 Anti-gun people will have trouble believing this, but the more responsibly armed citizens there are, the less violent crime there is. History proves this. And so does what we're seeing today. On this website you'll find plenty of proof of this. But first, let me tell you a little about myself. I'm a Vietnam veteran and a law-abiding citizen. I'm mild tempered and easy to get along with. I can walk up to a total stranger and usually say something to make him or her laugh. (I don't do this often, and only when I'm comfortable with the situation.) At the same time, I'm very cautious. When I'm at home I keep my door locked with a dead bolt and a 2x8 board. My windows are similarly secured. When I'm out I'm always aware of my surroudings. I keep track of where people are, and where someone could be hiding. I pay special attention to how people are acting, doing constant threat assessments. This isn't paranoia. To me it's survival. I'm not as strong, as fast, or as healthy as I was 40 years ago. And even back when I was young and strong, I was still vulnerable. I've been shot in the face, robbed at knifepoint, assaulted by a gang, and attacked by a pitbull while walking down a public sidewalk. I've been poisoned. And my girlfriend was raped and stabbed to death when I was 15. My home has been broken into twice, and my garage once. All these things happened when I was living in fairly good neighborhoods - just like I am now. If you're lucky enough to never have had such experiences, don't think it can't happen to you. Today's criminals are more numerous, better armed, and more violent than those of 40 years ago. The number of gang members has exploded. Gangs are everywhere, even in the country, and in suburbs that never used to have gang problems. And they don't use their fists, as in the past. Now they use pistols and assault rifles. There are even gangs right here in the United States that are known for using machetes on their victims. And gangs aren't the only problem. There's no shortage of people who are just, plain, evil. They love inflicting pain. And killing an innocent victim gives them bragging rights. These people live right among us. And they're not always easy to spot. They might deceive you by acting friendly just before they attack. No, I'm not paranoid. I know the score and play the game accordingly. And I believe that more responsible people should consider arming themselves (where legal). After all, it's our moral obligation to protect ourselves and our families. And it's our constitutional right. Most criminals are cowards. They only attack when they believe they have a big advantage. They prey on those they see as weaker than themselves, either because they have a numeric advantage (a gang), you look old, weak or sickly, or because they're armed and think that you aren't. In areas where law-abiding citizens can legally arm themselves, criminals aren't always as brave. They'd rather be in a place where THEY are the only ones concealing firearms. Case in point: Florida adopted a right-to-carry law in 1987. Between 1987 and 1996, these changes in crime rates occurred:
Now compare that to the City of Chicago.
When I grew up there, people could own guns. That's our constitutional right. But then the stupidity of Chicago politics kicked in. They made it illegal to own a gun in Chicago.
So now armed crimials and gang members can attack law-abiding citizens on the streets, in their homes, anywhere. Their victims are more vulnerable now and can't defend themselves or their families even during a home invasion.
Guns did NOT come out of the hands of criminals. After all, they don't care about any laws. But they DID come out of the hands of law-abiding citizens who wanted to defend themselves and their families. The saying: "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns" came true in a big way. Gun violence in Chicago has become such a problem that some people want to bring in the National Guard to help the Chicago police. (See the Chicago videos). Is Arming Yourself Enough?No. Being a responsibly armed citizen involves more than just being a good guy with a handful of bad guy repellant. It involves such things as:
This is not a complete list. Being a responsibly armed citizen involves a state of mind that must be learned. I'm a war veteran, but guess what? The rules are totally different here. Having military training and experience doesn't qualify me to carry a gun as a civilian. I, like every other responsibly armed citizen, need training from qualified professionals. Much of the mindset training can be obtained at U.S. Concealed Carry - The Ultimate Resource for the Armed Citizen. The rest of it must be obtained at a firing range. I strongly recommend that anyone carrying a firearm be responsible and get as much training as you can. But if you want to carry a gun just so that you can be a "Big Man" or a "Bad Ass," you need to grow up first. Rick Allen (P.S. Yes, I have a concealed deadly weapons license from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, where I now live. I'm a responsibly armed citizen, and I'm always armed when in public. But nobody will ever know I'm armed unless they attack me or a defenseless person. I'll never go back to Chicago, were Mayor Daley keeps a strangle hold on the city's politics, and is determined not to grant people their constitutional rights.) * * * If you have an experience related to Chicago politics or gun laws, please tell me about it. Perhaps I'll publish it. |
