" Is it possible that the felons doing these home invasions are not afraid of a home owner protecting his family and property because of the absence of a "Castle Doctrine" law that basically tells homeowners they have a "duty to retreat" rather than "stand your ground". Take a look at Castle Doctine law on Wikipedia and see Iowa's entry "States with no known Castle Law
Iowa (Law does not require retreat from home, but may require retreat within the home." This is going to continue until someone stops these perps, and that is going to require an "armed citizen" who is intent on protecting themselves and their families. This is not vigilante action, this is self preservation and self defense. People should not be afraid of being sued for damages when taking action to protect their lives or their families lives. There is one way to do that, and that is to enact a Castle Doctrine law. Otherwise the gate to the sheeps pen stays open. Sleep tight tonight. "

" You see if we had stricter gun laws these 2 law abiding citizens would'nt have guns to use in the home invasion. By the way how did the occupants know the masked males were black? Maybe they were white just trying to pass themselves off as black. "

" Stricter gun laws will only prevent law abiding citizens from owning guns (like those in their homes at 3 in the morning). Those who commit these acts will always be able to get guns. "

" people start locking your doors even when your home.and too the hoodlems go get a job you bums! "

" I agree skelloch:I used to live in northern Iowa and now I keep up with the news since I have parents and siblings who still choose to live in Waterloo. Where I live there is the "Castle Doctrine" law and a citizen has a right to defend their home, family, children, possesions. You name it, if it is in your house and you feel threatened. You have all right to fight back and defend what is yours. I pray the safety of everyone and in that town like "MINI CHICAGO". Seems to be more thugs then law abiding citizens. Go figure, even got cops there paying off drugie's debts. Makes you wonder who Dr. Louviere didn't have on his team before sentencing. Or did he just keep his mouth shut??? "

" According to MrT commenting on the Talk Shop Cafe article it would be racist to convict and sentence these 2 suspects. That's the opinion of the "black community". Once you reach a certain number or ratio of incarcerated blacks, then the rest who commit crimes should just be let off without punishment. "

" Question: How are two people that invade ones home, in the dead of night, wake them, and demand money at gun point law abiding citizens?

Were you being serious? Or is that a joke? Because all I see here is a laundry list of charges. And even though they were wearing masks, the face isn't the only thing that gives away one's skin color. The two HOME INVADERS, may have been wearing shorts, or a tee shirt. Or they may not have been wearing gloves. Or the masks they were wearing may not have covered their necks.

And another question, how does one pass himself/herself off as black?

If you want something done, put together a neighborhood watch, go to a counsel meeting and petition for more police activity in the neighborhood, be more active in your community and REPORT INCIDENTS THAT AREN'T WITHIN THE LAW. "

" It's a shame that more victims of perps like this aren't the same bleeding heart liberals who come on this board and label those they disagree with as racists and bigots. If they had their door kicked in at 3 AM and were thrown face down on the floor, I'll bet their attitude would change. "

" some on the left will post that the thugs, when caught, will be sentenced more harshly due to their color. they will say that if they were white, they wouldnt even go to jail.

in reality, regardless of color, these criminals will go to jail for the same length of time.

maybe these thugs should go to the forum at the coffee shop. they would be freely welcomed as it is limited to black men; which is discrimination towards white or other men and all women. "

" my attitudes would not change. i would still pursue actions and policies that eliminate the root of the problem(s) instead of simply applying band-aids. i've shot guns, members of my immediate and extended family own many guns and i support the second amendment. however, shooting someone who is invading your home, which should be the right of the homeowner, does not solve the larger problem of crime in our society. "

" Just remember you come into my home to take from me, or attempt to steal something.....I say to you these three things:

2 TO THE BODY.
1 TO THE HEAD.

COME ON IN BOYS, YOU WILL BE LEAVING IN BAGS. "

" Locking your doors doesn't stop the problem either. I know a woman who's door was locked and they entered her house anyway. I've also happened to catch some young punk trying to pry up the storm window on a neighbor's house before. Thankfully, when I yelled at him he took off, but, they're not just walking through open doors! I had to replace a couple storm windows on my house a few years back because someone cut them with what looked to be tin snips on the bottom edge trying to get them out of the window. "

" 1x2x3q

It says they were masked. It does not say the mask covered the neck, the hands, the arms, the legs, etc.

You can wear a mask that covers your face, but still leaves skin exposed on your face, easy enough, even. "

" I say the police start patrolling this area a little better. Let it be known though if they come in my house they aren't walking out. "

" It would not be racist to prosecute or convict these men. When people complain about the ratio of blacks to whites in prison, their concern is that police (and others) are disproportionately looking for/at crime in one area, while ignoring it in the other. If Blacks make up 11 percent of your community, it is not reasonable that they should make up 33 percent of your incarceration rate. Now, that doesn't mean that the individuals who ARE incarcerated were put there unfairly. It just means that there is a possibility, based on the statistics, that other crimes are going unpunished (usually drug use, drug dealing) within another population.

That said . . . thanks to "chatty1" for the information about how they get into your home. I'm going home tonight and double-check all my windows, screens, etc. Makes me nervous about summer, though, when we tend to sleep with our windows open (screened in, of course).

I own a gun and would be quite likely to subscribe to the "castle doctrine" mentioned above. But I know you're not supposed to, which I find somewhat ludicrous. "

" If you are going to enter my home without an invitation, in the dead of night, guns out please be informed that I shoot first and ask questions later. I will protect my family from gangsters, the color of this person is not an issue they all bleed red blood. It would be a good jester for the government to pay for the bullet and share the money saved by the state by not having to have a trial, and keep this person in a cage for years. A good way to cut government spending. I also would like the government to hold a open season for drug dealer and manufacturers every year. A bounty could be posted for all known drug dealers and manufactures some should be posted as dead or alive. "

" Another day in Waterloo! "

" Basement windows are too easily breached by those with any kind of motive; they're easily kicked in and a person can be overweight even and still slip down into a basement to proceed to rob someone. This is a real shame, and I also hope that police increase their presence. As was mentioned above, reporting suspicious activities is incredibly important. Too many of this summer's crimes took place in broad daylight with no one coming forward. The day you give in to fear is the day you have allowed someone else to take control of your destiny.

Capslock, your wish for "bleeding heart liberals" to have guns to their heads at 3AM is perhaps the most disturbing set of words on this entire page, including the story. No one should be wishing harm on anyonw else, and being liberal, conservative, or anywhere in between is not the same as condoning or supporting crime. People who live in houses rarely live alone, and wishing that fear not only for a person but also for their entire family is nothing short of sadistic. I don't know what is wrong with you, but maybe you should be more concerned with criminals than people with a different political ideology. "

" I would rather lenient touchy feely parole board members feel the joy they unleash on society. "

" cf1981 wrote on Nov 17, 2008 9:27 AM:

" Another day in Waterloo! "

ahh, the head bigot arrives in style!! cf what happened at uni the other day with the uni star footballers and the drugs they were selling and using? hmmm...looks like you are a hypocrit after all.

thanks for making our point for us. "

" I can't help but feel "Little Chicago" is being worked by the same few. Sooner or later their luck will run out and they will hit a home with a loaded weapon and someone who knows how to use it. To the person who shoots these thugs who will break in, get a lawyer. You'll be led out in cuffs as the thugs get bagged & tagged and called a victim. "

" hetfield,

if that quote is a bigoted statement, why did the officer making it not get reprimanded? I would think that a police officer showing an unwillingness to do their job was bad enough, but now you say that statement was bigoted, too? "

" cf1981, you're police department cannot solve or get a solid lead in a bank robbery that literally happened in their parking lot. The WPD will solve the problem if the area residents don't do it first. Deadbolts work well, otherwise Smith & Wesson large caliber works even better. Semi automatic with a large clip. Protect your home and family first. Take a jury trial and see how a jury of your peers percieves your actions. "

" waterlooexport,

They must have upgraded the CF PD parking lot. Last time I checked, it was literally only a handful of stalls, not this multiple-block monstrosity you claim.

Or, are you simply mis-using the term 'literally', when you intended to use 'figuratively'? "