Purple Haize wrote:Grm I'll argue your point. In fact, the reason you bring up for Matt not firing strengthens the intent argument. It can be easily argued that Matt was indeed just hoping to scare the person he drew the gun on. It could further be reasonably assumed that the reason he DIDN'T fire was because he knew if he did then the perceived threat would be over and he would get the tar beat out of him. Which happened anyways.
PA is spot on, that in a lot of places if something like this were to happen there would be a memorial service for someone. To me this is where Matt caught his biggest break, whether he knows it or not. Sure he got his head in, but he can recover from that. Next time he may not be as fortunate .
As for ASHLEY, the victims are the families. Choices were made that didn't just affect himself, but you, your parents and siblings. There is no need or benefit of shifting blame to anyone else. It are his actions that put everyone in this position, and if he doesn't realize that, then he has a long way to go. I pray he does and for strength and wisdom for your family to make the right and sometimes difficult choices.
Once again, you get no argument out of me on these things. Certainly the intent was to intimidate, & yes, it could have turned bad (I'm only a few minures from Compton, and more than one person has been killed in gang-realted action within a block of the church, so I know how things can turn.) And yes as well, there is one person to blame, & we all know who that is, and so does Matt. He is very sorry about the whole thing, is ashamed of himself & sorry that he has put his family through this. And yes, the real proof is a change of lifestyle.
All of those things are indisputable. You're right.