I'll look up the TX castle law shortly to get a definitive answer. I'd be surprised, though, if it covers what he did. Caretaker/third party coverage typically covers those inside the invaded residence. Those inside the invaded residence must also be authorised to be there by the owner. Such laws are not intended to allow people to shoot property thieves, especially property concerning third parties. The men shot here weren't even in the neighbour's house when he shot them apparently--Horn waited until they got out and then shot both of them.

I'll look up the statute and post it here since that is what will control.

But, it's Horn's kind of conduct that creates the worst kind of press and precedent if tolerated. Critics of 'stand your ground' laws argue that they will only encourage vigilantism and trigger-happy bloodthirsty types looking for excuses to blast people. Endorsing what Horn did only makes their case.

Proponents of the laws (of which I am one), IMO, ought to narrowly tailor the law to cover what its real intent is to do--namely allow someone within a home to feel free to defend themselves against an uninvited intruder with serious criminal intents without fearing that they might be prosecuted by the government and/or sued by the invading wrongdoer in how they defend themselves, the fear of which may cause them to hesitate on their defence instincts that could even get themselves killed by the intruder. In short, the invader assumes the full risk of their choice and enters at their own peril. That is good policy, IMO, on fairness, public policy and personal security grounds.

Horn represents what is definitely not desired by the law's proponents. They like the idea because they want to shoot people. Not only is it inequitable to kill people over property thievery even under the 'eye for an eye' approach, it can lead to shooting innocent people.

For example, guys like Horn can wind up shooting an owner's relative who went in through a window for lawful reasons. I recall having to go through windows at my parent's home and their beach home at times when they were away and I had lost my keys or they had changed the locks and I hadn't the new keys. I had permission to be there; I just hadn't the keys and chose to enter elsewhere. Guys like Horn who might not know me and why I am entering might, if his kind of conduct is tolerated, see that as an opportunity to shoot me.

Cool heads--not hotheads--are also desired with guns. Last night, I was at a local bar. For the first time in a long time, some customer was being thrown out for fighting decided to pull out a knife in the parking lot and threatened the bouncers with it but from a distance of about 20 feet away as he cursed at them. The owner and the chief bouncer pulled out their handguns (they have concealed carry permits) and told him in firm but rational manners to calm down, put away the knife and leave the parking lot. The ejected customer backed off and got into his friend's car and drove away. Thus, a potentially dangerous situation ended safely with no one injured, never mind killed.

That is what the ability to carry a gun is intended to do. It is not intended to have allowed the owner and chief bouncer to say "Hmm ... here is a great opportunity for us to use our guns and waste this guy. He's a lowlife who deserves it anyway so it's now a free-for-all to pump him full of lead."

All rights--including the right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment--bear responsibility and are not unlimited. With guns, the right bears especially heightened scrutiny given what arms are intended to do. If a person does not know or respect what a right is intended to do, they abuse it and that is not part of the right.

People like Horn looking for convenient excuses to shoot people out of personal opinions they deserve it in vigilante concepts (i.e., "these types are criminal scum and I have the right to do society a favour and blast them as such") is precisely the kind of abuse and personality attitude that ought to be condemned in law and society.

Horn isn't the law--the law is the law. The people of TX set the law on burglary and burglars are subject to whatever penalties the people of TX set for that crime. Courts also discover whether the crime has actually been committed. Horn has no right to act as his own law, never mind judge, jury and executioner.

Thus, if law itself--never mind the 2nd Amendment within it--are to function, Horn should face the courtroom himself in full accountability for what he did himself.

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James Hoban. Irish Architect. Member of the Royal Dublin Society. Hoban designed and built the White House and based it upon the top exterior and interior two floors of Leinster House, then known as Kildare House, which is now the current Irish Parliament building. He was also a supervisory architect of the US Capitol Building.

Although this part seems off-topic, the majority of folks with whom I discuss mass shootings, one with whom I spoke this afternoon whose daughter was at VA Tech last year, think that if the media stopped giving more attention to the shooters than the victims, we would see a decline. Those mentally disturbed folks prone to delusions would find other outlets for their delusions.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them, speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

Personally I wouldnt mind if one of my neighbors had shot and killed the unknown amount of assholes who stoled a brand new scooter and an older moped from me 16 months ago. It would of course not have been justified at all, just like it wasnt justified what that redneck did to those two spick burglars. Still, if you are an honest person, then you most likely hate criminals.

I guess he can praise the lord that he lives in a country where they put most weight on a often far from blind jury.

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Jesus was a communist!

Please keep in mind that for many of us the word "spick" is equivalent to "nigger." I don't know if that was your intent, or if you were doing it for a specific effect.

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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9

Im not a racist - just a dane....and we hate pc crap!

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Jesus was a communist!

I actually agree with you on that point. US society seems to have reached a point of celebrifying and virtually deifying such criminals.

Being Danish doesn't excuse the use of racist language.

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So many cowards.

You know who you are.

Call a spade a spade huh?

There won't be much outrage for the "Redneck" comment you made btw, its selective anger only.

There's nothing "pc" about it; it's just rude to use it in an insulting manner ... if that was your intent.

An insult is an insult. You're confusing political correctness with basic manners and decency, which you routinely fail to observe. In short, you're just plain rude, didn't your mum teach you anything?

Precisely, most folks know that even if there was precise legal standing a lot of us from Texas believe in and eye for an eye so we're fine with what happened. I'm not really sure where i stand on it (when i say we i mean thw state) but if it was my place someone wanted to break into i know for a fact my neighbor would be speaking over his grave before i was ever in danger.

No, more so than that he knows it'll never get to court. No need for a jury...nobody will try prosecute him.

Many people call basic uncivilized behavior simply not being pc as a attempt to justify their inability to behave in a civil manner themselves. Bigotry has been just that long before the cp craze came about.

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

LOL. That does it. Go to your room, Wallaroo. It's past your bedtime, already.

Alright, whatever. I just wanted to make sure that you knew. The second language thing can make slurs confusing. I remember Eric having trouble with the word nigger, because of what it means in dutch, or something.

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"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9

Though of course ironically he has also said thingsabout Americans being sick and horrible people too (insulting) but again nobody will champion that cause like this. Just selective playing of the victim card.