Sobering article on the Garland TX murders

762 · August 8th, 2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

== “No Safe Places” ==

by Don Myers

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

As a Christian, I had moral battles in me over guns for a while. Not anymore. I carry everyone i can - church included. There is no safe place anymore. A 'good' neighborhood is no guarantee to safety as we witnessed here in Vegas on February 15th with the drive-by shooting of a kid in a very well to do area.

jfl · August 8th, 2008, 01:30 PM

So sad !!!
Excellent lesson, however.
Thanks for sharing.

Bob The Great · August 8th, 2008, 01:34 PM

Good article, and exactly right. Being "in a good neighborhood", "just going to store", being in church, school, or anywhere else considered "safe" is no guarantee. For that matter, being armed is no guarantee of safety either, but at least it gives you a fighting chance.

It's saddening to think that things could have turned out differently in the Garland case. Stay armed - you never know when it could mean the difference between life and death.

762 · August 8th, 2008, 01:38 PM

If i go out, i'm goin out fightin....

we never know...one minute your safe, the next your life could hang in the balance.

goldshellback · August 8th, 2008, 01:52 PM

I remember when those murders were reported.............I told my wife THAT's one reason to ALWAYS carry and PAY ATTENTION to your enviroment!

This article comes from a much diffrent perspective and although his conclusion is the same as our is, coming from the victim's CCW instructor makes this a very profound point of view. It hit home for me at another/diffrent angle I hadn't even considered.

kurtiss · August 8th, 2008, 02:13 PM

Thanks for your post. That really hit home. I will think of this post whenever I complain about having to take my gun with me.

Thumper · August 8th, 2008, 02:36 PM

I remember watching the video of the shooter being interviewed... I wasn't shocked, I used to be a cop, but I was sickened to think that this one individual represented the attitude of hundreds like him.

I too wondered why the victim hadn't used his weapon as it was reported that he had a concealed weapon permit and was armed. Now we know.

If nothing else is gained from this tragic loss of life, just maybe, another life will be saved because of the lesson learned from it to always carry.

Great post, thank you!

bigiceman · August 8th, 2008, 02:42 PM

Good post. I live in Fort Worth and the local talk radio stations played the audio of those low-life thugs. The world sure would be a better place if that young man was alive and those two thugs had been removed from society.

Always carry!!!!!!!

Fixintu · August 8th, 2008, 03:04 PM

Sad, sad, sad....and another reminder of why I carry even when I'm in my own home.

dukalmighty · August 8th, 2008, 03:45 PM

I carry 24/7 even in my home,as soon as I get up it gets holstered

August 8th, 2008, 01:30 PM	#2
jfl Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Palm Beach County, FL Posts: 357	So sad !!! Excellent lesson, however. Thanks for sharing. __________________ The first rule of a gunfight: "Don't be there !" jfl (NRA Life - GOA - IDPA - GSSF - ex-IHMSA)

August 8th, 2008, 01:34 PM	#3
Bob The Great Distinguished Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Slidell, LA Posts: 1,451	Good article, and exactly right. Being "in a good neighborhood", "just going to store", being in church, school, or anywhere else considered "safe" is no guarantee. For that matter, being armed is no guarantee of safety either, but at least it gives you a fighting chance. It's saddening to think that things could have turned out differently in the Garland case. Stay armed - you never know when it could mean the difference between life and death. __________________ "A well-educated electorate, being necessary to the continuance of a free state, the right of the people to keep and read books shall not be infringed." Is this hard to understand? Then why does it get unintelligible to some people when 5 little words are changed?

August 8th, 2008, 01:38 PM	#4
762 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 722	If i go out, i'm goin out fightin.... we never know...one minute your safe, the next your life could hang in the balance. __________________ Let's Roll - Todd Beamer MOΛΩN ΛABÉ

August 8th, 2008, 01:52 PM	#5
goldshellback VIP Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: St. Mayberry, GA Posts: 2,061	I remember when those murders were reported.............I told my wife THAT's one reason to ALWAYS carry and PAY ATTENTION to your enviroment! This article comes from a much diffrent perspective and although his conclusion is the same as our is, coming from the victim's CCW instructor makes this a very profound point of view. It hit home for me at another/diffrent angle I hadn't even considered. __________________ "Just getting a concealed carry permit means you haven't commited a crime yet........CCP holders commit crimes." Daniel Vice, senior attorney for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, as quoted on Fox & Friends, July 7th, 2008

August 8th, 2008, 02:13 PM	#6
kurtiss Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: florida Posts: 62	Thanks for your post. That really hit home. I will think of this post whenever I complain about having to take my gun with me. __________________ Paracord Survival Bracelets & Lanyards. Help us raise awareness and $'s for our Wounded Warriors! Visit www.SurvivalStraps.com

August 8th, 2008, 02:36 PM	#7
Thumper VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sparks, Nevada Posts: 3,646	I remember watching the video of the shooter being interviewed... I wasn't shocked, I used to be a cop, but I was sickened to think that this one individual represented the attitude of hundreds like him. I too wondered why the victim hadn't used his weapon as it was reported that he had a concealed weapon permit and was armed. Now we know. If nothing else is gained from this tragic loss of life, just maybe, another life will be saved because of the lesson learned from it to always carry. Great post, thank you! __________________ ALWAYS carry! - NEVER tell!

August 8th, 2008, 02:42 PM	#8
bigiceman Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 274	Good post. I live in Fort Worth and the local talk radio stations played the audio of those low-life thugs. The world sure would be a better place if that young man was alive and those two thugs had been removed from society. Always carry!!!!!!! __________________ But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself... "Baa." LTC(RET) Dave Grossman Revolutionary War Veterans Association Shooter Qualification: Cook

August 8th, 2008, 03:04 PM	#9
Fixintu Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: TEXAS Posts: 80	Sad, sad, sad....and another reminder of why I carry even when I'm in my own home. __________________ Mr. President: They didn't die for open borders. If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

August 8th, 2008, 03:45 PM	#10
dukalmighty VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: texas Posts: 3,422	I carry 24/7 even in my home,as soon as I get up it gets holstered __________________ I like Poetry,Long Walks On The Beach,And Poking Dead Things With A Stick

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