Is America really stupid -? or, is Hollywood just taking for granted that if we are not 'one-of-them', we must be.
http//www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=10783
Seems that everybody is at it. Last night Bill O'Reilly blamed the verdict in the Robert Durst case on the fact that the average intelligence of the jury pool in this country is so low.
Americans are not stupid but they are ignorant and the media feeds this ignorance even more and the teachers of our children don't help the matter.
When they have laws on the book such as this, you have to wonder.
'Make my day' killing neighbour escapes charges
November 13, 2003 - 1112AM
No charges will be filed against a Colorado homeowner who shot to death a neighbour who was threatening him at his door because the killing was justified under the state's "Make my day" law, a prosecutor said today.
"Citizens of our state have a right to absolute security in their homes," Weld County assistant district attorney Thomas Quammen said.
The Colorado legislature in the 1980s passed a law that gives immunity to homeowners who take deadly action against someone breaking into their homes.
The law is commonly referred to as "Make my day" in a reference to the Clint Eastwood movie Sudden Impact in which his Dirty Harry detective character dared a criminal to shoot back and "Make my day".
The shooting occurred on November 2 after Richard Hammock went to the home of his neighbour Eric Griffin whom Hammock believed shot his dog with a pellet gun. Hammock was holding a wooden pole.
"The evidence we had was that the deceased came over, was angry, was shouting, was being provocative," Quammen said.
The homeowner went to the door and told Hammock to go away and locked a glass door. But Hammock then broke through the glass pane and Griffin shot him.
"If someone is breaking into your house ... you are entitled to use force, including deadly force," Quammen said.
"Our hands are tied on this," he said, referring to the state law that provides immunity from criminal prosecution and even immunity in civil suits.
He said besides calls from the media, the district attorney's office in Greeley, Colorado was also getting phone calls from the public mostly supporting the district attorney's decision not to prosecute.
Reuters
Seems that everybody is at it. Last night Bill O'Reilly blamed the verdict in the Robert Durst case on the fact that the average intelligence of the jury pool in this country is so low.
I saw that programe ,didnt think it was him actuallyhe was just milling over what the quest said :-) it was women he was interviewing who suggested that we have :proffesional jurers : ?
The other guest hit it on the head ,Durst got of (if in fact he is guilty ) because the prosecution only charged him with ...murder 1 ... and as there is no body to prove cause of death ,therjury had nowhere to go but to bring in a not guilty verdict . it was basically a* he said she said* case
Wht would this country become if we had *prefessional meaning govt employees * ??? we have enought corruption and waste in the govt now .
Trust the common man/women to do there duty when called apon , even with human failing asnd prududices this is better then GOVT RUN KANGAROO COURTS .we wer.nt at the trial and dont know all the evidence that was submitted .
To suggest that the public is somewhat lacking in intelligence or unable to render a just verdict ....ACCORDING TO THE LAW... is unconscionable .
The other guest hit it on the head ,Durst got of (if in fact he is guilty ) because the prosecution only charged him with ...murder 1 ... and as there is no body to prove cause of death ,therjury had nowhere to go but to bring in a not guilty verdict . it was basically a* he said she said* case.
To suggest that the public is somewhat lacking in intelligence or unable to render a just verdict ....ACCORDING TO THE LAW... is unconscionable .
I watch The O'Reilly program too, John, he's my hero, it was stated afterwards that the prosecution screwed up by only charging him with murder1, instead of adding manslaughter as another choice. A couple of the jury said if the option had been manslaughter they would have given it.
Now they are opening the other case against Durst, his last wife, who disappeared under strange circumstances, and they say they have much evidence of his guilt of her death.
Americans are not stupid but they are ignorant and the media feeds this ignorance even more and the teachers of our children don't help the matter.
Thats a rather sweeping statement Ben, so all Americans you know are ignorant?
Americans are not stupid but they are ignorant and the media feeds this ignorance even more and the teachers of our children don't help the matter.
Thats a rather sweeping statement Ben, so all Americans you know are ignorant?
I would say a larger percentage of people than I've seen in other countries. Whether its the culture, educational system or some other factor.
Or that you don't get out much.
http//www.private-eye.co.uk/dumb.htm
http//www.angelfire.com/bc/stories/americans.html
Americans are not stupid but they are ignorant and the media feeds this ignorance even more and the teachers of our children don't help the matter.
Thats a rather sweeping statement Ben, so all Americans you know are ignorant?
I would say a larger percentage of people than I've seen in other countries. Whether its the culture, educational system or some other factor.
Yes its true most of them are and they vote democrat :D :D :D
I think the majority of americans are of average intelligence but are very ignorant of the rest of the world in general, not stupid.
That said, I also think the rest of the world is quite ignorant of the real America and the people that live and work here, getting their views from fictional tv shows and scewed media reports.
When they have laws on the book such as this, you have to wonder.
'Make my day' killing: neighbour escapes charges
November 13, 2003 - 11:12AM
No charges will be filed against a Colorado homeowner who shot to death a neighbour who was threatening him at his door because the killing was justified under the state's "Make my day" law, a prosecutor said today.
"Citizens of our state have a right to absolute security in their homes," Weld County assistant district attorney Thomas Quammen said.
The Colorado legislature in the 1980s passed a law that gives immunity to homeowners who take deadly action against someone breaking into their homes.
The law is commonly referred to as "Make my day" in a reference to the Clint Eastwood movie Sudden Impact in which his Dirty Harry detective character dared a criminal to shoot back and "Make my day".
The shooting occurred on November 2 after Richard Hammock went to the home of his neighbour Eric Griffin whom Hammock believed shot his dog with a pellet gun. Hammock was holding a wooden pole.
"The evidence we had was that the deceased came over, was angry, was shouting, was being provocative," Quammen said.
The homeowner went to the door and told Hammock to go away and locked a glass door. But Hammock then broke through the glass pane and Griffin shot him.
"If someone is breaking into your house ... you are entitled to use force, including deadly force," Quammen said.
"Our hands are tied on this," he said, referring to the state law that provides immunity from criminal prosecution and even immunity in civil suits.
He said besides calls from the media, the district attorney's office in Greeley, Colorado was also getting phone calls from the public mostly supporting the district attorney's decision not to prosecute.
Reuters
I agree with the colorado law .
Other states HAVE similar laws .
Some uninvited quest in your home intent of depriving you are something that is rightfully yours or even worse the life of you or one of your family deserves all he/she gets .
If the country cant protect its citizens against aggresors then the homeowner has the perfect right to protect himself
Id sooner take the chance of conviction of murder by a jury of my piers than go to the funeral of one /or more of my loved ones . the first is a no win ,the second you have at least a chance ..
Think about it ........