Homeowners should shoot burglars to ‘save taxpayer’s money,’ Florida sheriff says

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't think killing someone is appropriate in that situation.

On a Quaker message board I used to be on, one of the members described what he did when he came downstairs in the middle of the night to find a burglar:

He invited the burglar to sit down at the kitchen table.

The burglar agreed. Coffee was made and they had a long, involved talk. In the morning, he ended up driving the burglar to rehab.

I'm not sure I'm brave enough to respond that way, but I see it as something to aspire to.

 

[Stevicus]

I like the word "burgle". It seems kinda of a strange word to mouth.

Yeah, I guess most people would say "burglarize" nowadays, but both are correct.

 

[Stevicus]

I find it worrying that someone with that much disregard for life is doing things like making decisions about how to train cops who do traffic stops.

Yeah, I was struck by that as well, as well as the number of times he had been arrested.

But yeah, there seems to be a kind of cavalier, "shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later" attitude that seems to pervade the culture.

 

[Debater Slayer]

On a Quaker message board I used to be on, one of the members described what he did when he came downstairs in the middle of the night to find a burglar:

He invited the burglar to sit down at the kitchen table.

The burglar agreed. Coffee was made and they had a long, involved talk. In the morning, he ended up driving the burglar to rehab.

I'm not sure I'm brave enough to respond that way, but I see it as something to aspire to.

I think it's admirable to respond as non-violently as possible, but I also acknowledge that realistically, violence may also be necessary or justified in some cases, and I wouldn't necessarily view usage thereof as indicative of lack of bravery either.

Where I live, there have been cases of burglaries where the burglars killed or severely injured the occupants. With the exception of some parts of the country, it's also almost unheard of for a regular citizen to own a firearm, so the murders and assaults occurred primarily to eliminate potential witnesses or preemptively incapacitate them.

I couldn't see myself faulting someone for using any and all kinds of force to stop a burglar after reading or hearing about such cases, unless they had less violent means to stop them but opted to be excessively violent. Yes, some burglars won't be willing or ready to kill or maim the occupants of whichever home they invade, but some will be. Unfortunately, an occupant responding in self-defense sometimes has no way to know which kind of burglar they're dealing with.

 

[Revoltingest]

I like the word "burgle". It seems kinda of a strange word to mouth.

A "burgle" is a "boy" "gurgle".

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It depends. If I managed to remain composed enough in that situation, I'd definitely aim for an incapacitating non-lethal shot, such as one to the leg.

However, I absolutely don't think anyone should be charged with murder or manslaughter for fatally shooting a burglar whose intentions they couldn't know about. There's no way to know whether a burglar invading a home in the dark could kill, rape, or otherwise severely attack the occupants, and if the choice is between risking being attacked or killing the burglar, I can't fault anyone for going with the latter.

I don't disagree, but at the same time I find nonviolent solutions preferable. And the situation does involve at that point two or more animals who are scared. It's also a fact most criminals are in bad situations. That's not always possible, and it is highly situational, but we're all people and if winning a fight without fighting is the ultimate goal for many of the best fighters I don't see why others can't strive to live up to seeking violence as an absolute last resort.
And even with such optimism, it's still better than this atrocious "just shoot 'em" mentality. It's how they treat the least among them, meaning it's how they treat that Jesus they claim to love so very much.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Might be better to deal with the causes of burglary.

Or you could just keep shooting everyone.

School shooting? Arm the teachers.

Burglaries? Arm the homeowners.

Wtf.

Why does your nation never deal with the causes of crime?

Some people do think that shooting the criminal is the best way to deal with crime. Not too many can see that dealing with the root problem is cheaper in the long run.

 

[Rival]

Yeah, I guess most people would say "burglarize" nowadays, but both are correct.

Burgle is always used in British English. Burgularise sounds weird to us lol.

 

[Kenny]

A "burgle" is a "boy" "gurgle".

I changed the frubal from funny to winner just because it was so good!

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Burgle is always used in British English. Burgularise sounds weird to us lol.

I do believe the only time I've really heard burgle here was my personal and business law class in high school.