catering to our most primitive instincts. Not that there is anything wrong with our primitive instincts, per se, but they belong mostly outside of urban areas. The urban environment is like a social science laboratory. It is all about large numbers of people living in very close proximity in an efficient and civilized fashion. Guns have no place in that environment.
Yes, one might get mugged, but I don't see how carrying a gun is going to solve anything. What the fuck is one carrying that is worth killing or dying for? Let's get real here.

Your last paragraph I agree with 100%. I want a better society.