Freedom's Just Another Word for No One Else To Kill...
I posted this on Ed Gorman's blog the other day as a comment on a provocative and thoughtful post he made about guns -- and why he won't own one. He thought my little contribution was worth re-posting, so I thought I might as well post it here (in slightly altered form), as well.
"The couple that own the local comic shop down the road have, on three different cases in the last eight years, hauled out their guns to defend their store from being burglarized in the middle of the night. In each case, they were in the store (in the middle of the night?). They've killed two of them (he got one, she got one) and in another incident, initiated a high speed chase that ended with them pulling a gun and forcing the guy off the road.
Evidently, they prefer sitting in their store at night in the dark (in each case, the store appeared deserted), and killing people, rather than putting a couple of bars on their windows."
Evidently, they prefer sitting in their store at night in the dark (in each case, the store appeared deserted), and killing people, rather than putting a couple of bars on their windows."
Now, I'm not going to claim Americans kill more of each other per capita than any other nation on the entire planet -- they don't -- but for an allegedly civilized, God-fearing country that's part of the West and that allegedly treasures life and liberty, its citizens sure do like killing. Preferably foreigners, of course, but fellow citizens will do in a pinch.
You could look it up...
posted by Kevin Burton Smith at 9:32 PM
6 Comments:
I'd like to see your source for this story, Kevin. Or at least more to go on so I can Google it.
If the incidents described took place in California, they'd be charged with murder. Shooting somebody breaking into your property (store, home, etc.) is one thing, and legal only once the intruder enters the premises. To chase somebody down and shoot them is something else entirely; in California that's Murder One. You can't chase somebody once they have left your home or property. The line of defense stops at the front door and if you proceed further you will be arrested and charged.
I don't think the actions described would be tolerated in any other municipality, either.
I disagree with your statements that Americans like to kill people, particularly foreigners, as I've been shooting guns for 25 years and I ain't done killed no foreigner yet. (Pardon my while I spit some chew.) Nor have I shot or killed real people, nor do I know anybody, especially my cop friends, who are eager to do so. (If I went and killed foreigners there would be no Mexicans or Asians left to clean my house.) We will defend life and property, of course, because there is nothing wrong with defending life or property, and to imply that one should lay down what they have a right to because "killing people is wrong" is misguided.
There are people who should not own guns same as there are people who should not be given driver's licenses, foreigners especially, but that's a subject for another time.
(And if you can't sense my sarcasm...)
We aim to please, Brian. The local paper, The Antelope Valley Press, probably maintains archives, although they're not exactly known for hard-hitting journalism, but at least two of the incidents were related there. That's where I read them. And I did some homework for you: http://bit.ly/dRIZy5 has a little info to get you started.
As for the car chase incident -- where no one was actually killed -- that one was related to me by one of the owners themselves. Not sure if that even made the local rag.
As for Americans liking to kill people, it may not be politically correct to point it out, but the stats seem to bear it out. Oh, sure, places like Pakistan and Mexico and Zimbabwe are worse. But is that the best the U.S. can claim?
Is there a relation between gun ownership and the high murder rate? Or is it something to do with national character? Or is it something else? Too much John Wayne bullshit, maybe? Gun fetishism? Compensation for other inadequacies?
Ask your "cop friends" if they wish there were more or less guns out there when they go knocking on a door or pulling someone over late at night.
Anyway, back to our trigger happy comic book vendors: I'm a little concerned that they seem more willing to play Punisher than invest in a few bars for their windows. And you've got to wonder about how you can shoot someone in the back of the head and claim self defense. If that's what really happened, of course. The fact this case wasn't even widely reported seems to suggest maybe Americans are becoming blasé about such incidents.
Which, in its own sad way, seems to support my observation.
Something else to be proud of: the U.S. executes more of its own citizens (again, per capita) than almost any other country on the planet.
Kevin,
Thanks for the link. I will look this up. You really piqued my curiosity about that couple. Might be a book there.
But as far as "Americans" liking to kill people.... please, you certainly don't mean (except where noted) John and Jane Public? If you're referring to crooks and the kind of characters we glamorize, you have a point, but then we're back to the comic shop couple "defending" themselves from such thugs, and since said thugs like it so much, heck yeah, shoot first if the opportunity is there.
As far as (and I assume you mean "death row") executions... well, that debate has raged for centuries. I go back and forth on it quite often myself.
Thanks again for the link. I'm off to check it out.
Just read the story.
All I can say is, hmmmmmmmmm....
And you have a point about asking why he didn't put up any bars. Or move the store, for heaven's sake. It doesn't look like a very inviting environment.
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The local buzz on the first killing was that he camped out in his shop in a sleeping bag, waiting for someone to break in. As for moving the shop, well, a few bars would certainly be cheaper. But not as much fun as playing bang bang, I guess.
I don't mean to say all Americans are bloodthirsty, but as a people Americans DO seem to kill more of their fellow citizens PER CAPITA than almost every other "civilized" country in the world. And that's scary.
It's also no secret that John and Jane Public seem completely okay -- or perhaps unaware -- about how violent their country truly is. And either way, that's sad.
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