When Seconds Count...

I read an unsigned editorial in the Toledo Blade , an online publication, expressing concern about citizens confronting armed criminals rather than leaving it to the police who are trained and have the responsibility for such matters. (A tip of the cap to Say Uncle for finding this obscure news tip.) I’ll discount most of what was written with a short but very true axiom, “When seconds count, the police are only minutes away”.

I was immediately suspicious of the editorial; unsigned and published leads me to believe it was planted. News outlets have fairly strict policies when it comes to opinion articles; why bend the rules for this one? The fact that an opinion piece was approved, an opinion that citizens taking up firearms to defend themselves from criminals is too dangerous, leads me to believe the Toledo Blade has a bias against 2nd Amendment rights protected in the Bill of Rights. Why doesn’t that surprise me?

The job of the police is to “Protect & Serve”, specially trained to neutralize hazardous situations, finding and stopping criminals and especially the safe use of firearms; something you idiot civilians have no business even touching. Isn’t that what we’ve been reminded each time a shop owner confronts a “would be robber”? It usually turns out one of two ways; either the store owner gets shot by the robber or the robber gets shot by the owner. This works the same for homeowner, delivery truck driver or any number of scenarios

The news team shows up across from where the yellow police tape has been stretched around the crime scene. Your local reporter, microphone in hand and camera crew zooming in at what appears to be a crying witness, always interviews the police spokesperson, “We want to remind everyone this could have turned out much worse, some innocent child walking down the street might have been struck and killed by a stray bullet fired by someone not trained in confrontational situations. This is what the police department is for, leave your guns at home and let us do our job.”

We’re not helpless victims waiting to be next; survival is the responsibility of each individual. Have we forgotten how to defend ourselves or are we pretending society has reached a level above reality? Have we deluded ourselves; believing it’s only rare a criminal will attempt to take advantage of our supposed weaknesses?

Criminals don’t care about laws prohibiting the use of firearms, they don’t care who they hurt or kill as long as they get away with rape, robbery or burglary and can come back again and again. ( I hadn’t intend to include Congress in this; but if the shoe fits…) Our police departments do a very nice job of responding when called; but when seconds count; 4-8 minutes can seem like an eternity, you’d better have more than a telephone to hear your last gasping breath.

We’re Americans with courage and spirit, enough and then some; just don’t say it too loud or the folks who collect your taxes will have you in front of a shrink; you’re a pigeon waiting to be plucked and don’t forget it. When somebody tells you to leave crime fighting to the police, you tell them gun control is being able to hit what you aim at.

Picture of bad guy with a shotgun courtesy of Rockwood Corporation, Speedwell Division , specializing in military and law enforcement targets.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal , a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.