March 1st, 2013
St. John, The Virgin Islands
ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS A SHOTGUN, TWO SHELLS, AND INSURANCE, HUH?
The ongoing gun debate had two new elements added to the mix this past week. Vice President Joe Biden suggested that a shotgun was all any individual needed for self-protection. And several states proposed legislation that would to require gun owner’s insurance for anyone possessing a firearm. Do either of these proposals make sense?
Here is what the Vice President suggested in a Town Hall meeting sponsored by Parents Magazine: “If there are bad guys on the property, walk out on the balcony and fire a couple blasts from their double-barrel shotgun. You don’t need 30 rounds to protect yourself,” he adds, “and a shotgun’s easier to aim than an assault-style rifle. Plus, two shotgun blasts should scare off most intruders,” Biden says.
Is he right? Maybe, maybe not. Let me share a personal experience. Back in the 1970s, I lived out in the country on a long gravel road in a rural part of Northeast Louisiana. The closest law-enforcement station was 30 miles away, and there were no neighbors close by.
I was home alone, one evening, and it was little after midnight when I thought I saw a faint flickering of light the through the trees. I got out of bed, and went out on the porch (as the Vice President suggested) for better view, and a yes, I could see several lights on my property, about 100 yards away. I stood there, watching for a few minutes. Then the lights disappeared. I called the local sheriff’s office, knowing that it would be a good while before the deputy could be on the scene. Were they approaching the house? I had no idea. But not wanting to be on the defensive in my own home, I decided to go outside. Continue Reading…………