October 30, 2006

Day nine for my open carry adventure in Wyoming. I carry my revolver all day, everywhere I go, except into the post office once a week. Not too happy about being a sitting duck there, but that's life right now. I plan to have my mail delivered to the house from now on, so that won't be such a problem.

I've been to the grocery store several times, the hardware, paid my water bill and even went into the library. I walked the streets here, visiting local businesses - making new friends, and even went to WalMart in another town - in another state.

Nobody seemed to notice the big Ruger on my belt. Everyone smiles and waves as before. The box boy at the grocery was a trifle apprehensive about my dog in the front seat - at least until the silly old beast licked his hand - but he never even stole a glance at the gun, far as I could tell.

This is good. This is right.

This is also what I expected. It proves that people are more than capable of living with others who are prepared to defend themselves and their neighbors. They understand that ordinary people are not turned into homicidal monsters by the mere presence of a gun, in spite of the whining of those who would give anything - especially anything WE own - to disarm us all... For the "children," of course.

But a dear friend in another state had a very different experience last week, one that should seriously concern and even anger every American - no matter where they live.

He open carries all the time, both for self defense and to make a statement to everyone he meets about the sacred right and responsibility to do so. He has armed himself with far more than a gun, spending a great deal of time and effort learning about the law, both federal and many states, as well as the history of our country and its founding documents. He's articulate, polite, considerate and one of the most gentle persons I've ever known.

But the overzealous, power hungry "officers of the law" might easily have killed him, with absolutely no provocation or justification whatsoever. And it could happen to anyone, any time, anywhere.

He was browsing one evening in a bookstore, a store he frequents and where he is well known. He has open carried his pistol there many times, and was in no violation of any law whatsoever. He was just reading a book!

Suddenly, he was confronted with a drawn gun and shouted commands to get down on the ground. He saw the person was a police officer (with five or more others as "backup") and complied, of course, truly afraid for his life as he was commanded to put his hands behind his back with the pistol still in place! How easily one of the cops could have decided he was "going for it" and shot him right there! It happens all the time, even when all the person has is a cell phone or a wallet.

He was roughly handcuffed and dragged out to a police car where he was interrogated and ridiculed, though they made no attempt to arrest him since they had absolutely no grounds for it. Eventually, they let him go - but it was a terrible experience and so unnecessary.

So, you might ask, why in the world would I want to carry a gun, given the possibility of a similar situation? Why would I want to carry one around in the house all the time in any case?

Let me share some thoughts with you.

First and foremost, I am personally responsible for my own safety and health. So are you, and you take measures to deal with this every day without even thinking about it. You wear a seat belt when driving. You buy new tires before the old ones get bald. You lock your doors, at least at night. You don't stick a fork into an electric socket to 'test' it... You do thousands of things daily to preserve your life (as well as your children, pets) and prevent accidents. If you are smart, you also do what you can to prepare for emergencies that, hopefully, may never happen.

Let me give you some important examples:

Do you keep baking soda near your stove, or a fire extinguisher in the kitchen? I don't know what the probability is for a kitchen fire, and I've only had two of them in 60 years, but I keep those things near my stove just in case. If a fire breaks out, I have seconds to respond or my house may well burn down. I don't have time to run to the garage or the basement, looking for something to put out the fire with. It has to be right there, ready all the time.

Emergencies happen fast!

The chances for a kitchen fire are probably greater than the likelihood that a predator might break into your home, but the consequences could be much worse. Think about hearing that breaking glass, or the crash of the door being kicked in while you are running the vacuum or washing dishes. Just how much time do you think you'd have to respond to that threat? Time enough to run to the gun safe and unlock it, then load the gun? Time to run into the bedroom and get a gun out of the drawer? Time to find a heavy frying pan or even a broom if you are there alone and without a defensive weapon at all?

Dial 911 and die.

Do you have time to "call 911?" How long do you think the police would take to get there? Will the intruder wait that long? Will the police be able to stop the attack, or just call for someone to pick up the remains of your family and haul them to the hospital - or the morgue? Just don't expect them to actually defend you, whenever they get there! They are not obligated to do so.

I had to shoot at an intruder once, 25 years ago. In the middle of the night, I heard someone trying to get into my car in the driveway. I stepped to the front door with my 410 shotgun and told the man to go away. He laughed and started coming toward me, spewing foul language and all the nasty things he was going to do to me... and that I "wouldn't shoot him anyway." He happened to be too near my car, so I fired over his head. He was peppered with some of the shot, stopped in utter amazement, then took off running as I pumped another round into the chamber. If I had not had the gun, he could have reached me in seconds and I would have been helpless to stop him from hurting or killing me. (1)

With rare exceptions, you have just seconds to respond and defend yourself or face serious injury or death. At home or on the street, in a dark parking lot or in your own driveway. Your level of awareness of those around you is vital. The nature and speed of your response may be all that can save your life - or someone you love.

And you will make the right response ONLY if you prepare to do so, long before it happens! Just owning a gun does not make you ready to defend yourself - you must train seriously(2) and practice frequently, just as you did to be able to drive a car - or almost anything else meaningful to you.

The fire extinguisher must be kept close to the source of the potential fire. Your defensive weapon must be close at hand and ready for use. Both must be in place 24/7, 365 days a year. The baking soda belongs on the counter next to the stove. The gun really belongs in a holster on your belt, or at worst in a pocket or purse. A criminal isn't going to give you a "King's X" time out to go find it.

Or you can remain oblivious, unarmed, unprepared, take your chances and bear the consequences.

I might never have a fire or an intruder or face an attack outside my home, and I hope I never do... but I intend to be prepared for either one from now on.

That's why I carry a gun.

MamaLiberty

(1) Of course, I could have just cowered in the house, hoping he'd steal the car quickly and go away... but I'm not made like that. Just why should I be a helpless victim? Why should you?

(2) Special thanks to the wonderful instructors from the NRA who gave so graciously of their time and talents to train me and the others of my class in both basic handgun use and home defense. I look forward to many more of these training sessions in the future, and hope to interest many other women in learning how to defend themselves and their loved ones. Please also visit the website for the Second Amendment Sisters.

Also see: Rosie vs. Reality: What Every Woman Must Know ML

Nobody can enslave a free man (or woman). The worst they can do is kill them.
Paraphrased from Heinlein

Give me Liberty or give me death...
Patrick Henry

Second Amendment Sisters -- Self defense is a basic human right.

Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership -- Learn more about the real meaning of the Bill of Rights and the people who have fought to preserve it.

Keep And Bear Arms -- a grassroots movement of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is a call to action, a call for self-education, and a 21 gun salute to the many good men and women who fought and died to bring America into being.

Gun Owners of America -- "Gun Owners of America was instrumental in mobilizing the grassroots to fight the crime bill."
-Sen. Rod Grams (R-MN

Links from the previous articles:

Self ownership essay: http://www.mises.org/rothbard/ethics/eight.asp

The Ludwig von Mises Institute: http://www.mises.org/

What about the "poor?" - Reinventing America: http://www.mises.org/freemarket_detail.asp?control=289

Advocates for Self-government: http://www.self-gov.org/home.shtml

These will lead you to many others.

Archives

Letter From The Editor
First Article

Thanksgiving Day, 2004

The Poor Seniors - How Do We Care For Them?

"The Black Arrow" By Vin Suprynowicz
Fiction Or Prophesy?

Out of the Gray Zone Book Review

The Coming Storm

The Government War on People

Something For Nothing

Who Owns Your Life?

Reclaiming Ownership Of Our Lives

Limited Government Vs Utopia?

Open Carry - Mama's Got A (BIG) Gun!

The Price of Liberty is Three Years Old

Complete Archives for The Editor