Why have a firearm? The TX Fires.

Glenn E. Meyer

New member
I bought a copy of Texas Monthly latest issue. The reason was that it had an article on the 40 best breakfasts in TX. However, it had an article on the wave of terrible fires. The stories of survival are WOW! Trying to get an older women in a walker away from burning houses and exploding cars.

There's one story relevant for us. Folks go back to their property. A 17 year old girl watches her house while the others are off. Two men and a woman come to loot the place. The young lady is wearing a handgun in a holster as they feared trouble. She challenges them and they say - Nah, you won't do anything. She says that do you want to challenge me to shoot you between the eyes? They leave.

No gun - what would have happened?

I appreciate stories like this, esp. to point out to antigun folk a reasonable example why gun control would leave good people helpless.

Had a conversation with a nice young lady the other day, telling about a class I took - because I hurt my hand, obviously and she was asking about it. She said that she is for gun control. I asked what does that mean? That criminals don't have guns easily. Sure - but does it mean that people like her can't have them. Told her about the young lady who had a boxing champion in San Antonio, stalk her from the gym and break into her house. He was stopped with a Glock 21 and arrested (didn't kill him - unlike the idiot on Triggers who said if you hit someone anywhere with a 45, they disintegrate). I said would you like to face a boxing champion with a gun or a frying pan like a Lifetime Movie Network flic?

She saw my point.

I'll tell her this one, next time I see her.

Glenn
 
Perry took some heat for pointing out that illegals have started a lot of the "wild" fires. There may not be much linkage but starting a fire to get people to flee so that you can loot their homes is not a new strategy at all. Perhaps one of the oldest.
 
I'm of the opinion that the greatest challenge we will continue to face into the future is to frame the gun debate in terms that apply to and make sense to our anti-gun listeners.

While academic, historic, and legal arguments are vital, being able to communicate on a "how would YOU feel if"-level will increasingly be critical.

My opinion is that many anti-gun folks are anti-gun on an abstract level, but when it comes down to their individual circumstances, like Carl Rowan in 1988 they would not hesitate to arm themselves to protect their children, families, etc.

I think ultimately, in the future, it will be this inner acknowledgement that they would indeed use a gun in the gravest extreme that will be the evidence they will find most pursuasive and compelling.


http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8940
 
like Carl Rowan in 1988 they would not hesitate to arm themselves to protect their children, families, etc.

That is NOT what he was doing. He shot a trespasser who was swimming in his pool. Glenn is talking about criminals looting houses, possibly attacking folks with a crime of opportunity as the authorities are busy with a disaster.

There is a big difference between someone who is a liar and a hypocrite and someone who decides too late that they made poor choices about how to protect their family.
 
Thanks for the story Glenn. What I like is the gal was 17. I also like how well she handled herself.

I do not like the restrictions to "under 18" group. They need to be able to protect themselves too. If anyone is going to restrict them it should be their parents, not the one-size-fits-all government legal system.

I am old and retired now, but I got my first rifle when I was 12 as a birthday present. Yes, it was mine, not my dad's. Kept it in my room, and took it out when I pleased. I learned to use it and never misused it. Young people need to learn responsibility, not be nannied.
 
^ They were were looting Carl Rowan's pool.

I think the decade has shown that the criminal element will take advantage of any type of cataclysmic event to commit crimes, whether it be hurricane, earthquake, fire - whatever.

And those crimes aren't limited to robbery. Hurricane Katrina showed that criminals engage in rape and sexual assault, taking advantge of the chaos of a disaster, knowing that police are busy during this types of emergencies
 
I think the decade has shown that the criminal element will take advantage of any type of cataclysmic event to commit crimes, whether it be hurricane, earthquake, fire - whatever.

Bah, Katrina is stuff is pretty tame compared to historical examples like the Lisbon Earthquake. We haven't seen anything.
 
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