Comments on: How much like Byron Smith is the average gun owner?

By: StevoR

StevoR — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 06:02:29 +0000

In reply to corrector. It is? Why? What's "disgusting " about it precisely?

By: Stan

Stan — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 23:46:43 +0000

Advice to all: If you break in someone’s house you might get killed. So act accordingly. These young people would probably be alive today if they hadn’t made such a foolish decision.

By: GY

GY — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 22:26:33 +0000

As if the same thing hadn’t happened millions of times throughout history long before the first gun was invented.

In the Code of Hamurabi the burglar was to be buried in a hole dug in front of the entryway he had used to break into a home.
If a man’s house was burgled his entire community had to chip in to replace all he had lost so they had a stake in bringing the burglar down and burying what was left.

I think this old coot is a murdering scumbag, but murdering scumbags used everything from fire hardened wooden spears to cross bows before guns were invented.

Take Otzi for example, the Neolithic CSI case. Shot in the back with a flint tipped arrow and with blood stains from up to five other humans found on his clothes.
I figure he was chased into the mountains after he had murdered some people.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 14:45:08 +0000

Yes, they were not innocents. But they were murdered in cold blood.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 03:59:42 +0000

Hi November Echo. I agree with you. The weird part is that most of you, along with Byron Smith, would consider me a bleeding heart liberal. I voted proudly for Obama twice ( though I do not consider him a true liberal). However,as far as crime is concerned I am very conservative. My heart breaks that these kids are dead,but they would not be dead if they had not been breaking into houses. They were not innocents. I certainly was not doing that at their ages. Where were the parents? I agree the mother of the boy seems troubling with her grinning. She looks like a meth addict to me. The girl’s parents seem far more decent and genuinely sad. I do not believe Mr Smith is a danger to society and did not deserve Murder 1. I hope he wins his appeal. I have also been the victim of teenage crooks and it is hard to get past.

By: November Echo

November Echo — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 03:10:32 +0000

Any homeowner who has ever been through a break in (like myself) and has come home to the damage done by burglars getting in and then the interior of the house is also in shambles from the burglars doing their thing, probably has no sympathy for these white trash criminal teens wahtsoever. These teens had PREVIOUSLY STOLEN HIS GUNS! Some revenge was warranted. Regardless of the law, they are dead from their greed and stupidity. No daddy in their house? His absence is part of the root of the problem here. Regardless of the law (not allowing the outright execution of a home invader) these dumb F**K teens are gone because when you break into someone’s house you are risking your life. May the world learn from the teen’s trashy criminal stupidity! I saw the mother of the teen boy killed smiling when the verdict was read, if she could have seen a video of him getting the bullets in his body as well, she might not have smiled nearly as wide…

By: jpbrooks

jpbrooks — Thu, 08 May 2014 21:15:03 +0000

I generally agree with Ryan R concerning (responsible) gun ownership and self defense. Byron just appears to me to be a person who (understandably) became frustrated with home invaders, but who (not as understandably) allowed his frustration to lead him beyond the “boundary line” of self defense. However, while I do believe that responsible gun ownership is a good thing, it’s not yet clear to me how much preparation (firearms training, etc.) should be required to qualify a gun owner as “responsible”, especially in view of the fact that a home invader might himself/herself be armed and trained in the use of firearms.

By: Calli Arcale

Calli Arcale — Thu, 08 May 2014 20:14:28 +0000

There was a story being passed around the SCA years ago, when I was active in the society, about a lord (SCA heavy-weapons enthusiast) who defended his manor (garden-level apartment) with a deadly weapon (katana). There was a bad lock on one of the two entrances to the apartment, and the landlord hadn’t fixed it. It was a very hot night, and he didn’t have A/C, so he was sleeping in the buff. When he heard the noise, he pulled on the only clothing to hand (a pair of socks) and pulled down the katana from its display rack on the wall. He emerged from the bedroom to find an intruder with a baseball bat in his kitchen. The intruder had just unlocked the other door to allow his accomplice in, but on seeing the resident, charged him with the baseball bat. Note: baseball bats are not good weapons to use against katanas. The resident took one swipe, laying open the man’s forearm. The other burglar fled. The resident then performed first aid on his defeated foe and called the police. The burglar attempted to press charges, but the judge dismissed the case on castle defense grounds. I’m sure the fact that he rendered aid to the burglar helped, by making it clear he only wanted to neutralize the threat.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Thu, 08 May 2014 13:51:16 +0000

I was saying that MK sounds like he is three years old when he just repeats back what someone else says as his argument.

By: Ryan R

Ryan R — Thu, 08 May 2014 06:30:50 +0000

@ Greg Laden

I don’t understand your last comment. Could you explain, please?