The second Amendment has no One True Purpose. Hunting, self defense, participation in a militia, and resistence to tyrranny, are all American traditions that existed when the 2nd Amendment was written into the Constitution. Ultimately, however, a person does not need to justify their ownership of a firearm on any grounds. Anyone who thinks an explanation is required when someone says "I want to own a firearm" immediately doesn't understand why it's a human right under the US Constitution.

"Why do you need to own a firearm?" is to me as absurd a question as "Why do you need a mouth?" The Constitution asserts the right to speak freely, and one does not have to get a permit to speak, or to register their mouth, even though a mouth can be used to incite a riot, or to cause a panic in a crowded theater.

"Shall not be infringed".....not sure what the problem is in understanding the King's English.....I'm sure the evolution of gangsta rap hasn't exactly helped. Shall not be infringed means that right cannot be regulated. The aclu can go to hell...they don't represent the Constitution, they represent their particular view of the Constitution that suits their interests at the time.

It's hard to ignore this woman's speech even if you are a mean spirited gun hating Liberal. I agree with everything she says it's just too bad it takes someone like her to point out the facts when they are right in front of every one's nose... do your mom and dad have to be killed in front of you before politicians listen? Or are they even listening now? I saw a bumper sticker in the local high school parking lot yesterday that said "Dissent wasn't unpatriotic in 1776".

That is chilling testimony. It's never made sense to me that the day Brady was shot he had dozens of armed men around him protecting him and likely saved more lives. Why then does he want to disarm us? I am also of the firm belief that words have killed more people than guns. What admendment is next after #2 falls. If we begin to disassemble our rights they will no longer have value.

Vtbluegrass:
Here here!! I teach at a Middle School, and what people fail to realize is that because I am a law abiding citizen, I would never carry my .45 to school. I have jumped through all of the "necessary" hoops to exercise my God given/constitutional right to own and carry a weapon, However it is the criminal, who may be intent on murdering someone/some people, who does not care about the laws regulating possessing and carrying a firearm. These laws and regulations simply disarm the average citizen and empower the criminal.

Withering contempt indeed Dave. The increasing contemptability of our leadership toward the great unwashed masses has been displayed more and more lately. Even the recent D.C. decision by the Supreme court left us with a caveat of "reasonable restrictions." Unfortunately in the minds eye of Schumer and his ilk events like the one described by Ms. Hupp do noting but reinforce their antigun conviction. She is quite correct in that we need the individual right to protect ourselves from such contempt at the highest levels of government. The same type of contempt was displayed by George III towards the American Colonies.

They should play this clip to the House and Senate every time the talk of gun control comes to the floor. This piece is the epitome of why every LAW ABIDING AMERICAN should have the right, if they choose, to carry a weapon, concealed or not, to protect themselves and other innocent people from drastic dangers that sometimes arise.

Schumer's smug arrogance makes me ill. Penn and Teller's "Bullsh!t" did a great take on gun control and the 2nd Amendment that included some of this woman's testimony. You can see it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfObDFVnfp0

Easily the best defense for the right to keep and bear arms I have ever heard! It is a crying shame it took that kind of tragedy to open some peoples eyes. I was not aware that this had ever taken place absolutely incredible.

Being Military retired and with a Law Enforcement background and I do know what’s it is like being robbed; once in Los Angeles at gun point at a Laundromat and in Lexington Kentucky when 5 men jumped me.

With the attacker in Los Angeles, I ripped the 357 snub nose out of his hands causing severe hand ligament and bone damage. I was asked by the Manager if I wanted to call the Police and I said no. I emptied the gun and tossed it on the roof, got into my vehicle and drove off. Why I didn’t call the Police, I would have been charged for excessive force and sued for pain and damages by that illegal alien.

In Lexington I was able to keep at distance until a couple of Marines came to my aid.

If it wasn’t for my Law Enforcement training, I wouldn’t be writing this!

Now I do carry concealed and even my Bank Manager knows including those that I’m with welcome my caring of a concealed weapon knowing they are safer too!

How about this!

A town in California when dialing 911, you are asked for a credit card number before they respond!!!

They are doing this to reduce and pay for the 911 call system

I wonder if they go to sleep now with a garden hose in one hand and an Glock in the other!!!!!

By the way, looks like Congresswoman Kirsten E. Gillibrand drank the Democratic Kool-Aid and done a 180 today acrding what was on the news the other day

Look out folks we got what looks like Benedict Arnold on our hands

I smell treason in the air!!!!

Thank you for running this. I hadn't seen it befor.
If her recounting that experiance doesn't make your blood boil, you need to check yourself for a pulse.
I wanted to cheer when she finished with the true heart of the 2nd ammendment

One of the first steps taken by a tyrannical government is to control and restrict the firearms trade of a country. It can be seen all through history. The Soviets, the Nazis, the Italians. It's amazing that people are so blind that they cannot learn from history.

I believe if you follow the proper rules you should be alllowed to carry a weapon. Incidents like the Luby's tragedy will continue to happen and if we have people who are carrying weapons, maybe they will be able to stop the person before they kill more people.

If I was licensed to carry and someone opened fire, I would take them out if I had the chance to save lives.

Excellent! Pass this on to everyone you know!!!

I believe that anyone that has not DONE something to legally prohibit them from owning a firearm should be allowed to carry whenever, whereever they want. Banks, churches, government buildings, shools, anywhere. Those are not the people we need to be worrying about. It seems to me that if I were a person either wanting to rob some place or just go in an shoot as many people as I could I would look for places that don't allow weapons. The person with the CWP poses no more threat in an elemtary school than they do at the grocery store or firing range because they are not carrying the weapon for the purpose of doing harm. They are carrying for defense. I've said it a thousand times, all gun control laws do is prevent law abiding people from protecting themselves and others if needed. I agree with uncle Ted, I should not have to have a piece of paper that tells me I can protect myself anywhere. It is my God give right to protect myself and responsibility to protect those that can't protect themselves. How many lives would have been spared in Luby's or Virginia if some of those people had been carrying? There is no way to totally rid this country of guns there are far too many already owned that are not registered to the current owner. Any gun control is only an attempt to disarm the law abiding. Then only the criminals would have guns, either because they were already criminals or because they became criminals by not giving up their guns.

Brave Lady, I wish she'd had her piece in her purse, then the killer could have gone to his own peace sooner. She gave good testimony too.
I'd like to point out that the politicians who would disarm us neglect to recall that some of the greatest and most heinious mass killings were not committed with firearms of any kind. Oklahoma City involved fertilizer and deisel fuel, 9-11 involved box cutters and jet aircraft. If a psychopath decides to kill, limiting his access to guns and knives will not hinder him in the slightest. Our technologically convenient society is fragile and most Americans hitherto have lived on the brink of a great chasm, wearing blinders before the yawning gap.
As far as the Lubys tragedy goes, there could have been a guard with a subgun at the door to Lubys and it would not have thwarted the killer. The only way to stop a psychopath is to identify him (very rarely her) in childhood when he is still torturing the neighbors cats or alternately identify potential through theraputic tools like the VAGUE WANTS scale, that compile other factors that aid in profiling potential fiends early. Such individuals can then be treated, redirected or otherwise to the benifit of the greater good. Unfortunately, social programs are usually the first thing cut and instead psychopathology is glorified in the media. Our ongoing social decay, coupled with false values and immoral celebrities does little by way of prevention, although there is a growing movement of people abandoning materialist self absorbed lifeways and recognizing personal responsibility and the need to be connected to community. It can't be every man for himself anymore, isolation leads frequently to insanity. I will defend me and mine with powder and ball if ever I need to but, I am not fool enough to think that filling my hand really makes me "secure". True security comes from good community relations and neighbors being friendly, responsible and considerate to one another. Then if everybody has locks n' stocks n' ammo it's all the better.

To all who say its alright to carry as long as there is a permit BULL, where in the Constitution does it say to keep and bear arms only with a permit? Alaska and Vermont are the only states that allow the right to carry without a permit and there is NO excessive firearms abuse or blood flowing in the streets in their states. Law abiding people do not need excessive laws trying to regulate the 2nd Am. Throw out the gun control BUMS in government!!!

A very moving, eloquent testimony. However, with politicians such as Schumer, Pelosi, Biden, Obama, and others of the anti gun ilk, it has no effect because facts do not fit their agenda; to disarm the American people and render them entirely dependent on the government for everything. Rest assured, when all our guns are gone, the criminals will still have theirs, and the politicians will still have their armed bodyguards.

Check the latest NRA-ILA alerts. A middle school teacher in Wisconsin was put on administrative leave by her district because she had a picture on her Myspace page of her holding a gun. Another teacher saw the page and reported this information to the school district. Doesn't this sound somewhat like people being turned in for possessing firearms during the Nazi era in Germany? Here in Texas, two school districts in rural areas (but near heavily traveled highways where drug busts occur regularly) have voted to allow their teachers with CHL's to carry their concealed weapons to school. The idea is to protect the kids from a Columbine situation, hostage situation, or other dangers reguiring armed force to prevent or stop. Law enforcement is too far away. The Brady campaign is attempting get these decisions reversed by filing lawsuits. Makes you wonder whose side they're on, the children or criminals who might enter the school to do harm. Mrs. Hupp had the right to defend herself and her family, but because she could not legally(?)(I thought the "keep and bear..." part of the 2nd amendment guaranteed that) carry her weapon in Luby's then she was unable to defend herself or her family as evidenced by her unarmed father trying to stop an armed psycopath. When any law, regulation, etc., hinders a person from being adequately able to defend themselves or their families, then THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS AT ALL!
Michael

Fatguy, when you say Alaska and Vermont are the only states which permits one to carry with out a permit, you are meaning concealed, right, We in Kentucky can carry all you want as long as it's not concealed.

Devil Dog

I used to think NC was a conservative state, but since the likes of some of my own yankee cousins have moved down to the Raleigh-Durham area I'm sure it has turned into NYC South with all the liberal types that have move in and set up Democrat camp.

If it is that restrictive to carry, then why bother? Because it's your right! Some grocery store can't legislate your rights. I for one would not tolerate that. Move I say or just live in fear of being abused by the criminal element.

They are watching you for sure.....

LOL

Remember that shootout in California at a Bank and the two robbers had actual Kalashnikov AK47’s and body armor.

I wish I was there; I would have ended that firefight in short order… I am the Law Enforcements best Friend BY GOD!

Again, I want to make clear that I am all for defending one's self from violent crime. But bad things happen no matter what happens. Last Halloween a man shot two intruders through his front door with a rifle. One was an 8 year old boy and the other was the boy's father. They were trick or treating door to door. They did not know that this man was a panicked, paranoid with an AK. All they did was ring the door bell and they got over 15 rounds thrown through the door at them. Was this man justified? Would he be if he had recently been robbed and had suspicion of another attack? This was an extreme case and there are always going to be crazy people shooting whether legal or not. But this incident made me really think about how people rely upon fire power, shoot first let God sort them out tactics. In Wisconsin civilians (non law enforcement) are not permitted to carry outside their homes. Yet I always carry my quick release knife almost everywhere I go. I am responsible for whatever action I take. Unfortunately, there are millions of people lacking this concept and have nothing but fear and/or testosterone to back up their actions. We, as members of society, have to accept that if every person who felt they needed a deterrent went out and purchased a 38 we would all be in trouble. I will fight for my rights but I also do not want to worry about my children getting in the middle of a fire fight between two dumb%&$es who can't throw punches instead of bullets.

man, i would marry her in an instant!

Socialism= everyone contributes for the good of the community.
As in police and fire protection. And the biggest of all , schooling!
The second amendment calls for NO INFRINGEMENT. Permits , licensing or
registration seem like infringement to me.
How is it that Washington D.C. or Chicago IL. are not charged with violation of our constitution?

All . . .

I live in NE TX. About ten years ago I lived on several acres of heavily wooded property about ten miles from the nearest real city. One day as I happened to be at home working on a project, I heard Austin, my Australian Cattle Dog, out in the woods, barking and growling fiercely. His sounds were those of an "Alert-Danger" voice as opposed to a playful or squirrel-chasing voice.

I trust my dog.

I grabbed my Beretta Model 92, double-checked to ensure a round was in the chamber, put the pistol in my right back pocket with the safety on, and walked outside. Austin was still out of sight, still barking and growling fiercely, but now I could hear two or three angry male voices cursing at my dog. Austin yelped in pain, but continued to bark and growl. This pissed me off and made me worry about my dog.

No one had permission to be on my property. The men were clearly trespassers.

I loudly called out to the trespassers that they needed to immediately come to my driveway and show themselves or I would be forced to come into the woods after them. I very loudly advised them not to hurt my dog. While I did this I retreated into my garage and retrieved my 12-gauge Winchester "Defender" pump-action shotgun and placed it out of sight, but where I could get to it in a hurry if I needed to. I purposely stayed inside the perimeter of my garage. I am not a large man, although I generally have always been physically fit and in good shape. I am prior military.

Austin kept growling and barking, the men kept cursing and shouting at him, but within a minute three gigantic unshaved, dirty men dressed in very rough, filthy clothing came into sight. Austin, being the very good boy that he is, kept circling them and growling at them. There was a rapidly rising welt on his head. I attributed this to the trespassers. I felt very unkind thoughts toward them, but restrained myself. The men stopped about 15' from where I stood inside my garage.

I asked the three men what they wanted. I demanded to know why there were trespassing on my property. The largest one looked me in the eye and told me there were there to "take the timber." The man gestured at the several acres of lovely pine and oak trees on my property. The other men nodded in agreement.

I asked the man by what legal right he believed he could take my property. The man replied that he and his crew had a contract with the prior owner of the property. I pointed out that I had been on the property for over a year, that I had a copy of the land sale purchase contract, that I knew and trusted the former owner, and that I had zero information that there existed any contract whatsoever between the former owner and these men. I demanded to see whatever contract these men thought they had.

The leader hemmed and hawed and shuffled his feet. He looked angry. His cohorts looked angry. They looked at each other, then glared at me. One of them cursed my dog again. I thought very dark thoughts and loudly told them not to be rude to my dog. My hands were on my hips. I moved my right hand closer to the butt of my Beretta.

It was pretty clear that the trespassers had not expected me to be at home and that I was becoming a problem to them. I again demanded to see any contract these men thought they had with anyone to take my trees.

The leader got impatient and abruptly said something like, "We don't need no damn contract. We're just gonna take the trees. You get out of our way."

About 1/10 of a second later I had the Beretta in my hand, safety off, laser on, a bright red dot directly between the eyes of the biggest, ugliest trespasser, their leader and spokesman. I said, "Leave my property. Leave now. You're trespassing and you're thieves. You've been rude to my dog."

To my amazement, the leader actually said, "You can't beat us all."

I said, "You get to die first. I know I can take out another of you before the third one even gets close to me. Leave or die. No more talking." I cocked the Beretta, which was totally unnecessary, but which I hoped would be visually and psychologically effective.

The other two men looked nervous. One of them said, "Hey, let's go. This isn't worth it." The leader cursed at me and said they would be back, but then he and his cohorts shuffled off into the woods and disappeared. I kept Austin in close, checked his head to make sure he would be alright, got my shotgun in my hands, and called 911.

Naturally, it took a couple of hours before anyone with a badge bothered to show up at my place.

About a year later, I read in the Daily Morning Trash (that's what I call the local newspaper) that the three scumbags had been caught redhanded by a passing deputy constable stealing timber from a property owner not 15 miles from where I lived. Each of the men were prior convicted felons. They all went off to prison. They were released a few years ago.

What would have happened had I been defenseless? What would have happened to my dog? To my property? What if my then-wife--who has never been comfortable with guns-- had been there alone instead of me?

Here's the bottom line: The government isn't around to protect us in times like this. The police are generally unavailable in times like this. And no one else is generally around to help us in times like this, either. It all comes down to what each of us is individually willing to do to protect our loved ones, our property, our dogs and ourselves from bad guys.

Any politician anywhere in this country who would seek to deprive sane, reasonable people of the ability to defend themselves or others in situations like I've just described, or in the infinitely worse Luby's Cafeteria situation in 1996, doesn't deserve our vote and certainly doesn't deserve any personal protection whatsoever from anyone or anything. I hope bad things happen to politicians like this, though I hasten to add that I will limit my own displeasure to the voting booth or forums like this.

Politicans of this bent, of this nature, do not represent you or me. They come perilously close to being traitors to our own people. Vote them out.

T.W. Davidson

WA Mtnhunter: Some grocery store can't legislate your rights. I for one would not tolerate that. Move I say or just live in fear of being abused by the criminal element.

You're right, the grocery store can't legislate squat. Unfortunately the NC state government can. And they have decided that any building that is either a bank, or contains a bank is off limits to concealed carry weapons. If you have the name of a good lawyer, or the resources to help back a challenge to the state, by all means let me know. But I have neither the money or time to contest something with so little gain. The juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

As for moving, if I did I'd be declared a deserter 30 days later. Plus that whole dishonorable discharge would be a real kick in the nuts. Besides, I don't live in fear of anything other than the general decline of American society. Plus a little fear helps alot. Anyone who isn't worried about something is lying or dumb. Having a little edge to you keeps you focused and aware of your surroundings.

Devil_Dog

From your post, I assume you are in the military stationed in NC. If you are, thank you for your service to our nation. I love my country and the men and women who serve it.

Best regards,
WMH

WA Mtnhunter

Had this discussion with fellow NCO’s in the Military

"I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;

Question?

If the “so called” and I emphasize the two words “SO CALLED” or better yet, a group of individuals that have been elected under false pretences that have been elected to Government and thru lies and deceptions to overthrow the Constitution of the United States then that would make them the “DOMESTIC ENEMY” and for that would cause us to defend this country from them

The greatest enemy, is the enemy within!!!

WHAT SAY YOU!

I used to shoot at the Ft. Hood shooting range, the same range where the Luby's killer practiced. Now, I ask you . . . why didn't he start his murderous rampage at the range, instead of Luby's? We all know the answer. Everyone else on the range had a gun. Nobody else at Luby's did.

Clay, I agree with you, one need's to fear the Gov. The 2nd Adm. was there for just that purpose. Don't think the Gov. doesn't know what it means. that's why they are so intent on removing it.

“At first glance, it may seem odd or even perverse to suggest that statutory controls on the private ownership of firearms are irrelevant to the problem of armed crime: yet that is precisely what the evidence shows. Armed crime and violent crime generally are products of ethnic and social factors unrelated to the availability of a particular type of weapon. The number of firearms required to satisfy the crime market is minute, and these are supplied no matter what controls are instituted. Controls have had serious effect on legitimate users of firearms, but there is no case, either in the history of this country (Britain) or in the experience of other countries in which controls can be shown to have restricted the flow of weapons to criminals, or in any way reduce crime.”
-Chief Inspector Colins Greenwood, West Yorkshire Constabulary, Police Review, Britain after six months of study of firearms control systems at Cambridge University

I agree wholeheartedly Suzanna that the government is to blame. Am I the only one who thinks that is all elected officials including the president who take an oath of office stating that they will "uphold the constitution of the United States of America..." should be removed from office if they introduce any bill that opposes any part of the constitution including trying to ban or prohibit ownership of firearms, especially since the supreme court ruled that the right to keep and bear arms is a individual right. They should face impeachment for violation of their oath of office.

To Gritz,

Four months ago I took a second CCW course by a guy named Rodger Richards in Parkersburg, WV. It was excellent! Rodger is a retired state policeman who later went into law and served as a Federal Judge. He unfortunately had to kill twice in the line of duty and says that it still bothers him.

Along with the standard material his course covers many legal implications of CCW and even how to choose ammunition to minimize legal costs in the event you have to use it. He advocates that you carry strong pepper spray and a Kubotan too. His point is that you should have effective nonlethal alternatives and, if possible, use them first. The gun becomes not your first line of defense, but your backup if all else fails. The nuclear option, if you will.

He also stated that the two times he had to use lethal force it was immediately clear that it was necessary.

This is a great course and all of the profits go to a summer shooting camp for disadvantaged kids. When Rodger is done with them I doubt that they end up in street gangs.

To Oratio, pppplllease pull your head out of your yingyang....talk w/the australians.Just because the europeans are socialist....go ahead and move there.by by.