Posted on 12/10/2007 8:56:33 PM PST by joanie-f
Since the tragic shootings yesterday at the two churches in Colorado I have been intrigued by the story of Jeanne Assam, the volunteer civilian security guard who took down the shooter at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
I watched an online interview with her – her first since the shootings – this afternoon, and came away with the knowledge that standing before me was a genuine modern American hero ... and a true soldier of God.
Many in the media will downplay her heroism, for reasons that are obvious to those of us who are school in their anti-liberty, anti-Second Amendment, anti-Christian bias. But be not mistaken: Jeanne Assam is indeed an American hero.
Assam, and the other dozen or so civilian security personnel at New Life Church, are all members of the New Life congregation, about half of whom are armed, and all of whom have undergone background checks, have successfully completed gun safety courses, and have CCW permits. They all volunteer because, as worshippers, they have a 'sense of ownership' at New Life. It is as if they are protecting their own home and family from intruders.
Senior Pastor at New Life, Brady Boyd, stated that Assam came to his office at 7:30 Sunday morning and informed him about the earlier shooting incident in Arvada. She strongly suggested additional security for the day's services at New Life. Pastor Boyd credits Assam for the heightened security, and for thus preventing significantly more bloodshed.
When twenty-three-year-old Matthew Murray began shooting in the parking lot of the New Life Church a few hours later, all chaos broke loose. Two sisters, Stephanie Works, 18, and Rachael Works, 16, were killed as they were getting into their van following the early service. Their father, David Works, 51, suffered two gunshot wounds -- one to the abdomen and one to the groin -- and is listed in fair condition at a local hospital.
Murray wore body armor, and was reportedly equipped with sufficient firepower (some accounts report that he was carrying as many as five hundred rounds) to bring down hundreds of people. For those who may believe that this estimate is inflated, consider the fact that reports indicate that approximately seven thousand people were tightly packed within and just outside the church at the time, and each round of Murray’s rifle ammo, if properly placed, might certainly have been capable of taking down several people. The potentiality of hundreds of victims was not at all out of the realm of possibility.
During her interview today, Jeanne Assam stated that she attends one of the morning services and then volunteers as a guard during a later service. She has had previous law enforcement experience, has had to draw her weapon countless times in tense situations related to her law enforcement experience, but has never shot anyone before.
I was deeply impressed by her humility, her quiet intelligence, and her Christian outlook. At the outset of her comments she stated, 'I want to extend my sympathy to the families of the victims, and of the gunman. And I mean that very sincerely.'
In describing yesterday’s sequence of events at New Life Church she reflected:
The shots were so loud that I thought he was inside. But he wasn’t even inside yet, he was just entering the church. There was chaos as the parishioners ran in all directions.
I just knew what I had to do. It seemed like it was me, the gunman, and God.
I saw him coming through the doors and I took cover. I came out of cover and identified myself, engaged him and took him down. I knew that I could not let this man harm any more people. I said, 'God, this is you.' I asked Him to be with me and He never left my side.
I want to do His will and not my will. Where I was weak, God made me strong. He filled me, He guided me, He protected me, and many other people.
Assam fired off about a dozen shots, three of which managed to circumvent Murray's body armor, and all of which were fired while he was moving in her direction.
When she was asked whether the previous day’s tragedy had prevented her from getting a good night’s sleep on Sunday night, she replied that she hadn’t slept a wink.
Assam is unmarried, and currently works for Messenger International, a Christian ministry organization. In connection with her affiliation there, she has found herself at a crossroads in her life and has been seeking to know God's will for her ... asking Him to provide direction and guidance. In an effort to clear her mind in that endeavor, she had been fasting for three days, with the support of other members of the ministry. Sunday was the third day of that fast, and she was in a somewhat weakened state as a result.
Toward the end of the interview, she was asked, 'What was in your mind when he went down?' and she responded:
'How awesome and powerful God is.'
She continued ... 'I've had some quiet time with God and have had a lot of people pray with me. I'm even more in awe of Him than I was before.'
It is people like Jeanne Assam -- armed, law-abiding citizens in all walks of life -- church members, teachers, students, pilots, factory workers, white-collar workers, etc. -- who will prevent such future shedding of innocent blood. Law enforcement generally arrives long after such tragedies occur – such as occurred in the recent shooting at the Omaha mall, where the killer accomplished his mission in less than five minutes, and the police didn't arrive until the mall was awash in innocent blood.
The Second Amendment proved its value this weekend when a legally armed, courageous, cool-headed American citizen saved the lives of many of her countrymen.
God preserve the Second Amendment. And God bless Jeanne Assam.
~ joanie
Allegiance and Duty Betrayed
I read that his gun jammed as he tried to shoot her. Anybody know if that is the truth?
If it IS, that makes this a MAJOR miracle, IMHO!!
I second your sentiment, and your enthusiasm. :)
From what I recall from her interview she walked towards him while firing and he fired several (three?) shots at her. She hit him and he went down but still had control of his weapon. She told him to drop the weapon and he didn’t, and then he reached for what looked like a hand grenade (possible smoke “bomb” similar to the others he tossed outside??). Anyway, as he was going for what she thought was a grenade she fired again. So perhaps his weapon did jam after he got a few shots off in her direction??
This story just re-enforces the reason that I, as a church usher always sit in the back of the church, often roam the lobby and parking lot, and always keep the Glock 19, 9mm fully loaded with hollow point and planted firmly in my holster under my clothing; all legal and safe, doncha know!
Thank you for the Joanie, and the ping Nicmarlo..
She has become a great role model and also a great reminder for others to rely upon the Lord God in all things through fear, through confusion, through a clear mission with a heavy, profound weight. Her actions have far transcended the circumstance and God has used her thus and I am so very, very grateful.
Thank you joanie for this post. It makes me cry in astonishment at God's power and leading the more I read and get to know all that went on for her surrounding her actions that day and her personal life proceeding (the third day of a fast specifically in regards to her direction!). Wow. Continue to bless her Lord and Jeanne if you happen to be one of us . . . thank you.
Thanks, geo. BTW - love your tag-line!
The lord works in mysterious and awesome ways. Evil was stopped today through a combination of providence, a young woman's vigilance and the wisdom of our founding fathers to know our right to life, liberty and all other freedoms are guaranteed not by a piece of paper but by a well aimed weapon.
A truly incredible lady.
Her eyes have an Arabic look to them, possibly at least partially of Lebanese Christian or Egyptian Christian ancestry. Regardless of her background, she was an all American hero today. And I doubt God cared when he guided her hand, mind and heart today to rid the world of one source of evil that had tried to invaded his house.
Thank you for this thread Joanie-F.
Bravo!
She's is not a liberal lesbian welfare mom. She doesn't fit the media's profile of "hero".
Agreed!
Photo on Fox News either shows a smude, shadow or an adam's apple on her neck. Regardless, it doesn't take away the 'hero' she is.
Self-defense, as the founders intended and provided for through the 2nd amendment, which, in my way of thinking is nothing more than our unalienable right to self-defense, is the answer to these tragedies and countless others. Here, it proved its mettle in a dramtic way, and in the exact manner intended IMHO...a God-fearing, faithful, responsible American citizen couragously standing against murder and tyranny...because such killers are nothing but ruthless tyrants at heart, imposing their murderous will on innocents at the point of a gun or sword.
This incident, the mall in Utah, the school back in Kentucky several years ago. Each case shows that arming the people themselves who are there when these heinious acts go down, is the way to arrest and stop the bloodshed and save lives. This policy should be adopted at every mall, school, church, synagogue...and HOME in America IMHO.
I can add but one thing to your wonderful and spot on comments Joanie, and the summation you made...
The Second Amendment proved its value this weekend when a legally armed, courageous, cool-headed, and God-fearing, American citizen saved the lives of many of her countrymen.
God preserve the Second Amendment. And God bless Jeanne Assam.
This interview needs to be played over and over...it should be required reading in every civis class across this nation, and every self-defense course. Again, thank God this coragous and faithful woman was put in place there by God to do His will, preserve lives, and teach us the manner in which we, as a people, should face these dangers.
Thanks for making the effort joanie!
Thank you joanie.
We may never know what will be accomplished by any that this lady saved.
Cops can’t be everywhere; it’s the nature of a force that can only be RE-active (not to mention ‘handcuffed’ by left wing mentality). It’s more than high time that we take back our neighborhoods and cities. The scum may think twice if they think they are facing a population willing to defend itself.
I preach this and live it: Arm yourselves and be ready to USE your level of force. Remember that some people only improve the society with their absence.
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