I made my son cry.

First, I have to explain how I inadvertently made him cry, and second, how I managed to make it a little better...

Yesterday, I read a diary here at dKos h/t, beagledad

I hit the link in the diary, and read the full story, which made me terribly, terribly sad.  

A man shot and killed after entering a stranger's home and passing out on a couch had been drinking heavily that night, but was not a violent person, according to a friend who had been with him that evening...

follow me over the fold for the full story

...Police said Christy Cramer found Smith passed out on her couch early Thursday. Cramer fled the house and got her husband, Keith Cramer, who happened to be at the same place where Smith and Lyons had been drinking.

When the couple returned, Keith Cramer, 34, confronted the man, said Dwes Hutson, spokesman for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Christy Cramer called 911 to report that a man had passed out on the couch. Within seven minutes, Keith Cramer called to say he had shot the man.

Sutherlin police responding to the initial call found Smith dead on the couch, shot once with a high-powered hunting rifle. The authorities have declined to say if they think Smith woke up between the two calls.

I know, I know - it's a sad story, but this tragic event shouldn't weigh as heavily on me as scores of soldiers and civilians dying in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Still, it stuck with me, probably because it's HERE, and I don't want MY country to be a place where this becomes the norm (or is even considered acceptable).

Thanks to our SCOTUS, the shooter will probably never face justice for this murder.  Updated to add: I know the recent decision wasn't about this issue, but this is clearly an NRA friendly court.  If and when a "Castle Doctrine" case is brought before the court, don't expect them to rule in favor of the unconscious intruder.

::  

How I made my son cry:

So, today at lunch, I brought up this story.  I asked my husband and kids, "if you came home, and your door was open, and you found a man passed out drunk on your couch, what would you do?"

10 year old:  "um, call the police?"

Me:  "yeah, that sounds about right.   What else might you do?  Maybe call an ambulance, too?"

My husband, with a snarky tone:  "I'd shoot 'em."   (if you knew my husband, you'd know this was the polar opposite of anything he'd ever consider, therefore, this was just snarkiness.  The kids knew it, too)

Me, dropping the bomb:  "well, that's what one guy did."

My younger son, at 6, didn't quite follow all of this - he doesn't understand "drunk," and I doubt he knows that shooting is "for keeps."   My older son, age 10 1/2, however, was very upset and ran upstairs crying.  

I, of course, felt awful for bringing this up as cavalierly as I did.   They're not particularly sheltered kids, and I assumed that he would share my moral outrage and feel saddened by the larger implications of this event.  

His reaction was more like the drunk guy had been our cousin.

I let him be for a bit, then I went up to his room and talked to him.   He cried, "why did the guy have to SHOOT him?   Why does anybody ever shoot ANYBODY?   What could be so important in his house?"

I explained about fear, and about many Americans' sense that their property is their castle, in which they have total power - even over life and death.   I also explained that I think this is wrong, and that I suspect this is exactly what Jesus was talking about when he said

"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

 Matthew 5:38-42

Yeah, Jesus, that DFH (as he would no doubt be called were he in America today) - he would probably care for the drunk guy, and even make him some coffee when he woke up.

How I made it better:

Then, I remembered that I had just heard a story that made me as happy and hopeful for our society as this story had saddened me.  I got out my player and played this Story Corps. story for my son.

Please take a listen to his short, sweet story.  Digg it.

We need more Julio Diazes in this world, and fewer scared people who put stuff before people.   Don't you agree?