The Shooting Gallery: Police Violence MEGATHREAD

[grumbler]

I'm still waiting on his clarifying answers to my questions.

So did he or didnt  point gun at someone? Trying to get the straight story.

It is a he said/he said type situation. Witnesses say he didn't, the shooter said the guy did. Probably not going to get a straight story.

But is pointing your weapon at somebody mean you are fair game to be killed? But if you did it accidentally?

You tell me on the first question.

Accidentally? How does the other person know this?

So if somebody points a gun at you, you are just going to open up?

What's their intentions?

Is this your clarifying question? You don't know just some dude waiving his weapon around.

Your earlier question was about someone who has pointed a gun at someone else.  Now you seem to be moving the goalpost to "just some dude waiving his weapon around."  In the former, you can reasonably be in fear of imminent death, and can defend yourself.  In the latter case, you aren't and can't.

[Valmy]

So if somebody points a gun at you, you are just going to open up?

If you have a reasonable fear for your life, yes.

And what better way to instill fear, and put your life in danger, than carry a gun around?

That kind of proves my point really.

[grumbler]

So if somebody points a gun at you, you are just going to open up?

If you have a reasonable fear for your life, yes.

And what better way to instill fear, and put your life in danger, than carry a gun around?

That kind of proves my point really.

There's probably better ways to instill fear than pointing your gun at a stranger under conditions that make him or her believe that you intend to fire, but there aren't many such ways.

Carrying a weapon openly is going to help create those conditions of fear, but you can't legally be shot just for carrying and thus causing fear.  The threat must be imminent.

[garbon]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/patricia-mark-mccloskey-rnc-st-louis-couple-guns-protesters/index.html

St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters to speak at Republican convention

[Zoupa]

What a caricature the Gop has become. Forget the dog-whistle, it's a bullhorn.

[garbon]

It is hard to see how there is anything worth saving in such a party.

[Valmy]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/patricia-mark-mccloskey-rnc-st-louis-couple-guns-protesters/index.html

St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters to speak at Republican convention

Sigh

[Valmy]

There's probably better ways to instill fear than pointing your gun at a stranger under conditions that make him or her believe that you intend to fire, but there aren't many such ways.

Carrying a weapon openly is going to help create those conditions of fear, but you can't legally be shot just for carrying and thus causing fear.  The threat must be imminent.

Maybe carrying a gun might make somebody think the threat is imminent That might be enough.

The distinction seems rather arbitrary.

[Sheilbh]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Basically all grievances, all the time.

[Valmy]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Basically all grievances, all the time.

I have no idea who that is.

But this is very populist and shows how they are not for having better ideas for America but mobilizing their supporters against their ideological enemies: other citizens of the United States. People like me. Well how comforting.

[Eddie Teach]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Basically all grievances, all the time.

That one makes sense, in an opportunistic way. The gun-pointing lawyers, though... What's next, Robert Zimmerman?

[grumbler]

Maybe carrying a gun might make somebody think the threat is imminent That might be enough.

The distinction seems rather arbitrary.

The distinction is absolutely as arbitrary as any other motive, yet we've been using the "reasonable person" standard in criminal law for a long time.

[crazy canuck]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Basically all grievances, all the time.

With all the Republicans worth listening to backing Biden or backing away from Trump, that is pretty much all they have left.

[The Minsky Moment]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Just need some "very fine people" to talk about their Confederate "heritage" of Bedford Forrest statues and it will be complete.

[grumbler]

Also speaking at the RNC - the student who went viral with the Native American protester.

Basically all grievances, all the time.

Given what they have to work with, the Republicans probably realize (now, as in every election since 2000) that they can't get elected based on "I'm better than my opponent," so they go for "my opponent is worse than me."

My real introduction to the modern Republican party occurred during the 2000 presidential primary.  I worked for the McCain campaign as a volunteer, and we were all gung-ho after winning New Hampshire handily.  Then, just before the South Carolina primary, the Bush campaign unloaded its bullshit dumpster, spreading claims that McCain had fathered a black child out of wedlock (he and his wife had adopted a Bangladeshi orphan), that his Navy medical records were sealed because they showed that he'd been mentally disturbed since his POW days, and that his wife was unfit to become first lady because she was a drug addict.  All f this was disproven, but too late for the vote, and McCain lost South Carolina.  The Shrubbery denied any involvement in these smears, of course, but I don't think anyone believed them.  When McCain dropped out of the race, I dropped out of the Republican Party.