
Originally Posted by
MOTO13
When, pray tell, do you begin to defend your life? What injuries are needed to make your life worth defending? Realize it or not, at any time during an attack it may be your very last moment or chance to save your life. I'd shoot, save my life and ask for forgiveness later.
I feel that this is an excellent point, even if it was made by MOTO.
I have no intention of discussing the particular case that sparked this discussion but I find the concepts interesting. While it is obvious that SYG laws can allow people to easily get away with murder, which is terrible, I have to say that deep down the concept of SYG really resonates with me.
It is my understanding that self-defence laws often require you to attempt to flee before being allowed to actually defend yourself. Why should you have to do that? If someone is attacking you why should you have to waste precious time and concentration trying to run away? If you are a victim of an attack you should be able to defend yourself immediately.
Judging what level of defence is appropriate is tricky. If someone runs up to me and starts punching me why should I be limited to defending myself in a similar way? He has no right to be attacking me. Sure, I could try to fend him off with my own bare hands, but I have no idea what this violent attacker will do next. Is he going to pull a weapon? Will he curb-stomp my face into a pulp if I fall to the ground? Why should I have to risk finding out? Why should I have to wait? I am the victim here. He attacked me. Why shouldn't I just blow his head off and be on the safe side?
Most people seem to agree the result of the particular case that sparked this discussion was legally justifiable and that the law itself is the problem. This is why I don't wish to discuss that actual case. And I accept that SYG laws have problems. But I would really like someone to explain to me why the well-being of someone who is physically attacking me should ever be my concern or responsibility.
I'm genuinely interested in the discussion and am absolutely willing to change my opinion if presented with a really good argument.
“Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.” – Bill Hicks