Hooray! Castle Doctrine proposed for WV!

Sometimes it's nice to get e-mails from the National Rifle Association, especially when they're reporting good news and not just asking for funds for the fight.

This update was case-in-point.

West Virginia: Protecting Your Self-Defense Rights in Your Home!

Friday, January 11, 2008

On Wednesday, January 9, State Senator Shirley Love (D-11) introduced Senate Bill 145, “Castle Doctrine” legislation. SB145 simply states that if a criminal attacks a law-abiding citizen in his or her home, automobile, or any place he or she has a legal right to be, the use of force is allowed for self-defense. NRA is working with all members of the West Virginia Legislature to get the best, clearest language possible before moving on to final passage.

Every member of the West Virginia State Senate is a co-sponsor of SB145. It is assigned to the State Senate Judiciary Committee, with no hearing date set at this time.

What the "Castle Doctrine" means is that the law looks at a citizens' home or car as his/her castle, and it says that a person threatened in their home or car by an aggressor does not have any duty to try to run away but can stand their ground and use deadly force is need be to protect themselves without having to worry about being prosecuted, assuming that it's an otherwise good shoot legally. Many states have adopted this in the last decade, in large part due to the efforts of the NRA, and it's things like this that make me send them my money and not "all talk/no accomplishment" groups like the sham "Gun Owners of America" that does nothing more than spam out inaccurate alarmist e-mails that draw funds from well-intentioned but gullible gun owners which are used for nothing other than enriching Larry Pratt and his family. Even allowing for the fact that they don't have a perfect record (and who does?), the NRA definitely walks the walk and gets things done.

It's also notable that this bill is sponsored by State Senator Shirley Love, a Democrat, and co-sponsored by the entire WV Senate body. Credit where it's due, and Sen. Love is earning it for stepping up.