Early morn thoughts from our Idaho hill (self defense)

First off, at about 1:25 am this morning, someone attempted to break into our home.  From time to time, and certainly recently, there have been strange human doings around our place at night.  Hence, some weeks ago I posted an NRA Life Member decal on the windows at both our front and back doors. (We had to do this for several years after we came here in '97.)  We also have something -- an almost antique big cowbell -- tied to the inside front door knob.  Anyone who messes with that door, generates a loud noise.  This occurred this morning.  I was sitting in a darkened living room drinking coffee and only a dim kitchen light was on.  Our front door is between our upper and down levels.  I went down to the front door immediately and then outside.  Whoever was gone.  We have floodlights but a knowledgeable person can avoid those by moving very close to the house.

We have a few loaded firearms located around the house.  But I'm not interested in shooting someone.  As I mentioned on Redbadbear recently, our first line of defense is prevention.  If someone of malice entered our home, I'd hold the person at gunpoint and force them out and away.  It's possible we might call the police under certain circumstances but we are not at all inclined to do that.  

If the person were inside our home and posed a genuinely -- and I underscore genuinely -- lethal threat to myself and our family, I would shoot the person.  I wouldn't lose any sleep under those circumstances.

Self-defense is an inherent, natural right -- not just restricted to our human species. But I don't need a "Stand Your Ground Law."  Actually I don't think Idaho has that in the formal and precise sense but it certainly does recognize, with some qualifications, the right to self defense. 

I do feel that, if those "Stand" laws are going to maintained by some states, narrowing their scope and setting explicit limits would obviously make very good sense.

Hunter Bear

HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / 
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk 
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
www.hunterbear.org 
(much social justice material)

See the new expanded/updated "Organizer's Book," 
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new substantial 
introduction by me. This book is a full, very detailed 
discussion of the rise and development of the Jackson  
Movement of 1962-63 -- external life and internal dynamics.  
And this book is also an organizer's how-to manual.
 http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm   

And see the related http://crmvet.org/comm/hunter1.htm 
 ("Militant and Radical Organizer": -- and also "Fifty Years:
Remembering Medgar Evers")
 http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/3876
 
See the Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Many photos.)

Our very large page on Community Organizing:  
http://hunterbear.org/my_combined_community_organizing.htm