TX: Fort Worth homeowner shoots two intruders, killing one: "At about 11:30 a.m. Friday, Fort Worth police believe, two men intent on burglarizing the home again kicked in the front door. Anthony Hawkins, who had lost his job in recent weeks, was home. "My brother called, and he said, 'Somebody’s kicking in my door,’ " Joseph Hawkins said. "I said, 'Anthony, protect yourself. I’m on my way.’ " When Joseph Hawkins arrived a short time later, one of the suspected burglars was dead in the street and police were swarming in on the second, who was seriously injured. Sgt. Pedro Criado, a police spokesman, said it appears the two had just entered the home when they were met by the owner’s gunfire. One fled around the side of the house before collapsing on Collin Street. The man, who had not been identified as of Friday afternoon, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other suspect ran to a red Ford Explorer parked on Shackleford when the homeowner opened fire again, possibly after seeing the suspect reach under the seat as if going for a weapon. That suspect was taken to a hospital, and police radio reports indicated that he had been shot in the shoulder and head. His condition was not available. Anthony Hawkins was questioned by police Friday and released."


NM: Murder case against ex-Marine who acted in self defense dismissed by judge: "A former Marine who fatally shot a violent criminal in self defense was charged with murder back in July. On Wednesday of this week, a judge dismissed the case against this innocent citizen. Luke Sanchez, a 38 year old man from Belen, New Mexico and a former US Marine, was driving near his home when he saw a business bing burglarized. He called 911, and followed the criminals' van, trying to the their license plate number. The criminals realized they were being followed, stopped their van, and then and approached Sanchez’s truck. One of the criminals, who had a lengthy criminal record that included attacking a police officer, broke Sanchez’s truck’s window, hit Sanchez in the face, and tried to pull him from the vehicle. Fearing for his life, Sanchez fired one shot, which killed the violent criminal. The criminal’s accomplice then fled. Sanchez was charged with murder for defending himself against the violent criminal, and jailed in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Although the case against Sanchez was eventually dismissed, that does not undo the wrong of charging him with murder. The time that he spent in jail, away from his family, can never be given back. Nor can the emotional distress that he and his family have suffered be undone. Situations like this are why every state needs a “stand your ground” law like Florida enacted, which saves innocent people from the terrible experience of being charged with murder when they lawfully defend themselves."


'Allowed' to carry on Amtrak?: "A "push in Congress for broader gun rights is threatening to derail Amtrak and stall a transportation spending bill," wrote Walter Alarkon on thehill.com on Oct. 25. "Gun-rights advocates in Congress are pressing appropriators to keep a provision that would let Amtrak passengers check in handguns with their baggage." The provision, which calls for withholding $1.5 billion in Amtrak funding if the policy isn't implemented before April, was inserted into the $68.8 billion Senate transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill as an amendment. All 40 Republicans, 27 Democrats and one admitted socialist voted for the amendment, sponsored by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. (The House version of the bill contains no such provision; the two would need to be reconciled.) In terms of its usefulness to defend yourself and others when the next Colin Ferguson decides to step aboard and open fire (Long Island Railroad, Dec. 7, 1993 -- and a lot of good "gun control" did his victims), how on earth is it a step toward "broader gun rights" for the good senators to install a new system which requires us to unload our firearms, lock them in a box, and hand them to some railroad employee to seal them up in the baggage car for the duration of our trip?"


Does a modern Christian have a right to self defense?: "One of the last things Christ said to His apostles before His crucifixion was to go and buy a sword, even if they had to sell their garment to do so.[1] When armed men came “with swords and staves for to take” Jesus, one of His disciples, realizing what was coming, asked if they should “smite [them] with the sword”.[2] Jesus chose not to fight that day. He told Peter to “put up thy sword into the sheath”.[3] Jesus did not tell Peter to throw his sword away. He simply had a better strategy to free the people from the exercising authority of the corrupt government set up by the people who were “making the word of God to none effect.” The apostles were armed men, but they were also men of peace. They were “gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”[4] They supported the weak, patient toward all men,[5] with “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, [of] faith,”[6] but they were armed."