Gun Control

Jewel Nicole:

^Under the law, I do have that right. My life is in danger as soon as they step foot in my house. I don't know them, I don't know what on Earth they're capable of. All I'm thinking is, "If they have the capability to break into my house, what else are they capable of?" I'm not about to let anyone just barge into my house not knowing what they were going to do and not knowing who they can hurt, I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to let that happen, if it comes down to me shooting them, then so be it.

It's more do you think it's right?

Do you honestly feel you have the right to take another person's life away?

My answer is no. I will never be okay with taking another person's life. Even if they break into my house, even if they steal all my possessions, hell, even if they threatened me. I, personally, could never shoot another person. Guns are created to harm people - even if you're doing it out of "self-defense", you're still harming someone - and that's why I will never own or shoot a gun.

Stephen Fry:

It's more do you think it's right?

Do you honestly feel you have the right to take another person's life away?

My answer is no. I will never be okay with taking another person's life. Even if they break into my house, even if they steal all my possessions, hell, even if they threatened me. I, personally, could never shoot another person. Guns are created to harm people - even if you're doing it out of "self-defense", you're still harming someone - and that's why I will never own or shoot a gun.

Yes, I do think it's right.

I'll do anything in my power to keep my family and me safe, even if it comes to down to pulling the trigger on someone.

^Not out of want to put words in your mouth, but I think you'd feel different about killing someone if you actually...killed someone. It's something of a scary mentality to say "It's okay to shoot someone if you're defending your family."
I mean...what if your family were in danger outside your house, if there was a mugger, perhaps even an armed one, for instance? Would you still be comfortable with shooting them?

Not to mention, if a person did break into your house, and then you tried to shoot them and missed? You'd have just given them a much larger incentive to want to hurt you personally; something they may or may not have had before.

^I would not feel different, at all. Even if I did possibly miss and they ended up hurting me anyway, at least I tried to defend myself and my family. To me at least trying is a lot better than not trying at all.

I know if they ended up hurting my family, I would have a lot of regret knowing that I didn't do anything when I could. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I didn't do anything to stop it. Which is why, I would do anything to stop it if I could, example: shooting them, if that's what it came down to.

Yes, I would be completely comfortable with shooting if it were to happen outside my house. Like I said, I'll do anything to protect my family and myself. Even if I was unarmed I would sure as hell attack the person who was threatening my family and myself. That's just the kind of person I am.

^Edit: So where do you draw the line?

You're comfortable with shooting someone in your house, defending your family.
You're comfortable with shooting someone outside of your house, defending your family.

At what point, if any, would you say "No, I should let the police handle this, not my gun"?

If you were in a shopping mall and someone tried to mug your friend and you had a gun in you?
If you were at a bank and someone you knew was being held at gunpoint?
If you thought your friend was in danger when they were with someone else?

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My view on this comes from something a teacher told me.
Burglar pulls knife. You pull knife. Burglar pulls gun.
Burglar pulls gun. You pull gun. Burglar shoots first.
Burglar breaks in. You escape. Burglar escapes, but with your money. Not your life.

I'm not the type of person that just sits back and watch something happen, I'm not. If someone is in danger, rather I know them or not, I will try and keep them safe to the best of my ability. Even if it costs me my own life and I say that with all honesty.

I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to get me to say "No, I wouldn't do that in that situation". It's not going to work, sorry.

^I'm not trying to do anything, I'm just trying to establish whether you think killing someone to defend someone you care about is always justifiable.

I'm not the kind of person to sit back and watch something happen, either. But I'm also not the kind of person who thinks killing someone is the answer. I'm incredibly defensive about my friends, but that doesn't mean I'm going to cause harm to someone if I can avoid doing so. Go figure, I don't wanna become a murderer.

In my parent's house, we don't have a gun. However, I own a katana that currently stays there. That's around a 3-foot-long sharpened sword.
Would I think to use that on a person who broke into that house? Hell no.
If not for the reason that I don't think murder's okay, then because if I missed and they overpowered me? I've just given them a very deadly weapon. That doesn't protect my family, that risks their lives.

What would I do to protect my family? I'd call the police, that's kinda their job. I'd raise the alarm; half the time I think that'd be enough to make a burglar leave. The last thing that would come to mind would be to make a potentially non-violent situation violent by bringing a deadly weapon into play.

How long does it take the police officer to respond? What shall I do with the criminal in the mean time, sit down and play a round of poker?

You and I obviously have different opinions on this certain topic and we would do different things in these types of situations, I don't think either of us is going to change our mind, so we'll just leave it at that, yeah?

Jewel Nicole:

How long does it take the police officer to respond? What shall I do with the criminal in the mean time, sit down and play a round of poker?

You and I obviously have different opinions on this certain topic and we would do different things in these types of situations, I don't think either of us is going to change our mind, so we'll just leave it at that, yeah?

Burglers and murderers are not neccasarily the same thing though.
So if all they want to do is steal some of your material things then I don't see why you wouldn't just let them.
If you threaten them they're more likely to hurt you and/or your family.
Just let them take your shit and leave.
If they actually threaten your life, like you truly believe that they're going to kill you then by all means shoot them but otherwise I just don't understand why you'd take that risk.

^I'm not going to let someone just take my stuff and leave. That's my stuff.

You think they're going to want to leave any witnesses? I mean, really, think about it. They come in and steal your stuff thinking they can't get caught. Why would they leave people who sees them? I mean, really, it's common sense, in my opinion.

Like I said before, once they enter my house, I have no idea what they're capable of. I don't know them, for all I know they could have killed before trying to steal. I'm not going to take any chances, at all. I have the right to defend my family, my property and myself.

Jewel Nicole:

I have the right to defend my family, my property and myself.

Do you have the right to murder though?

Matt Smith:

Do you have the right to murder though?

Under the law, in this sort of circumstance, yes. It's clarified as "justifiable homicide" and/or "self defense". Texas Castle Doctrine.

Jewel Nicole:

Under the law, in this sort of circumstance, yes. It's clarified as "justifiable homicide" and/or "self defense".

Hm, not in Britain. You'd still get life.

Matt Smith:

Hm, not in Britain. You'd still get life.

Here in the state of Texas, I do have the right. I stated the source above. I'll post it again. Texas Castle Doctrine.

Jewel Nicole:

Here in the state of Texas, I do have the right. I stated the source above. I'll post it again. Texas Castle Doctrine.

I know, I'm not really interested in the source. I believed you the first time.
I'm just trying to point out why from a cultural standpoint, that mentality is considered relatively extremist, criminal and dangerous to some of us.

Matt Smith:

I know, I'm not really interested in the source. I believed you the first time.
I'm just trying to point out why from a cultural standpoint, that mentality is considered relatively extremist, criminal and dangerous to some of us.

I just noticed that you quoted me before I edited my post with the source, that's all.

In my opinion, I don't see it as extremist, criminal or dangerous. I'm not someone that would go around shooting people randomly just for the mere purpose of killing them. However, if I'm presented with a situation that I feel is a life or death for my family, myself, or anyone else, I will most definitely protect them to the best of my ability.

Jewel Nicole:

I just noticed that you quoted me before I edited my post with the source, that all.

In my opinion, I don't see it extremist, criminal or dangerous. I'm not someone that would go around shooting people randomly just for the mere purpose of killing them. However, if I'm presented with a situation that I feel is a life or death for my family, myself, or anyone else, I will most definitely protect them to the best of my ability.

If the law permits you to do it, then I don't really blame you for acting within the law. A lot of us posting here fron an anti-gun standpoint know for a fact that if we tried to 'protect' our families with guns then we'd end up in prison, so what's the point? If you've been brought up with the mentality that you're allowed to protect your family through violent means then I see why you do it, but I haven't. Guns are an alien concept to me, as is the idea that if someone busts into my house I should attack them. I wouldn't protect my family if that meant using a weapon because there's no way that I could and if I did the likelihood is I'd go to prison anyway. I don't have the means or the legal right to do so. Which is what makes this attitude so difficult to understand if it just doesn't exist where you're from.

^I kind of see where you're coming from, since the law is like that where you are, then I see why you've based an opinion around that.

In all honesty, I think even if it was against the law, I would probably still do it. If it kept someone else alive then it's worth it even if I had to spend the rest of my life in prison. I'm willing to give my life up if it spared someone else their life.

Jewel Nicole:

^I kind of see where you're coming from, since the law is like that where you are, then I see why you've based an opinion around that.

In all honesty, I think even if it was against the law, I would probably still do it. If it kept someone else alive then it's worth it even if I had to spend the rest of my life in prison. I'm willing to give my life up if it spared someone else their life.

Isn't that a little self-defeatist?

Killing someone (possibly) to possibly save someone else's life?

The Doctor:

Isn't that a little self-defeatist?

Killing someone (possibly) to possibly save someone else's life?

Um, no? I'm defending the innocent... they aren't doing any harm, why should I just let them get killed or myself? I'm not going to. I will defend them and if that costs my life, so be it.