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Self-defense fundamental

The Spokesman-Review

In Sara Leaming’s piece on gang violence in Grant County (“Drawing a line,” Aug. 8), law-abiding Shawana businessman Larry Davis is described as being “prepared to take the law into his own hands” because he keeps a gun for self-defense.

While laws regarding self-defense have varied from one jurisdiction or era to another (e.g., whether the defender may possess a firearm, or whether he has an obligation to retreat before using deadly force), Christian/Western jurisprudence has always recognized the fundamental right of peaceable citizens to defend themselves against criminal attack.

Thus, to describe a person who would defend himself against criminal violence as “taking the law into his own hands” is not just fundamentally false, but indicative of a bias against lawful self-defense. I trust The Spokesman-Review’s editors will be more watchful for such subtle prejudices in future articles.

Frank Golubski

Spokane Valley

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