Thursday, April 28, 2005

Defend Thyself Brother Floridian

Florida, the Sunshine State, has just flashed the spotlight on human predators. A new law explicitly recognizes every person's natural right to defend him or herself from predators without first having to try to escape. In Florida a person now has "the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force, if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so, to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another."

In other words, inside the home, an intruder is fair game even prior to attacking the resident. Outside the home, any person under attack may defend with deadly force without trying to run away first. The law also immunizes the victim from civil liability for exercising the right to protect him or herself, or the home.

The left and France is just beside themselves over this law. The law gets Florida closer to the "Wild, Wild West," said Rep. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. Of course, the left is always against legislation that protects the law abiding over the criminal.

This law provides the right to self defense. What an outrageous concept. Governments are formed, primarily, for the purpose of defending the people that formed them. The U.S. Supreme Court has held, however, that a person has no special right to expect law enforcement to protect him. Thus, we have a duty to protect ourselves to the extent possible. The recognition of our right to self defense is reaffirming to our individuality. We are not the government's citizen, waiting for rescue, and dead if the government comes late. We are individuals with rights. And the predator that ignores that does so at his own risk. The Florida legislature, by and large, gets it.

6 Comments:

At 4:10 PM, Blogger spd rdr said...

The Commonwealth of Virginia also gets it, KJ. A few years back we passed a law granting citizens the right to bear arms! Can you imagine that! Serously, just about anybody can get a pemit to carry a concealed weapon. Kinda puts the theives and muggers on edge,though. They just never know anymore whether the little old lady with the big pink purse is packing heat.

 
At 4:10 PM, Blogger spd rdr said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

 
At 5:05 PM, Blogger KJ said...

spd,

Georgia has the "shall" issue permit, too. They print you and do a background check. If you are are not a felon, you pretty much get a permit. The exceptions though are pretty broad, and in many ways swallow the rule. But it still makes for gitery predators, at least I hope.

 
At 8:42 PM, Blogger spd rdr said...

Question:
Did you get a permit?
I haven't. I don't know why other than:
1) I really don't need/want to pack heavy;
2) I don't really need/want to be on any other guberment databases.

Pretty lame excuses coming from someone who's every pecadillo is scripture at the State Bar.

But see explanation #1. Who really wants to carry a gun?

 
At 9:28 PM, Blogger KJ said...

I have a permit. I was already fingerprinted and background checked as a member of the bar, so that wasn't a deterent. I don't carry often, or much at all really, except to occassionally have one in the car and only if I am going somewhere 'special.' I don't really have a good packing pistol. My guns are mostly antinques worth more as collectibles than guns. I keep thinking I'll buy a carrying gun, but I don't. I guess I just want the option with the permit, but I don't use it.

My guns they work, and I have one handy (but inaccessible to KJita) in the house if needed. The rest are under hidden lock and key.

 
At 9:49 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i cannot reveal my normal nom-de-plume, since i live in a state that does not issue permits for guns, but rest assured i do carry daily.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home