Quoted:

Nuance is lost on GD sometimes. You can be armed without pointing guns at people. You can be on the record as fearing for your life instead of arguing on camera with people you are allegedly so afraid of you have to point guns at them.

Quoted:
Even though I would have handled this slightly differently, I still don't think they should be prosecuted for it. The "protesters" broke down a gate so this is far beyond just hanging out on a public sidewalk. Based on recent events there was a clear threat of this turning violent. All it takes for a protest to turn into a riot is one asshole throwing a rock or molotov cocktail.

Does anyone think this would be handled any differently if they had kept the guns at a low ready? They probably could have left them in a case, and the leftists would still be screaming about it, and the corrupt DA would likely go after them for that as well.

Quoted:


Even if they didn't damage the gate it doesn't change the fact that they trespassed

Quoted:


True. I just think that the damaged gate should make it easier to defend against whatever charges the liberals want to file, but we do live in a clown world so who knows. By breaking the gate, the protesters knowingly trespassed on private property and lost any excuse to say otherwise.

They should be allowed to carry guns anywhere on their own property in the first place so the whole uproar from the liberals (and some posters here) is bullshit.

Quoted:
One thing is for use if they create a legal precedent where these people actually go to prison for defending their home we are all screwed.

Quoted:
And this is why I don't buy into the "Back the Blue" , TBL bullshit.  Because it is exactly that, bullshit.
Cops can't protect you all the time, cops won't protect you all the time.
When you're forced to protect yourself, the cops will then come and confiscate your means of self protection, so when the mob comes back to burn your house and beat you to death, you're helpless.
If the cops turn against their corrupt masters and start triple S'ing communists like the St. Louis DA & prosecutor, then I'll consider supporting them.
In the meantime, FTP & FBLM, they're both assholes colliding.

Quoted:
I still say the best way for Mr. McCloskey to have handled this was to go outside the house, sans spouse, announce in a loud voice that the mob was trespassing and to vacate immediately.  Then he should have retreated to the inside of the house and left the door partially open.  

If anyone had followed him inside, it would have made use of his weapon prudent, legal, necessary, reasonable, and socially acceptable.  IOW, https://youtu.be/HORkT4a2MhQ

Quoted:


This is the only reason why I support abolishing all law enforcement agencies. Since they are no longer even following the law themselves, then what purpose do they serve other than being used as a punishment tool against the left's political adversaries?

Quoted:
Even though I would have handled this slightly differently, I still don't think they should be prosecuted for it. The "protesters" broke down a gate...

Quoted:
One thing is for use if they create a legal precedent where these people actually go to prison for defending their home we are all screwed.

Quoted:


A criminal threat is immediate, specific and non conditional. “Eat the rich” is a slogan no rational person would believe to be a credible threat.

Quoted:


"nuance"   really?  your comments are hilarious.  Think of how many innocent people have been harmed by these so called "protesters".  People have been killed by these assholes.  I don't give a shit what side of the political spectrum these homeowners reside on or in.  They have a right to take whatever steps they need to in order to protect their life and property.  Pointing the firearm at these asshats could be exactly what convinced them to move on "peacefully".  Looking directly into that blank hole at the end of a barrel tends to have an amazing affect on people..........

Quoted:


An open gate next to a sign that says "Private Property" does not give you permission to enter.

If I leave my garage door open, that doesn't mean that a hobo can just walk into my house.

Quoted:
i dont blame them for wanting to defend their home / standing up to the crowd, but id not have done it the way they did it. walking out to sit on the porch and cleaning a rifle with a second loaded rifle leaning against the wall, while the wife shot video of the protestors while calling 911,  would have accomplished the same thing. or having a rifle conceiled under a blanket on your knees as you drink your coffee.

protestor.  " whats under that blanket? "
home owner.. " fuck around and find out"

protestors light a molotov, or try to attack you, and you shoot them with wife getting it all on video, they are kind of fucked. its for this reason im installing a security / camera system soon, so i can have proof of what actually happened on my property, vs what someone else claimed happened. its hard to refute video proof, proving you acted legally to actual threats, its also useful for prosecuting people who threaten you, tresspass, etc..

they might still have charged you, but it would have been a lot harder to prove intent to threaten, sitting and calmly cleaning your rifle, or sipping coffee with a conceiled rifle vs waiving guns around, pointing them at the crowd and screaming threats at them.  they SHOULD have been able to start shooting tresspassers as soon as they ignored warnings to leave, IMHO, as property rights should be absolute in my opinion, and the right to defend them absolute, and someone breaking the law should have no legal recourse or ability to sue... but unfortunately thats not the world we live in today. people video everything, and plenty of bleeding heart, politically motivated government agents are more than willing to ruin your life, even when your in the right legally. what might get you praise in the news in one area, might get you life in prison in another area, optics are always important IMHO, and you had best try to have good optics in your favor if shit goes sideways.  

a 60 year old man running around outraged, waving a gun around, and screaming threats will not get nearly as much compassion in the media / court proceedings as a 60 year old man appearing meek , feeble and disabled, who draws a weapon in fear for his life at the last minute as a horde of angry people decend on him on his own property after asking them to leave for example. or the elderly feable wife shooting them from a window as they attack her unarmed husband.

Quoted:



I disagree.

This couple had undoubtedly been watching news reports and footage of mobs of BLM supporters over the past few days vandalizing and burning and destroying structures in multiple places in the U.S.

A mob exactly like that (as far as they know) then illegally enters their PRIVATE street, and when asked to leave, not only refuses to leave, but starts chanting "eat the rich" .... and you don't see how someone MIGHT see that as threatening?

Really?

Quoted:


They are the first house inside the gate, once you enter the (clearly marked) private street.

How are they supposed to know if the mob is going to stop at their house, or keep walking?  The mob is not supposed to be there at all.


Your suggestion is a little like telling a guy who is facing a charging rhino  "Do you really know that he is going to trample you?  Maybe he is planning to run right past."  That's easy to say in hindsight, but a lot trickier when you are the first house on the street, and you see a mob entering the gate and heading towards your house.  Sure, they MIGHT just be out for a stroll in your private street in your private neighborhood ... but they MIGHT also be there to burn down your house, because you are a rich white asshole.

Should you wait until your house is on fire, before you are sure?

Quoted:


And that is presumably exactly what the charges/trial will probably revolve around.


I consider myself extremely reasonable.  I would have done everything exactly the same as what this guy did, EXCEPT I would not have pointed the weapon at anyone.  I would have had an AR visibly on me, but I would have stayed in low ready, muzzle pointed at the ground.

Quoted:

He said "probably" but sure, let's assume whatever details we must to justify a prosecution.

Right?

They tried chasing these guys off verbally.  "Escalating" things as you put it.  Well, the mob refused, because they were unarmed, and appeared worrisome enough for the guy to go back & get a gun before re-engaging.

But sure, let's assume he was totally just over-reacting, had tons of better options that made sense.  Anything to justify a prosecution.

Right?

Quoted:
It's just a mob, there's no articulable threat, no immediate harm, etc.

Let's flip this around.

If the McKloskeys were black, and this was a group of people in white pointy hats going for a stroll through the neighborhood, would anyone be criticising the couple for their actions?

Quoted:


I agree completely.


... except I do not think they are "idiots" - I honestly think they were scared, and I do think they had the legal right to do what they did.

I agree they could have displayed better judgment, but not everyone is equally cool under pressure, and not everyone responds the same to stressful situations.  I think they could have done better, but I still think they did okay.


Had they opened fire, then we would agree 100% on the "idiot" part.  

Quoted:


And now we are back to looking at pictures of fingers on triggers and the gun allegedly being broken. The only thing dumber than threatening a mob with no backup is doing so with a nonfunctioning weapon.

Quoted:


Ironically the thing you proclaim as dumb worked to disperse the mob. If it’s dumb but it works...

Quoted:

They didn't disperse they kept traveling on their original intended path to the mayor's house. The only people that cared about that strip of land that isn't even their yard or house grounds proper are the McCloskys, who care so much about it they are in a legal fight with their neighbors over it, pointed a gun at a neighbor previously over it, and decided to accost a mob traveling through it.

Quoted:


Even if they didn't damage the gate it doesn't change the fact that they trespassed

Quoted:


It also does not change the fact an angry mob of people were shouting out loud they “intended” to cause destruction and/or harm others.
Any group of people standing in front of my home Loudly shouting, directly pointing in my direction and proclaiming they Intend to cause harm. Get treated as the direct threat they are.

Good brandish. Brandishing of a firearm To show they will not willingly accept mob rule may have actually made those assholes think twice before actually doing something that would get them shot.
The mob bitched and moaned but they never got the nerve to follow through on their verbal threats.

In the totality of circumstances I see no problem. Espically since no rounds were fired.

Quoted:


You generally cannot point guns at people that are trespassing. This has been a thing since forever.