Claiming the bill advanced a "shoot first, ask questions later mentality," Gov. Ed Rendell on Saturday vetoed legislation expanding self-defense protections.
The bill would have provided the same right to use lethal force in self-defense outside and inside the home.
The so-called castle doctrine in state law gives people the right to shoot an intruder in their home or office without retreat. The bill would have extended that protection to locations such as driveways, streets and parks if a person was confronted by an assailant intent on inflicting death or bodily injury.
It's no wonder gun owners like the castle doctrine so much. It fits right in with the don't-tread-on-me, these-are-my-rights mentality that most of them have. All this stems from insecurity and fear, naturally they need as much empowering as they can get.
Governor Rendell described it perfectly.
"The bill as passed encourages the use of deadly force, even when safe retreat is available, and advances a shoot first, ask questions later mentality," said Rendell, a former Philadelphia district attorney.What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
That's okay, we'll get just get it in 2011. Tom Corbett promised to support an expanded Castle Doctrine after he's sworn in next year. You may have won this battle, but you're still losing the war.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Fast Eddie is a spineless PoS that's left a bad taste in many Pennsylvanians' mouth, which probably has something to do with the healthy margin of victory that Corbett enjoyed over Onorato. The people have spoken...
Corbett, the state’s attorney general, won with 54.5 percent of the vote to Onorato’s 45.5 percent.
ReplyDelete54.5% is hardly a supermajority of "the people"
Given this was an "off year election" there wasn't much voter interest.
Anyway, according to my source for the PA election results, it sounds as if it were far more of a victory for business interests than "the people".
If you actually read my comment before responding, you'd notice I didn't claim anything about a supermajority. He won by almost a 10 point MARGIN, which is fairly healthy. It's all a moot point anyways, because even if he had just won by one point, he still takes office in January, and we WILL get our expanded Castle Doctrine next year. All of your gnashing of teeth over "shooting first" and "blood in the streets" aside, its most important feature is immunity from civil lawsuits after a defensive shooting. I would hate to have to use my gun to defend my life against some scumbag, only to turn around and have to defend myself legally from said scumbag's family's ambulance- chasing lawyer.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great victory for the anti's. It will be months before this sails through the legislature again and gets signed into law.
ReplyDeletePoor Pennsylvania, already going down the drain, now it'll be a sad state indeed.
ReplyDeleteActually, in terms of supporting personal freedom (not just gun rights) it's probably the only state worth living in between New Hampshire and Virginia.
ReplyDelete