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What I did try to get across, and some may have not have picked up on it is:
You cannot kill someone over property ... PERIOD!
Theft is NOT a death penalty crime!
If someone is threatening you with serious bodily injury or death you have the absolute right to defend yourself.
You don't want cops, citizens, or others killing your son or daughter because they may have made a bad decision to steal something. There are appropriate responses for that crime, and execution is not one of them.
I have been threatened with deadly force, and I have arrested folks for theft, and there is not a correlation whatsoever...
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I agree with most of what you're saying. I think people are a little too bloodthirsty. And I always cringe when I hear people with these "Can I shoot?" questions. If you have to ask, you shouldn't shoot.
But theft and burglary are two different things. You don't know that burglars are there just to steal something. And you have good reason to believe that they are at least armed with a crowbar, screwdriver, knife, or some other burglary tool.
Your comment about sons and daughters- I have two sons who are bigger than I am. If someone that size broke into my home I would likely shoot, and I'd expect others to do the same. I've told my kids this, repeatedly. Hopefully, they have the sense by now not to break into people's homes. If they're not any smarter than that, there are plenty of other things in this world that can kill them, too.
Life is harder. It's harder when you're stupid. If you're stupid enough, life's shorter, too.
I do agree with your assessment of the shooting in MN. That was murder plain and simple. Similar to the Ersland shooting. Once the threat has been neutralized, there is no reason to shoot again. Call the police, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or St. Patrick's Day.
There is the small issue about your comment about the death penalty. Self defense has nothing to do with punishment- they are two different things. Even if something is a death penalty crime, it doesn't mean you could carry it out as a punishment, any more than you could fine someone for jaywalking.