This is not to say that I reject the right of the individual to maim or kill anyone who attacks his home, family or person, so long as the person being attacked is not doing harm to anyone else such as to justify the initiation of force against him. The individual does have the right to thus use deadly force in self-defense, even if the assailant happens to be wearing some kind of badge or uniform. Please note this is NOT the same thing as saying it's OK to harm or resist a duly sworn officer who politely knocks at your door and serves you with an arrest or search warrant in the lawful conduct of his or her duty, giving you a reasonable amount of time to read that warrant and then pull on some clothes. No one who thus defends his home, person, or family should be charged with any crime. If so charged, their jurors should acquit without hesitation.
Men sometimes have a right to kill.
There are higher values than life. Given the choice between consigning my child to a life of slavery, or giving up my own life, I devoutly hope I would always choose the latter. And I know I would kill to avoid slavery for me or mine. Vin Suprynowicz is the assistant editorial page editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal . In the Waco Killers is now available .