I am one of those that believe people who break the law give up their rights. In a situation of a break in the homeowner has all the rights, even if he hogties the people and tortures them to death. It's a situation easily avoided - don't B&E.

My philosophy on this has gotten me into some heated arguments within my family when a relative broke the law and was looking at prison time - my response was "he's an idiot and deserves what he gets".

I really have very little patience for people that knowingly break the law. From speeders to murderers. Take the rights away from the criminals and give them back to the victims.

From what I understand, don't mess with Texas at all.

From what I understand, don't mess with Texas at all.

You got that right!

Damn Right! And I feel the same as ooort

Oortcloud, I couldn't agree more, and trust me if anyone ever makes the mistake of breaking into my house while I'm home at the very least they will never be able to run away the same again.

I can't imagine defending any earthly possession at all is worth taking another's life for... but then again, I'm not American. .

TN, This is how it works. There are Americans and then there are Texans. Texans are Texans first and Americans second, with the rest of the country, its the other way around. Texas would be the state most likely to declair themselves their own country. From what I hear, they all drive pick-ups with their guns hanging in the rear window. We used to have jokes about everything being bigger in Texas. For example, what did the Texan say when he fell in the swimming pool?? "Don't flush it, Don't flush it!!"

(something tells me I'm in big trouble now,......bye)

"I can't imagine defending any earthly possession at all is worth taking another's life for... but then again, I'm not American."

What they're defending is their lives. Home invaders have a tendency to kill their victims while stealing stuff. Of course, waiting to find out which criminals invading your home intend to kill you, and which ones don't, may cost you your life.

I understand too that if a husband came home and found his wife in the act of being unfaithful to him that he has the right to shoot her and that he would not be prosecuted for shooting her. Any Texans out there that know about this?

I'm a native Texan and the way I've always heard it was, you could shoot him, because it would not be clear if she was being raped or not. Plus, in the heat of the moment you would not be thinking right, so shooting him would probably be justified by temporary insanity.

God love Texas!

I wish we had stronger laws like that. Here, if someone broke into my apt and my dog bit them or I hit them and hurt them, I could lose my dog and I could be charged with assault. Also the criminal could sue me.

What they're defending is their lives.

America is such a violent society. I sometimes wonder who is the greatest threat to Americans and their security. Terrorists, or their own neighbours and citizens! Sheesh. .

Thats easy, our own neighbours and citizens. Until we learn to put the pursuit of wealth as a value in its proper place instead of at the top of the list, America will be screwed up.

"I can't imagine defending any earthly possession at all is worth taking another's life for..."

I can't imagine someone risking their life to take any earthly possession that is not theirs.

Me neither.

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

ah ha!, And I just got off of a certain someone's Atheist clip, Mmmm......

Hahaha, I'm not an atheist. But eww, don't you dare ever call me a believer, either! I just am. .

"just am" is best.

"America is such a violent country"??????

Really?????

You only see us through the eyes of the media.

Dog bites man gets no air time. Man bites dog is a story.

I hear in London that thieves are shooting victims, riots in France, name a country and there are "violent" citizens.

But, no. Those are civilized murders.

Only in America does violence exist.

My first line of defense is my 90lb dog.

My second is my Smith & Wesson.

If you are in my home, illegally, in the middle of the night, I'm not going to take the time to ask you what your intentions are.

And, I should not have to.

@thisnamecantbetaken

You didn't quote the rest of what I said. Here's some of it:

" Home invaders have a tendency to kill their victims while stealing stuff."

Yep, I own a gun and I have plenty of bullets to go with it. If someone enters my home in the middle of the night, or, as has happened a lot recently to homes in my area, kicks in my front door with weapons in hand to hurt me or my family, in order to steal my possessions, then what they are going to find is someone shooting back at them. I will not be anyone's sheep being lead to the slaughter, especially not by criminals.

Oh, I understood that and I do see your point. To me it is just sad, it seems even simple burglary is a life and death situation. I should perhaps mention, I live in a country where guns are not a part of ordinary life (only the law etc may be armed) so it is all kind of wildly surreal to me, that every Tom, Dick and Harry can carry a firearm. It's a culture thing, I think, but I would be way too scared to ever live in America. Alone getting through security in an American airport feels like you're entering a police state and they are supposedly the good guys.

TN, I can understand how you feel about the airports but there are safe places to live over here. In fact, I live in probably one of the safest places in the country. Mostly, you just don't want to live in a city or on the way to the city. I know you have it better where you are though. People have their prioritys in better order across the big pond. Besides, we're all going to hell over here anyway.

It's also a matter of statistics. For the most part people won't have to face someone at the end of a gun. However burglary is common. And people just don't want to be part of those statistics of being at home and not being able to defend themselves against someone breaking in.

I don't actually have a gun (I do have a bb gun heh) and I've never been robbed - however my mother has. Came home and found many electronics like tv's, laptops, a wii system, etc gone. Several houses in her neigborhood got hit through the follow few weeks.

However, I feel comfort in the fact that I can a weapon for my home one if I so choose.