"Don't take the law into your own hands."

"Call the police. Let them handle it."

Law enforcement and politicians have spoken the words time and time again, warning us of the dangers of unchecked vigilantism. Social activists take every opportunity to warn us about OK-Corral-style shootouts and streets running with blood should the public be encouraged to take responsibility for their own protection.

On February 15, a seventeen-year-old girl in Deland, Florida was shot in the head by her ex-boyfriend, who then shot himself. Natasha Hall and Clay Coffner both died of their injuries. The shootings took place at Natasha's home.

A friend of Natasha's described Clay Coffner as "jealous and abusive". Natasha had called the Deland police many times because she was afraid that Coffner might try to harm her in some way.

In the news write-up, Natasha's mother, Sherry Hall, reported that back on January 15, "The police officer said if you call us one more time on him, I'm going to arrest you both. So, the day she died, she knew she couldn't talk to police. So, she handled it herself."

Ten different United States Supreme Court rulings have concluded that the role of police in the United States is not that of personal security guard (unless you happen to be one of those politicians who decries the dangers of unchecked vigilantism), the most recent in 2005. Yet law enforcement, politicians and social activists go about the business of warning citizens against self-protection as if these rulings never happened.

What could possibly be the purpose of such ignorance?

Dekalb, Illinios; another 5 dead.  Another series of killings in a gun-free zone.  Another state with stringent prohibitions against firearms ownership.  Another case where police were nowhere around to help.  And another case where no other law-abiding citizens were prepared to meet this threat to defend themselves or anyone else.

"Kazmierczak had a State Police-issued FOID, or firearms owners identification card, which is required in Illinois to own a gun, authorities said. Such cards are rarely issued to those with recent mental health problems."

It bears mentioning that we here in New Jersey also have this absurd process of the FOID.  A process that typically takes six months, criminal and mental health background checks, fingerprinting, photograph and approval by the state.  A process that (supposedly) creates a barrier to prevent those with criminal intent or tendencies from obtaining guns; a process that places our citizenry in danger by denying us the ability to carry a sidearm or other tool adequate to mount a defense in the face of an attack.

See the text below from the Saturday Newark Star Ledger, and try not to throw your coffee cup across the room, or shout obscenities that the children may hear.

How can we have a sitting judge state that the gun is the problem here?!?!?! How could the prosecutor offer a plea bargain to this miserable excuse for a human, who apparently has no remorse whatsoever for this heinous murder? He is 17 years old now and will be eligible for parole when he is 30, still plenty of criminal years left ahead for him.

Teen gets 15 years for killing woman