Comments on: Self Defense? http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/ Asian American Intellectualism, Activism, and Literature Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chen http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9508 Chen Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:33:52 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9508 I dont think Ung wanted it to escalate into a life and death situation but thats exactly what it was. It would have ended very badly for him if he had not defended himself. It shouldn't have even gone to court. I dont think Ung wanted it to escalate into a life and death situation but thats exactly what it was. It would have ended very badly for him if he had not defended himself.

It shouldn’t have even gone to court.

]]> By: Ben Efsaneyim http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9473 Ben Efsaneyim Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:20:13 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9473 It's obscene that DiDonato is being portrayed as some kind of heroic victim in that second link, despite the fact that, according to reports, he and his friends were apparently harassing an innocent man, and were on the verge of engaging in some kind of violence against him. Of course, there hasn't been any talk of charging him over the incident - if he had been shot trying to break into someone's house he would be charged and no-one would be suggesting that he is some kind of hero. Even worse, they seem to think that this guy who seems to have violent tendencies and engages in drunken disorderly conduct is a good person to be given responsibility over school kids. It’s obscene that DiDonato is being portrayed as some kind of heroic victim in that second link, despite the fact that, according to reports, he and his friends were apparently harassing an innocent man, and were on the verge of engaging in some kind of violence against him. Of course, there hasn’t been any talk of charging him over the incident – if he had been shot trying to break into someone’s house he would be charged and no-one would be suggesting that he is some kind of hero.

Even worse, they seem to think that this guy who seems to have violent tendencies and engages in drunken disorderly conduct is a good person to be given responsibility over school kids.

]]> By: Raguel the Sufferer http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9471 Raguel the Sufferer Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:50:43 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9471 @ E.S. Although I do agree that defusal is a good way of handling pointless conflict, looking like a wimp will in many other cases encourage an imminent attack. Ung pulled out his gun because he was under an imminent chimpanzee attack. Considering that there have been people who have died because they lost consciousness from a sucker punch and then been stomped on and kicked in the head the next instant, I think that Ung did the right thing. Defusal is good when the other guy is still talking and hasn't decided to "go" for it yet. If he's decided then backing off will not work. @ E.S.
Although I do agree that defusal is a good way of handling pointless conflict, looking like a wimp will in many other cases encourage an imminent attack.
Ung pulled out his gun because he was under an imminent chimpanzee attack.
Considering that there have been people who have died because they lost consciousness from a sucker punch and then been stomped on and kicked in the head the next instant, I think that Ung did the right thing.
Defusal is good when the other guy is still talking and hasn’t decided to “go” for it yet. If he’s decided then backing off will not work.

]]> By: Eurasian Sensation http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9469 Eurasian Sensation Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:11:24 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9469 I agree that there appear to have been bad decisions all round here. Self-defence is one thing, but the best strategy is usually to defuse things before they get heated. Pulling a gun is surely a last resort and it's probable that there were better ways Ung could have dealt with it. Sometimes that involves swallowing one's pride and backing down (and risk being seen as a wimp), but that's surely better than turning it into a life or death situation. Same goes for DiDonato; I hope he and his buddies learn a lesson from this, although the way they have apparently been feted as heroes might mitigate against that. I agree that there appear to have been bad decisions all round here. Self-defence is one thing, but the best strategy is usually to defuse things before they get heated. Pulling a gun is surely a last resort and it’s probable that there were better ways Ung could have dealt with it. Sometimes that involves swallowing one’s pride and backing down (and risk being seen as a wimp), but that’s surely better than turning it into a life or death situation. Same goes for DiDonato; I hope he and his buddies learn a lesson from this, although the way they have apparently been feted as heroes might mitigate against that.

]]> By: bigWOWO http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9449 bigWOWO Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:26:37 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9449 It looks like DiDonato has recovered well, even though four bullets still reside in his body: http://phillylacrosse.com/2011/01/20/no-1-story-of-2010-in-philly-lacrosse-didonatos-spirit-and-will-helped-him-recover-from-six-gunshots/ I really do hope that everyone comes out okay after all of this and that people can move on. It's really unfortunate that this happened in the first place. As Mojo mentioned, there really are no winners in a situation like this. It looks like DiDonato has recovered well, even though four bullets still reside in his body:
http://phillylacrosse.com/2011/01/20/no-1-story-of-2010-in-philly-lacrosse-didonatos-spirit-and-will-helped-him-recover-from-six-gunshots/

I really do hope that everyone comes out okay after all of this and that people can move on. It’s really unfortunate that this happened in the first place. As Mojo mentioned, there really are no winners in a situation like this.

]]> By: bigWOWO http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9448 bigWOWO Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:14:39 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9448 I think the video probably helped a lot. It's grainy and choppy, but upon looking at it again after the testimony, it seems to corroborate Ung's statement that he only shot after DiDonato tried to take him down by grabbing his leg. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20110214_Temple_Law_student_tells_jury_why_he_shot_another_man.html I think the video probably helped a lot. It’s grainy and choppy, but upon looking at it again after the testimony, it seems to corroborate Ung’s statement that he only shot after DiDonato tried to take him down by grabbing his leg.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20110214_Temple_Law_student_tells_jury_why_he_shot_another_man.html

]]> By: MojoRider http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9447 MojoRider Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:19:23 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9447 i was afraid that Ung would fall victim to the powerful political connections that DiDonato had in his family. I don't know if the state's attorney had an agenda--some pro gun groups think there was an agenda to go after gun rights--but it seems that the Ung's defense attorney had it right. That there really wasn't a victory for Ung, that both sides had lost a lot and bad choices were made all around. I haven't read anything that reported what really caused the confrontation and what was said. It was intimated by some news reports that DiDonato and his friends were flirting with Ung's date ( ? ) and that Ung got pissy about it or something. But nothing more was reported or if that account was discounted. Moreover, it's quite possible that the jury of 6 men and 6 women were fed up with the drunken brawls going on in their community and saw that DiDonato had to be responsible for his own actions as well. i was afraid that Ung would fall victim to the powerful political connections that DiDonato had in his family. I don’t know if the state’s attorney had an agenda–some pro gun groups think there was an agenda to go after gun rights–but it seems that the Ung’s defense attorney had it right. That there really wasn’t a victory for Ung, that both sides had lost a lot and bad choices were made all around.

I haven’t read anything that reported what really caused the confrontation and what was said. It was intimated by some news reports that DiDonato and his friends were flirting with Ung’s date ( ? ) and that Ung got pissy about it or something. But nothing more was reported or if that account was discounted.

Moreover, it’s quite possible that the jury of 6 men and 6 women were fed up with the drunken brawls going on in their community and saw that DiDonato had to be responsible for his own actions as well.

]]> By: Raguel the Sufferer http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9441 Raguel the Sufferer Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:21:38 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9441 The profile of a handgun is really small, especially when it's pointed right at you. If someone is drunk and in a rage they're not likely to notice it. On the other hand didn't the sole witness say the shootee basically dared Gerard to shoot him and then rushed him? That's just stupidity. P.S: Gerard did the right thing. The profile of a handgun is really small, especially when it’s pointed right at you. If someone is drunk and in a rage they’re not likely to notice it.

On the other hand didn’t the sole witness say the shootee basically dared Gerard to shoot him and then rushed him? That’s just stupidity.

P.S: Gerard did the right thing.

]]> By: bigWOWO http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9418 bigWOWO Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:46:24 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9418 Thanks for the update, Mojo. This one fell off my radar. Good thing they had that video. Thanks for the update, Mojo. This one fell off my radar. Good thing they had that video.

]]> By: N http://www.bigwowo.com/2010/01/self-defense/#comment-9413 N Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:20:15 +0000 http://www.bigwowo.com/?p=3864#comment-9413 I had been following this as well. Ung should be thanking the heavens that it was all caught on tape. Judging from some of the comments on the news pages, quite a number of people still thinks he's a murderer, despite the video. Only God knows what would have happened to Ung if he didn't have a gun. Vincent Chin again? I had been following this as well.
Ung should be thanking the heavens that it was all caught on tape.
Judging from some of the comments on the news pages, quite a number of people still thinks he’s a murderer, despite the video.

Only God knows what would have happened to Ung if he didn’t have a gun.
Vincent Chin again?

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