Coal Stove Theft

I'm getting the itch to go buy more ammo. I don't have time to reload but save all my casings anyway - someday they will get reused.
The MS-13 thing caught me off guard as mentioned earlier in this thread - did some searching and sure enough they are in Ma - I just didn't realize that.

What would Charles Bronson do ? Oh yeah ---->

Who's Wildey ?
You'll see ?

makes a real mess

I think samhill's reference may have been a little bit subtle, at least if this is what he was referring to: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/01/mis ... s-rapists/ . That governor is not only a Republican, but also a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Interesting "pinko" credentials.

Apparently unlike most of the rest of MA, plenty of people in my area are armed, but that doesn't put an end to people stealing stuff out of yards and vehicles. I know personally that two of the culprits are women who have diagnosed mental illnesses. I'm sure there are some tough guys who will volunteer to shoot them or beat the crap out of them. Likewise, I'm sure many people would applaud a veteran using a gun to defend his residence against intruders. The only problem was the "intruders" were his neighbors who were doing work in their own yard when he opened fire. It may somehow be comforting to reduce the problems of the world to "us vs. them", but things usually aren't that simple.

Mike

If I were to come out & say that it's the overall rightest mentality as an opening statement I would have been jumped on without anyone reading past the first line. As hard as it may be to get past a left & right point there are some things that are universal(believe it or not).

C'mon Pacowy - you know MA -- You can't shoot ANYONE unless you or your loved ones are in immediate danger of severe injury or death. You shoot someone breaking into your car, your going to jail - in this state at least.

I think anyone stealing from should be shot on sight. If that's not ethical, then don't steal *censored*!

I agree that people shouldn't be stealing stuff, but I don't really get how it's ok to use deadly force to defend your spare tire or soda cans in the bed of your pickup. Even in the Middle East, you might get your hand chopped off for stealing, but it's not a capital offense. In which states is it really permissible to shoot someone if they are not putting anyone in immediate peril?

If anyone can demonstrate from the heavily-armed states that guns lead to lower crime rates against people and property that aren't counteracted by increased accidental and deliberate gun-related damage, I'm open to being persuaded.

Mike

Mike

I think you are missing the point of most of the posts. People are tired of the system not doing anything or very little when crime is committed against them. And sometimes having the system itself turn and attack the victim as well.

When this happens society feels like it must strike back itself. Look at NYC during the 70's and 80's. Times Square was a cesspool. Minor crimes had become so common place they had become ignored. Enter Rudy G who held all accountable. Even for minor things, and now Times Square is an awesome to place to visit.

As I stated even if the perps who stole my stove is caught nothing or very little will happen to them of consequence. Notwithstanding the fact of how long it took me to earn the money to by the stove, pick it up, load and unload it. The perps if caught will have nothing really happen to them to make them think twice about doing it again. As such the system has failed ME.. The victim. And yes I want retribution.

This thread started with your report of a theft, and much of the 5 pages that follow - including the post preceding mine to which I was responding - relates to the use of guns in response to crimes against property, so I don't think I've missed the point. I've had stuff stolen (burglary in Boston; 2 yard thefts in Dalton) and I'm not a gun control advocate, but the idea that people who are frustrated and angry can solve their problems by grabbing a gun makes an argument for gun control that the proponents of the idea undoubtedly do not intend. If no one can name a state where deadly force is permitted in response to property crimes - let alone any demonstration that such a policy works - it seems like the point is more of a fantasy from a video game than anything that would be useful in addressing the problem. From what I remember of Saugus, there aren't many back yards or driveways where a person could discharge a firearm without putting the neighbors in jeopardy, so I hope your neighbors resist the temptation.

Around here, maybe it's a small world, or maybe the new correctional facility was built with excess capacity, but thieves really do get caught and sometimes they do time. In MA, no less! I do sympathize with you on your experience, but I'd like people to make sure the cure they advocate doesn't create more problems than it solves.

Mike

(removed duplicate post)

Mike

Nicely written post Pacowy. The desired result isn't always what you might have hoped for.