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Yes, Suzanna Hupp's experience is one that needs to be broadcast and repeated. I have seen this lady speak before...and her tale is so tragic.
I hope everyone will check out this link you provided.
She was in the Killeen, Texas, Luby's Cafeteria when that psycho started killing people at random. This was back in the days when Texas did not issue concealed handgun permits. However, like many Texans, she kept a handgun in her purse when travelling. She was with her parents that day and they stopped in to eat at Luby's.
Fearing a criminal charge if caught, she left her gun out in the car. Later, as she put it, it was the worst decision she ever made.
The guy started killing people...gunning them down like ducks in a shooting gallery at a county fair. Everyone was helpless to fight back...all they could do was dive under tables or try to find an exit. Her daddy (God rest the brave man) said to his wife and daughter (Mrs. Hupp) "I've got to do something or this guy is going to kill all of us" So, he charged the gunman and was fatally shot doing so.
As she said later: I was legislated out of the right to protect myself.
That was a tragic day and another case of senseless killings by a psycho. If only Susan had her gun, countless lives more than likely would have been saved.
You know, I don't get the fact that we can't do anything about all these mentally insane people having guns, but when people of sense want to carry one for protection only due to the fact of all the loonies in the world, all heck breaks loose. It's just ridiculous.
Location: East Texas, with the Clan of the Cave Bear
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Mac
Canine, my advice is don't buy a gun. I'm a retired policeman, and the first thing I did when I retired was to sell my guns. I was considering moving to Texas, but I think some of these SCARY answers changed my mind.
Jim Mac ... you get scared pretty easily! I'd say you don't have a Texas state of mind! Good thing you've changed your mind! Good thing also those that tamed our frontiers, fought to establish our nation against tyranny, and protect themselves (unreported by an anti-gun press) daily from those who would harm them or others don't carry such an attitude!
"SCARY" , I feel the same about your answer! Personal responsibility demands one be preprared for as much as is reasonable to prepare for. Hopefuilly those preps will never be needed. I refuse to stick my head into the sand!
You know, I don't get the fact that we can't do anything about all these mentally insane people having guns, but when people of sense want to carry one for protection only due to the fact of all the loonies in the world, all heck breaks loose. It's just ridiculous.
When all the radical anti-gun folks start pontificating, my favorite query is to ask them if, in a scenario such as the Killeen massacre, who they would want as their fellow diners?
Sarah Brady?...or ol' Joe "Tex" Tom who is properly licensed to carry...?
Jim Mac ... you get scared pretty easily! I'd say you don't have a Texas state of mind! Good thing you've changed your mind! Good thing also those that tamed our frontiers, fought to establish our nation against tyranny, and protect themselves (unreported by an anti-gun press) daily from those who would harm them or others don't carry such an attitude!
"SCARY" , I feel the same about your answer! Personal responsibility demands one be preprared for as much as is reasonable to prepare for. Hopefuilly those preps will never be needed. I refuse to stick my head into the sand!
I've had my say on this!
Too bad I can't give you another rep point, Bob!
Maybe it is just me, but I have noticed that many law enforcement officers from the NE and West Coast really have an animosity against civilians owning guns at all. Like it usurps a "right" they consider their own. If that makes sense.
Maybe it is just me, but I have noticed that many law enforcement officers from the NE and West Coast really have an animosity against civilians owning guns at all. Like it usurps a "right" they consider their own. If that makes sense.
It's not just you, my brother and I have had a discusion about exactly that animosity you speak of, and that the LEOs seem to think the right to carry arms belongs only to them. We were born and raised on the west coast and I find the general attitude of the LEOs quite SCAREY.
After reading this thread, I think I would feel right at home in Texas. I guess deep down I'm a Texas girl at heart
Too bad I live in the land of fruits and nuts
It's not just you, my brother and I have had a discusion about exactly that animosity you speak of, and that the LEOs seem to think the right to carry arms belongs only to them. We were born and raised on the west coast and I find the general attitude of the LEOs quite SCAREY.
After reading this thread, I think I would feel right at home in Texas. I guess deep down I'm a Texas girl at heart
Too bad I live in the land of fruits and nuts
Good one, YH. Funny thing is (well, not Ha ha funny but interestingly weird) is that most of us from Texas/South, or Midwest rural or Rocky Mountain West are FAR more likely to be familiar and know how to shoot and handle guns, and etc, than is some cop from the NE or West Coast who qualifies once a year on the range.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the law enforcement profession....and without missing a digit or beat on my two hands can count those in my extended family who are either active or retired officers. But even they will say this. That is, the vast chasm between general attitudes of officers "down here" and those in the NE or San Francisco and such.
Most down here (I had a long talk, like you mentioned with your brother) with a cousin of mine who retired from the Texas DPS some years back. As he said, most down here just accept that gun ownership is part of the general culture. They were part of it too, fer gosh sakes.
But when this cousin in question (I am just using him as an example) said he would go to conventions and such and meet colleagues from urban northern states? It was just a world apart! Heck, he said for the record he would better trust ol' Billy Bob Texas with a gun more than he would most of New York's finest! Whose first and only experience with a gun was by way of getting accepted into the police academy!
Most of the time people who own guns for "protection" also would be better served if they understood the risk of having a gun in the house--and they don't
the OP said s/he had no clue about what owning/using a gun meant...
I (she) stated verbatim, "I really haven't a clue what I'm doing, so I need some very good direction." I did not mention that I had no clue about what owning/using a gun meant. Those are your words, but I guess I can see how you gathered such by what I posted. It's kind of like, "That's what you heard, but that's not what I said."
Having no clue what I'm doing meant beginning the search of what I needed. When I decide what I need with the help of those who give good recommendations, then the rest will follow.
Please don't speak for me when you say people don't know the risk of having a gun in the house. I know the risks and I can guarantee that I am one of the most conscientious persons you'd ever meet whether it relates to poison, electrical sockets, driving, fireworks, swimming pools, lakes, boating, keeping my dogs safe, or whatever.
I lived with guns for about 37 years as my ex had them. Then my son had them as well and even though he's been out of my home for over 10 years now, just recently he finally loaded all his guns from my home and took them to his.
After I speak to him and learn more from those who know, he may even have the type I'll need. If I do decide on one, I promise you I will be careful. It will be much safer at my home than at my neighbor's who owns the swimming pool. Safer for all except for a potential intruder, that is.
Actually, I'll probably chicken out and not get one, but in the mean time, I am thinking about it. If I feel comfortable, then that's what I'll do. If not, then it's not for me.
Just talk to your friends and see what type guns they own and if they'd mind if you practiced with them, or like the other poster said, find a gun range which offers lessons and that will provide different guns and try some out get a feel for what you are most comfortable with. I would say that's one of the main issues especially for a woman. If you have a gun in your possession that you are afraid to shoot because you know it's going to knock you on your a** you will hesitate to pull the trigger and you do not want such a distraction if you are already in the process of a judgment call. I know, people will say, if you're in danger, that won't cross your mind, but the mind is a fuuny thing, and you never know what's going to pop up in it at the wrong time and sometimes you have to make a choice in a split second.
Now, there's been some guns mentioned here that'll sure by golly get the job done, but you have to be able to handle the gun itself and sometimes it's not that easy, so try out some and see what fits you. I have a S&W .38 that's easy to handle and I feel comfortable with. I had a smartie pants hotshot make snooty remarks one time about it when he was bragging on his .45 mag. All I got to say is, shoot, you can kill someone with a .22 if you aim it in the right place. But, you don't want a .22 for self protection, although I used to carry a little .22 pistol and sleep with it under my pillow when we went camping. We had a tent trailer and although you could lock the door, LOL all one had to do was pull the canvas back from the edge of the door (stuck on with velcro) and reach in and open the door. Anyway, I figured if someone got in, they were going to be in my face anyway, so I would be in close enough range to them to inflict some harm, and if it got stolen (although I'd try to remember to lock it in the truck in the daytime, sometimes I'd forget) it was cheap enough so that I wouldn't have lost one of my more expensive guns.
As far as shotguns, a twelve guage would be better than a 410, but while I own a 410 and use it on various occasions, I cannot bring myself to shoot a twelve guage OR a ten guage. LOL, I tried that once! What a deluded person I am, thinking the less guage, the less kick! Never again! So, I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, just know your gun and know what you are capable of. Sometimes some of these guns that sound like small cannons when going off and kick like a mule can be intimidating to a woman while a man would never think twice about it.
ps I think the worse thing people can do with guns to to try and hide them from kids. It is unreal what kids can and do find when hidden and they're smarter about that stuff (finding things) than people give them credit for. Educate your kids about guns and show them first hand what guns can do. My Daddy took us girls rabbit hunting when we were just little kids. We each had a .22 rifle that he had taught us how to shoot so here we went. No matter how many times you tell a kid to be careful, and that a gun will kill you, etc., letting them see it at first range is the most effective way to get the point across. One minute you see a little rabbit scampering across the snow, bang, then you see the rabbit lying there lifeless. You just don't forget it and it brings the reality of what death is and that guns can cause it. He also took us on deer hunting trips when we were little and of course we didn't shoot any of those rifles, but we did see deer shot and again the reality hits home. But I'll tell you one thing, we knew better than to play with real guns and we knew not to stay around anywhere that someone would be stupid enough to do so.
Good one, YH. Funny thing is (well, not Ha ha funny but interestingly weird) is that most of us from Texas/South, or Midwest rural or Rocky Mountain West are FAR more likely to be familiar and know how to shoot and handle guns, and etc, than is some cop from the NE or West Coast who qualifies once a year on the range.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the law enforcement profession....and without missing a digit or beat on my two hands can count those in my extended family who are either active or retired officers. But even they will say this. That is, the vast chasm between general attitudes of officers "down here" and those in the NE or San Francisco and such.
Most down here (I had a long talk, like you mentioned with your brother) with a cousin of mine who retired from the Texas DPS some years back. As he said, most down here just accept that gun ownership is part of the general culture. They were part of it too, fer gosh sakes.
But when this cousin in question (I am just using him as an example) said he would go to conventions and such and meet colleagues from urban northern states? It was just a world apart! Heck, he said for the record he would better trust ol' Billy Bob Texas with a gun more than he would most of New York's finest! Whose first and only experience with a gun was by way of getting accepted into the police academy!
I hear you. Even though I live in Cali, we live in a small town that's a little more "red" than the urban areas.
We had a gang passing through here several years back. They stopped at the local market and started making trouble. The lady behind the counter got scared and called the police and then called her hubby. In less than five minutes her hubby showed up with friends in trucks surrounding the market, holding shotguns. They escorted the gang out to the main highway. Just the sight of them stopped those hooligans in their tracks, not one shot was fired. The police never showed up. She now keeps her own shotgun "behind the counter."
When I told that story to my sister who was dating a cop at the time, I sure got reprimanded for distributing a story that would "encourage vigilantism."
We have been looking to move out of Cali for awhile. Hubby is a truck driver and has driven all over the country. One of the states that has left an impression on him is Texas, he especially thinks the eastern forrests are beautiful.
But, knowing a state's general "atmosphere" is hard to guess, especially since hubby is always just passing through.
I just was going through the Texas Appreciation thread and I think I'm in love
Hmmmm I think I'll have hubby check out these threads when he's home for Christmas.....
I grew up around guns (dad's) and started using them around age 8 but never owned one myself until adulthood. Kinda like Bob said. I have also had the unfortunate experience where a member of my extended family slightly younger than myself (age 8 at the time) found a parent's gun and was accidently shot by his 4 yo brother. Luckily he was all right minus a few toes. They were living in one of my parent's houses at the time and had recently purchased the gun after the house had been broken into. Those kids were not raised around guns like I was until after this experience, neither child suffered long-lasting trauma (thank goodness).
I always held to the theory that I should not own a gun for self-defense unless I knew that I could actually shoot someone (critters don't count). I was living in an apartment in mid-town Houston when at about 4 AM 3 people kicked down my door and started ransacking my apartment. Luckily, it took them several tries to get the door down and I was able to grab a phone and hide. They did not realize, at first, that the apartment was occupied and started in the living room. Only the 911 operator and fear kept me calm at that point. At the point where the persons came down the hall to my bedroom, I knew with a certainty that I could definitely shoot someone if I had to and longed for the gun I didn't have. For once, the Houston Police Department arrived without delay. They stormed my apartment just before I was discovered. It was a very bad experience and a long time before I could sleep at night without waking at every bump. Apparently, the kick-robbers at my apartment were looking for drugs and had gotten the correct address but the were on the wrong street. The dealer they were trying to rob was two streets over (same address and apartment No.). One of them was armed.
Yes, I do have a shotgun to protect my home now. I have a 20 guage Winchester w/ an 18 inch barrel and plastic stock. I hope I never have to use it, but I have learned the hard way that I can use it if I need to. I do not normally carry handgun as I have to go into too many secured areas. I do borrow a 9MM handgun from my dad to carry when I travel.
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It's just ridiculous.
, I feel the same about your answer!
Personal responsibility demands one be preprared for as much as is reasonable to prepare for. Hopefuilly those preps will never be needed. I refuse to stick my head into the sand!
thinking the less guage, the less kick! 
I think I'll have hubby check out these threads when he's home for Christmas.....
