So yesterday I got an email about an emergency exercise this weekend asking for help.  Local coordinator needs some help at Whitman County dispatch.

Unsurprisingly they wanted my information in advance to clear me into the building.  I just got an email from the coordinator.  Included in it was the response to him from the dispatch center. 

Subject:	RE: ARES Quarterly Exercise 10/29
Date:	Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:26:49 +0000

Ok but I want to emphasize, there is absolutely no weapons allowed in or near the dispatch center. That being said, I will make sure the dispatch center knows you will be allowed into the building.

Now I know someone probably noted that I have a CPL on my background check.  Now for those of you from outside the area, here's why this is a facepalmable moment.

Police said the gunman started shooting from a parking lot across from the Latah County Courthouse shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday. A hail of more than 30 bullets ripped through the county’s emergency dispatch center, Duke said. Dispatchers were moved to a room in the jail area of the courthouse. Officers rushed out of the building.

This incident occurred in May 2007, and the whole incident took place less just over 10 miles by road from where the dispatch is.  In this incident officer Lee Newbill was killed as well as a civilian who responded to aid the officer.  During the incident Whitcom actually took over emergency communications for Latah county.

There is first hand experience for the area, even this dispatch center, that the disarmament does nothing to actually make anyone safer.  Yet instead of learning from that lesson and how ineffective it was at protecting people they continue the illusion.  Not only do they continue the illusion, but ignore the fact that the person they're admitting is statistically more likely to be law abiding than the general population.

So I will bite my tongue and leave it locked up.  I will have the most important tool still with me, I just hate leaving the most effective accessory for use with the most important tool.

*As a random thought, I doubt they saw my ATF paperwork for explosives.  I don't see why the state records would indicate it, but I can't help but laugh at what the response would have been if they had.

Shooting went down in Skyway Washington tonight.  A passing concealed carrier detained the individual and ceased the hostile activities while waiting for police.  The whole incident was over before the police were even aware it was going down.

We're told a citizen who was driving by the scene was able to apprehend the suspect.  Sgt. John Urqhart of the King County Sheriff's Office tells us that the citizen was legally carrying a concealed weapon as well as handcuffs and was in those handcuffs until police arrived.

The “victim” in the shooting will probably survive, most definitely thanks to the actions of this individual.  Current suspicion is this was a dispute over drugs, so it was goblin versus goblin violence that was stopped by a law abiding citizen.

While the Criminal Occupational Hazard Reduction movement would prefer that citizen be disarmed, to be at the mercy of the criminal, as well as to leave the victim to die.  Which makes sense because he wronged another criminal right?  Obviously they have to side with one of them, in this case they wanted to make sure the victim criminal was killed.

Carry your guns, you never know when something might go down.

The Husband and I were planning on participating in the non-event a day early while at the Palouse car show. But, we all know that no plan survives first contact with the enemy.  Grocery shopping was going to follow the car show, but it was delayed by a day.  I went out by myself to Wal-Mart and Winco and open carried the entire time.  Though I did not get actual action shots since I was going about my business as usual and therefore had no camera.  However, I did get a shot before I left.

Wal-mart was a complete non-event with maybe a look, but then again I always smile and act pleasant whether I am openly carrying or not.  Win-co for the most part was a non-event.  I was going about my business choosing bacon when a gentleman rounded the corner and almost immediately said something along the lines of “ now that’s cute” in reference to my .357 snubbie safely secured to my hip.  A very long conversation ensued and sadly the man has a lot of misguided knowledge.  To be nice, I listen to what he had to say. 

This man felt that concealed carry on the person was much better than open carrying or even purse carrying, which is what I normally do as I don’t have any other option for the time being.  He wanted to make sure I knew the dangers of open carry with respect to someone approaching me and removing my side arm and using it against me.  As I open carry with a Bianchi AccuMold® Belt Slide holster, I would know if someone were to try to take it and act accordingly.  As for purse carry, the man mentioned razor blades being used to slice the purse straps and stealing the purse before you even knew what happened.  My purse happens to be a backpack style and I think that would be rather difficult to remove when actually worn as a backpack as the straps would be harder to slice without slicing the person carrying it.  There were many more things he mentioned, but I don’t really feel like going into all that detail.

I think he was a little disappointed when he learned that I was married because he is looking for a girlfriend who shares his interest in guns.  He asked me if I knew any single ladies around who are interested in guns.  I don’t and as he had a mullet, I’m not sure many woman would go for him, even if he is super nice.

I ended up getting home much later than planned and the husband was actually worried that he was going to have to bail me out of jail.  Usually my grocery shopping trips last about an hour and a half including drive time.  This one, however, lasted almost twice as long because of the man at Win-co being excited to see a woman out carrying a firearm.

“Choices”? What about the choices of the students that will be expelled if they choose to carry everyday self-defense tools which they carry off campus on a regular basis? Would they use the same argument if the bill were to allow mixed race couples on campus? Or allowing Jews and Muslims on campus? Or how about forbidding the university administration to expel students who obtained abortions? Would those be “choices” the administration should be allowed to make?

[I have always been amazed that people seem to think that allowing people to have a choice is some how forcing others into something.  People are not being forced into anything, the only changes being made is allowing people the choice to exercise their rights.  It baffles my mind how people twist the idea of allowing someone to exercise their rights becomes a violation of their rights.

People seem to love choices as long as the choices are things that they want access too.  All too many people are willing to piss on other people’s rights when they don’t like it or disagree with it.  The fact is though allowing people to carry arms for self-defense does not interfere with the rights of others, in fact it helps prevent others from interfering with your rights as well as the rights of others.  Just the same, rights need to be supported whether you like them or not.  -B]