Friday, May 4, 2012

"Second Amendment" Vigilantes Protecting Their Own


By Josh Horwitz:

This morning, I posted a blog at the Huffington Post that looks at a horrifying incident in Georgia that somehow has escaped national attention.

On April 19, 2012, Jean and Angelica Kalonji were attempting to change the locks on a home their son had just purchased for them when they found themselves staring down the barrels of AR-15 assault rifles wielded by their neighbors, Robert and Brandon Canoles.

The Canoles suspected the Kalonjis of burglary and would not listen to them, instead holding them forcibly at gunpoint until sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene. When asked why he did this after the fact, Robert Canoles said, "This is my Second Amendment right. Look, this is the country out here, and we protect our own."

Apparently the Kalonjis—an interracial couple—weren't "his own."

It would be comforting to think this was an isolated incident. But as we know from the slaying of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, armed vigilantism is a phenomenon in contemporary America that is both real and incredibly dangerous.

Why are vigilantes who claim "Second Amendment" protections so corrosive to our democracy? Read my new blog, " 'Second Amendment' Vigilantes Systematically Dismantling Our Rights," to find out.

3 comments:

  1. Update:

    ""Now the Canoles face charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment.

    Robert Canoles told Stouffer, "It was a big misunderstanding. I just got scared, didn't know what to think that night."

    On Wednesday, the Kalonjis offered their neighbors cake, apologies accepted. Angelica Kalonji told Stouffer, "I accept it with all my heart, the apologies, ready to be the best neighbors now and forever."

    Robert Canoles said he hopes others learn from his mistakes, "I just hope people learn a little humanity -- trust each other, be kind.""

    In the "perfect world" envisioned by idiots like Greg Camp, the Kalonjis would have been armed and when the home invadin' Canoles charged into their home with levelled weapons they would have killed both of them, immediately.

    All is forgiven according to the news account, well by the Kalonjis, anyway. The DA might not be so inclined.

    Let's hope that the Kalonjis don't own any livestock that trespasses onto their neighbor's property.

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    ReplyDelete