I recently read a good analogy to describe the situation in which a determined violent criminal attacks and can only be deterred by deadly force. I have dedicated thought and study toward the legal and moral consequences of this situation. It has always seemed to me that whenever somebody threatens violence against his fellow man, that person gives up any right or expectation of decent treatment. Furthermore, the strong have the right and the duty to protect the weak. Every able bodied person has not only the right, but the moral duty to protect and defend his family and others who depend on him. The law recognizes the fact that people have the right to defend themselves. So this is covered both legally and morally. But still it is interesting to find useful analogies.

Consider the triage that medical professionals (or anyone offering assistance) perform at the scene of a disaster incident. They have to determine who can be saved and who is beyond help. They do not choose to put themselves in this position. The situation is forced upon them. They take action to minimize the harm of a bad situation they did not create.

There is an important distinction here: they do not choose who can be saved and who is beyond help. That was determined by the disaster incident which was beyond their control. They merely arrive after the damage is done and save whoever they can.

A legally and morally justified use of deadly force in self defense is similar. Nobody chooses to have a violent criminal attack himself, his family or others. But when this happens, somebody is likely to be killed. The homeowner has an opportunity to affect the outcome and minimize the harm. He can do nothing and allow innocents to be killed, or he can take action to save them. In saving them, the criminal may die, but that is not the intent of the homeowner. His intent is only to prevent innocents from being killed. He does not choose or create this bad situation; the violent criminal forces it upon him. It is a simple act of triage - minimizing the harm of a bad situation the homeowner did not cause or create.