From: Neil Francis, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Antony Har's 'Self Defence Monthly' opinion also cannot go unchallenged.
Ignoring the usual rhetoric of under funded policing, useless goverment,
totalitarianism, anti-democratic establishments and society sinking into
its usual pit of depravity there is still the massive assumption being made
that Martin actually did act in self defence. Never mind the USA - do
members of Cybershooters actually believe that Martin should not have been
tried for the killing of a burglar on his premises? That is, or was, the
issue here and the answers that seem to be coming back from this question
are worrying.
To condone a system in which any member of the public can kill any other
member of the public then simply claim self defence and in no way be held
answerable in law or show any moral or legal responsibility for this action
is also disgusting and decadent. I have no issue with the self defence
anngle - what I do have issue with is the prima facie presumption that
Martin killed in self defence without any sort of public hearing to confirm
this. That hearing happened, the jury heard the facts of the case, and
found Martin guilty of killing unlawfully. Unless you were a member of the
jury, or have read a full transcript of the case I cannot see how anyone
else can offer alternative judgements on _this_ case.
Time and time again I see this on Cybershooters (and elsewhere). I see no
particular interest in this case for shooters so the only conclusion I can
draw is that shooters who post to this list take an interest from the 'self
defence' angle. This is a dangerous road to go down and it takes only a
small leap of imagination to draw the conclusion that shooters also hold
their firearms for the purposes of killing people, dressed up as self
defence, to fulfill some weird fantasy about their version of a just and
free society.
Even with the massive public support for Martin and the potential positive
PR that could be had it won't help shooters or shooting. As someone on the
Sportsman's Association BBS said '..before Hungerford the public
had an image of target shooters using precision target rifles [and pistols]
against small round targets and were happy with that. Hungerford smashed
this image and replaced it with one of camouflaged weirdos waving AK47s
around and indulging dubious fantasies. Dunblane sealed their fate by
confirming their suspicions.'
I'll also have to remind myself in the future that if ever I get into
trouble, and need help, in the outback of this country lets hope that I do
not bang too hard on the wrong door of a farmhouse, appear too unshaven to
be a legitimate caller, or maybe just drive the wrong type of car into the
farmyard. After all it may be one of you guys inside with your guns ready
just waiting to demonstrate your right to what you can later call self
defence.
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Neil Francis
Trowbridge, UK
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[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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