Posted on 08/23/2002 6:36:04 AM PDT by R. Eugene Wallace
No longer Unarmed and Pleasant... by: John Robert Richards
As I picked up a local paper today, I read a headline: Woman says she owes her life to gun-toting neighbor. I finished reading the article and realized that the woman would have been dead and also the neighbor if the neighbor had not intervened and killed the attacker. Just being a concerned neighbor with out a gun would have resulted in an innocent life being taken in addition to the criminal’s intended victim. The only conclusion I can draw is that it was fortunate that a neighbor to this lady was “armed and dangerous”. I also felt guilty for thinking to myself that “for once there really was justice when one needed it”. Why should I feel guilty for thinking that thought? Within minutes I was watching the 11:00 news and the headline story was the death of a lady knifed in broad daylight on a downtown street. The reporter went on to relate that this was one of the largest recorded crowds that just watched in horror while powerless to help. Where were the brave souls that on an airliner not so long ago gave their own precious lives so it would not be taken by terrorists? The killer was later apprehended by a fire-fighter who was credited as “assisting” with the apprehension of the killer, or should I be politically correct and say alleged killer? Let’s give this fire-fighter the credit a real hero deserves, because he became involved. Just another day growing up in the big city? Probably! I’ve lived in Columbus for over forty years and even have a letter from Mayor Sensenbrenner commending me for being the kind of person that helps make Columbus an “All-American City”. I find it interesting that my letter came for winning the Ohio State Indoor and Outdoor Pistol Shooting Championship and for winning two golds, a silver, and a bronze medal in the National Pistol Shooting Championships at Camp Perry. Now, I’ve probably given away my identity, but I give notice right here and now! Listen up criminals! I no longer will be unarmed and pleasant... I will be fully armed and dangerous! Yes, in order to do that I will have to break the law because Ohio has no concealed carry law enabling residents to carry a firearm in a concealed manner. As a National Rifle Association Instructor, I will give free lessons to anyone who passes a background check the same as if they were purchasing a firearm. I have no wish to take a life, but a good citizen can’t stand by and watch his neighbors be killed either. Listen up criminals! I no longer will be unarmed and pleasant... I will be fully armed and dangerous!
No, not powerless to help, just UNWILLING!
"Protect and Survive!"
Semper (armed and dangerous) Fi!
Our state has Concealed Carry on a "Shall Issue" basis, but it is really vague and unclear. By time you get thru the list of where you CANNOT carry, you have paid a fee and have been finger-printed and a dossier filed away for what?. The CC permit gives a slight addtion to the open carry. Some people around here just "carry"--they are model citizens, good family people. They/we exercise descretion, responsibility and sound judgement and avoid risks. Our small town law enforcement are people much like us. And they must certainly understand why most of their job is traffic related and petty crime...good, decent, law-abiding citizens around here have guns...
I know many people who think and do the same. I refuse to submit to a criminal process to exercise my Constitutional guarantees. Finger printing..file sent to State Bureau of Investigators AND FBI..while the guy who holds up a convenience store doesn't have to go threw any of that. CC Carry permit treats law abiding citizens as if they are GOING TO BECOME CRIMINALS. It stinks. If Free Speech required finger printing, fees to be paid and reports sent to FBI for review, permits and instruction course hours logged, the ACLU would be all over their a$$es.
An ironic disqualifier in Texas for a CCL is a conviction for unlicensed carry in the previous 5 years (that's me). I couldn't carry legally now if I wanted to, thus tempting me again to break the law if I don't want to die at the hand of some punk thug.
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That would have bothered me too except that the U S Army already did all that for my Clearance.
Are there any special exemptions for military personnel present or former in most states?
Well not in Texas. My class had a retired Houston cop and the ranking E-9 in the Texas Air National Guard plus I spent three years in the army.
Let me rephrase that: The possession and bearing of firearms is a right recognized by virtually all states. (Apologies to Janet Reno, "...this government has given its citizens more rights than any other in history".)
Bingo. People are scared to help. They run and scream like little children or just watch rather then attack. I am not sure if this is training from all the "don't fight back" messages or what but something has messed with our "fight or flight" response. Fight is unusual and even flight has been seriously damaged. People just stand around like targets.
a.cricket
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