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Praetorium Honoris

Friday, May 15, 2026

Proportionality

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When I saw this article, over at Zendo Deb's place, it got me to thinking.

Proportionality, to me at any rate, is a lawyer's exercise in determining what is "fair."

I don't know about you, but if someone comes at me, with the intent to do me bodily harm, I sure hope that I have an effective weapon at hand. Fair has nothing to do with it.

Source
Which pretty much summarizes my outlook on this sort of thing.

Don't want none, don't start none.

And of course, the ever popular FAFO¹.

Fair is for sporting events, not life and death situations.

'Nuff said.



¹ F**k Around and Find Out.

22 comments:

  1. Another of Britain's colonies that never had a revolution which means no First and Second Amendments.....enough said Sarge. Your first photo contains products of two companies of which I carry every day........:) Because EVERYONE has a right to self-defense.

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  2. "If you find yourself in a fair fight you didn't plan well enough." Something like that. Even #44 got it right when he said, "They bring a knife, we bring a gun." A nimble, in shape 20 year old isn't concerned about "Fair" or "Proportional" when he attacks an arthritic, broken down 70 year old.

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  3. Life isn't fair and for most life on earth, you are food for whatever can catch you. That's the way nature works.
    But I grew up in a wealthy and protected society (both property & physical protections), so some of these simple & basic lessons were not as up front as they are for others less fortunate in where/when they were born.

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    Replies
    1. Those who rely on others for their protection often lose sight of reality.

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  4. Only been in one shooting event since I retired from the military.

    A clean shoot as described by police but my 38 spent almost a month in the evidence room and I was blessed that the "victim " as described by the lawyer had a long rap sheet and I a clean local EMS provider and a sane Judge.

    Not always true in blue zones.

    First rule of a gunfight is don't be there.

    Michael the anonymous

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  5. It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.

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  6. I'm one of the Officers at a small local Social Club. Sometimes part of the job is keeping the peace. Most of the time a polite word here and there is enough. Sometimes it isn't. A few weeks ago one of our regular members had a friend of his in as a guest. He started to get out of hand and I asked him to rein it in. He looked at me and said "I'll kick your ass in a fair fight!" I looked back at him and said "What makes you think I'm going to fight fair?" while picking up a barstool by the leg with one hand. "Sorry." was his reply. he was fine the rest of the evening. God my shoulder hurt after that. I'm getting too old for that shit.

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  7. I think I’ve mentioned this Mantra before. “ You don’t need a gun until you need a gun, then you need one BAD!”
    Juvat

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  8. Curious, the authorities don't have their panties in wads over the 'good student and future star' having a gun and assaulting a pregnant woman.

    Hmmm.

    Well, I'd kill to protect my dog, and definitely so to protect Mrs. Andrew.

    Proportionality? Nope. Overwhelming force.

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    Replies
    1. Overwhelming force ...

      To encourage the others.

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  9. "Fair" is followed by "excess force". On a test drive the "customer" pulled a cheap Jennings semi-auto from his jacket. After taking it away, I used it to subdue him. There was talk about me using excess force. I had to hire a lawyer.

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    1. Excess force, to me, would have you involved killing the idiot then raining indignities upon his corpse. But that's just me.

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    2. Right there. That's the problem. You had to hire a lawyer - and these days, that can empty your pocket, and your wallet, and your bank account. Somehow that doesn't strike me as fair - or what the Founders had in mind when they wrote the 2nd.

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    3. Bingo. Lawyers wrote the rules to keep themselves employed, or so it seems.

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    4. Pre cell phone days. I subdued him so I could drive five minutes to the police station. Several officers were customers and one took me aside and said, "Hire a lawyer, now!" Several officers wanted a cheap but reliable commuter car which I was always happy to provide. They were happy to bring my miscreant sons to my house instead of jail. Win/win.

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    5. Good to have guys on the "inside."

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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