"No Safe Places"
Since 07-25-08
by Don Myers
eXTRACTED From U.S. Concealed Carry "Armed American Report" 07/25/08
Recently, there were two Christian musicians who were leaving a recording
studio and were murdered for two dollars and their car. Initially, I paid
little attention to the news reports nor did I listen to the names of the
two victims. Three days later, I received an e-mail from a woman friend who
had received her CHL by taking my course along with her son and daughter.
The e-mail read, "Hi Don, my son, Steve, was murdered Thursday. His funeral
is at...."
I sat there stunned. Steve had been licensed through my instruction. I had
been to a couple of activities that he and his mother attended - in both
cases they were armed. I knew Steve's mother believed as I do that you never
go anywhere unarmed if it is legal to carry in those places. I did not know
Steve as well as I did his mother, but I found him to be very likable and
smart. In fact, I later discovered that he was probably a genius. Of course
after getting that terrible news, I couldn't help wonder if he was armed
that night. I assume that he wasn't because of the deadly results of his
encounter with two heartless thugs. Both criminals were captured the next
day. A television interview showed that one of them was almost proud of what
they had done. Apparently, he is feeling good about being a "gangsta" now."
I attended Steve's funeral wishing that I could ask if Steve had been armed
that awful night, but knew it would be totally inappropriate to ask such an
insensitive question. After the funeral service was over, I watched as the
ushers allowed the family members to leave the sanctuary first. I couldn't
help notice that Steve's mother and sister were carrying handbags made of
nylon that were an odd shape. Of course, it was obvious to me why they were
carrying those bags and what was in them.
I waited my turn to give condolences to Steve's mother. Then as I approached
her, she said in a voice that was a mixture of crying and disbelief, "Don,
Steve didn't have his gun! He always carries his gun! When he comes to my
house, he has his gun on him under his shirt. He doesn't go anywhere without
his gun! Don, he didn't have his gun! In fact, when the police were telling
me about the shooting, I asked them where Steve's gun was. They said that
they had not found his gun so I told them that the criminals have it. Later,
we found it at his home."
I was sick. The tragedy was bad enough, but for him to be killed on one of
the few nights where he had forgotten to take his gun seemed to rub salt
into the wounds of those of us who cared for him. I am always amazed at how
many people who have taken my CHL class do not carry all the time. Some
almost never carry a pistol. And yet, here was a case where someone who
practically always heeded my advice to be armed at all times was killed
while the others who continue to walk around in an un-armed condition, in a
mental state of white, don't pay the price that Steve did. No, I don't want
those others to pay that price. It's just that they are more likely to be
hurt or killed than those who do carry where it is legal. The irony cannot
be ignored.
One of the reasons that I became a CHL instructor was because of a
conversation I heard during my first renewal class. An elderly gentleman
asked the instructor, "I live in a nice neighborhood. My wife and I go
walking nearly every evening. Do you think I should take my gun with me?"
Incredibly, the instructor replied, "Well, that's a personal decision that
you will have to make for yourself."
I wanted to scream, "Of course, you should! There are no safe places!" In
fact, I was so stunned at the stupid answer that I didn't say what I was
thinking. I still feel guilty about not speaking up. However, I do speak up
now. Throughout the classes that I teach I use examples, many of actual
shootings, to show the need to carry all the time. One such example is an
appeal to logic. I ask the students if you could turn off and on your fire
insurance at will, would you ever turn it off because there was little
chance of a fire on a particular day? Of course, you wouldn't! But, that's
exactly what you do if you decide to leave your home un-armed. You have
chosen to let yourself be vulnerable to a mean world that can take you or
your loved ones from this world for two dollars or for your tennis shoes.
There are no safe places! One woman who took my class has for many years
worked as a contractor in federal housing, i.e. high crime areas.
Unfortunately, her employer will not let her carry her gun in her car (she
can't go in the federal buildings armed), but she has never needed a gun in
those high crime areas. On the other hand, she has needed a gun for
protection three times in "safe areas."
She started carrying a gun at seventeen because the police would not believe
that she and her boyfriend had been robbed and that she had nearly raped
(she said that she was in her menstrual period or she would have been
raped). The police did not believe her because at that time there had never
been any crime in the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (this occurred in the
1960's). This "safe place" soon became a hot spot of rape and murder during
the following year causing it to be fenced and closed at night. Fortunately,
the gang of youths were caught and convicted of multiple rapes and murders.
Those of you who are instructors have probably had many stories of similar
need for a gun for protection told by your clients. I use real life stories
as much as I can, but I am still frustrated at how many people have the "it
won't happen to me attitude" and don't carry all the time. I have finally
decided that few people really take to heart my cajoling and warnings.
Fortunately, many have, but I want to be even more effective in getting that
point across since not only are they safer being armed, but we are too.
Since many of you who are reading this newsletter are instructors, I invite
you to e-mail me if you have found effective methods to get the point across
that it is important to be armed. Hopefully, there will be enough
information that I can pass it on to others via this newsletter. If you have
something that will help, please e-mail me at happydad1@sbcglobal.net. If I
do write another article on that subject I will give you credit for your
ideas.
I truly believe it is important for us to teach our clients and friends that
CHL holders should be armed whenever possible and this safety advice is just
as important to teach as it is for us to teach conflict resolution and the
use of deadly force required by the state. I hope you agree. Be armed; be
safe.
Don Myers
Texas Concealed Handgun License Instructor
7624 Hightower Dr.
N. Richland Hills, TX 76180
happydad1@sbcglobal.net
817 929-606