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Why I carry...

Belle_Starr

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Rixeyville, VA
Because I refuse to be a victim...several years ago, when I was an EMT that ran rescue 24/7/365 "part time", I also worked at a local hospital. Few days before returning to work at the hospital, myself and my paramedic were called for a man who was in severe distress so we got him calmed down, did what we had to do and rushed him to the hospital. Well, my last day of work, a few days later, before having a few days off, I noticed this man sitting in his room, upset, seemed genuinely nice so I asked what was wrong. He explained he had no way to get home, he was worried about money, he had none so I offered to take him home and drop him off, it was only 10 minutes out of my way....

Long story short...because he felt I saved his life, he began to stalk me. Calling my house, leaving suggestive msg's from multiple phone numbers, sick suggestive letters started to come, no one knew how he got my information, as it is unlisted. My asst. chief, who was a LEO, got his rap sheet and it was extensive, someone you do not turn your back on or make an enemy of. There were also calls to our fire station looking for me and at the hospital, asking if i was working or there then if I answered the phone, they would hang up. Called the police dept., then went down, showed them letters, times of phone calls, msgs, etc. and they said because he hadn't come to our farm or physically harm me, there was nothing they could do, to ignore him and it would stop.

Two years go by, I find out he was going to my horse shows and watching in the back, knew my truck, was always at the front of the store we went to so I began to shop somewhere else, and got so I didn't want to go anywhere or be outside or any shows. My husband, a marksman and having won awards for his shooting, talked me into going out on our property and shooting his Glock 10. It was too big for my hands but we talked long and before long, I was becoming proficient with a Glock 17 .9mm. From there, I now carry a Glock 26 .9mm

I am now pro-active in MY personal safety and feel a lot better, as I refuse to be a victim. I know that if I pull my side arm it is to stop a possible threat, it is not a toy, and it is an awesome responsibility. I also open carry, I get more silly questions than not, but I find it is a perfect opening to educate. I will not be afraid to leave my house, to walk outside to my barn or down our back roads any longer. I practice several times a week, I am proficient with a .308 with scope and glass at 200 yards, can also shoot a small 10-.22 with scope, and love all hand guns and am also now, along with my husband a class 3 FFL. However, I do more of the paperwork but shoot anything that comes in so I know what it is like, how you load, unload and what it feels like.
 
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Belle_Starr

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Rixeyville, VA
Oh absolutely a nut job! My saving grace is that shortly before he moved somewhere else in VA, I ran him one last time....by then I had cut my hair off and changed the color some..so he thought I was the paramedic. Let him think that and had my driver take me to the closest hospital, which was thankfully 5 minutes down the road...
 

Belle_Starr

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2012
Messages
8
Location
Rixeyville, VA
Glad you are ok. There sure are some sick people out there.

Thank you John. Unfortunately it is getting worse and people are afraid. We have had problems with MS13 here in our area, dragging woman in the bathrooms and raping them, home invasions, drug trafficking, etc. Just down the road a neighbor has a prison bird son who has "friends" come see him and her older son does meth, pot and drives either stoned or drunk often. You get so you know what is around you, who is around you, the closest exit and where to duck and or protect yourself in public should the need arise.
 

SFCRetired

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Messages
1,764
Location
Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Good for you! I wish more women would do as you have done. I would, however respectfully suggest that you change the wording in one part of your original post:

From: " I know that if I pull my side arm it is to kill"

TO: "I know that If I pull my side arm it is to stop a threat"

I know that is a small distinction, but should an overzealous prosecutor get his hands on the original after you, God forbid, had to use your weapon, he/she would make a lot of mileage out of your wording.

I just got my wife to shoot a pistol for the first time in her life. She shot a .22, a .38, a .380, and my .45. Woman had a grin on her face the whole 42 miles from the range back to our house!! In her home country, only the police and military have firearms. In the picture, she is pointing to what she did with my .45. No, I do not make her mad!
 

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RetiredOC

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
1,561
I know that if I pull my side arm it is to kill

words that any prosecutor would hang on. I suggest you follow SFCRetired's wise advice. Even in a justified shoot a family of a 'victim' would love to bring that up in a lawsuit.
 
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