Ahhh, no!
Enforced law isn't a yoke we'd throw off in an apocalypse, it's something that was established to codify existing ideas about right and wrong. Lack of enforcement shouldn't mean that there isn't any more right or wrong. Without that we might as well just lay down and let the walkers eat us, because we'd be done as a species. I'd have no issue with popping someone who suggested what you think Shane should do. That may sound hypocritical, but frontier justice is better than no justice.
Making sure you stay safe by establishing a safe haven, even if others are reluctant to allow it to happen, does not mean right and wrong will no longer exist. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure if I had a group that large, and we found such a great farm, I'd do everything I could to guarantee that me and my people get to stay there. Of course, it would be a first measure to use a strategy where it could be seen as a win-win, rather than a hostile take over.
Damn, why bother watching?
Because I am curious as to how it all plays out.
There's a Governor character in the comics, apparently, who is more sadistic.
I agree with Shane's decision to shoot the barn zombies...but then, even I'm a little torn. This band SHOULD move on. They wouldn't be there if not for their own stupidity and Hershel's kindness. Rick is a man of honor, not to mention law and order. Shane's probably the only one at this point who might decide to just take over Hershel's farm by force, and he would have to have backup. I definitely get that the rules would change regarding land ownership after the ZA, but Hershel and his family made plans for self-sufficiency. These are just a bunch of dumb opportunists. I'd have a serious problem with them taking the farm by force, especially after Hershel saved the stupid kid and has fed and housed them. Daryl found that abandoned house where the roses were growing--they can find another like that.
It also always bothered me the level of guilt Otis had for shooting Carl and him being the sacrificial lamb. He didn't mean to shoot Carl; Carl shouldn't have been there in the first place. He shot a deer. And then took Carl to the house out of the kindness of his heart. He didn't owe them anything, nor did Hershel. I kind of find Hershel's group more sympathetic than our heroes in some regards, even though Hershel is in denial about the zombies being sick.
I completely understand Hershel's position, and I understand the demands he is making by asking them to leave. I don't blame him at all, I think it is the smart thing to do for himself and his family, especially since how he thinks is so different from the other group. The longer they stay, the more authority they feel they've gained, the less he has.
They are a bunch of opportunities, which is why I am surprised they didn't just take over the barn. I think the fact that Hershel saved Carl and gave them a place to stay is the only reason they're respecting his wishes.
Personally, I disagree with shooting the zombies in the barn. It's Hershel's land, Hershel's rule. I think if the group wanted to settle down like that, there are plenty of farmhouses with wide open fields, I'm sure. They should move on and find a piece of land, work together to fence it off, and get some sustainable food sources going. Granted, that probably wouldn't make for a very entertaining or dramatic show. But from where Rick is standing... If he wants to settle down like that because of his wife... He has 9 months to find his own place.
If they wanted to stay there and were uncomfortable about the barn, they should have reinforced it. Make the walls thicker, put another fence around it, etc.
Well think of the way they're going out and looking for walkers to catch. It is extremely retarded that they'd even bother staying and helping, if that is what the cost is. The best option for them now is to move on, which is what I suspect the writers will do. I don't think they'll have them take over the land, because the audience won't react to kindly to it.