imported post
It was interesting. I stayed there the whole time. Listened to alot of talk on Mental Health, Marijuana use, binge drinking and suicidal tendencies. Got to listen to 3 of family members get up and speak.Very touching you almost want to hug each one of them (except when they started on the High capacity Magazine issue) one even called a highcapacity magazine a "Highcapacity Cartridge" <- I'm still trying to figure out what that means. #9 12 gauge Maybe?
Anyway I got up and spoke if you want to read what I said here it is.
I ended up speaking at the GMU Tech thing last night. I was the "FORTUNATE" one to be the first person to speak for the 2A. I got claps and I think a standing ovation. Then one of the panel members said "Wait we have a question?"
I said Okay they weren't asking quesitons to any of the MMM people so I said yes mam.
This was her question.
3% of Virginians are mentally defective 97% of Virginians are not!
Today I'm still waiting for the question.
The panel was very one sided there was about 5 Doctors most of them Clinical phscyotrists (sp) 1 former PA governor 1 VSP former Chief. They all thought they could solve the VT thing with more state programs and mental issues they seemed a little pissed when I read my speech.
Heres what I said,
WHEN SECONDS COUNT……………………………
My name is Andy; I ask that you listen to what I’m about to say with an open mind because I have listened to you with an open mind. I’m 26 years of age and I am an Alumnus of a small Public Military school in Southwest Virginia, VMI. My brother is a Virginia Tech Alumni and we grew up around guns. I started shooting when I was around 7 years old. Guys and gals like me are your neighbors, we are driving the same streets you are driving, we are shopping in the same stores you are shopping in, we are eating in the same restaurants you are sitting in, we are working to make ends meet just like you; however, the difference is we are armed.
The flock of us here today are put into two of the three categories of people. Those categories are sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. Sheep are good people, they are law abiding, generous, kind, and conform to society, being a sheep is not a bad thing its what the majority of the people are, it is the norm. Wolves are the opposite of sheep they prey on the sheep, they are the criminal element in the world. Sheepdogs are dogs dressed in a sheep’s skin; they are individuals who take it upon themselves to protect sheep from the wolves. I personally fall into the category of sheepdog, by dressing like you, and doing what you like to do I resemble a common sheep; however, I am by no means an easy a lamb for the slaughter by the wolves like Seung-Hui Cho, coming to devour me or the flock of individuals who surround me.
I am apart of a minority of Virginians whom carry a handgun every second of the day and everywhere we go, provided it is legal to do so. My personal carry gun happens to be a Glock 19 the same model gun that Seung-Hui Cho used in his mass killing. Does this mean guns or Glocks kill people? Well I guess mine are defective because out of the 5 Glocks I have they have never killed or shot anybody. All my friends carry, my family carries, my co-workers carry. To me carrying a gun is not comfortable it’s comforting. I do not carry a handgun because I expect trouble lurking around every corner. I carry a handgun because I don’t expect trouble. I bet now your asking yourself well that doesn’t make any sense! It makes perfect sense ask any Cop on the street this question. If you are going to a gun fight what would you want in your hand, handgun, rifle, or a shotgun? Bet you would be surprised at the response. I look at carrying a gun very similar to the life of a rattlesnake. When a rattler is in trouble from a bigger meaner predator, it tries to slither away, when that fails and its backed into a corner it postures and flails its rattle, hoping that the threat will see it means business and go eat something else. If all else fails, it strikes releasing deadly consequences on what it hits, thus saving the rattler’s life.
What happened at Virginia Tech was a horrible tragedy; however, what hasn’t happened as a result of Virginia Tech is even a bigger travesty. The business I’m in, I hear a lot about what happened at Tech. Most of the people are horrified that I would even consider living the same lifestyle I do after such a tragedy; however, to me it only strengthens my argument. Even at this seminar there has been a lot of talk about the demeanor and mental state that Mr. Cho was in and how the incident could have been prevented. As famous HBO talk show hosts Penn and Teller once said on their show “You can’t stop insane people from doing insane things, that in itself is insane!” The type of incident we saw at Tech cannot be stopped through the addition of more cameras in the classrooms, sirens on campuses, security guards, or even police officers! The only thing that you can do to possibly have a different outcome is by allowing permit holders the right to have their guns in the classroom. In 180 seconds, Cho gunned down 31 people while Police Officers were still trying to get into the building. It took Law Enforcement 3 times that time to get to the shooting location, by then it was already over.
I’m not by any means criticizing police response nor am I saying cops aren’t doing their jobs. What I am saying is they can’t be in ever place at once. I carry a spare tire because I can’t carry a jiffy lube, I carry a cell phone because a string and two cups...well find a string that is that long, and I carry a gun because I can’t carry a Cop!” Ask yourself is a civilian carrying a gun needed in a classroom? Don’t answer that just yet.
Lets reflect back and pretend that we can go back in time. Play this like you would a game of craps in Vegas. What are the possible outcomes?
1) Student pulls gun, shoots Cho killing him, the dice of life just rolled a 6 and a 1 Lucky number 7.
2) Student pulls gun shoots himself in the leg then shoots Cho, the dice rolled a 5 and a 2 Lucky number 7.
3) Cho sees somebody is trying to interfere with his plan of killing everybody in that classroom and says “SCREW this I’m going somewhere else” Lucky number 7.
4) Or something else happened resulting in a different outcome then what did happen.
5) Or Cho killed every body in the class anyway. The dice turned to1 and 1 or snake eyes.
FACT: Cho SLAUGHTERED those people due to NOBODY standing up against him who could present a lethal substitute. Out of the possible outcomes #1-4, I just mentioned, Virginia Tech Policies have made them Impossible. Those impossible outcomes would have been what the people in that classroom wanted at the time Cho was executing them, not what you and I want today. Example #5 Cho killed everybody in the class. That is the reality of what happened and is still the reality today with most VA college current policies. In this life game of craps, the only option for everybody there was to roll snake eyes on every turn.
This is issue is not about being a dark red republican or a blue democrat. This issue is about trying to prevent a mass shooter from taking away an innocent person’s right to breath regardless of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation!
I ask everybody to ask him or herself what is acceptable in situations like this? 32 dead, 15 dead, 5 dead, or better yet bad guy just plain stopped by one of the good guys. Unless you fix current policy and allow for individuals to take their own personal security into their own hands, or teach them to through rocks at 1200 feet per second, the death toll from the innocent sheep will only grow. In a situation like Tech, a unarmed sheep banking on harsh language as a good self defense tactic against an insane gunman will only receive an F in verbal Judo on his or her report card, and another implication on their gravestone that if there had been an armed response in the room, they may still be with their loved ones. But a law-abiding sheepdog with a concealed handgun who stands up and fights with lethal force receives an A+ in self-defense, and possibly lives another day!
I leave you with the following thoughts one from the original title of this.
January 31, 2006:
"House Bill 1572 didn't get through the House Committee on Militia,
Police and Public Safety. This bill was intended to force universities to reverts their policies of licensed permit holders to allow them to carry their guns on campus. To reiterate carrying a gun at VA Tech concealed is not against the law, it’s a bad school policy.
Virginia Tech spokesman 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."
When seconds count…..help is only minutes away!
