Don't shoot your eye out!

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Do you guys have a big drug promb over there? Has meth hit your country?

 

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No, I'm fine thanks...

 

No, i can get mine easily J/K. I think its getting worse over here now, its like anywhere else tho, certain areas are worse than others. Havent seen meth here yet, im sure it will be tho.

 

And your point is?

 

If they're in my house, the thugs don't have to pull the trigger... I'll pull the trigger first... legally.

 

I think I'm aware of the law regarding gun ownership over in the US (although there seem to be different laws in different places) but what is the law regarding their use?

This is the bit that interests me.

So, as BBM implies, if someone breaks into your house - i.e. they are not allowed to be there - you are allowed to shoot them. Do you get into trouble if you kill them? Do you have to believe that they intend to harm you?

What about if you are in public?
If you have a gun in your car and someone tries to get in, or carjack you or whatever - can you shoot them?

What if you see someone robbing an old lady? Can you use your gun even though you yourself are not at risk?

If you shoot someone, are you arrested until the facts are cleared up? Or do they take your gun away and send you home?


Up till now we've talked about the right to own a gun. But a gun is, as we have said, a tool.

I drive a car and the highway code tells me what the rules are and then someone tests me to see if I can use it properly.

Do you have a set of rules telling you what you can and can't do? Do you need to prove that you have good eyesight or can shoot straight?


It has only just occured to me to ask...

 

No jon, we are not allowed to run around and shoot people. That would make us the criminals then. To use a gun to protect yourself. You better be protecting yourself or else. Differnt states have different laws. Texas has a law that you can protect your family and your property outside the house. Like if someone is trying to steal their car out of their yard they are allowed to use a gun to do it. Here in TN if you shoot someone on your property if they are not in the house, you better drag their ass in there before you call the cops, unless they are in the yard taking pot shots at you from there. Just because we can tell someone trying to come though a window we can't shoot till they are in the house. And to be honest I'm not even sure if they have to gun or not. Most states says you can't have a consealed weapon in the car unless you have papers for that. Some you can't have a gun in at all unless hunting seasons I belive. Ga has passed some kind of law that you can carry one on you at all times. Joe brother-inlaw is doing that now. Don't even ask me why.

To just shoot a car jacker or someone robbing an old lady they better have a gun that they pointed at you first. Thats not saying though that you can't pull one yourself to get someone to back off if you have the right to carry that gun in public. I don't even know if you can do that in our state or not. Just expect to use it if you have to. As far as the cops keeping someone gun after a shooting, I'm not sure. I will have to ask joe sister about that. I know cops usually return other property if everything is legal about it when they are done with a case.

 

Hmm...

So it sounds a bit complicated.

I'd like to hear from other US (or other) legit gun owners.

This is the big question - you have the right to own the thing, but by what right can you use it?

I appreciate that Mitz's post was tongue in cheek - but is that really how it works? Shoot the guy who is having an affair with your wife, and as long as the body is in your house when it's found, that's OK?

I know it's not like that, but I'd love to know for real...

 

The laws, for the most part, are at least coming back to reality. For a long time they favored the criminal extensively. Now, if you are in fear, for your own or your family's life, you may fire and if you kill you have a pretty good chance of not being charged with anything.

You can't simply walk down the street and pull your gun and get involved in vigilante justice unless you or your loved ones are the target of the violence. Even then you must be licensed to carry a concealed weapon. I'm not sure if this extends to any other of the instances you bring up, but I would imagine a shooting by a civilian in support of another civilian would be considered in the overall scope of what was happening. I mean if there was a gang beating someone to death and the only chance you had of saving the victims life was to shoot one or more of the perps you just might not get charged, but then again that may very well depend on the attitude towards such things in your area.

In some areas the liberals in political power only consider the life of the criminals to have value. The life and rights of the criminals victims seems to matter very little to them. If the victim gets killed it's oh-so-sad, but don't you dare harm the person/s killing them because they have a right to legal justice.... To me that's just so much BS. They certainly weren't giving their victim the right to any kind of justice, so in turn they forfeit that right during the commission of the crime. They have no right to expect protection that exceeds that of their victim while breaking the law and harming another person.

 

Ok jon you are really starting to scare me, and maybe it is a good things you guys aren't aloud to have guns after all.

You don't shoot someone for sleeping with your mate. That is not a legit reason to kill someone. You may want to kill them both for that fact but you don't do it and it is illegal. And if you do it, you go to jail for murder as it should be. You seems to assume because we have a gun we want to kill someone. This is not the case. I don't know about others, but from a young age 4 or 5 years old we are taught to respect a gun. We are taught the good and the bad of a gun and under no reason do you point one at someone unless you have no other choice. Not even a empty one or a toy gun. If I ever had to use a gun to protect myself, my first shot won't be the head or heart unless I have no other choice. I have no use to kill or take anyone life and have to live with it for the rest of mine. But don't think for a sec, I won't protect my family either.

This is not the wild west anymore, nor do we run around like it is. The right to bear arms is a very big responsibility and the majority of the citizens of the United States understand this and act appropriately. Sorry if this disappoints you, but loaded guns aren't a game. You can't take that bullet back....

 

Exactly. Killing in self defense is legally fine. Killing for revenge is not. Doesn't matter if it's a gun, either... could be a knife, sword, flamethrower, whatever. And yes, I *have* driven away someone at swordpoint before.

 

OK. I get the picture.
So really it depends on the overall circumstances and the attitude towards crime by the authorities in the area.

That must be confusing.

We've had instances here where people have injured house breakers and ended up being charged for assault.
It is quite astonshing when you read the stories - nobody seems to actually ask why the 16 year old in the hooded top was actually in Mr X's house at two in the morning.
They are more concerned with the fact that Mr X hit him on the head with a spade and casued him two miss two days of school.

It has generally been the case here where retaliation has to be 'appropriate'. If someone tries to nick my wallet and I break his leg, the chances are that I'll get my turn in court first...

I don't see gun ownership working over here!

 

In other words, the liberals are in charge over there. They do the same here in the places they are in charge. For some reason they think crime is a legitimate career, and the criminals must be protected from their intended victims protecting themselves and their property. In my eyes, that's a "world gone mad".

 

Yep. I can't understand how some people can defend a totally indefensible position, protecting the rights of a criminal who could care less about the rights of others.

 

It seems to be the way here.

In some (extreme) cases people have been driven from their home by gangs of kids after saying or doing something to offend them.

They just get pestered, few broken windows, bit of noise in the night and other unpleasantness.

Good argument for owning a shotgun!

 

I know I used the word "rights" in connection to criminals acting in the commission of a crime, but morally I don't see that they have any at time.

There's an old adage that expresses this concept very well: My rights stop where your nose begins. So, when someone is literally, or figuratively by breaking and entering, stealing from me, threatening my family, etc..., connecting with my nose he is outside the bounds of his rights. He has gone where he has no moral right to be and thus cannot claim any rights.

 

Agreed.