Quote
Originally posted by: malibber2
Doesn't every conservative gun nut dream of being a hero that foils a criminal with his or her big bad gun? What could be more heroic than pulling out your gun at a big box retail store full of people and trying to pump some lead into the backs of a hardened criminal as he flees with some ill gotten 2x4s?
No.
But now poor old DonDiego understands the thoughts behind malliber2's misapprehension of the term "conservative".
Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, and individual liberty. The role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems, as opposed to establishing an ever larger role for The Government.
Shooting at shoplifters isn't addressed by the philosophy directly. But conservatism does, nonetheless, recognize the necessity for legitimate government police powers, . . . such as those likely to be applied to the misguided lady in Detroit.