Re: Re: semantics again

[Ysobelle@aol.com]

On 2/9/04 1:06 PM, quoth the effervescent rgockley@andrew.cmu.edu at 
rgockley@andrew.cmu.edu:

>> I in no way implied that "defense" equals "kill."  You can
>> use a gun to defend yourself without killing someone.
>
>Just to clarify: not legally, you can't. In the USA, at any rate, my
>understanding is that it is illegal to so much as point a gun at a person
>if you do not intend to shoot -to kill-.
>
>-- Rachel


I'm not so sure about this. If you have a permit, and you point your .38 
at someone, and they hightail it off your property, I'm pretty sure 
you're not going to jail. I have a friend here in Philly who has only 
once pulled the gun he carries: he waded into a group of kids beating the 
old man who runs the store opposite his. He did nothing more than pull 
the gun out, nor did he need or intend to do more (though perhaps he 
would have had he needed to.) The sight of it stopped the beating. He had 
to answer the cops' questions, but he was within his rights.

Gun laws are different in every state, and I believe in most places the 
police aren't allowed to pull a weapon unless the use of lethal force is 
justified, but I don't think it's that easy to legislate intent in the 
general populace.

I do have to say I'm rather enjoying both this conversation and its tone. 
I didn't expect it on this list. Take that as you may. Rock on.








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