They're Slaughtering Each Other - 4-26-2012 Daily Text Comments

[Lin ASL Ebron]

This supports the Faithful Slave's warnings to us and our children about the dangers of violent entertainment, as discussed in the Daily Text comments for Thursday, April 26, 2012.

"Man Claims Self Defense in Fatal Shooting of Neighbor" see the video: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/06/man-claims-self-defense-in-fatal-shooting-of-neighbor/

A Houston man on trial for fatally shooting his neighbor says he was acting in self defense and his home video can prove it.

Rodriguez, a former firefighter, was recording his argument with neighbors, when he shot and killed Kelly Danaher, an elementary school teacher, and wounded two other people in May 2010. The 22-minute homemade video is the key to the trial, but what’s on the video might be in the eye of the beholder.

“This is a difficult defense to mount,” says Dana Cole, legal analyst and defense attorney. “He had no injury, he brought a gun to a noise complaint, and it appeared he was escalating it, by baiting the party-goers.”

It was after midnight when Rodriguez, complaining to police over the phone that the music was too loud, walked up to Danaher’s driveway with a flashlight and gun.

On the video, Rodriguez can be heard talking to a 911 operator, saying, “I’m running the video camera right now and I’m talking to you and I mean, I’m scared to death here.”

In the unfolding confrontation between Rodriguez and several unidentified men, one yells, “Tell you what, pal, you just pulled a gun on the wrong [expletive], OK?”

When one of the party-goers saw Rodriguez’s gun, he suggested he is getting his own. “When I go in that house and come back,” he warned, “don’t think I won’t be equal to you, baby.”

“It’s about to get out of hand sir, please help me. Please help me, my life is in danger now…,” Rodriguez told police over the phone. “Now, I’m standing my ground here. Now, these people are going to try and kill me.”

Seconds later, a fight about loud music ends with the crack of gunfire.

“Look, I’m not losing to these people anymore,” Rodriguez said. “I’m just totally going to stay back, because they’re drunk, they’re…”

Rodriguez is interrupted by wild laughter, and then the sound of gunfire, before the tape stops as Rodriguez is tackled to the ground. In addition to the shot that killed Danaher, Houston Fire Capt. Ricky Johnson and Marshall Stetson received multiple gunshot wounds after the camera stopped recording. Rodriguez, a father of six, walked away from the incident unharmed.

The trial is expected to last about a week.

[Hallett 82]

I'm glad I'm not the lawyer who has to defend him.

A noisy party next door is not nice . . but to approach the partying crowd on their property carrying a gun? . . there is no defence for that.

He can only claim 'self defence' if they came over to his place with a weapon . . he cannot use a gun against an angry neighbor if that is the only weapon between them.

Self defence must be of equivalent power or strength. Death should never be the intention but to use just enough force to stop the immediate crisis, until the Police arrive.

(too many Knucklheads with knuckle-dusters in the world today)

[ava]

. there is no defence for that.

He can only claim 'self defence' if they came over to his place with a weapon . . he cannot use a gun against an angry neighbor if that is the only weapon between them.

)

This is in Texas, and yes he can claim self defense and yes he has a good chance of getting off.

I live in Texas, and if I saw someone trespassing on my property and I shot him, I would be able to get off.

Trust me, Texas is a big supporter of guns and their right to protect their property and themselves.

Just about every one in Texas owns a gun. There is a reason they say "Don't Mess With Texas"

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/03/27/us-texas-deadlyforce-idUSN2721289620070327

QUOTE:

Sympathy for violent offenders and criminals in general runs low in Texas, underscored by its busy death row. The state leads the United States in executions with 388 since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A conservative political outlook and widespread fondness for hunting also means Texans are a well-armed people capable of defending themselves with deadly force

It is easy to acquire guns over the counter in Texas and lawful to carry a concealed handgun with a permit.

[Hallett 82]

. there is no defence for that.

He can only claim 'self defence' if they came over to his place with a weapon . . he cannot use a gun against an angry neighbor if that is the only weapon between them.

)

This is in Texas, and yes he can claim self defense and yes he has a good chance of getting off.

I live in Texas, and if I saw someone trespassing on my property and I shot him, I would be able to get off.

Trust me, Texas is a big supporter of guns and their right to protect their property and themselves.

Just about every one in Texas owns a gun. There is a reason they say "Don't Mess With Texas"

. . . . . . .

So where does that leave the witnessing work in Texas? Any old fool can decide he thinks you are trespassing and you get your head blown off . . legally?

The majority of people go along with this?

The sheer number of gun crime mass-murders in schools and public places does nothing to show the folly of gun ownership?

What do JWs in Texas do? . .they all own guns too? ( I know thousands of local Witnesses and not one owns a gun.) Only rural farmer brothers have smaller firearms for cattle/emergency use and they NEVER brag about it.

How do you feel about this story . . . do you agree with this?

[Joe Schmoe]

I'm a brother that lives in Texas and over the years have owned firearms. The important thing regionally for us is: WHY are you buying the gun? Is the purpose defense? Or utilitarian? Even though a lot of JW's here own guns it's also not widely talked about/advertised. We do go hunting a lot but again, that's for food.

As to how we partake in the field ministry? It is true a good many householders have guns. Many times we have guns brandished at us to make us leave, however it's not often that a gun is even pointed at you, usually it's the landowner just making his point that you are to leave immediately. We rely on Jehovah's Holy Spirit and his son Jesus to direct the ministry. We also take proper notes and do write down all addresses that show a threat as a "DO NOT CALL".

It's not uncommon to see people driving around with their guns mounted in their pick-up trucks on a gun-rack. It's also legal to walk down the sidewalk with a rifle or shotgun moving from one place to another (handguns have additional regulations prohibiting open-carry, but allow concealed carry with proper permits).

Most of the time you knock on someone's door and they likely are a gun-owner but you would never even know because people here don't just go flashing guns all over the place. In a way the fact that so many Texans have guns is also why there's not a lot of issues with them in public places. Someone thinks twice about brandishing a firearm knowing that likely there may be a handful of other people around that can do the same. That does not stop all crime however, but it does give a lot of criminals pause. Most burglaries happen when people aren't home here. Sometimes it's even to steal a homeowners gun collection!

Also if you do commit a crime with a weapon in Texas the penalties are extremely stiff. If you use a weapon to kill/harm others, there's a large chance that you'll get a death sentence in prison. If you don't get death-row you will likely be locked up for life or some other large penalty.

There are also many types of businesses, schools and government sites that guns are not allowed. If you get caught with a gun in these areas you are automatically a felon even if you didn't use the gun.

Texas law does give people large amount of leeway on the usage of firearms and force to protect their property, themselves or others in danger. If someone is in a parking lot, and they attempt to do harm to another citizen and you pull out a gun and shoot them to stop them, you will go home with no arrest and no charges filed.

It's important to note that these are Texas laws. JW's in these areas still have to abide by biblical principles and their bible-trained conscience. Many JW's here do own guns, but I've never personally heard of a JW using one irresponsibly or owning one for the wrong reasons. Some get together and go to a shooting range (or skeet shooting) to keep their skill up, but by far the reason we have them is for hunting for food.

The various animals available for hunting here are more nutritious, tastier and just plain healthier than eating a lot of the meats available in stores. It's also a TON cheaper to kill our own meat than to buy butchered meat at the grocery store. I can kill one deer and that meat can last me almost a good 6 to 7 months. We are allowed usually 2 or more deer packed in a freezer. Plus it's open season on other species not native to Texas such as wild pigs, Axis deer and some exotic species.

Short-version: Many Texans own guns. JW's are aware and use proper precautions in the ministry. Many JW's own guns themselves too, for food. It's really not that big of a problem here.

[campanula]

[ava]

. there is no defence for that.

He can only claim 'self defence' if they came over to his place with a weapon . . he cannot use a gun against an angry neighbor if that is the only weapon between them.

)

This is in Texas, and yes he can claim self defense and yes he has a good chance of getting off.

I live in Texas, and if I saw someone trespassing on my property and I shot him, I would be able to get off.

Trust me, Texas is a big supporter of guns and their right to protect their property and themselves.

Just about every one in Texas owns a gun. There is a reason they say "Don't Mess With Texas"

. . . . . . .

So where does that leave the witnessing work in Texas? Any old fool can decide he thinks you are trespassing and you get your head blown off . . legally?

The majority of people go along with this?

The sheer number of gun crime mass-murders in schools and public places does nothing to show the folly of gun ownership?

What do JWs in Texas do? . .they all own guns too? ( I know thousands of local Witnesses and not one owns a gun.) Only rural farmer brothers have smaller firearms for cattle/emergency use and they NEVER brag about it.

How do you feel about this story . . . do you agree with this?

Jschaffer gave a good comment about how it is in Texas. Just cause probably 99% of the population in Texas owns guns does not mean they are having shootouts all over the state, lol. Yes, Texas once full of Cowboys, but people are not waving them all over the place shooting at every one.

No matter where you live, whenever you approach a home in the ministry, we have no idea who is behind that door and if they own a gun. I would not be surprised if a good percentage of homes in the United States have a gun. They may not have it legally, but many, many people in the United States own guns.

As to your question "how do you feel about this story...do you agree with this"

Of course I do not agree with this! Why would you even ask a question like that? I hate guns, but I have grown up around them. Most of my family (non witnesses) own guns. My aunt lives in Chicago and even though this is illegal, she carries a gun in her purse.

As to our ministry work, people see us walking up and down the street in the middle of the day, they usually know who we are, we walk up their sidewalk and knock on their door. Witnesses are not getting shot at in Texas.

When I said if someone was trespassing, I am talking about if someone in Texas owned a gun, and saw someone sneaking around his house in the middle of the night and shot that person, the homeowner probably would get off pretty easily.

Gun ownership in the United States is very high, and while some states like Texas have a bit more relaxed attitude towards them, the fact is a good percentage of the people in this country own guns, legally and illegally. Gun ownership has always been high in this country.

[ava]

Lol, so true!!!!!

[JSellenger]

I'm missing what this has to do with entertainment.