Moral (vs) legal

In general we like to feel that the laws of our country and state are founded upon what we would consider “good”, “right”, and “moral” footings. The “Bad Guy” is always the outlaw whose lives by his own rules and for selfish purposes. The problem arises when people disagree about what is “good”, “right”, and “moral”. There may come a time in your life when you have to make a choice that you feel is morally the right one, but that may be judicated by a court of law as illegal or unjustified, or vice versa. There may be actions taken by others that you feel are just “wrong”, but there is no law condemning their action.
This is never more powerfully seen then in the news stories involving the use of deadly force. This topic came to life for me when discussing a news story in the which a man killed another man, probably accidentally, but in order to protect others from a perceived threat. The authority in that state determined that the use of deadly force was unjustified and the man was charged with manslaughter. I am leaving the details of this story rather vague because I don’t want this blog to turn into a discussion of this particular incident, nor do I want to argue weather I feel the man’s actions were justified or not. The issue here is that there is a debate. It is not as cut and dried as we would like. As a person who is interested in defense, of self or others, it is important to realize that you may be called upon to make a decision in the heat of the moment. Is it better to run, hide, or fight?
You will need to live the rest of your life with that DECISION. Did you protect others? Did you cause a death? Will you go to jail? Will you be sued by the family? Will you be convicted? Who will stand by you? Who will think the worst? So the question that you have to ask yourself is, “what am I willing to sacrifice for this action?” You can prepare yourself by studying the laws of your state and any state that you may be in. That can help you make a more informed decision, however, you cannot control the results of public opinion or the decree of the court. You will be held responsible for you decision. You may not agree with those consequences. However, is your action worth all the possible consequences, whether you feel that they are justified or not? Can you live with the fall out?
For me it becomes much easier to deal with the “fall-out” if I feel that my actions protected or saved another. I believe I would have a harder time living with myself if I failed to save my child, or another person I could have helped. However, all of these choices must be taken seriously and with the upmost care. It is imperative that we think ahead of a situation what would be the right response.