I'd shoot a home intruder in Testing.... testing... 1, 2, 3...

So the story here in the Houston area (or the basic idea of it, details still not known as of this writing) is a dad shot a teenager in his daugther's room at 2:30am. He thought it was an intruder, it was actually the daughter's boyfriend whom she snuck in

Quick sidenote: I hate yellow journalism. Headlines are obviously trying to sway you to think one way. "Dad shoots teenager", already wants you to view one as the victim to sympathize for. I hate yellow journalism, reference Trayvon (yep, I said it!)

But I look at things objectively. Basic scenario: noises in daughter's room, must investigate to protect family, see an intruder, split-second reaction

Do you know how many home invasions occur in the Houston area? Too damn many! I read the news everyday, there's new stories of it every freaking day! Any neighborhood, nice ones, ghetto ones, doesn't matter. Intruders go wherever they can get into and it's up to them if they'll kill anyone

Do you know how many kidnappings and sex assaults occur in this country? Too damn many! My view on that may be tainted though because of all the true crime shows I watch (see previous 'Murder Porn' entry, haha). But it's not unheard of that kids get kidnapped while the parents are in another room, or that they get raped with parents in another room

Given these harsh realities in life, I can't blame the dad for his reaction. Although you could blame the dad for not instilling the morals into his daughter to not sneak boys in her room. Maybe blame him for bringing a gun. But if it's a murderous intruder, would you rather have a gun or a knife or bat?

That's another thing: accountability. All through my entries here and back on OD, I've ranted about this numerous times. You make decisions, with every decision there's a consequence. There are right and wrong decisions, and choosing the wrong side can put you in wrong situations

If this "kid" did not sneak into this girl's room he would not have been shot by her father, it's that simple. He made the bad decision, and walked into a bad situation where the dad chose a bad solution. But the original bad decision: sneaking into this girl's room

My wife says, "But I snuck out of my house as a teen". I told her, "It doesn't make it right". We all make bad decisions, I'm not spewing hypocrisy here. I've made bad decisions, and have had bad things happen to me for them. I mean permanent side effects bad. But I don't blame anybody but me because it was my bad decision in the first place

Oh and as for the "teenager" defense, I don't sympathize with that either. I know they're not adults, but they're not really "kids" either. I believe this teen was 17. If you're old enough to be licensed to operate a two-ton weapon (motor vehicles) and distinguish right and wrong in how to drive it and not run people over, I think you could distinguish right and wrong in not sneaking into a girl's bedroom

moral of the story: It's pick your poison. I'd rather live a life of regret I unknowingly shot my daughter's boyfriend than live a life of regret knowing I didn't stop a rapist/kidnapper from assaulting her. Cold-hearted as it sounds, that's just my instinctive reaction

Have a Nice Day!

ps: Don't say this is a gun-toting redneck thing because it's Texas. Neither myself nor anybody in this story is a white redneck :P