Reply #21: If someone breaks into my home while I am not there I have insurance ...

[spin]

Obviously I will be upset but I can replace most of the items I own except those that I value because they were given to me by people I loved but no longer are alive.

If a person breaks into my home while I am present and when my family is there, the situation is entirely different.

It's fairly easy to determine if someone is home. If someone enters an occupied home, they are either intending to do serious harm to the occupants or they love the thrill of a "hot prowl."

Hot prowl burglary

A hot prowl burglary is a sub-type of burglary in which the offender enters a building or residence while occupants are inside the location. The overarching intent of a hot prowl burglary can be theft, robbery, sexual assault, murder, or another crime. Hot prowl burglaries are considered especially dangerous by law enforcement because of the potential for a violent altercation to erupt between the occupant and the offender. Police agencies throughout the United States encourage residents to keep their doors and windows locked at all times to prevent the possibility of a hot prowl burglary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_prowl_burglary

If I am awakened and alerted to the situation, I have a family to be concerned about. If I encounter an intruder who should not be in my house, I face the possibility that if he gets past me he may hurt or kill my family members. Any hesitation on my part may lead to the death or injury of those I love.

I have absolutely no desire to kill or injure some fool or teenage kid who has lacked the commonsense to avoid occupier homes and is merely looking to grab something of value and leave. The unfortunate fact is that I can't know his intentions.

If I confront such an intruder, I intend to draw down on him and if he follows my instructions to the letter, I will not shoot.

Often when I read your posts I wonder if you support the criminal's right to rape and pillage more than the right of an honest person to use a firearm for legitimate self defense.

How can you seriously say:

"Legalized mass murder - attempted burglary is not a capital crime."

If I shot one or a few home invaders and they died, it would be in no way a mass murder. It would be legitimate self defense in my state which has a "Stand Your Ground" law.

Would you prefer that I let them kill me and then kill my daughter, her husband and my grandchildren? Would you suggest I run out of my house and leave my family subjected to their will?

What would you do if you confronted an invader in your home?