Some anti gun individuals will complain when a law abiding citizen exercises his or her right to carry a gun to a soccer game or other social event, arguing that guns have no place at such social gatherings. Yesterday’s events in a suburb of Los Angeles help point out the flaws with such an argument:
A man dressed as Santa Claus reportedly opened fire at a Christmas Eve party in a suburban Los Angeles home that subsequently caught fire, leaving three people dead, before escaping. Two other people, including an 8 year old girl, suffered non life threatening gunshot wounds. Police are reportedly seeking a person of interest, 45-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, who is said to be the estranged husband of a person who may have been at the party.
First, this is quite sad. A Christmas party should be a time to enjoy the holidays and the company of friends and family – not a time to be shot and killed. I feel especially sad for the 8 year old girl, as being shot and seeing people murdered before escaping from a burning building is a Christmas memory that no child should have. It is made all the worse since “Santa” shot this girl.
This also underscores the benefits of concealed carry, and the need to carry at social events where violence is unexpected. Those bent on violence tend to commit their attacks where there will be defenseless victims, such as the very social events where anti gun people don’t wish to have guns. Had there been an armed citizen here, this murderer dressed as Santa Claus may have been stopped before he killed three people and shot another two people.
Note: Those who incorrectly believe that concealed carry would result in citizens opening fire over parking spaces or other trivial matters should read this article. Similarly, those who think that banning guns would prevent criminals from being armed should read this article.
To be accurate, the woman (Melanie Hain) who had her permit revoked for carrying to a soccer game was doing so *openly.* Nobody was saying she couldn’t carry, they were just saying she should do so concealed.
Radar Man,
The people who had a problem with Melanie Hain carrying openly seemed to have a problem because she was carrying at all; and they only knew because she was doing so openly.
From http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081212_Gun-toting_woman_divides_community.html?page=1&c=y :
“It’s an incredible risk to bring a loaded semi-automatic weapon to a children’s soccer game.”
and “No one disputes Hain’s right to own a gun. Many of her critics are hunters. But they say that packing heat at a soccer game – or anywhere else around children – is dangerous and foolhardy.” and
I am a new reader and since subscribing to your blog I feel I am better informed. I just wanted to thank you openly for all the work that it must take to maintain such a great site.
I plan to buy my first gun next month. I have become a firm believer in gun ownership over the last few years and can’t understand why the anti-gun people can’t follow such simple and easily found data that destroys their arguments regularly.
Again, GREAT blog!
I stand corrected.
However, the whole point about having a concealed-carry permit is to have the gun *concealed.* The whole problem could have been avoided if she had used a little judgement and just worn a jacket.
Radar Man, PA does not issue “concealed-carry permits” they are “license to carry firearms”.
In PA it is legal to open carry without a permit anywhere in the state except a Philly (they are a special case in the law) or in a vehicle.
Most OCers in PA get the permit so that they don’t have to break their weapon down when in a vehicle. The permit doesn’t require anyone to conceal, just allows them to conceal if they wish.