In running for "silly story of the year"

[Jack Burton]

Something may come along and best this but I am pretty sure it will wind up at least in the top five

Homeowners using deadly force: Has it gone too far? - Fox 2 News Headlines

 

[Snapdragon]

 

[Bigtanker]

Something may come along and best this but I am pretty sure it will wind up at least in the top five

Homeowners using deadly force: Has it gone too far? - Fox 2 News Headlines

 

[cbhausen]

Ron Scott (Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality) agreed we have a right to defend ourselves in our homes. Game, set, and match. The other stuff he's worried about (vigilantism) is unlawful and should be treated as such. Funny how he preaches "understanding" with regard to thugs and punks who prey upon the law-abiding and weak. I wonder if he would urge the same "understanding" for a vigilante? Or is his "understanding" conditional?

 

[NBLSVL.EDC.]

"Detroit Assistant Chief says they are not looking for homeowners to take the law into their own hands and become "mini police officers." He says they are looking for witnesses who can help get criminals off the streets. "

Looks like these homeowners have found a pretty effective way to get criminals off the street...

 

[Snapdragon]

"Detroit Assistant Chief says they are not looking for homeowners to take the law into their own hands and become "mini police officers." He says they are looking for witnesses who can help get criminals off the streets. "

Looks like these homeowners have found a pretty effective way to get criminals off the street...

Ok, so next time someone breaks into my house, I'll reach for a notepad instead of my 20 ga. because I'm helpful like that.

 

[GNRPowdeR]

 

[88E30M50]

Could it be that what's gone too far is the tolerance society has for thugs? To demonize a homeowner that's just gone through the trauma of having to defend their family and home is wrong. I hope someday that they will learn to place blame on those that initiated the violence instead. We have to stop making excuses and tolerating violent behavior with thugs. Live a thug life, risk a thug's death.

 

[leftsock]

 

[dmarsh8]

"Detroit Assistant Chief says they are not looking for homeowners to take the law into their own hands and become "mini police officers." He says they are looking for witnesses who can help get criminals off the streets. "

Looks like these homeowners have found a pretty effective way to get criminals off the street...

Thank you, exactly

 

[philo]

Did you see the link to additional stories? "Woman found shot in her own home and stuffed in the closet. "

Apparently they think that's preferable to defending your home.

 

[chef larry]

Could it be that what's gone too far is the tolerance society has for thugs? To demonize a homeowner that's just gone through the trauma of having to defend their family and home is wrong. I hope someday that they will learn to place blame on those that initiated the violence instead. We have to stop making excuses and tolerating violent behavior with thugs. Live a thug life, risk a thug's death.

I like your thought on this.

 

[GIJEW]

Did you see the link to additional stories? "Woman found shot in her own home and stuffed in the closet. "

Apparently they think that's preferable to defending your home.

Exactly, after seeing that story and the other two about a woman tied up and burned in an alley, and a man beaten to death, I didn't bother with seeing what else that jack-ass had to say. He wants "understanding" instead of violence; what doesn't HE understand?

 

[Bennettjh]

I don't know what to say... This is all I can do.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

It's really not that difficult of a concept to grasp...if you don't want to get shot, stay away from property you have no business being in/on.

 

[DRob]

Understanding is a wonderful thing. As soon as the thugs understand their chosen line of work has serious hazards the violence will decrease.

 

[actaeon277]

The homeowners did not INITIATE the action!

The criminal INITIATED the action. Therefore, the criminal is in the WRONG.

 

[yepthatsme]

I think it is getting out of hand. Homeowners should wait before shooting. They should at least question the suspected intruders and see if they just want a beer or something like that. Not all of these suspected intruders could have been looking to harm the homeowners. You know, they have rights too. (Okay, I forgot the purple.)

 

[EdC]

I think it is getting out of hand. Homeowners should wait before shooting. They should at least question the suspected intruders and see if they just want a beer or something like that. Not all of these suspected intruders could have been looking to harm the homeowners. You know, they have rights too. (Okay, I forgot the purple.)

At the end of the story, the reporter said she spoke to Ron Scott and asked him what he thought someone should do if someone was breaking into his home. His response was that they had the right to defend themselves. She said that he went on to say that his concern was that people would start taking it too far, becoming vigilantes, etc., or maybe become so frightened that they became a little trigger happy. Sometimes it happens, like that fellow who shot the drunk teenager through his door (who was arrested).

Ron Scott's presentation at the hearing was about a problem that does not yet exist (rampant vigilantism in Detroit), he was concerned that it might someday, but he screwed it all up. He should have said something along the lines of "People have the right to defend themselves, there are laws as to what is an is not justifiable force, and don't become so scared that you start breaking those laws."

I think that some people find a trend of citizens defending themselves with deadly force a little strange and frightening, even if they would agree that individual incidents were justifiable. Then they go on to say silly things, rather than giving it some thought.

Being supportive of the right to defend oneself and others with deadly force and being against vigilantism are not mutually exclusive, of course, but some folks have a hard time with that. Perhaps because they perceive both ideas being on different ends of the same continuum. I don't see it that way. I think that there it useful to think of a continuum where at some point deadly force goes from being justifiable to not justifiable, and therefore criminal. However, my perception of vigilantes is that they are more like hunters and everything they do toward that end pursuit is criminal.

 

[femurphy77]

So that's what the bad guys are calling themselves now, the "Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality"? Doesn't quite "sing" like "Gangbangers"! Gonna be hard to fit into a rap song too!