Mr. Horn - Hero or Killer?

In Texas, a fellow by the name of Horn shot and killed two illegal immigrants who were robbing his neighbor's home. Even though it turns out that the criminals were unarmed, Texas law may be on Horn's side.

Liberals want Horn prosecuted for murder, or at least for manslaughter. But most Americans are hailing Horn as a hero. So, on the surface, this might appear to be a very complex issue.

But it is not at all complex. First, the criminals chose to be criminals, knowing full well that they could get shot in the act of their crimes. First and foremost, they need to be accountable for their own choices and deeds. And while their crimes might not warrant a death sentence, had they not chosen a career in crime, they would not have been in jeopardy, and would still be alive today.

More to the point, however, is the simple fact that, at least in that part of Texas, criminals may now think twice before committing crimes. I have said it many times before - if community "A" outlaws guns, and community "B" encourages gun ownership, most criminals will avoid community "B" and go to community "A" to commit their crimes. Not even criminals are dumb enough to rob an armed group, when an unarmed group is available.

If more criminals were to get shot in the act, there would be far less crime, guaranteed. Partly because many would be deterred, and many simply would no longer be alive to commit crimes.

Yes, I know this sounds callous and perhaps uncivilized to a point. But in a society that is not yet fully civilized, it is foolish to be 100% civilized - it sets us up to be victimized.

We all know - and the facts substantiate this - that violent crime is on the rise, and in many areas, is totally out of control. This can be directly attributed to our society having become more tolerant of crime, of criminals, and of evading personal responsibility.

It is time that we, as civilized people, begin to draw a hard line and say, "Enough is enough!" It is time to stop coddling lawbreakers, stop plea bargaining their felonies down to misdemeanors, stop paroling violent offenders, and stop being so accepting of crime. Once you accept something, it becomes a reality.

Vigilante Justice is wrong. There is too much room for error and injustice. But the folks also need to have the right to protect themselves, and others. My suggestion is that all states pass laws that permit people to protect themselves, their property, and others, but to place strong restrictions that would help alleviate any possibility of things going wrong. Texas has made an effort in this regard, but I think they need to consider placing harsh consequences on folks who go too far, or in situations that do not require deadly force. In the case of Mr. Horn, there is some question as to the need for deadly force. I think he went further than was necessary.

Unfortunately, our laws are so crazy that Horn knew that he must kill, not just wound, the criminals. If he were to wound them, the law says they could sue Mr. Horn. Laws should not permit any criminal to sue for anything that happens in connection with any crime he commits. If we take even that small step, Horn could have simply shot them in the legs to stop them. Easy enough to do with a shotgun at such close range.

I only have one problem with what Mr. Horn has done. Because of him, Texas criminals may now seek a new hunting ground - and it might be where I live. And where I live, the state does not allow citizens to protect their property with deadly force. They would prefer to make me a victim, rather than to make criminals the victims.