- A.P. Penner -: September 2005

I will never go to Florida

Stay away from Florida, people. In April, Gov. Bush of Florida signed into law a measure called "Stand your Ground" which allows people to shoot people. Yes, its true. Don't be mistaken, I of all people am not an anti-gun fanatic. My childhood pastimes include seeing how many barn swallows I could pick off in one day. But this is a rediculously backward regression in our civility as a nation. Consider this:

MIAMI — When 16-year-old Mark Drewes knocked on a neighbor's door in Boca Raton, Fla., and then ran away as a prank, he was shot dead by homeowner Jay Levin. Mr. Levin, who said afterward that he mistook the boy for a robber out to attack him, was sentenced to 52 weekends in jail for manslaughter.
Now, 18 months later, the state has enacted a law that opponents fear will only encourage more gun owners like Levin to adopt a "shoot first, think later" approach - and this time get away without punishment. But others see the new measure, which allows people to meet "force with force" in public places without fear of punishment, as a vital way for people to protect their homes and families. - Christian Science Monitor

Come on people! This "force with force" ideology is incredibly ignorant. And one wonders why one of the most professedly Christian nations has outrageously high murder and violent crime rates compared with other "civilized" nations? I'm sensing some inconsistencies.