Thursday, May 5, 2011

Conflict Resolution Florida Style

It's not for nothing that Florida wears the crown. The Miami Herald reports.

Tampa-area authorities say an unruly passenger flashed a gun at a cab driver, sparking a gunfight that left the passenger injured.

Largo police say a Yellow Cab driver, who has not been identified, picked up 19-year-old Travonte Myles just before 3 a.m. Sunday. The pair got into an argument and the driver asked Myles to get out. Police say Myles then pulled out a weapon. The driver got out of the car, armed with his own weapon, and the pair exchanged fire.

Police say Myles was struck at least three times in the lower extremities and was being treated at a hospital. The driver was not injured.

Police say the driver is licensed to carry a concealed weapon and acted in self-defense.
Do you think there was any attempt on the part of the cowboy taxi driver to determine if there had actually been lethal threat? Or is it like burglary, we can safely presume the guy deserves to be shot even if he just brandishes a gun?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

7 comments:

  1. I remember when taxis used to have shields between drivers and passengers, kinda like police cruisers. Of course people riding in police cruisers generally are restrained in other ways as well.

    I can see it now...

    In a politely armed society, a potential buyer enters a jewelry store and,after looking at a number of items, decides on one that he might like to purchase.

    The clerk says, "Oh, Sir, that is, if I may so, an excellent choice. I'm sure that your wife, girlfriend or same sex partner will look even more beautiful when wearing it. The price is $5,000 + tax. Will you be caying cash or using a credit card?".

    "Well," says the buyer, "I'd be paying cash, but $5,000 seems a bit high to begin with and I'll be giving it to someone who lives in a non-sales tax state, so we can dispense with that bit of socialist frippery, my good man. Now, what's your best price, really?".

    "Oh, Sir," gushes the clerk, "you have such a droll sense of humor! I'm afraid the price is non-negotiable and the sales tax is as well, unfortunately. While I agree with you, re: the confiscatory nature of ANY taxation--the collection and use of which I don't PERSONALLY benefit from--it is, unfortunately a "nanny state" legal requirement and I have no choice other than compliance.".

    "Egad, sir!" interjects the customer, "If that is the best you can do, I must, perforce, ask to speak to your superior or the prinicpal of this establishment!".

    "Oh, excuse me," responds the clerk, "I am in fact the owner and I am here, alone, except for my 11 yo daughter who is "helping out", today (rolling his eyes and smiling wryly as he says the last bit). I'm sorry to say that, as much as I would love to enjoy your custom, I must respectfully decline, as your continued attempts to haggle are both unseemly and, in fact, counterproductive.".

    "Oh, yeah!", blurts the now incensed shopper, "I want that piece and I want it for %1,000 AND you are
    BYGOD gonna sell it to me!". At this point the man brushes back his ankle length duster to display his twin Desert Eagles, nestled in their rugged but handsome Level II Tactical Thigh Rigs.

    "Oh, dear!" gushes the clerk, "Those are very persuasive arguments, good sir. I am afraid, however, that I must ask to you to leave this establishment, fortwith, and not return until you have become far more mannerly--which will likely be happening simultaneously with the commencment of porcine livestock with wings exiting my anus.".

    Having thus been insulted the would be client, in an understandable moment of justified homicidal rage, drops his hands to "slap leather" and teach the belouped ruffian a lesson in proper retail selling courtesies.

    The store owner, now in a bit of a state of dudgeon, himself, says, "Excuse me, but violence is uncalled for. Not just for my sake, but for that of my precious Phoebe, I must ask you refrain from what you are contemplating.".

    It is at this point that the irate customer hears the unmistakable sound of a pumpguns slide being racked. Keeping his hands extended away from his hips, he turns slowly to see a petite, blonde, almost waifish, gamin eyeing him steadily while keeping the barrel of her 12 GA Remington Model 1187 in Mossy Oak Pink aimed squarely at HIS jewels.

    "Goodness, daddy," chirps the young woman, "You're just a dirtbag magnet, aren't you?". ...

    Needless to say, hilartity ensues--well, there is some bloodshed but it's okay, only bad peoples get shot.

    Remember: An armed society is a polite society (excepting, of course, the sociopaths, vigilantes and garden variety whackjobs that will also be armed under the wetdream of the "No control" crowd.) Mind your manners or be tagged and bagged!

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  2. And the best part is that cute little gunslinger could go ahead and blast away and get away with it......

    Good story Damoroncommie, great to see that your time in the old folks home media room is not going to waste....

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  3. MikeB: “Do you think there was any attempt on the part of the cowboy taxi driver to determine if there had actually been lethal threat?”

    Yes. It was when he pulled a gun on him.

    By the way, what is your take on the Bin Laden assassination? When a citizen shoots an armed assailant, we hear about it. When cops shoot an unarmed man, we hear all about it. In this case, the Seals aren’t even using the “he lunged” defense.

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  4. Nice try, TS but no cigar.

    I find it endlessly entertaining that the folks who cheerled the War in Iraq in 2003 (and that would be the majority of gunzloonz, not gun owners) are, all of sudden--since about 7:00 EST, 5/01/11--concerned about whether or not Mr. Bin Laden was properly Mirandized, whether he was or was not armed and whether he was given an opportunity to surrender. I gotta say that it seems like a remarkable conversion from machotuffguyz to conservawimpz in a matter of just a few short hours.

    I'm pretty sure that the part of Pakistan where the action took place is not, currently, under U.S. legal jurisdiction. So any questions about whether what was done is legal will have to be sorted out by the World Court. That may take a while.

    Mikeb302000:

    If you keep putting up posts like this, you're gonna make Wayne LaPierre cry.

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  5. Democommie: “I find it endlessly entertaining that the folks who cheerled the War in Iraq in 2003…”

    You have a remarkable ability to entertain yourself- I said no such things. I was against Iraq from the beginning, and I am not concerned over Bin Laden’s Miranda rights. All I was asking is Mike’s take on the subject, since he assuredly offers his opinion on similar shooting cases of much lower profile. Not to mention the death penalty- this case being a very short stint on death row.

    My personal take is that we had to go after him, it was a long hunt, we succeeded, and congratulations are in order to Seal Team Six and the Obama administration. But I could never find myself cheering or partying on the streets over an individual’s death. Morally it would have been better to apprehend him, though we’d be worse off giving him a platform to speak.

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  6. democommie siad, Remember: An armed society is a polite society (excepting, of course, the sociopaths, vigilantes and garden variety whackjobs that will also be armed under the wetdream of the "No control" crowd.) Mind your manners or be tagged and bagged!"

    Beautiful.

    About Bin Laden, TS, I haven't been watching it too closely. I was very turned off my the celebrations in the States which reminded me of that vile shit we saw when the Twin Towers went down in places like Palestine.

    The thing I just can't get over though is the burial at sea. It's just too bizarre, too quick and too convenient.

    Just because I think the government should do proper gun control doesn't mean I trust them or believe what they say. I'm probably more cynical and anti-government than most gun owners.

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  7. 'mind your manners or be bagged and tagged' is by definition not a polite society.

    Dear god, some of these people seriously need to read the 'excruciatingly correct' Miss Manners on what really IS polite society, etiquette and courteous behavior.

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