Texas signs new self-defense by gun law

[CMF Newsman]

DALLAS (Reuters) - Criminals in Texas beware: if you threaten someone in their car or office, the citizens of this state where guns are ubiquitous have the right to shoot you dead.

Governor Rick Perry's office said on Tuesday that he had signed a new law that expands Texans' existing right to use deadly force to defend themselves "without retreat" in their homes, cars and workplaces.

"The right to defend oneself from an imminent act of harm should not only be clearly defined in Texas law, but is intuitive to human nature," Perry said on his Web site.

The new law, which takes affect on September 1, extends an exception to a statute that required a person to retreat in the face of a criminal attack. The exception was in the case of an intruder unlawfully entering a person's home.

complete story

[el Gusano]

Meanwhile, guns are still the cause of crime, according to many democrats in congress.

[tcrashfx]

"The right to defend oneself from an imminent act of harm should not only be clearly defined in Texas law, but is intuitive to human nature," Perry said.

Amen. I have always absolutely loathed the "Duty to Retreat as First Option" doctrine.

[voxpopuli]

True gun control is hitting what you were aiming at.

[gridbug]

People are the cause of most crime, but guns contribute to how much damage they can do in the commission of their crimes.

Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have guns. But if they just had knives fewer people would get shot. More would get stabbed, but a lot less would get shot.

Personally I think you should have the right to have any weapon you want. If I could afford a howitzer I should be able to get one. Still can't fire it in the city limits of course...

[karyotic]

I want all the guns I see fit to have, however, I also want to control who else has one too.
I like a 38 myself.

[el Gusano]

I want all the guns I see fit to have, however, I also want to control who else has one too.

Are you a neo-liberal by any chance?

[Jay]

Right......gun control works awesome........just ask Washington DC and their increased gun violence since their gun laws were passed..

~J

[daworm]

But if they just had knives fewer people would get shot.

Problem is, you can't arrange it so they just have knives. They will have guns, period, no matter what laws are on the books, or what punishments are leveed out.

[b33fj3rky]

Anybody know how the crime rate in Houston compares to the crime rate in New York City?

[legaltender]

Houston's 2005 murder rate (per 100,000) was 16.3

NYC's 2005 murder rate (per 100,000) was 6.6