Time to Stand

Two mass shootings 4 days apart. Both were horrible tragedies which illustrate facts that we cannot afford to ignore as a country.

 

The first shooting occurred when a man walked into the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska. He was armed with a single semi-automatic rifle (an AK-47 that shoots one bullet every time the trigger is pulled) and 2 loaded 30-round magazines. He fired more than 30 rounds, killing 8 people, and wounding another 3. Finally, he ended the massacre by shooting himself. There are three important facts that should be mentioned:

 

1. The gun was illegally obtained. Even if it had it not been stolen, it was still illegal for the man to possess it. (He had a felony drug conviction on his record.)
2. The mall was a “gun-free” zone. In Nebraska, if a business posts a “no guns allowed” sign, a concealed carry permit holder cannot carry his firearm on the premise.
3. The police arrived 6 minutes after the initial 9-1-1 call. In my opinion that’s very fast, however, by the time they arrived it was all over.

 

I will get back to the implications of those facts later. The next shooting involved a different man who went on a shooting rampage at two locations. At the first scene, he killed 2 and injured an additional 2. Next, he arrived at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado armed with two handguns and a semi-automatic rifle (same model as above) and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Clearly, he intended on murdering a large number of people. He killed 2 people and wounded 3 others, but something happened that he didn’t intend. A law-abiding citizen had a gun, and a lot of courage. This woman, who had a concealed carry permit, fired on the murderer with her handgun, incapacitating him. It’s impossible to say how many innocent lives she saved.

 

So, what are the logical conclusions to be drawn from these two stories?

 

• Gun laws don’t stop criminals from getting guns. Though the first mass-murderer was breaking at least a couple of laws, he still obtained a gun. CRIMINALS WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO GET GUNS! Gun laws only affect those that are willing to obey the law.

 

• Gun-free zones don’t work. They are, however, an advertisement to criminals for specific high-value (as far as they’re concerned) localities where they can be certain there are absolutely no armed, law-abiding citizens.

 

• You cannot expect the police to be your first line of defense against crime. I have the utmost respect for the men and women of law enforcement, but even at their fastest response times, they often cannot stop a crime that’s happening right now. That’s just the way it is.

 

• Armed, Law-abiding citizens can be effective at stopping crime.  Though very much out-gunned, this woman took her stand and cut short a maniac’s rampage. (John Lott provides a statistical basis for an armed public’s positive effects on crime, in his book The Bias Against Guns.)

 

    It is time for those Americans who love freedom and hate tyranny to act. We need to tell the liberals in Washington that our God–given Constitutional rights and freedoms are not up for grabs. We can no longer tolerate any political candidate that is o.k. with gun control.

 

    It is time to take responsibility for our own safety and security. The police do a great job of stopping many crimes by investigation, prosecution and pursuit of criminals. While the crime is being committed, however, the only person that you can rely on to be there to protect you is yourself. I believe that a wise man concerned with his family’s safety should own a firearm for the protection of his home, and consider a concealed carry permit for protection in travel. The same is true for women. You might take your chances with pepper spray or stun guns, but your best chance is to have gun and be proficient in its use.

 

    You can never guarantee what the outcome of tragedies like these will be. You may be risking your life to stand up against evil. To me, that option is preferable to being a victim. If my death might save the lives of my family and others, then it is a price worth paying. Beyond that, I will keep my weapon handy, and I pray that if ever I have to use my firearms defensively, that God will give me courage and keep my aim straight. 

 

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD.”  Proverbs 21:31    

 

 

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