At Fort Worth show, gun owners tout 'stand-your-ground' laws(TX)

star-telegram.com ^ | 7 July, 2012 | Sarah Bahari

[marktwain]

FORT WORTH -- As area gun owners browsed handguns, rifles and ammunition Saturday, some were touting "stand-your-ground" laws and urging more states to adopt similar provisions, even as a national debate continues over whether to repeal them after the February shooting death of a Florida teenager by a neighborhood watch coordinator.

The Florida case, along with others in Texas and elsewhere, has focused on whether stand-your-ground laws should be scaled back or eliminated.

But at a Fort Worth gun show Saturday, the focus was quite different.

"It's sad that we have to worry about it, but that's the world we live in," said Jane Snapp, a longtime recruiter for the National Rifle Association. "I used to not even lock my door, but these days, I have every right to protect myself."

Hundreds of gun aficionados, ranging from first-time buyers to veteran owners, are expected to attend Fort Worth's gun show this weekend at the Will Rogers Coliseum. The show features 120 dealers and 610 tables of guns, knives, holsters and more.

Gun owners said protecting the Second Amendment from any intrusions is their top priority.

Texas law has always allowed deadly force against intruders and thieves to protect lives and property, but in 2007 the state passed the "castle doctrine," which no longer included a duty to try to retreat.

[Happy Rain]

“Stand Your Ground” is a racist Obama voter suppression law!

;)

[tuffydoodle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3xmutPsY2s

What would have happened to this poor girl and her baby had she not had a gun to protect herself?

[Pearls Before Swine]

“Stand Your Ground” is a racist Obama voter suppression law!

Doubly so, because if you prevent a son of Obama from gunning you down, the Dems lose two votes--his live vote and your dead one.

[Jack Hammer]

“It’s sad that we have to worry about it, but that’s the world we live in,” said Jane Snapp, a longtime recruiter for the National Rifle Association. “I used to not even lock my door, but these days, I have every right to protect myself.”

Echo that.

As a bona fide Old F*rt, I can well recall the days when no one locked their doors and everyone had the confidence in their own personal and domestic security that it didn’t matter.

Those days are long gone now.

You look around at what America has become and scratch your head; it’s difficult to recognize.

[Sirius Lee]

You look around at what America has become and scratch your head

Also, church attendance is down. I wonder if there's any connection.

[Ditter]

I remember in Houston Texas in the 40’s and 50’s we never locked our doors and slept with our windows open at night (no a/c). I can remember getting ready to go on a 2 week vacation (driving to Colorado for a breath of cool air) my parents could not find the key to the front door. We left the house unlocked. You could leave your keys in the ignition when you parked your car. I remember seeing a man roll his car windows up (manually) and lock his car before walking away. I was puzzled.... (why did he do that?).

[trebb]

Texas law has always allowed deadly force against intruders and thieves to protect lives and property, but in 2007 the state passed the "castle doctrine," which no longer included a duty to try to retreat.

I backed up two steps, but he was still there - so I shot him...Only a pure fool would allow a perp extra opportunity/time to do them harm - only a pure fool would not say he had tried to elude, but still felt trapped and in mortal danger, "Well gee officer, he just looked lost, and not really dangerous to me or mine, but I had never shot anyuone, so I decided to see if I had the guts to pull the trigger".

[EGPWS]

“Stand Your Ground” is a racist Obama voter suppression law!

;)

Standing your ground is considered a hate crime now.

[sergeantdave]

The insurrectionist rat party has created tribes of feral savages who feel its their right to murder, rape and plunder. As their numbers are cut down by a judicious use of reasonable self-protection laws, the tribal leaders of the feral packs are howling that shooting mad dogs isn’t fair. They don’t get that it’s not about fairness, but it’s about communicating with savages in a language they understand - threats of violence, violence and death.

[MachIV]

They can attempt to repeal all the “stand your ground” and “Castle Doctrine” laws all they want. If someone breaks into my home and threatens my life, they are going to eat magnum buckshot. Period.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[Happy Rain]

That’s right—if you shoot dead a person of color trying to,say, rape your daughter you had better have a bucket of whitewash handy to paint the corpse with before the cops arrive.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

‘zackly.

[Balding_Eagle]

Also, church attendance is down. I wonder if there's any connection.

Also, the number of churches that preach the Bible has plunged, I wonder if there is any connection to attendance?

[rustyboots]

It can only be a “racist” hate crime if you are around to be arrested. Use a revolver, shoot Glaser Safety Slugs or maybe rat shot. If I have to defend myself and there are no witness’s, why should I stick around? I suspect I will just walk away. Leave no evidence, keep your mouth shut and let them fall and rot.
Why should I put myself in a position where I end up bankrupting myself and my family? For what? An oxygen thief too lazy, too sorry, and just a total waste of life.

[Mycroft Holmes]

They can attempt to repeal all the “stand your ground” and “Castle Doctrine” laws all they want. If someone breaks into my home and threatens my life, they are going to eat magnum buckshot. Period.

Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

And when you are arrested for defending your life it is critically important that you not waive time at your trial. Your lawyer will try to get you to do this. He'll tell you that "It's a standard courtesy to the court." If you don't waive time they have to bring you to trial in some short (45-90 days, varies by state) time. Longer delays only benefit the state. Your lawyer is lazy and the extra time won't benefit you, just him. In fact, if your lawyer tells you to waive time (and you are innocent) you need a new lawyer.

I, for one, welcome our old Lawyer Overlords /.

[SeminoleCounty]

Sad part is that here in my Seminole County..the GOP governor and GOP AG are trying to take away our Stand Your Ground laws by siding with Black Racist groups trying to lynch George Zimmerman.

They are trying everything to railroad Zimmerman, even his own defense attorney

We need stronger SYG and Castle Doctrine laws, so that people are never persecuted for self-defense

[X-spurt]

You just talked me into getting a Judge. 410 in a revolver, “Sorry we had to meet this way, hope someone finds you before the possums and buzzards do”, end of story.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

“...a national debate continues over whether to repeal them...”

This debate is between three parties. The MSM, in favor of repeal, the gun control lobby, also in favor of repeal, and criminals and their apologists, most definitely in favor of repeal.

No reason to invite everyone else to this mutual agreement society debate, as the public are quite fond of stand your ground laws, even in places where it has been blocked by leftist politicians.

[1malumprohibitum]

The entire “debate’” is utterly dishonest. SYG is ONLY immunity from civil action. It is in no way a license to kill as the anti’s misrepresent it. If it is a bad shoot it does not apply.

People need to call stand your ground what it really is a baby step in TORT REFORM. It prevents frivolous lawsuits and anyone who thinks we need TORT REFORM should be in favor of SYG.