An absolutely amazingly written opening in Barnett v. Ptitzker (S.D.Il. 2024):
Why are there small lifeboats on gigantic steel ocean liners? Why do we spend thousands equipping our vehicles with airbags? Why do we wear seatbelts and place our infants in safety seats? Why do we build storm shelters under our homes? Why do we install ground-fault interrupter outlets by sinks and bathtubs? Why do we get painful inoculations? Why do we voluntarily undergo sickening chemotherapy?
And why do we protect ourselves with firearms?
In life, we face many perils. Some are natural weather phenomena such as hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods. Some are biological such as viruses, disease, or malignant cells. Some perils are associated with important products like electricity, natural gas, matches, automobiles, and pain-reliving medications.
Too often, the perils we face are forced upon us by other people. By people who are negligent, reckless, insane, impaired, or evil. Sometimes it is the proverbial lone wolf; sometimes, it is the whole wolf pack. Truly, life comes at you quickly.
And who comes to our aid in times of peril? Sometimes, it is the police or first responders; other times it is healthcare professionals; and sometimes it is family, friends, or neighbors. Sometimes, it is no one.
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