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SecularMotion

(7,981 posts)
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 05:36 PM Jan 2014

With Guns, the Threatened Can Quickly Become the Threat

At a Florida theater Monday, a retired police officer allegedly killed a man during an argument. The cop probably thought he would prevent a crime with his gun—instead, he caused one.

Another school shooting today. A 13-year-old opened fire at a middle school in Roswell, New Mexico, critically wounding two.

As I write, details on the incident remain scarce. But here’s something we do know. After this shooting, as after so many horrors past, a great number of Americans will insist that the right response to gun violence is more guns in more places. They believe that their guns keep them safe.

One of those who believe that—at least until recently—was Curtis Reeves. The 71-year-old former Tampa police captain had founded the city’s SWAT team. Retired from the force, Reeves still carried a .38 caliber handgun. On Monday, he carried his gun with him to a movie theater in Wesley Chapel, Florida, an exurban community 26 miles north of Tampa. Reeves became annoyed by a man in the row directly ahead of him who texted before the show. Reeves complained first to the man, then to the theater manager. A confrontation erupted. Voices were raised. Popcorn was thrown. And suddenly: a man was dead.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/14/with-guns-the-threatened-quickly-become-the-threat.html
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With Guns, the Threatened Can Quickly Become the Threat (Original Post) SecularMotion Jan 2014 OP
Statement of facts not in evidence friendly_iconoclast Jan 2014 #1
That's the idea, not to become the victim. ileus Jan 2014 #2
Well, there's nothing wrong with that sentiment. AtheistCrusader Jan 2014 #3
I don't know if it has to be re established gejohnston Jan 2014 #4
Fair point. AtheistCrusader Jan 2014 #5
each case is individual gejohnston Jan 2014 #6
 

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)
1. Statement of facts not in evidence
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 07:14 PM
Jan 2014
After this shooting, as after so many horrors past, a great number of Americans will insist that the right response to gun violence is more guns in more places.


Kindly quote three. It should be easy if there really are "a great number of Americans...insist(ing) that the right response to gun violence is more guns in more places."

ileus

(15,396 posts)
2. That's the idea, not to become the victim.
Mon Jan 27, 2014, 09:24 PM
Jan 2014

Where people get the idea being a victim is some kind of noble act is beyond me...

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
3. Well, there's nothing wrong with that sentiment.
Tue Jan 28, 2014, 01:15 PM
Jan 2014

"With Guns, the Threatened Can Quickly Become the Threat"

The problem is, the response must be proportional to the threat. No shooting people over stupid shit like someone standing in your yard. Throwing popcorn, etc.

There is a line between:

"reasonable ground to apprehend a design on the part of the person slain to commit a felony or to do some great personal injury to the slayer or to any such person, and there is imminent danger of such design being accomplished"

and

"I was afraid"

and that line needs to be re-established in multiple states.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
4. I don't know if it has to be re established
Tue Jan 28, 2014, 01:29 PM
Jan 2014

by legislation, I don't think it hasn't been removed. It does need to be re established in the minds of the public who have been misinformed about the law by the media, something the state governments need to rectify.
Accurate explanation of the state use of force law and ADD (avoidance, deterrence, deescalation) should be incorporated in any self defense/CCW training.

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
5. Fair point.
Tue Jan 28, 2014, 01:31 PM
Jan 2014

We ARE seeing some prosecutions, but we'll see what the juries think of the application of force under those laws.

So far the results have been... mixed.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
6. each case is individual
Tue Jan 28, 2014, 01:33 PM
Jan 2014

and it is all in the details that the juries get and consider, which the media never reports.

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