Hacker News Reader

Comment by brk | Hacker News Reader

"On a regular basis" may not be quite the level occurrence, but yes, it does happen, and it often will not become a news story when it does.

As others have pointed out, some states like California have laws and enforcement policies that at times appear to favor criminals over self defense. Other states, like Florida or Texas, tend to better enable self defense with lethal force.

The whole thing is an equation you really do not want to find yourself in. Even with justifiable/legal use of deadly force in a defensive situation you are likely to wind up embroiled in a lot of hassles, law suits, and associated costs.

View on HN

And I have been told that no matter how precious the lives you were protecting were to you, killing someone isn't a memory you want in your head. Either it will bother you forever, or worse, you'll find you liked it, and that changes you.

I don't know who this is true for, but I am proud of the fact that I was armed and able to protect my pregnant wife. I feel absolutely no remorse for it. I didn't enjoy it and the entire situation was unpleasant at the time.

Had the situation had been different, say I was alone and it was merely a robbery by some kid or something, sure, I would feel differently if I killed them (and I wouldn't). I just don't accept the initial premise of your statement for my experience and those I have spoken to in similar situations.

Yeah, I have met a couple people like that, I shouldn't have tried to lump the mindset of all humanity into two lumps. I was merely pointing out that using lethal force to protect property that isn't critical to your family's well-being could have emotional as well as monetary costs. Because it can have those costs even if you are protecting loved ones, and you won't know until it happens.

Edit: also why is the other post expressing the same sentiment dead? Along with all the other posts by that person? The part about banning healthy violence resonates with me. Young people fight, young animals fight, if it doesn't cause permanent damage it is a healthy part of learning how to relate to each other. And if non lethal violence was less taboo I suspect letha violence would be less common.

> Edit: also why is the other post expressing the same sentiment dead? Along with all the other posts by that person?

He got banned somewhere around here: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=iwillbenice&next=334.... The account name (and the fact there was no mod warning post) makes me think that wasn't the first time.

> And I have been told that no matter how precious the lives you were protecting were to you, killing someone isn't a memory you want in your head. Either it will bother you forever, or worse, you'll find you liked it, and that changes you.

Though I suppose seeing the people you care about getting killed or injured also "isn't a memory you want in your head," either. Seems like a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of situation.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com