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If I shove you does that give you the right to kill me?
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If someone pushes me, they take the chance that I might over-react.
If when they go to push me, and I move with exquisite timing, they might lose their balence, fall and crack their skull.
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What about if I punch you in the face?
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Do you punch me, knock me down, and then walk away? My desire would be to go after you and physically assault you. In my opinion, giving into that desire would be wrong.
Do you punch me once, then continue trying to assault me further? Then you and I have to deal with the consequenses, don't we?
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How about if I threaten to kill you but don't touch you? That's not a physical attack, then, is it?
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But a verbal assault that is judged to be reasonably threatening may be acted upon physically, according to the laws in most places in this country. Of course, then I run the risk of a jury not agreeing with me. And my assailent runs two risks...1) that I might kill him for his trouble and 2) that a jury might agree with me.
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What if I am holding a gun?
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That is clearly assault, and you should expect me to run away from you in a very crooked line...or perhaps if within 21 feet, maybe charge you, take away the gun, and even pistol whip you with it. Well, maybe no pistol whipping...that would be over the top.
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What if I tell you I have a gun in my pocket but you can't see it?
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A) Anyone who does that is an idiot. Whether or not there is a gun in their pocket.
B) Not going to waste time on hypothetical idiots.
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What if it's clear that I have no weapon but am just making idle threats?
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Then if I over-react, both God and the Jury will hopefully judge me appropriately.
Best,
Ron