From: asbestos@nwu.edu (Michael A. Atkinson)
Subject: The Armed Citizen, January 1993
Followup-To: talk.politics.guns
Originator: mikea@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
Organization: Chaos
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 20:07:05 GMT


Although I do not have the time any more to type in The Armed Citizen, Ron
Phillips sent this month's column to me for posting.

The Armed Citizen is a column in _American Rifleman_, one of the official
magazines of the National Rifle Association.  I post it here in the hopes
of dispelling some of the claims made by HCI and others here on
talk.politics.guns. 

I think every responsible firearms owner, and every citizen interested in
preserving our Constitutional rights should be a member of the NRA.  I am
not affiliated with the NRA other than being a member.

I am the NRA.




From: ronp@hound.dazixca.ingr.com (Ron Phillips)
Subject: Armed Citizen
To: asbestos@nwu.edu
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 8:41:12 PST


Mike ...

I read on talk.politics.guns that you did not have time to
scan/post the Armed Citizen column.

My employer allows us to read the various newsgroups, but
posting to them is disabled.

Therefore, here is the Armed Citizen for January '93.  If you
could repost it to talk.politics.guns, it would be appreciated.

Thanks!

=====================CUT HERE===================================

THE ARMED CITIZEN
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mere presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents
crime in many instances, as shown by news reports sent to The
Armed Citizen.  Shooting usually can be justified only where
crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life or limb
or, in some circumstances, property.  The accounts below are from
clippings sent in by NRA members.  Anyone is free to quote or
reproduce them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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    "I'm not the guy to shoot someone, but when a guy comes after
you with an 18" pizza knife, you have to do something," said
Brockton, Mass., restauranteur George Mouraditis. The pizza maker
grabbed his licensed pistol and went to investigate when he heard
breaking glass, and opened fire when the burglar brandished the
knife. Police said the incident was a clear case of self defense
and mounted a search for the wounded criminal.
	(The Enterprise, Brockton, Mass., 09/18/92)
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    When a criminal quartet drew weapons and announced a robbery,
Dorchester, Mass., storekeeper Paul Doung pulled two licensed
semi-autos and, in a furious exchange, wounded one thug and drove
all four from the store. After reviewing surveillance videotape,
police ruled Doung legally defended himself and would face no
charges.
	(The Globe, Boston, Mass., 08/18/92)
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    Working on his truck, Sammy Creech of Ruston, La., glanced
across the street in time to see two male teenagers grab an
elderly woman's purse.  The duo jumped into a car---occupied by
two female youths---and took off, with Creech in hot pursuit. The
driver of the car eventually lost control and crashed into a
parked car. Creech walked up to the car, but when he saw a gun on
the floorboards, retreated to his truck, got a .38 and ordered 
the foursome, all runaways from New York, to wait for police.
	(The Daily Leader, Ruston, La., 10/05/92)
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    Answering a knock on the door of his Harrisburg, Pa., 
apartment, Tony Thompson was greeted by a man brandishing a gun.
During the ensuing struggle between the homeowner and the masked
gunman, Thompson was shot in the arm but managed to get his own
gun and fire, killing his attacker.
	(The Evening News, Harrisburg, Pa., 10/27/92)
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    Supposedly looking for his keys, a man convinced Gary Harr,
manager of a Mapleton, Ill., tavern, to let him into the business
after closing. Once inside, the man shot Harr in the back four
times. Critically wounded, Harr managed to stumble behind the 
counter, grab a revolver and kill his assailant with several 
shots. "He thought he could get something for nothing, but he got
what he deserved," said John Pusser, owner of the bar and brother
of the late Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser.
	(The Journal Star, Peoria, Ill., 09/19/92)
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    Up and about early one morning, a Salem, Wis., woman became
suspicious when her dog began growling at something outside.
Getting her revolver, she told her daughter to call police and
then went out to look around. She found two men trying to take 
her Corvette from the garage and fired several shots to scare the
men off. As they were running to their van, one thug returned
fire, but missed.
	(The News, Kenosha, Wis., 11/07/92)
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    Alerted by noises from outside at 4 a.m., Mesa, Ariz., 
resident Thomas Winfield got his pistol, went to investigate and
found a man trying to jimmy his car's ignition with a screwdriver.
Winfield ordered the man from the car and was holding him for
police, but then the man lunged, Winfield shot him once, mortally
wounding him.
	(The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Ariz., 11/06/92)
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    The target of a recent burglary, Willeen Lansberry was 
suspicious when she got several hang-up phone calls in one day.
Hiding in her Niagra Falls, N.Y., apartment with her .38, her
stakeout was rewarded when two teenagers forced open the door.
Emerging from her hiding place, Lansberry held the pair for 
police.
	(The News, Buffalo, N.Y., 10/06/92)
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    The would-be burglar who kicked in the font door of Sonya
Poole's Lakeland, Fla., home, saw something he'll never forget;
Poole aiming a .44 right between his eyes. Instead of shooting
the intruder, Poole fired several warning shots, chasing him and
an accomplice from the resident. While Poole called police, a 
lawn-care worker saw one of the fleeing men, followed him and
called police on a portable phone when the man hid in a nearby
store.
	(The Ledger, Lakeland, Fla., 08/14/92)
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    Two men were discussing gold bracelets in a New Rochelle, 
N.Y., jewelry store when they announced a robbery and drew
pistols. They found themselves the targets of a withering hail of
fire laid down by store owner Joseph Soares, who used three
firearms, all registered, to halt the robbery and kill one of the
pistol-wielding thugs. A local district attorney said it appeared
that Soares acted justifiably in self-defense.
	(The Standard-Star, New Rochelle, N.Y., 08/27/92)
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    Nervous because three men in a passing car were staring at
her, a Lancaster, Calif., woman got a pistol from her stranded
car and loaded it. Her precaution proved warranted when the men
returned and demanded money. Aiming her gun, she ordered the trio
to leave, which they hastily did.
	(The Antelope Valley Press, Lancaster, Calif., 11/06/92)
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    Two teenage girls were asleep at the one's Bakersfield,
Calif., home when two armed, masked men kicked their way in
through the door, confronted the young woman and demanded money.
When one grabbed a wallet, one girl, a guest in the home, grabbed
a 9mm and opened fire, mortally wounding one of the invaders. The
other escaped. Police said the girl would not face charges.
	(The Californian, Bakersfield, Calif., 09/21/92)
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=======================CUT HERE==================================

************************************************************
*Ron Phillips                  ronp@hound.dazixca.ingr.com *
*Senior Customer Engineer                                  *
*Intergraph Electronics                                    *
*381 East Evelyn Avenue              VOICE: (415) 691-6473 *
*Mountain View, CA 94041             FAX:   (415) 691-0350 *
************************************************************

-- 
Michael A. Atkinson    | "I'll give you a call next time I pass
asbestos@nwu.edu       |  through your star system." 
                                        -- Cdr. William Riker
            A Libertarian and an NRA member.
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns