PROUD American
Regular Member
imported post
Hi folks, I'm just getting started with your fine group. And I thought I would pass along the reasoning for my choice to “carry” and our most recent experience. With all this crap taking place out in our public places; and recently having a few “interesting events” at my home near Hamburg, PA (and yes that’s where Cabela's is located), I have started "carrying" again. And please forgive me, I feel a "soapbox moment" coming on. I have had my concealed carry permit for many years and have not “carried” in several years, I had become complacent. But, my decision to carry again was made after an incident at my family’s home where we were VERY lucky “things didn’t go bad”. I had worked overtime and my family received a nighttime visit from a prowler dressed in dark clothing and a black ski mask holding a SHOTGUN on our deck at 9:15 PM on August 8, 2007.
Here is the link to the article in the Reading Eagle, a local newspaper: http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=53996
Luckily, I am a proud American who was raised with firearms and one that has also raised his two sons’ in a similar manner. I taught both of our boys to respect firearms AND how to appropriately use these TOOLS at a very young age. And, I have had the great pleasure of taking them to several hunter safety courses conducted by the PA Game Commission, and continue to enjoy target shooting and hunting sessions with both of our boys. And, I am VERY proud to pass on the details of that evening that the newspaper left out.
My wife saw movement on the “back porch” (a deck), and thinking it was smoke from ANOTHER fire under the porch, she asked our 15 year old son Patrick to check it out. (About a week prior to this someone had started a fire at about 11PM underneath our porch; we caught it early and were able to extinguish it with a garden hose before the fire department arrived.) Patrick went out on the porch looking to the right, as he rounded the turn to head down the steps he looked to the left and WHAM there was a 6'2" man dressed in the clothing of a BAD GUY with a ski mask, holding a shotgun about two feet in front of Patrick. Patrick spun around, ran back into the house, slamming both doors behind him, ran upstairs yelling to my wife to call the police and hide. Patrick retrieved my .40 caliber S&W pistol (with defensive rounds) from my gun vault (using my wife’s keys, who was home) and went back downstairs, past a window and back to the exterior door. The "prowler" who hadn’t moved, saw Patrick through the window with my pistol, and ran from the porch, literally tripping down the stairs and ran through the adjacent fields. When Patrick saw the prowler running away, he opened the door and relayed the direction of travel back to the responding State Police Officers, through the police dispatcher who was on the phone.
Unfortunately, it was a dark and rainy night and the State Police were unable to locate the suspect. But, since then, we have taken several protective measures, including mypurchasing and carrying a nice little Springfield Micro-Compact .45. And, I have also taught my son's how to react in a more tactically sound manner (like, NOT going outside). We have not had any additional “events” since the one described above, is it the new alarm system? Is it the change of weather now that winter is upon us? Nope, I don’t think so; I truly believe that it is because THIS bad guy KNOWS we are armed and prepared to take action…
We are very fortunate to live in a state and a nation that has not infringed upon our right to bear arms. I was a correctional officer at a large state prison, and there is a very distinct possibility that I, with my family could run into "one of my former clients". I have run into several in the past and have not had a problem at all, matter of fact; we have carried out very friendly conversations. BUT, one day I could run into one of my ex-inmates that just do not like me or we just might be in the wrong place at the wrong time and I WILL be prepared... AND I thank GOD that it is my Constitutional RIGHT to be prepared to defend my family and my property with a TOOL similar to what the criminals have and will continue to threaten us with!!!
No matter what laws our government enacts to eliminate guns, the criminals WILL continue to use them against law abiding citizens. They will steal guns that are "grandfathered", they will steal guns from "authorized agencies", they will buy them from the black market shipped from overseas OR they will make crude zip guns. The ONLY effective enforcement action our Government CAN do is to lock the criminals up. And guess what, those laws are already “in the books”, they just choose not to PUNISH the criminals. Criminals know that most Americans do not carry firearms, and that is what they rely on, they prey on the weak, unprepared citizens in our society, which they consider “easy prey”. They will not attack someone that they know will fire back, unless it's going to add to their "street cred" (their reputation) and typically that's only going to happen by attacking a rival gang member or people in a position of authority (the police). Just like a competition sport, they fear a better prepared foe and do not want to participate in a face off. They would rather take the proverbial “candy from a baby”!!! Yes, they are shooting at police officers in Philadelphia, and that is very unfortunate. But that again has to do with their "street cred" and criminals knowing they can pump out more rounds than an officer can. Criminals know that Police officers are responsible for every round they discharge and of course they use that to their advantage... I hope that American citizens realize [before it’s too late] that if only the criminals have guns we are ALL in trouble, we will be forced to lock ourselves in our own homes to stay somewhat safe… So, in the end someone will be punished, someone will be “locked up”, it will be you and I the law-abiding citizens, locked in our own homes, while the criminals enjoy our wonderful public places!!!
WE need to stick together, stand tough, stand strong, and YOU need to protect yourself and your loved ones by continuing to practice, and practice your right to carry!!!
A Proud American,
Bob
Hi folks, I'm just getting started with your fine group. And I thought I would pass along the reasoning for my choice to “carry” and our most recent experience. With all this crap taking place out in our public places; and recently having a few “interesting events” at my home near Hamburg, PA (and yes that’s where Cabela's is located), I have started "carrying" again. And please forgive me, I feel a "soapbox moment" coming on. I have had my concealed carry permit for many years and have not “carried” in several years, I had become complacent. But, my decision to carry again was made after an incident at my family’s home where we were VERY lucky “things didn’t go bad”. I had worked overtime and my family received a nighttime visit from a prowler dressed in dark clothing and a black ski mask holding a SHOTGUN on our deck at 9:15 PM on August 8, 2007.
Here is the link to the article in the Reading Eagle, a local newspaper: http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=53996
Luckily, I am a proud American who was raised with firearms and one that has also raised his two sons’ in a similar manner. I taught both of our boys to respect firearms AND how to appropriately use these TOOLS at a very young age. And, I have had the great pleasure of taking them to several hunter safety courses conducted by the PA Game Commission, and continue to enjoy target shooting and hunting sessions with both of our boys. And, I am VERY proud to pass on the details of that evening that the newspaper left out.
My wife saw movement on the “back porch” (a deck), and thinking it was smoke from ANOTHER fire under the porch, she asked our 15 year old son Patrick to check it out. (About a week prior to this someone had started a fire at about 11PM underneath our porch; we caught it early and were able to extinguish it with a garden hose before the fire department arrived.) Patrick went out on the porch looking to the right, as he rounded the turn to head down the steps he looked to the left and WHAM there was a 6'2" man dressed in the clothing of a BAD GUY with a ski mask, holding a shotgun about two feet in front of Patrick. Patrick spun around, ran back into the house, slamming both doors behind him, ran upstairs yelling to my wife to call the police and hide. Patrick retrieved my .40 caliber S&W pistol (with defensive rounds) from my gun vault (using my wife’s keys, who was home) and went back downstairs, past a window and back to the exterior door. The "prowler" who hadn’t moved, saw Patrick through the window with my pistol, and ran from the porch, literally tripping down the stairs and ran through the adjacent fields. When Patrick saw the prowler running away, he opened the door and relayed the direction of travel back to the responding State Police Officers, through the police dispatcher who was on the phone.
Unfortunately, it was a dark and rainy night and the State Police were unable to locate the suspect. But, since then, we have taken several protective measures, including mypurchasing and carrying a nice little Springfield Micro-Compact .45. And, I have also taught my son's how to react in a more tactically sound manner (like, NOT going outside). We have not had any additional “events” since the one described above, is it the new alarm system? Is it the change of weather now that winter is upon us? Nope, I don’t think so; I truly believe that it is because THIS bad guy KNOWS we are armed and prepared to take action…
We are very fortunate to live in a state and a nation that has not infringed upon our right to bear arms. I was a correctional officer at a large state prison, and there is a very distinct possibility that I, with my family could run into "one of my former clients". I have run into several in the past and have not had a problem at all, matter of fact; we have carried out very friendly conversations. BUT, one day I could run into one of my ex-inmates that just do not like me or we just might be in the wrong place at the wrong time and I WILL be prepared... AND I thank GOD that it is my Constitutional RIGHT to be prepared to defend my family and my property with a TOOL similar to what the criminals have and will continue to threaten us with!!!
No matter what laws our government enacts to eliminate guns, the criminals WILL continue to use them against law abiding citizens. They will steal guns that are "grandfathered", they will steal guns from "authorized agencies", they will buy them from the black market shipped from overseas OR they will make crude zip guns. The ONLY effective enforcement action our Government CAN do is to lock the criminals up. And guess what, those laws are already “in the books”, they just choose not to PUNISH the criminals. Criminals know that most Americans do not carry firearms, and that is what they rely on, they prey on the weak, unprepared citizens in our society, which they consider “easy prey”. They will not attack someone that they know will fire back, unless it's going to add to their "street cred" (their reputation) and typically that's only going to happen by attacking a rival gang member or people in a position of authority (the police). Just like a competition sport, they fear a better prepared foe and do not want to participate in a face off. They would rather take the proverbial “candy from a baby”!!! Yes, they are shooting at police officers in Philadelphia, and that is very unfortunate. But that again has to do with their "street cred" and criminals knowing they can pump out more rounds than an officer can. Criminals know that Police officers are responsible for every round they discharge and of course they use that to their advantage... I hope that American citizens realize [before it’s too late] that if only the criminals have guns we are ALL in trouble, we will be forced to lock ourselves in our own homes to stay somewhat safe… So, in the end someone will be punished, someone will be “locked up”, it will be you and I the law-abiding citizens, locked in our own homes, while the criminals enjoy our wonderful public places!!!
WE need to stick together, stand tough, stand strong, and YOU need to protect yourself and your loved ones by continuing to practice, and practice your right to carry!!!
A Proud American,
Bob
