Castle Doctrine

HARRISBURG - The state House passed a measure expanding gun-owners' rights while scuttling for the second time in as many days an effort by gun-control advocates to close the so-called Florida loophole. In a bipartisan 159-38 vote, the House approved expansion of the so-called castle doctrine, which allows individuals to defend themselves beyond their home - or castle - or vehicle. At the same time, House Republicans, backed by dozens of Democratic supporters, shut down attempts to consider any amendments proposed by gun-control advocates.

"GUN NUTS" and "gun-hating zealots" will be taking aim at each other before the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee today in Harrisburg (check your weapons at the door, please.) It's a public hearing for House Bill 40, which will "eliminate the duty to retreat" if you are confronted by an attacker, according to Dave McGlaughlin, deputy counsel to the committee, and a former Philadelphia defense attorney. As another chapter in our society's clash of cultures, HB40 will drive most Philadelphians batty and be catnip to Pennsylvanians up north and out west.

HARRISBURG - The state Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a measure that would expand gun owners' rights and voted down an amendment that would have repealed a law that allows individuals who cannot get a gun permit in Pennsylvania to do so other states. In a 41-8 vote, the Senate amended a bill to add the so-called castle doctrine, which allows individuals to defend themselves beyond their homes, including in their vehicles and, in essence, "anywhere they have the right to be," according to the legislation.

GOV. RENDELL COULD soon have the legal right to arm himself, stand outside the Capitol building, and start shooting approaching lawmakers. Of course he shouldn't . . . but he could, if he signed a ridiculous gun bill that landed on his desk last week. The bill would broaden the "castle doctrine," which empowers people to defend their homes with deadly force. Now, people who feel threatened in their offices or even their cars can shoot first, and ask questions later. (And yes, Rendell would have to feel threatened in order to shoot, but we think that wouldn't be difficult.

Gov. Rendell on Saturday vetoed three bills, including a measure that would have expanded a person's right to use lethal force against a perceived threat. The so-called castle doctrine already protects residents' right to defend themselves inside their homes, or "castles. " The bill would have extended that right beyond the home and removed a person's "duty to retreat" to avoid a potentially violent confrontation. "The bill as passed encourages the use of deadly force, even when safe retreat is available, and advances a 'shoot first, ask questions later' mentality," Rendell said in a statement issued Saturday afternoon.

Summer meals starting With today being the last day of the year for public-school students, Mayor Nutter yesterday announced the start of the city's summer-meals program. Call 3-1-1 for the nearest summer-meals site. Children eat free at more than 1,000 sites, thanks to the USDA's Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, administered by the state Department of Education. Last year, more than 91,000 children ate summer meals. But that was still 47,000 fewer than the number of students who received school meals during the school year.

ST. LOUIS - A top National Rifle Association official levied sharp criticism against the national media on Saturday, accusing it of sensationalizing the Trayvon Martin case and ignoring other crimes that happen across the country every day. NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre didn't mention the Martin case by name during his speech at the group's annual meeting in St. Louis, but he accused the media of "sensational reporting from Florida....

WHERE'S ALL our so-called minority leadership in the positions of authority in this city? I grew up in South Philly, my mother is black, and the one thing I'm proud to say is that we are represented in local and state government. That being said, where are the results? Why is this city no safer? Now, if we had a plethora of white faces in these same positions of authority, we'd be screaming that they "don't care" about the bad minority neighborhoods because they "can't relate. " Guess who else can't relate?

Town-watch volunteer George Zimmerman told Florida police he felt so threatened by a 17-year-old high schooler toting only a soft drink and a bag of Skittles that he had to gun him down. As preposterous as that sounds, the self-defense claim carried enough weight with police in the Seminole County town of Sanford that Zimmerman, 28, has yet to be charged in the death of Trayvon Martin, a well-liked Miami teen with no criminal record. That's because Florida - like Pennsylvania, among nearly two-dozen other states - in recent years enacted a reckless law that gives citizens the right to use lethal force if they feel threatened.