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Looting Inc. etc. Another reason for guns

H. Lee White said:
If we were, the sales of rotten cabbage would skyrocket!
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Shame and public humiliation are far more powerful than any bullet or blade. No criminal wants their deeds brought to light in such a fashion, and when you bind them up in a public arena with a sign saying "I stole from my neighbors after the hurricane", it not only punishes that person, but sends a strong message to other potential looters that profiteering from others misery will not be tolerated.
 
I believe that everybody has a basic human right to defend them self, their family, and yes, even their property. With deadly force, if necessary. (I do expect said defense to be legitimate, however)

I do not care what the law says in this regard, and I find it crappy that sometimes people will go to jail when legitimately defending.
 
Surtr said:
Shame and public humiliation are far more powerful than any bullet or blade. No criminal wants their deeds brought to light in such a fashion, and when you bind them up in a public arena with a sign saying "I stole from my neighbors after the hurricane", it not only punishes that person, but sends a strong message to other potential looters that profiteering from others misery will not be tolerated.
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In another day I'm sure. However, I think most criminals of today have no shame but feel entitled for others to pay their way.

Gee, where have I heard this before?
 
LaMidRighter said:
Texas is dependent on how far inland too though. From Corpus Christie to around Ft. Worth can get some pretty nasty stuff too.
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I live in a small community about 45 minutes south of San Antonio. It was small before oil became big again. Most people here feel pretty safe at night due to their ability to protect themselves if necessary.

Keep the criminal element thinking, is he/she or isn't he/she? (armed)
 
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Μολὼν λαβέ;1061085265 said:
In another day I'm sure. However, I think most criminals of today have no shame but feel entitled for others to pay their way.

Gee, where have I heard this before?
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Not really. The last thing a thief wants in any day and age is to be exposed for what they are. On top of the shame, you have everyone else who knows about what they did.
 
Diogenes said:
Why waste a bullet on a warning?
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It is a mandatory 20 years to fire a warning shot in Florida. Either shoot the person or don't. Anything else is a major felony with no punishment range.
 
That's too abstract a question.
 
Surtr said:
Shame and public humiliation are far more powerful than any bullet or blade. No criminal wants their deeds brought to light in such a fashion, and when you bind them up in a public arena with a sign saying "I stole from my neighbors after the hurricane", it not only punishes that person, but sends a strong message to other potential looters that profiteering from others misery will not be tolerated.
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Naw, I think a lot of people wouldn't care. There's a lot of really low life people who don't care what others think about them. Only decent people do.
 
joko104 said:
It is a mandatory 20 years to fire a warning shot in Florida. Either shoot the person or don't. Anything else is a major felony with no punishment range.
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20 years for firing a warning shot? I find that beyond idiotic
 
TurtleDude said:
20 years for firing a warning shot? I find that beyond idiotic
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It's an old case...but to the point

Fla. officer fatally shot by city police before college football game - Law Enforcement News

The dead UCF officer was identified as Mario Jenkins, 27, a four-year veteran with the university police. He was shot by Dennis Smith, a reserve officer for the Orlando Police Department.Witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel that the incident started when Jenkins, who had been working undercover, attempted to break up a tailgate party. When he encountered resistance, they said, he fired three shots into the air. Officer Dennis Smith then saw the man with the gun and shot him several times, the newspaper said.


Authorities believed a third person was involved, said Barbara Jones, spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department. Jones refused to say if the person was injured.
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The lesson here is...No warning shot! Ever!
 
joko104 said:
It is a mandatory 20 years to fire a warning shot in Florida. Either shoot the person or don't. Anything else is a major felony with no punishment range.
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Case in point:
Florida woman sentenced to 20 years in controversial warning shot case - CNN.com

"Under the state's 10-20-life law, a conviction for aggravated assault where a firearm has been discharged carries a minimum and maximum sentence of 20 years without regarding to any extenuating or mitigating circumstances that may be present, such as those in this case," Daniel said.
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A warning shot is aggravated assault because you aren't trying to kill the person.

Shoot to kill or don't shoot at all.
 
lizzie said:
And a criminal is invariably more important than a lawful citizen.
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Yes, and we might justifiably question the intent of someone who has unlawfully entered our home. I don't know that thieves and criminals necessarily announce their criminal intent prior to committing an unlawful. It is reasonable to assume that anyone who breaks into someone else's home is doing so to commit a crime. Hell, they've already committed a felony by breaking into someone's home!

Assuming the burglar is in your home only to steal is a dangerous thing to do. Frankly, I make a habit of not taking the word of someone who is in the act of committing a felony. "I'm only here to rob you. I am not in anyway interested in the near naked female I see behind you."

In most of the states, most burglaring thieves wouldn't get any further than "I'm only....". Boom! Let him explain his intent to the paramedics.
 
Risky Thicket said:
Me, too. I also find the idea of a warning shot idiotic.
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Warning shots are hazardous. In the Army we aren't allowed to give warning shots anymore because of where those shots go and the innocent people they hit.

If I'm pulling the trigger it's because I'm finished giving warnings and am now trying to kill.
 
Jerry said:
Warning shots are hazardous. In the Army we aren't allowed to give warning shots anymore because of where those shots go and the innocent people they hit.

If I'm pulling the trigger it's because I'm finished giving warnings and am now trying to kill.
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We never gave warning shots. We weren't allowed to for that matter. Often you'd have to call it in and get approval to fire first. We were required to be shot at first and then we could return fire. It was the MAC-V Rules of Engagement. :roll:

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
 
In the Nj town that my MIL lives in they are looting and showing guns and the people that live there have also brought out their guns....there are scavengers even diving in the bay for treasure that may have been washed into it.....the red cross and Fema are giving out one meal a day and only a bit of water.....still many have no housing and they still have no electricity and it is cold....it has gone from devastating to extremely devastating...Her town has been wiped out..it was even on good morning America today. Although they made it look like Fema and the Red cross are handing out tons and tons of stuff yet they are not....they are only giving the bare minimum.....and hoarding the rest...and it is really starting to piss many people off...they re complaining that they have all that stuff but refuse to give it out....go figure right.

FEMA is a joke.
 
Risky Thicket said:
Yes, and we might justifiably question the intent of someone who has unlawfully entered our home. I don't know that thieves and criminals necessarily announce their criminal intent prior to committing an unlawful. It is reasonable to assume that anyone who breaks into someone else's home is doing so to commit a crime. Hell, they've already committed a felony by breaking into someone's home!
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Yes. It's just like with the question of sanity on the part of a murderer, or the question of legitimizing *hate crime* as a special circumstance with which to deal with criminals. Anyone who murders is not in a rational and sane state of mind, and anyone who commits a crime against another person is operating from a basis of hate imo. You can't reasonably assume that one person commits a crime against his fellow man, and does not have ill intentions, or do so based on loving or positive emotions.
 
Politicaladdict said:
In the Nj town that my MIL lives in they are looting and showing guns and the people that live there have also brought out their guns....there are scavengers even diving in the bay for treasure that may have been washed into it.....the red cross and Fema are giving out one meal a day and only a bit of water.....still many have no housing and they still have no electricity and it is cold....it has gone from devastating to extremely devastating...Her town has been wiped out..it was even on good morning America today. Although they made it look like Fema and the Red cross are handing out tons and tons of stuff yet they are not....they are only giving the bare minimum.....and hoarding the rest...and it is really starting to piss many people off...they re complaining that they have all that stuff but refuse to give it out....go figure right.

FEMA is a joke.
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I understand your feelings, but it isn't exactly happening or not as it appears to you. I'm not defending FEMA - Fix Everything My Ass - but they are working night and day to keep people alive. Comfort is waaaaaaaaay on down their list of priorities. As to looters and all that madness, that's a local and maybe a state issue.

How many people in your MIL's town were prepared for the hurricane? Your MIL and neighbors all had a minimum of 72 hours worth of food, water, meds, dog and/or cat food, batteries, candles, home defense weapons, ammo, home defense training, a solar over or maybe an inexpensive or homemade rocket stove, propane, toilet paper and the like all ready and accessible? That was their minimum responsibility, and that information has been well publicized for years. They were also warned in advance to prepare and would have been wise to prepare for about 2 weeks of life without assistance. Extra boxes of Twinkies, bags of Doritos, 2 extra gallons of milk and 5 extra pounds of chicken isn't preparation.

The gun laws in NJ and the public attitude to self defense is not something I am familiar with. However, if the local and state laws make it difficult to legally use a firearm defend one's home against looting that is not a FEMA issue either. That's a local and/or state issue.

I hope your MIL comes through this OK.
 
Manc Skipper said:
Stuff is invariably more valuable than a life.
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I don't believe that a life is more valuable than stuff, and I will use my stuff to defend your life as well as mine. However, when you choose to loot, rape, pillage, it is you not me who thinks that my stuff is worth more than your life.

The point has been made that asking a looter politely if they intend to just take your stuff and leave you alone, or if they have other motivation, somehow doesn't get the job done.
 
Just a little harmless lootin...why would you want to be prepared and defend yourself, your family, or your home?

FM

 
Risky Thicket said:
I understand your feelings, but it isn't exactly happening or not as it appears to you. I'm not defending FEMA - Fix Everything My Ass - but they are working night and day to keep people alive. Comfort is waaaaaaaaay on down their list of priorities. As to looters and all that madness, that's a local and maybe a state issue.

How many people in your MIL's town were prepared for the hurricane? Your MIL and neighbors all had a minimum of 72 hours worth of food, water, meds, dog and/or cat food, batteries, candles, home defense weapons, ammo, home defense training, a solar over or maybe an inexpensive or homemade rocket stove, propane, toilet paper and the like all ready and accessible? That was their minimum responsibility, and that information has been well publicized for years. They were also warned in advance to prepare and would have been wise to prepare for about 2 weeks of life without assistance. Extra boxes of Twinkies, bags of Doritos, 2 extra gallons of milk and 5 extra pounds of chicken isn't preparation.

The gun laws in NJ and the public attitude to self defense is not something I am familiar with. However, if the local and state laws make it difficult to legally use a firearm defend one's home against looting that is not a FEMA issue either. That's a local and/or state issue.

I hope your MIL comes through this OK.
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Bingo! .
 
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