The Annoyed Man
Member
This is my first post in this particular forum. I was just reading Jeff White's excellent (in my view) post regarding bloodlust, and it got me to thinking.
After having worked in a large ER for several years, I saw hundreds of gunshot patients, with injuries running from "mere flesh wounds" to instantly fatal with everything in between, not to mention terrible lingering deaths. In ALL cases, whether or not the wounded or deceased was justifiably shot, there were families involved - both on the part of the shooter and on the part of the shot - not to mention the parts played by law enforcement and the justice system in general.
For my own part, while I would use deadly force if required, I am a religious person who takes his faith so seriously that I am incapable of viewing my world through any other lens than that of my faith. I am commanded not to commit murder. I make the distinction that there is such a thing as justifiable killing which is not murder, but I think that with great power (inherent in the act of pulling the trigger against another human being), comes great responsibility. Having to actually kill another man would be my outcome of least preference, however, I freely acknowledge that, in the heat of the moment, I might possibly be ruled more by my fears than by my wisdom. And of course, I recognize that there is no such thing as "shoot to wound." If I'm going to shoot someone, it will be because I genuinely believe that my life or the life of a loved one is in immediate danger, and that pulling the trigger is the only possible response which will keep me or mine alive.
The purpose of this thread is to discuss A) how THR members feel inside about the idea of shooting and possibly killing in self-defense, and what your internal strategies are in that regard; and B) strategies that THR members would follow in the aftermath of a shooting, both from an internal perspective AND from a legal perspective. I am also interested in hearing your moral arguments on the subject, as one's internal morality plays a large part in how one would develop those strategies.
Please, serious comments only, in keeping with Jeff White's guidelines. Moderators, if this is the wrong place for this, please feel free to move it.
After having worked in a large ER for several years, I saw hundreds of gunshot patients, with injuries running from "mere flesh wounds" to instantly fatal with everything in between, not to mention terrible lingering deaths. In ALL cases, whether or not the wounded or deceased was justifiably shot, there were families involved - both on the part of the shooter and on the part of the shot - not to mention the parts played by law enforcement and the justice system in general.
For my own part, while I would use deadly force if required, I am a religious person who takes his faith so seriously that I am incapable of viewing my world through any other lens than that of my faith. I am commanded not to commit murder. I make the distinction that there is such a thing as justifiable killing which is not murder, but I think that with great power (inherent in the act of pulling the trigger against another human being), comes great responsibility. Having to actually kill another man would be my outcome of least preference, however, I freely acknowledge that, in the heat of the moment, I might possibly be ruled more by my fears than by my wisdom. And of course, I recognize that there is no such thing as "shoot to wound." If I'm going to shoot someone, it will be because I genuinely believe that my life or the life of a loved one is in immediate danger, and that pulling the trigger is the only possible response which will keep me or mine alive.
The purpose of this thread is to discuss A) how THR members feel inside about the idea of shooting and possibly killing in self-defense, and what your internal strategies are in that regard; and B) strategies that THR members would follow in the aftermath of a shooting, both from an internal perspective AND from a legal perspective. I am also interested in hearing your moral arguments on the subject, as one's internal morality plays a large part in how one would develop those strategies.
Please, serious comments only, in keeping with Jeff White's guidelines. Moderators, if this is the wrong place for this, please feel free to move it.