A woman is out walking her dog alone. She follows a path that winds around a secluded part of the local elementary school. In the distance she sees two men approaching. What does she do? Can she do anything?
Once a month I walk down to the mailbox and find my copy of the NRA’s magazine, “American Rifleman”. On the way back to the house, I always turn to The Armed Citizen column and read it as I walk up the hill.
The Armed Citizen is a collection of newspaper articles or radio/television reports where someone, armed with a legally owned firearm, successfully defended themselves, their family or others. These are real incidents, not made-up stories as some Gun Control groups allege. In fact, each article is followed by a listing of the newspaper or radio/TV station where the report originated.
That being said, I challenge anyone after reading the articles to explain how these people would have been better off if they were unarmed.
Here’s an example from the November 2014 issue:
“Dinah Burns was walking her dog on a path near an elementary school when two men approached her with a baseball bat. One of the men said, “You’re coming with us.” Burns asked what they wanted as she reached into her pocket. When the man with the baseball bat came toward her and raised the bat aggressively, Burns pulled out the firearm she carried. She pointed the gun at them and said, “I have this and I’m not afraid to use it.” Both assailants backed off immediately and fled the scene. Burns and her dog were left unharmed and no shots were fired. “I’m very thankful it turned out the way it did and hope it doesn’t happen again, but I will be prepared, “Burns said. (The Daily Caller, Lancaster, Ohio, 8/30/14)”
Important things to note:
- Ms. Burns did not pull her gun and empty the magazine at the two men just because they approached her with a baseball bat in hand. Maybe they were on their way home from a baseball game. She waited until they “acted aggressively”.
- No shots were fired. The mere presence of a firearm ended the situation. This happens more often than Gun Control advocates would have you believe. The Center for Disease Control estimates this happens up to 1,300 time a day!
- In most States, if Ms. Burns’ path would have taken her across the school grounds, she would have been breaking the law and subject to arrest even though her only intent was to be able to defend herself against attack.
- In States that make concealed carry of a firearm difficult or impossible, Ms. Burns would have been beaten with a baseball bat, dragged into the bushes, robbed or worse.
So once again I ask: How would this situation have turned out better for Ms. Burns if she were unarmed?
Many, many similar situations like the above can be found at: NRA Armed Citizen Online