ebrown_p wrote:There is a specious argument suggested by those who are defending the Castle Doctrine. They imply that it is OK to kill "criminals".
If there is a specious argument being presented it's coming from your side of the isle. No one has suggested that the mere fact a person may be committing a crime is justification for shooting them other than you. What HAS been suggested is that people have a right to defend themselves when they are directly threatened. To use deadly force the person still has to follow the laws and the law still only allows
"...use of deadly force only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony." Someone committing a crime with no weapon or down the street doesn't present an imminent threat. Someone stealing a parked car is committing a forcible crime.
Why is it that the folks on your side of the isle are all trying to make it sound like people will suddenly be free to shoot jay walkers in the street?
Quote:There are two blantant problems with this idea-- first of all a core of our society is due process. Getting shot because someone has "reasonable grounds" to see you as dangerous kind of takes due process away.
Dead people make terrible witnesses on the stand. Why should someone be forced to allow themselves to be killed so they can await the outcome of due process? Due process is all well and good but not getting killed or maimed has a lot going for it too.
Quote: Secondly, I think we all agree that many crimes are not worthy of a death sentence. Robbery is certainly not.
Agreed. But unless the robber is armed then there is no imminent threat and the law doesn't allow anyone to shoot them either. Your assumption that "using deadly force" automaticly means someone will die is also off base. Simply pulling back your coat to show the perp that you are carrying a gun is considered use of deadly force.
Quote:Finally, I don't understand why conservatives live in such fear.
Who's living in fear here? Who is exagerating the effect of the law here? Why are you so afraid of people having the ability to defend themselves? The entire opposition to firearms and this law is based on fear. What makes your fears any more real thean anyone elses?
Quote: If we can live decent lives in the liberal hotbed of Massachusetts where criminals are coddled and crime flourishes without killing anyone.... Why do the conservatives in Florida need this.
You already have the options provided for in this law (whether you choose to excerise that option is a choice for you to make). Why shouldn't they???