First duty is to yourself
Date: Feb 5, 2006 6:16 PM
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/columnists/vassilaros/s_420318.html

First duty is to yourself

By Dimitri Vassilaros
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, February 5, 2006

The law says you must act like a coward. In your own home. Even when your life is threatened.
Many states have criminal-friendly “duty to retreat” laws. A victim in his house is mandated to retreat from an attacker until he is cornered. Only then is the prey allowed to use lethal force on the predator. Prosecutors in those states have been known to victimize the victim (such as charging him with manslaughter) who prefers to fire back rather than to back off.
The National Rifle Association has been trying to end the insanity state by state.
Florida came to its senses last year. It enacted a law based on the “Castle Doctrine” — that one’s home is one’s castle. A person now is not legally required to be hunted down room by room by an intruder before the victim pulls the trigger. The law allows the victim to shoot back without fear of being prosecuted for being overzealous about protecting his life. And it prohibits criminals from suing their more aggressive victims. All their victims, actually.
“Somebody should not be twice victimized, first by the assailant and then by the legal system trying to destroy his life,” says Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, the largest organization representing gun owners after the NRA.

But the Florida law does more.

Car-jackers beware; now one’s car is his mobile castle. And better still, if a victim is not in a home or car, now he legally can use deadly force. Sunshine State criminals without a death wish might want to consider career counseling. Or take Horace Greeley’s advice to go west. But if they do, they had better hurry.