Today was the first Second Amendment Freedom Rally in Chicago. It was held at 11:00AM at the James R. Thompson Center at Randolph and Clark Streets. I estimate there were 500-600 men, women and children there. Shown at the right is the keynote speaker, Dr. Suzanna Hupp, as she autographs a poster for a boy who attended the rally today.
The most compelling speaker of the day was Dr. Hupp, a chiropractor who watched helplessly as her parents were murdered in a restaurant in 1991 in Killeen, Texas. The killer drove a truck through a floor-to-ceiling plate glass window and then methodically began killing customers in the restaurant. She was right there, 15 feet away from him.
At that time Texas did not have a concealed-carry law, and she had left her pistol in her car in the parking lot in order to avoid breaking Texas law. She said it all happened in about 45 seconds. The killer would approach a customer, draw a bead on the customer's head and then fire a single shot. And then move on to the next victim.
Her father waited for an opportunity to rush the killer. When the killer turned away from her father, he ran toward him; but the killer turned, fired and mortally wounded him. Other customers dashed for safety after a customer broke out another window. She said she pulled her mother to her feet and said they had to run to safety. As soon as she was outside, she realized her mother had not followed her. She turned to see the killer approach her mother, who was kneeling by her wounded husband. She said her mother looked up; the gunman aimed at her and fired, killing her. The gunman killed 23 customers that day!
Dr. Hupp said people have told her that, had she had her gun in her purse, she might have missed; the gun might have jammed; and other reasons for not shooting. She has told them that she was only 15 feet from the gunman and that she has hit smaller targets at longer distances and that revolvers don't jam. And she said that, had she been armed, she at least would have improved the odds (of safety) that day.
Why should Illinois have a concealed-carry law and allow law-abiding residents to carry loaded guns, if they wish to?
Just imagine yourself in this situation. What if a gunman began shooting near you and stepped up to shoot you or one of your children? Would you wish you were armed and trained to shoot carefully, accurately and legally? Or would you at least hope the person behind you was?
There were other excellent speakers today. Let's hope that the media cover the event well and that the politicians of Chicago, of Cook County, of the State of Illinois understand that now, following the U.S. Supreme Court Heller case, the constitutional right to have guns has been affirmed. It is an individual right.
One speaker mentioned the "Yes, but" politicians, who say that they believe that the Second Amendment gives us the right to own and have guns, "but"... The "but" is then followed by a litany of excuses and qualifications.
Yes, certain people should not have guns: minors, the mentally-ill, felons. But the rest of us? The law-abiding citizens?
Maybe I'll begin carrying, so that I'll be ready to defend myself and you in a situation like the one Dr. Hupp lived through in Killeen, Texas. Would I rather be in jail and have a loved one alive? That's not a hard choice to make!
© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT
1 comment:
The final question should be "would you rather be judged by 12 of your peers in court and alive or be carried to your grave by six?" To me the answer is obvious...unfortunately some legislators just don't get it...maybe someday they will.
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