When Would You Kill A Criminal?

[Mathbud1]

To many on the right, any and all crimes are punishable by death although, truth be told, the ones who swagger around here, threatening to kill anyone who dares stand on their front porch, would more than likely hide under their bed. We see a lot of big talk here on this forum but talk to someone who has actually taken a life and, believe me, they'll tell you your own life is changed forever - and not for the better. That's the poll you ought to take.

This is a what if post..........and opinions of the same.

So your opinion is if you are robbed or your family's lives are in danger..........

You'd say Republicans suck, and are arm chair warriors in defense. I'm sure the Criminal would understand and take pity on you.

These are all what-if posts.

Although, when it comes to chicken little nonsense, the gasoline around the house and the life savings loaded in the get away car is by far, the best. I wonder how you poor people ever get to sleep at night, especially since I would think its damn uncomfortable under the bed.

So in what circumstances could you see yourself killing someone else? Never?

 

[Gracie]

Anyone that threatens me, those I love including my furkids. Stuff can be replaced but if I feel we are in danger of bodily harm...that sucker is dead.

 

[Mathbud1]

I didn't go for that because "protect" is too vague. Anybody would "protect"; the question I thought is "at what point would you kill". "Protect" doesn't mean "kill".

Would you kill the criminal if nessessary to "protect" yourself, your family or a another person perhaps a stranger?

As I already said in my first post, only if it were directly and immediately life-threatening. Meaning, at the point where there was no other alternative at the risk of one's own death. Again, "protect" doesn't necessarily mean "kill". It rarely does. "Disable" accomplishes the same purpose without taking a life.

Some of these answers here, such as "I would kill any criminal who was armed in the commission of a crime" are just off-the-wall vigilantism and IMO way over the line. If we were individually qualified to act as judge, jury and executioner on a moment's notice, there would be no point in having a system to prosecute criminals. We could just be sovereign savages and walk around wasting anyone we want. One would hope we had progressed beyond that stage. There's a point where given the option to "disable" or "kill", some of us want to go with pure vengeance and ourselves become the killer.

I keep seeing that scene in the movie "Witness" where the little boy comes across the cop's gun, picks it up and inspects it -- the old man asks him, "would you use that gun to shoot a man?" and the kid says "I would only shoot the bad man". The old man then asks, "you can see inside that man's heart??"

That wisdom seems elusive these days. At least on the internets.

By the time the danger is immediate and direct your options are extremely limited.

Trying to only "disable" someone is not that easy. It is far too easy to hurt someone, but not do so sufficiently that they cannot retaliate. Failing to effectively disable someone is only going to make them mad and increase the danger to you and your loved ones. Personally, I can't tolerate that kind of risk with my family's lives.

 

[whitehall]

The real question is under what condition would the radical left authorize the use of deadly physical force?

 

[Noomi]

When Would You Kill A Criminal?

State laws range between you have a duty to retreat from thieves & violent attackers to shooting a thief in the back as they run off with your stuff.

What do you think the standard should be?

You can steal what you like, but if you tried to kill me or someone else, watch out.

 

[BobPlumb]

Since I'm usually not packing it's very unlikely that I'll ever kill someone committing a crime.

 

[KissMy]

Anyone that threatens me, those I love including my furkids. Stuff can be replaced but if I feel we are in danger of bodily harm...that sucker is dead.

When the loss is great enough & uninsured, you may never recover.

 

[M14 Shooter]

As soon as the criminal demonstrates the means and the probable intent to cause death or bodily harm to myself or others.

 

[M14 Shooter]

The real question is under what condition would the radical left authorize the use of deadly physical force?

When the state wishes to execute someone the radical left sees as a right-wing extremist.

 

[whitehall]

When would you kill a dog? Would you shoot a strange dog when he is running across your property and possibly frightening your kids or would you google up dog diseases and call your Vet when the creature is standing in front of your door snarling and foaming at the mouth? My guess is that liberals would get bit.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I attached a poll. Vote, not how your state or federal law says, but how you would like the law to allow you to act.

The poll doesn't include my answer (I don't think). I've never been in the situation, so I can't say with 100% accuracy how I would respond to different situations. But I don't have a problem with anyone responding to a threat by using whatever force necessary to protect himself/herself or others.