I picked up the latest issue (May '09) of "Combat Handguns" this evening and read the "It Happened to Me" stories that I usually enjoy. For those of you who aren't familiar with the column, it's a portion of the magazine that prints stories readers send in concerning real-life incidents involving firearms.
As is often the case, I came across a story that seemed to unapologetically glorify the misapplication of deadly force. The story titled "Grandma's Savage" is about a woman ("Grandma") who, living in a neighborhood plagued by a peeping tom, fired her Savage .32 ACP multiple times through her home's entry door when a visitor didn't respond to her when she asked who was knocking at the door. The writer states that, after firing, Grandma heard someone tumble down the steps and that it isn't known whether she killed, wounded, or simply frightened the visitor. In any event, the author ends the story with the proud announcement that the neighborhood never had problems with peeping toms after that night.
I'll state the obvious here. The guy knocking on Grandma's door could have been hard of hearing or deaf which would explain why he didn't announce who he was when knocking. Maybe he simply didn't speak English. Perhaps grandma was hard of hearing. Maybe it was a local neighborhood kid playing a well known prank which I won't name (I surely did that when I was a kid; thankfully no one shot me through the door with a .32!). The innocent possibilities are endless.
It is important to note that the publisher of this magazine flags this column at the top with "DON'T BE A
VICTIM" (bold added for emphasis). The column's subheading in this edition is "
Survival lessons from hometown, the woods and Grandma" (bold added for emphasis). Victim of what? Survival from what? These headings form a contextual frame around the column's stories thereby implicitly condoning the actions performed within them.
If the publisher insists on printing stories that clearly demonstrate the felonious misapplication of lethal force, it is irresponsible for the editors of this magazine to let these types of stories go uncontested. They should at least ask Mas or someone else with knowledge of lethal force law to write a brief blurb under such stories explaining how Grandma could & should have gone to jail for a very long time for her actions. Such a response could have informed the readers that, given the information provided in the story, Grandma was not justified in using deadly force because a silent knocker does not demonstrate
imminent jeopardy,
ability to cripple/kill (e.g. a deadly weapon or disparity of force) or
opportunity (assuming the door was locked).
Having had my rant, I will give this otherwise excellent publication credit where credit is due. Mas, you always have excellent articles which carefully & articulately explain when lethal force can and cannot be legally used and responsibly detail the repercussions in the event of the former. However, having one responsible column by Mas doesn't excuse the editors of the magazine from publishing (uncontested) stories from readers which glorify the felonious misapplication of lethal force.
Mas, you're the man. If I'm off base here, please set me straight. I realize that I may be placing you in an awkward position though considering I am criticizing one of the hands that feeds you
I just read your book "In the Gravest Extreme" a few days ago, so I'm a little hyper critical of these things (great book, by the way).
