Courtesy Oleg Volk
Yesterday, a Springfield, Ohio man noticed his garage door was open when it shouldn't have been. When he armed himself and went to investigate, he was attacked by the burglar. As the burglar landed a blow, the resident fired a shot and struck his assailant who escaped.
Fortunately, the homeowner was able to protect himself from a violent criminal attack. We can only speculate what might have happened had he not been armed. Would the burglar simply have knocked him down? Or would he have decided to eliminate a witness? Fortunately, we don't have to find out.
This is exactly the kind of thing we talk about when we so strongly oppose further restrictions on our gun rights. The homeowner was lucky the law is what it is and that he had a choice. There are those out there, and sadly our new President seems to be one of them, who would prefer that he be disarmed and forced to take his chances.
Jeff Snyder once wrote, "we must carry arms because we value our lives and those of our loved ones, because we will not be dealt with by force or threat of force, and do not live at the pleasure and discretion of the lawless." Think about that for a second. Contrast it with what the gun grabbers want us to do. Those of us who choose to carry arms agree with Jeff. If we're attacked by a criminal, as the Springfield homeowner was, we don't want to be left with no option other than to put our life in the hands of a person who has already shown no respect for the law, no respect for a person's property, and often no respect for life itself.
The sad truth is the people in the anti-gun crowd see things differently. While a normal person looks at the situation objectively and says the criminal got what he deserved due to acute failure of the victim selection process, the anti-gunners will say that this guy didn't deserve to be shot just for breaking into someone's garage and then attacking when his crime is discovered. The poor, maligned criminal was simply plying his trade, right?
Keep stories like this in mind whenever you see a piece of legislation introduced that would take a gun out of the hands of a law abiding citizen, and what the consequences of such an act could be. It could just as easily be you that ends up being targeted by a criminal, and it could be you that has your choice taken away by an anti-gun politician.
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On another note, I have a bit of an exciting weekend lined up. Tomorrow, I'll be heading down to Columbus to help teach a NRA Basic Pistol course, with the necessary supplements to qualify for an Ohio Concealed Handgun License, to a group of soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery unit of the Ohio National Guard. This training class is sponsored by Ohioans For Concealed Carry, all instructors are donating their time, and Black Wing Shooting Center is donating the range time. It should be a fun and rewarding class, and I'll report back on Monday how it went.
Check out other Gun Rights Examiners:
- Los Angeles Gun Rights Examiner: The best kept secrets of the anti-violence-movement, Part IV: The first line of defense
- National Gun Rights Examiner: 'For the children...'
- St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner: Mayor Slay, guns, and 'microstamping'
Comments
I am with other second ammendment supporters, and I have a question I do not know if it has ever been approached. Many years ago while I was in high school we had to study the US Constitution. One of the items that was discussed was the fact that news papers, and magazines are NOT taxed. And if my memory serves me correctly the supreme court ruled that it was unconstitutional for the government to tax them because then it could give the government the ability to control the freedom of press. They could tax the press making it impossible for the press to be released. Has the second ammendment organizations ever reveiwed this and pursuing this also? For example HB 45 that was introduce this year calls for licensure in order to be able to purchase a firearm. Along the same line NOT JUST taxing now but requiring a licensure which they could place any price tag on in order for the law abiding citizen to purchase a firearm. Now they have the cost of the licensure AND the price of the firearm.
An interesting point, Ken.
I think the counter argument will be that the concealed handgun license is for the privilege (it is a privilege in Ohio) of carrying a handgun concealed. Carrying one openly requires no license and no payment.
As to the sales tax on purchasing a firearm, I'll have to look into that and get back to you.
HB 45 must be shot down. Licensing a Right Must be found Unconstitutional. That would, after all, restrict ones ability to participate in what our Founding Fathers considered an Inalienable Right. Licensing and taxing a Right is tantamount to rationing that Right. If a Right can be licensed or taxed, it is no longer a Right. It then becomes a government granted privilege.
Teaching basic Pistol to soldiers? Isn't that a bit like taking coal to Newcastle?
I'm glad if they will be learning about the right to self defense and so forth along with it, but it certainly does seem a bit odd.
Don't they learn to shoot when they join the military? The Marines I grew up with certainly did.
Soldiers are taught to shoot weapons at the enemy in designated combat zones - this is a LOT different from those who carry a pistol daily to defend themselves and others against those who would prey upon us. And of course, most military training is oriented toward the rifle - the pistol is primarily an officer's weapon.
I was raised that we have a right to bear arms to protect ourselfs and our loved ones.When one or more of these people that want to take that yet another right away and come face to face with a robber or attacker ,then maybe then they will see what that right is all about.some things are better left as they are everything don't need to be new and improved .Yet I do agree children need to be kept away from weapons.But as parents thats our job to do so.
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