Texas House Passes Self-Defense Bill

(Austin) By a vote of 133-13, the Texas House today approved legislation which allows citizens to defend themselves using deadly force. Existing law has provisions specifying retreat if threatened by an intruder or aggressor.

Dubbed the "Castle Doctrine" (from the notion that a man's home is his castle and he has the right to defend it), the legislation had already been approved by the Texas Senate last week. It now goes to Gov. Perry.

It's ironic that Texas, land of horses and cowboys, would be a state with laws preventing self-defense. Vermont? Sure! But Texas? Who would have thunk it?