Al Swearengen presents "The Armed Citizen"

[Al Swearengen]

Studies indicate that firearms are used more than 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting can usually be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life, limb, or in some cases, property. It is in this spirit that I will reproduce here, for your reading pleasure, excerpts from the "Armed Citizen" column of the NRA's official journal "America's 1st Freedom". Enjoy!

When a Harlem thug saw Margaret Johnson, a grandmother who has been confined to a wheelchair since a 2001 injury, he thought he had an easy target. The friendly Johnson said hello to the man, but according to police, he responded by grabbing her around the neck in an attempt to steal her necklace. But he had underestimated Johnson, an NRA member and accomplished target shooter who was on her way to the gun range. She reached for her registered pistol and shot her assailant, sending him running. Police caught up with Johnson's assailant half a block away.

New York Post
New York, N.Y.,09/09/06

[AnimeSpirit]

LMAO!!! That's great! Talking about having a BAD sense of who the best targets are.

[Al Swearengen]

When Michael Slonaker heard an unexpected, midnight-hour knock at his door, he cautiously answered it armed with a handgun. Unbeknownst to him, two juveniles were standing behind his front door, one clucthing a baseball bat and the other holding a shotgun. As Slonaker opened the door, the juvenile holding the shotgun began to raise it. Slonaker fired two shots, hitting both assailants. The shotgun-toting youth, who had been on probabtion, was killed. His accomplice was arrested when he sought treatment at the hospital for a gunshot wound.

Kokomo Tribune
Kokomo, Ind.,09/06/06

[Neo]

Sounds like that caught criminals, limited paperwork, limited manhours, and most likely deterred future crimes. Al could be on to something here.... the national debt may be solved!!!!

Can you write any of the expenses off on taxes?

[rhertz]

More thoughts from Tom Gresham on the subject:

"Barely more than a year ago House Bill 1572 couldn't even make it out of committee in the Virginia General Assembly. The bill would have made it legal for students and staff at Virginia universities to have guns for their own protection. Today's shooter did not wait for such a law, and took advantage of the government-mandated victim-state.

When House Bill 1572 was defeated, state newspapers reported: "Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. 'I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus.'"

[Al Swearengen]

Samuel Mitchell was exiting his church after choir practice, unaware that two blocks away events were in motion that would change his life. Police say a robber attempted to rob a man and a woman, and the victims fled in opposite directions. The suspect pursued the female toward the church, where Mitchell had gotten into his truck. As he was leaving the parking lot, the woman climbed into Mitchell's vehicle and pleaded for help. When the suspect caught up, he stuck apistol inside the truck window and announced a carjacking. Mitchell, who has a concealed carry permit, responded by producing his own pistol and shooting the suspect, who died at the hospital.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Little Rock, Ark., 09/15/06