You have no doubt read repeatedly by now of the misunderstood youth with limited economic options who tried to self-realize and redistribute Ahab's wealth in a more equitable manner, only to be met with a face full of hot coffee and the wrong end of a Beretta.
Recently I learned that a good friend from central Illinois was the target of a home-invasion robbery. Details are scant because there's an investigation ongoing, but at least two thugs tried to break into his house in the middle of the night. When trickery failed (as trickery often fails the stupid) they tried to resort to force. He trumped their attempts with superior armament and good planning, and by the time the police arrived they were in disarray. One escaped, one captured, no one shot. It's assumed that he was targeted at random, because believe me, if they'd known who they were trying to rob, they'd have stayed home that night.
Sorry to be so sketchy with details, but when he's at liberty to talk about the case we'll know everything. He's not exactly the shy retiring type. What I notice most about these cases is the lack of gunshot wounds. What's up with that? The Brady Campaign would have you believe that anyone who practices shooting as much as Ahab does, or advocates for gun owners as strenuously as my friend does (Illinois Governor George Ryan used to have him arrested fairly regularly) has been waiting all his life for an excuse to shoot someone--an excuse as good as "he had a knife!" or "I told him to leave, and he tried to break the door in!" Legally, either man could have shot his assailant and gotten away with it. So why didn't they?
Because it's not about the fun and excitement of killing people. It's about the willingness to go through the ordeal of shooting someone if that's what it takes to keep yourself and other innocents safe.
"(Illinois Governor George Ryan used to have him arrested fairly regularly)"
ReplyDeleteAhh, Gov. Jailbird.
Having attracted George (spit!) Ryan's attentions -- was this gentleman at Igold, perchance?
Yes, and now you've narrowed it down to a few thousand. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a suspicion. Don't recall the guy's name, but I listened to him hold forth at length to a small group last year.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Brady Campaign if you even resort to a weapon to defend yourself it will turn on you and kill you.
ReplyDeleteI just wouldn't want all the legal hassles unless there were simply no other choice, so not-firing is OK by me.
Did he have a dog? Sometimes a big bark keeps intruders out a lot easier than a gun. I'm just sayin'... I'm not anti-gun (I'm from Texas, yee haw!) but I'd rather have a big dog bark at a noise in the night and scare a potential intruder off than have to actually deal with them myself.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe he does, no, but I know what you mean. I have two. When I hear a noise in the night, I just wait for the dogs to alert. If they aren't going nuts, then whatever it was is nowhere near my house.
ReplyDeleteIf they can fool both my dogs at once, they deserve my TV.
Hee hee. Know who you're talking about. If he talks about it, record it for me. That'll be a riot.
ReplyDelete