Don't Get Mr Angry...You Will Not Like Me When I Am Angry..

Today, October 1 2005 has special meaning in Florida. A whole slew of new laws take effect today, complements of Governor Jeb Bush and the FL lawmakers.

Most of the new laws are, like most new laws, boring. You might never even notice them. For example, the fine for running a red light went up from $60 to $120. The extra money expected to be collected will go to trama hospitals and stuff. People convicted of drunk driving will have to register their vehicle every 6 months, as opposed to once a year for everyone else. But if you are not convicted of drunken driving, and you never run red lights, you would never notice these new laws.

But there is one more law that takes effect today. This law could have an effect on everyone. Then again, it might have little or no effect at all. We just do not know what it will do.

In Floirda, you can now shoot first and ask questions later.

Under the old system, people were required to attempt to escape from a dangerous situation before they could use deadly force. This was only if you were on the street, Florida has had a "castle doctrine" law for many years. Under the castle doctrine, people who are inside their home, or place of business (providing they are the OWNER of the business) did not have to attempt to flee before using deadly force.

The castle doctrine is a good idea. Someone who is willing to break into a occupied dwelling is a dangerous person. Who knows what this type of person would do. Maybe they are just going to steal a television - but then again they could be members of The Manson Family. You just never know.

In Florida, the castle doctrine only applies if you are INSIDE your home or place of business. Both you and the criminal have to be inside the walls. You can not just blast someone who was in your front yard. The key was your life being in danger. Someone inside your house is a potential danger to your life. Someone outside your house stealing your car is not a danger to your life.

But now, all you have to do is think that you might become the victim of a crime before you blast a hole in someone.

Supporters say that it will make the streets more safe, because law abiding citizens will be able to legally shoot faster. No longer will you have to attempt to remove yourself from the situation. And criminals, in theory, will not be as quick to rob someone because that person might have a snub nose .357 magnum revolver on them.

Before I give my opinion of the new law, I must come clean. I own guns. Several of them. I have handguns, rifles, and a shotgun. I have automatic pistols (self loading one shot per trigger pull), I have revolvers, I have semi-auto rifles, I have bolt action rifles, I have a black powder revolver, I have a black powder rifle, and so on.

I think the new law is a bad idea. As I write this post, the law is untested in court. I do not know the exact wording of the law, but as I understand it there is not a whole lot of room for interpertation here. If you think that you could become a victim of a crime, any crime, you can shoot. Your life being in danger, or not, is not an issue anymore.

I think the new law is a bad idea on two fronts. First off, picture this senario. You are pissed off at your neighbor, because he was trimming a tree and a branch fell on your fence. You start to tell at him. He yells back. He has a chainsaw that he was using to trim the tree. So you shoot him. Was your life in danger? Not really. Did your neighbor threaten you with the saw? No. But since the saw is a weapon, and the argument was heated, and he could have used the saw against you (making you the victim of a crime), the shooting could end up being justified.

Or maybe you are involved in a car accident. As a result, there is an argument. Words fly, and tempers heat up. The other person yells just a little too much, or a little too loud, so you shoot. Might the other driver had slugged you? Maybe. But then again, maybe not.

And how about the criminals? Will they be less likely to resort to crime as a result?

No, they will not. It will make them more violent. Put yourself in the shoes of the criminal. You are going to rob someone. You know that they can shoot if they even think that you are going to rob them. So do you just pull a knife and say "give me your wallet"? No. You might get shot that way. So what do you do? Logic tells you that you have to hit your victim hard and fast. You have to get em before they can get you. You might knock them out. You might shoot them first. You might use that knife, and not just pull it out.

Criminals pass their occupational hazards on to their victims. Doing so makes the criminals safer.
So if you live in Florida, or you are planning to visit Florida, do not piss anyone off. Avoid any disputes. Until this law is tested in court, it is the wild west here.