Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
The Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine legislation, House Bill 40, is necessary to restore our rights that have been violated by current law, which is not aligned with our constitutionally-affirmed God-given right to defend our lives, loved ones and property with lethal force when necessary.
"The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned."
Ratified in September 1776, Article 1, Section 21 secured Pennsylvania's legacy as the first state in the nation to adopt explicit language in our constitution affirming that private citizens have the right to bear arms for the purpose of self-defense.
Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin and our Founding Fathers had the common sense and understanding of personal responsibility and self-government to recognize two undisputable truths.
First, a truly safe and liberty-advancing society is an armed society. Second, innocent lives are needlessly lost anytime government takes action to leave law-abiding citizens disarmed and defenseless against violent criminals - who, in many cases, obtain their weapons illegally.
Castle Doctrine corrects three primary flaws in current law.
There is no presumption in current law that if a criminal breaks into your home he intends to harm you. Castle Doctrine will change the law so that if a criminal invades your home in the middle of the night it will be assumed he is there to do you and your family harm, not deliver fresh-baked cookies. The use of force, even lethal, will be the expected lawful reaction by a homeowner against a home invader.