Did you hear the one about the two men who were arguing in a movie theater, and the one pulled out some popcorn and tossed it at the other, and the other pulled out a gun and shot the popcorn-tosser dead? (Never bring a bag of popcorn to a gunfight, they say.) Well, the guy who shot the popcorn-tosser is claiming self defense.
Attorneys for the shooter, Curtis Reeves, say their client "had every right to defend himself" against Chad Outson, who they say was the initial aggressor.
We are not a wise country to write laws that escalate violence, instead of defusing it. Our Stand Your Ground Laws, in effect, encourage people to pull out a gun and shoot the other person. It might take no more provocation than throwing popcorn at them, and they decide that means they should kill you. Welcome to the wild west frontier of the 21st Century.
We teach each other that these are good laws. Retired police officers (which Reeves was) are as likely to believe this (that deadly force should be used) as anyone. What we sow, is what we reap. We teach violence, and we reap just that.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/14/tampa-bay-movie-theater-shooting-victim-reportedly-tells-gunman-cant-believe/
Gunfight
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