Police don't have to knock, CNN article

Some things are more important than convenience.
Randy Weaver's name at least let some know how corrupt our government has become, that they are now at the level of just assassinating unarmed women and children and pets.
If someone enters my home unannounced, I will shoot them.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

If someone enters my home unannounced, I will shoot them.

I hope it's not a firefighter.

Originally Posted by MaggieL

I hope it's not a firefighter.

[wolf]

The hose is usually a dead giveaway.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by wolf

The hose is usually a dead giveaway.

The one with the hose isn't usually the first one through the door, it's the one with the axe. In fact, sometimes it's smarter to do an rescue entry from the side that isn't burning yet.

Originally Posted by wolf

The hose is usually a dead giveaway.

Fire, alarms and smoke may do it too... she's arguing just to do it.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Fire, alarms and smoke may do it too... she's arguing just to do it.

I'm not the one with the puppy pictures...whatever *that* meant.

Depending on how it starts, firefighters are often the ones who alert the occupants of a building that there's a fire.

My point is that as a firearms user you are responsible for identifying your target and what lies beyond it. Shooting cops is simply not usually a good way to enhance your future prospects, no matter how principled a move it felt like at the time. The onus will be on you in court to demonstrate that your actions were reasonable. And if you're opposed to no-knock warrant executions, announcing a policy of shooting unidentified intruders claiming to be cops may not be the best way to discourage them.

Of course, if something --like a short life expectancy-- has diminished your sense of responsibility to the point of "they'll never take me alive", I can't speak to that.


Edit to note that this was posted before I read rkz's post #80, which certainly puts a different light on things.

[Kitsune]

Sam Walker ain't so happy about Scalia citing him in his argument.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Sam Walker ain't so happy about Scalia citing him in his argument.

Originally Posted by The Agitator

Walker says poltical leadership, internal procedures, media oversight and public pressure are all necessary to ensure civil liberties, but that judicial oversight is extremely important too, and that Scalia misused his scholarship to imply that Walker supports a diminishing role for the courts.

I took the quote to imply that Walker believes there have been wide-ranging reforms in the education, training, and supervision of police officers. I guess you're only allowed to quote him if he agrees with you. :-)

[Kitsune]

Shoot 'em.

Investigators say Braunstein dressed as a New York firefighter October 31, set two small fires in the hallway outside the woman's apartment, and then told her he was there to investigate.

The woman said he then put a gun to the her head, bound, drugged her and molested her for more than 12 hours.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Shoot 'em.

On Halloween? What if the perp is drunk and naked?. :-)

Of course Braunstein was home free, only the criminals and the cops have guns in NYC.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by MaggieL

Unless it's Halloween

Dressed in a tuxedo imitating John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever...

I see no crime.

[MaggieL]

o/~"Stayin' alive, stayin' alive..."o/~ ....oops.

It was an accident... just like the one that almost happened at my house.
My back room was mostly underground, had a small window that was very high. I had a small bookshelf with some comics and action figures on it in that room.
I was working nights and asleep and heard glass break. Got my gun, walked into the room in time to see a stick opening to latch to the window, pressing myself against the wall feeling VERY lucky not to have been seen I waited... slowly the window was haltingly lifted. They were being very careful not to be heard. Slowly a blond head appeared, I placed the gun to the temple, grabbed a handful of hair and screamed into their ear just after cocking the gun. "MOVE & DIE. BOTH EMPTY HANDS INTO THIS HOUSE NOW! BREATH FUNNY AND DIE, THINK FUNNY AND DIE!" They were on their side and I made them grab the wall in front of them as they started to cry. I realized something. It was a fucking kid. Here this idiot was breaking into someone's house risking their life and I looked over my shoulder and knew... it was for the comics or figures. "Get the fuck out of here"
I ran across the house, caught him and made him take me to his house. Unloaded my gun on the way.
Knocked on the door, explained what happened finished by handing his dad my gun "this was cocked, loaded with hollow-points at your son's temple not five minutes ago... had I been someone else, because I never saw his face, someone more frightened, someone with no training, he would have been dead now. You need to have a talk with your son."
So, I know how easy it would be to make a mistake.... I am not talking about just unloading willy-nilly... there are idiots out there, I know. I had a similar thing happen while hunting... you think this kid was stupid, ha!
However, had I shot him... I would have felt bad, but like a murderer, no, not at all.
If someone enters your residence unannounced, you must assume they are armed and there to harm you. It is the only ethical thing to do.
My family's welfare is more important than the rights of those who would come into my home as a criminal. I do not have the luxury to test the waters of our safety with my life just to give someone the benefit of the doubt because they will not give me that opportunity if they are armed.
If they are in my home unannounced, they are armed and there to harm my family, period.
Taking that chance is unethical, and intentionally taking chances with my families safety. It is wrong for anyone to knowingly do it IMO.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

It was an accident... just like the one that almost happened at my house.

That's a hell of a story...but I don't think I'd hand my gun over to anybody, much less a burglar's father. Glad it worked out OK. Hope the kid never did it again.