I beg to differ. No retreat should only apply if you are inside your home and think you are being attacked. It should not mean that you grab your gun, go outside and stand in front of a moving vehicle and then shoot. He deliberately put himself in danger when he could have picked up the phone and dialed 911 and waited for the authorities to handle the situation. Shoot first, make up your story later.
People are having way too much fun Photoshopping Air Force One into various places in lieu of flying it over places it doesn't belong. My brother had the original poster hanging on his wall for a long time, I believe it was originally for Maxell. And the other one sums up the stupidity nicely.
Some of them were racist and some were quite artistic, personal preference is everything.
I need furniture. Air mattresses definitely suck for daily use but the dogs are having a great time switching between mom and I in the middle of the night. My back is killing me from sitting on the floor and I can't believe how much my knees ache and how difficult it is to get up. I'm only 52, at least for a few more days, I shouldn't be falling apart this fast. The puter is on a cardboard box that is slowly collapsing and mom says the camp chair isn't all that comfortable day in and day out. I'm not going to be able to get my stuff from San Jose for quite a while since the grants that were dangled in front of my nose were a hoax and I have no way to get back and get the stuff from storage until I get a job and earn some money. The Alzheimer's Association is investigating the agency that sent me the paperwork but that doesn't help mom and I. Still, I'm glad to be out of California.
The dogs are adjusting but Shadow sits by the door from the time I leave until I come back, I think she is having separation issues. I found a great off leash dog park that they enjoy and Shai even went into the pond. She was really thirsty otherwise she wouldn't have done it, she normally won't walk through a puddle. They normally don't get very far from me and Shadow remembers where I parked the car but not where I'm sitting so it can be pretty funny when she realizes she lost me. She's like Vizzini, she goes back to the beginning.
I'm playing around with Firefox 3.5b4 and even though most of my extensions aren't working yet (ForecastFox, Greasemonkey and Better Greader in particular) I like it. I'm also trying ScribeFire and so far, so good. I can post to Blogger with no problem but Big Brass Blog runs on a different engine that isn't covered. Oh well, one can't have everything.
BBB
According to the affidavit, Jones heard his Toyota Land Cruiser, parked in the barn at his orange grove, start up before daylight Tuesday. Jones told police he grabbed his gun, a 9mm that he keeps with him while working at the grove. He said he could see two people in the SUV as it backed out of the barn, according to the affidavit. He said he saw the passenger's arm reach outside the vehicle, and believed that person might be holding a gun.If he was that scared he should have stayed inside. So which was it, six or eight? I guess examining the gun wasn't necessary since his word seems to be so good.
The Land Cruiser stopped directly in front of him, Jones said in the affidavit. He said he raised his gun and pointed it at the occupants, shouting "Stop," but the vehicle appeared to be moving directly toward him.
"Fearing for his life, he then fired what he thought to be six to eight rounds into the front windshield of the vehicle," the affidavit stated.
People are having way too much fun Photoshopping Air Force One into various places in lieu of flying it over places it doesn't belong. My brother had the original poster hanging on his wall for a long time, I believe it was originally for Maxell. And the other one sums up the stupidity nicely.
It sure does.Some of them were racist and some were quite artistic, personal preference is everything.
I need furniture. Air mattresses definitely suck for daily use but the dogs are having a great time switching between mom and I in the middle of the night. My back is killing me from sitting on the floor and I can't believe how much my knees ache and how difficult it is to get up. I'm only 52, at least for a few more days, I shouldn't be falling apart this fast. The puter is on a cardboard box that is slowly collapsing and mom says the camp chair isn't all that comfortable day in and day out. I'm not going to be able to get my stuff from San Jose for quite a while since the grants that were dangled in front of my nose were a hoax and I have no way to get back and get the stuff from storage until I get a job and earn some money. The Alzheimer's Association is investigating the agency that sent me the paperwork but that doesn't help mom and I. Still, I'm glad to be out of California.
The dogs are adjusting but Shadow sits by the door from the time I leave until I come back, I think she is having separation issues. I found a great off leash dog park that they enjoy and Shai even went into the pond. She was really thirsty otherwise she wouldn't have done it, she normally won't walk through a puddle. They normally don't get very far from me and Shadow remembers where I parked the car but not where I'm sitting so it can be pretty funny when she realizes she lost me. She's like Vizzini, she goes back to the beginning.
I'm playing around with Firefox 3.5b4 and even though most of my extensions aren't working yet (ForecastFox, Greasemonkey and Better Greader in particular) I like it. I'm also trying ScribeFire and so far, so good. I can post to Blogger with no problem but Big Brass Blog runs on a different engine that isn't covered. Oh well, one can't have everything.
BBB
The only stupidity in this story is the 2 people trying to steal a vehicle and your comment that shows your ignorance of people and situations. It sounds as if you have never been in that situation before.
ReplyDeleteFYI, many vehicles are not recovered after being stolen.
The gentleman who fired the gun probably was not scared until they did not stop after his request. It is less likely that the gentleman who ran away will be trying to steal the SUV again? It is the view that you have taken that has permeated into our society and have turned our nation into a group of people who are unable to defend themselves and are always asking for pity and handouts.
I totaly disagree with your post. Criminals should not be prortected by any type of rights. They do the crime, they need to pay for it. Even if that means paying with their own lives. The world would be a much better place without criminals. I don't understand your position of protecting criminals.
ReplyDeleteYou're entitled to your opinion. I don't agree with you at all. The police don't respond quickly enough. The justice system doesn't punish criminals enough. The gentleman who shot the criminals did what most would do, if they don't want to be victimized. It's too bad that someone had to die, but at least the intended victim protected himself and his property, legally.
ReplyDeleteBing bang boom, the no retreat law worked as it's supposed to. One bad girl dead, one bad guy going to jail for a long time, too bad so sad, they chose poorly. This was one victim who refused to be victimized and become a statistic. I live in FL and am proud we have this law on the books. Too bad more numb-nut criminals don't end up being confronted by an armed populace.
ReplyDeleteAnother nicely opinionated screed from a desk jockey blogger. Maybe that SUV was this guys only way to make a living. Maybe this guy believes that honest folks shouldn't have to put up with grand larceny so that Monday morning quarterbacks like you can feel good criticizing them.
ReplyDeleteCrime is on the rise for a very simple reason: IT IS GETTING SAFER TO COMMIT CRIME. Sure, let's just call 911 when something happens. Might as well give every crook in the country a stop watch so the he/she knows they have a good, mmmm, 25 minutes to steal/rape/plunder and be on their way before the cops arrive.
You just focus on your acupuncture (because we know how critical that is to modern society) and leave the rest of the honest, law abiding citizens alone.
Did you read where it said "his" orange grove. You agreed that if it was in his house, then thats ok, but whats the difference between in his house or on his property, its still his. I'm sorry for the killing of a human but she made the choice and showed intent to commit a crime and was in the process of a crime. All states should follow suit, and like anything else, if someone abuses the law, then prosecute them. I worked too hard to stand by and see someone steal whats mine because their too lazy to get a job.
ReplyDeleteI love anonymous posters, they are so brave. At no time did I even infer that the criminals weren't in the wrong. What I said was No retreat should only apply if you are inside your home and think you are being attacked. It should not mean that you grab your gun, go outside and stand in front of a moving vehicle and then shoot. He deliberately put himself in danger when he could have picked up the phone and dialed 911 and waited for the authorities to handle the situation. In fear for his life my ass. He was looking to shoot someone.
ReplyDeleteAnd what makes tou think I don't have a gun and know how to use it? They taught me well when I was in the Army. They also taught me not to go looking for trouble.
We are not a vigilante society. Yet. I guess according to you guys we should abolish the court system and issue everyone a gun to use at will. It worked so well in the Old West. Not.
LOL, You are so High and mighty, very similar to Perez HIlton, but that is another story.
ReplyDeleteIt is not that we are afraid to put our names on something, it might be that we don't know how to put our names on the post or we dont have an address to show. ROFL. It seems that now you are a mind reader and you know exactly what the gentleman was thinking. wow I would love to be able to do that. Next, as I stated before, the police are underfunded nor do they have enough resources to retrieve your stolen property 100% of the time. In fact , looking at 2006 statistics, only 12.6% of stolen vehicle are retrieved by arrests. Don't know about the ones just "found" but that is not a good rate. I am not saying that it is right to shoot someone not do I agree that the gentleman in the SUV should be charged in the ladies death. I argue that we are now in a world where people do not have any respect for any one else or their property. Police can not adequately do their job(for many reasons) nor can the courts because we all know how fair they are.. They are both typically corrupt no matter the reasons it is pretty evident. Now I am generalizing. I think we can fix these problems but it would take time and an enormous amount of money. I am not saying we should be a vigilante society, just we need a reality check and what we have is not necessarily working. So come down off your pedestal live in the real world that is not perfect and neither are people. We all should be do the best we can to teach our children what it means to treat each other with respect. Matt in PA
P.S. Tried to leave my contact and was not able to. so i signed my name. Let me know if you would like me to give you my email and I will. Not so brave Huh!
Matt,
ReplyDeleteThree things. One, thanks for leaving your name, it isn't American to hide in the dark. Two, exactly what did the shooter gain from blowing out his windshield, leaving bullet holes throughout the front of his car, splattering brains and blood over the interior and having it wrecked in the ditch? Three, be honest. If Jones had been black, Latino or Muslim, grabbed a gun, gone outside and killed someone and wasn't prosecuted by the police you would be screaming about that too.
And, once again, I never defended the criminals. I never condoned or inferred that I condoned their actions and I never will. What they did was wrong but what Jones did was cold blooded murder and he gets away with it. The cops went with his story first and that is the way they interviewed the suspect, who was distraught about finding out his girlfriend was dead and would have admitted to anything at that point. Even if it wasn't true. Perhaps you should watch this video from a police officer on why you shouldn't talk to the police without a lawyer. Don't talk to copsWe have a justice system in this country and it needs to be applied to everyone equally. If you think the police are overwhelmed then maybe you should be willing to pay more taxes to fund them instead of everyone taking the law into their own hands. The system is broken and needs help, what it doesn't need are people deciding to be judge, jury and executioner and seeking opportunities to exercise their "right" to kill another human being.
And before you get all high and mighty again, I do not believe in the death penalty.
Also, their are many ways to leave your name, one of which is to type it at the end of your comment, the other is to get an Open Id. I'm pretty sure I'm not the first site you have commented on and then you can comment wherever you like.
I appreciate your comments. So i will address a few. It is nice that we can agree that our system is broken and I am more than happy to help even if it means that my taxes would raise. I had no idea that Jones was white. Thanks for letting me know not that it really matters. Interesting that you bring in prejudice issues where there is none. It really does seem that you do represent a minority in this country that looks for things that are not there even if you dont realize it. And since you where in the military you should know that when in times of stress, we are unable to fully know what we are doing. Nature takes over, flight or fight! Unless you have trained otherwise! You refer to what Jones did as Murder. According to the laws of the state they are in and many others, that is not considered murder. You again state that he was looking for an opportunity to kill? I am not sure you can ascertain that unless you where there. Back to law enforcement, I am not sure that raising my taxes would be beneficial unless you fix social issues. It would take a great deal of time and a coordinated effort to fix these problems. Theis story is just an example. If criminals are able to do whatever they want and only get a slap on the wrist, then what is to deter them from doing more. I am not saying that we should shoot first ask questions later. I am saying that society is broken! As long as we have current thinking in place in Government and Media, It will never change. So the reality is, we will probably never change and continue down the road of ruination. Look at history and it will tell you the same thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time.
Matt in PA
Matt.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we're on the subject of the media if Jones hadn't been white it would have been mentioned.
He didn't have to go outside looking for trouble and carrying a gun. As you so aptly stated, in times of stress people don't think clearly and that is all the more reason not to have a loaded weapon.
Not to get all medical on you but the brain processes fear before it processes rational thinking.
* the brain stem is situated at the base of the brain and at the top of the spinal cord. It controls bodily functions and instinctive survival responses, and is the most primitive part of the brain
* the hippocampus evolved after the brainstem and is situated just above the latter. It includes the amygdala
region, the importance of which was identified by Joseph LeDoux during the 1980s. Here, the brain stores emotional, survival-linked responses to visual and other inputs. The amygdala seems able to `hijack' the brain in some circumstances, taking over people's reactions literally before they have had time to think, and provoking an immediate response to a situation. Mammals or human beings who have had their amygdala removed show no signs of emotional feeling at all. The amygdala can catalyse the sort of impulsive actions that may sometimes overpower rational thought and the capacity for considered reactions.
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* the neo-cortex is the large, well-developed, top region of the brain which comprises the centre for our thinking, memory and reasoning functions.
Because of this course of evolution, our emotions and thinking intelligence - the two main functions of the brain regulating our behaviour - are situated in separate areas. Furthermore, our emotional centres receive `input' before our thinking centres, and can react very quickly and very strongly in some situations. The results of this for human behaviour can be catastrophic in that, unless we are aware of the situation and practised in controlling our initial feelings, we may allow inappropriate emotional responses to pre-empt behaviour based on consideration of more appropriate options. Our emotions have a `wisdom' of their own that we should learn to use more, particularly in terms of the intuitive sense they offer. Yet, when people first confront stimuli that prompt, for example, extreme fear, anger, or frustration, their first impulse to active response comes from the amygdala. Unless intelligent control is exerted, the brain moves into survival mode, stimulating instinctive actions that, while possibly right for the situation, are not rationally considered, and may be very wrong.
Today, we usually have no need to fight or run away from dangers of the sort faced by prehistoric people. While some instinctive reactions may be wise in given circumstances, we need to be aware of how the primitive response in the brain's emotional centre precedes all rational evaluation and response.He should have stayed in the house and called the police. It isn't a perfect system but it is better than vigilante justice.
In regards to funding the police, it would be better to fund training and manpower than to keep building bigger SWAT teams. Better boots on the ground than bullets in the air.
And thanks for reading a lot of my stuff. I'm not a knee jerk screaming liberal by any means and I don't always toe the party line, whatever that is, these days it's hard to tell.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day.
just a comment from pa ,i carry a loaded 357 all the time with me,after my house was broken into,rob,and myself pistol whipped.i WILL NEVER be a vic again.i also learned that this new goverment is trying to take away my rights now to owen a firearm,whitch is proctected .they want only the police and crooks to have them and i will fight to the end if they try to take mine from me.the way this go verment is acting its going to be a goverment without the voice of the people.look at how they been acting so far in the first 100 days.we not had a good goverment since the reagan years and it getting worst everyday,also in closing i like to say i used my gun 2 times IN MY HOME holding off the crooks who broke in twice.the first time i held him at gun point to the cops came and the 2nd time i was broken into i shot the guy who was armed with a sawed off shotgun,and i say to bad he lived.he tried to sue me for shooting him but i won in court so the system works here in pa.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea where you get your information from but the government is NOT trying to take away your gun. They aren't even trying to take away assault rifles which should never be in the hands of criminals.
ReplyDeleteActually I do have an idea where you are getting this misinformation and may I suggest that you listen to other news sources and look to see what Congress is not doing. Your guns are safe in your possession and the rest of society has to to hope that more people don't lose their minds and go around killing others because they are angry or frustrated over things that aren't ever going to happen.
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ReplyDeleteAnd what do you propose he do? Call the police and watch as these criminals steal his car? Many of us depend on our vehicles for a living, so no I'm not going to let somebody just waltz off with my truck. I work too hard for the things I have to let a criminal take them. I will defend the fruits of my labor, with lethal force if necessary.
ReplyDeleteIf more car thieves and various other brigands got shot more often, we would have LESS of a problem with these sorts of crime.
The Castle Doctrine should apply to private property. (your home, your orchard, etc)
I guess you missed the part about the bullet holes, blood and brains in the car. To say nothing of it ending up wrecked in a ditch.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't save his car, he ruined it himself. And I doubt seriously that if more people were shot that it would reduce crime. the criminals would just be better equipped and they would have nothing to lose. Chances are that the murder of innocent people would go up because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you want to live a life where you think killing people is an appropriate response to things you think are wrong, then you need to move to Afghanistan or Pakistan. I'm pretty sure Jesus wouldn't approve of killing. Turn the other cheek and all that.
It looks as though my comment did not post any way, I was not going to say anything else until you pulled the religion card. Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple. He did not kill anyone but he was trying to stop something that was wrong. Now the next part is that if you look at statistics you will see that murder rates dont really change if you put gun laws in place so... you really need to change peoples attitudes. As I stated before until you change the way people think you are not going to make a difference. Base our country on religion again, not extremism but principals of religion. Contrary to what the liberal media and politicians will tell you, this country was founded on religious freedom yes which means as everyone says separation of church and state. Keep the state out of religion not necessarily the other way as well. If you look at the state constitutions you will see that all of them mention God. The top of the Washington Monument even says "Laus Deo" Praise be to God. Thanks again for you time. Matt in PA
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteHave you ever considered the fact that the Constitution of the United States and the individuals states were all written by the same group of like minded men? There were no women consulted in the 1700s, 1800s or even most of the 1900s. They certainly didn't consult with Jewish people, people of color, Indians or Muslims and that is why only God is mentioned.
But that still doesn't change anything. Jesus said to turn the other cheek, not pull out a gun and shoot people. He was all about brotherhood and love, not revenge. Something that a lot of Christians like to forget. If Christianity is founded on the New Testament, why do Christians like to fall back on the Old Testament for judging and behaviors that they choose? It sort of ruins what Jesus died for, don't you think?
Interesting argument since i Mentioned nothing about the Old Testament. So here we go. If Jesus if for only brotherhood and love, why and as I stated before, did Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple... because they were doing something wrong. You dont think someone might have not gotten hurt?I dont know, i was not there but maybe we should think about that, hmmmm. Now he did not pull a gun but he did stand up for what he felt was right. As did the gentleman with the gun. People probably disagreed with Jesus to. I am not saying the man is Jesus... just that there is always differing opinions. Jesus did say to turn the other cheek. you are correct. However Jesus was... are you ready for this.....JEWISH. Which means he believed in the Law of Moses as well. So for you to say that Christians fall back on the old Testament, is kind of humorous. Christians take the whole bible in context, at least they are supposed to. Jesus also died for us because we are not perfect. So nothing is being ruined. We all make mistakes. Even you and me.
ReplyDeleteNow on to our founding fathers...
They were not all like minded. William Williams of Connecticut was actually appalled at the first draft of the constitution. he wanted there to more references to God in it including a test for those who would hold office. James Madison thought it was great because it it safeguarded religious freedom for all citizens by eliminating the government's voice in ecclesiastical matters. He regarded religion as a "natural right" that the governed never surrender to their governors. Further, he thought that "true" religion would triumph by its own merits if its advocates were free to pursue it without coercion. I am doing dome quoting here but i think it addresses your issues. All religion should be protected. seems to me that they WERE thinking of others. HMMM .... and yet they still said GOD! Now you made a point that women were not consulted. that is a different argument all together. We are talking what the at least some of the Founding Fathers meant.
Now this whole argument was based on the fact that we as a society have lost our way and that there needs to be some kind of moral compass to aid in all of the things we are trying to change. If you tell kids that they should not hurt someone but they see it on tv or in the back alley or even at home, then it really is not effective.
Thanks for your time, Matt in PA