Firearm and Self-Defense Misconceptions

As a responsible gun owner, I find myself at times having to defend this freedom that our Founding Fathers recognized.  There is a certain amount of education of those around us that needs to take place. Recently I was with a group of people, most of whom were either gun friendly or gun neutral, but there were also some anti-gun folks listening in.

Helping educate all those around us about guns is important.  Why? Because we help dispel the media induced misconceptions that exist about guns and gun owners.  The wide range of topics covered in that recent discussion was staggering!  In a few posts we will look at some of these topics.

TOPIC 1:  POLICE HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO PROTECT YOU

Our Law Enforcement Officers deserve a great amount of respect.  They do incredible work in tough conditions. In my area of discipline words matter.  In this regard, I write Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) for a very precise reason.  These individuals ENFORCE LAWS.  They are not your friends.  Remember, if you use your legally owned gun in a lawful incident, you will be arrested by these individuals.  At your trial, it’s going to be the Commonwealth of VA (and the BAD guy) verses YOU.  Anything you say to the police in the initial aftermath will be used AGAINST you.  They will not testify on your behalf.

Their responsibility is not like we see on TV.  It is a falsehood/myth/lie often touted by the anti-gun crowd that Law Enforcement is there to protect us.  We're told “Just call the police, and they will be there in minutes…” The average LEO response time is 4 minutes and the average violent crime event is over in 90 seconds.

BACKGROUND

In the book Dial 911 and Die by Richard W. Stevens says,

In its landmark decision of DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Constitution does not impose a duty on the state and local governments to protect the citizens from criminal harm.  Focusing on the phrase referring to “due process” in the Fourteenth Amendment, the Court wrote that nothing in the language of the Due Process Clause itself requires the State to protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens against invasion by private actors.  The Clause is phrased as a limitation on the State’s power to act, not as a guarantee of certain minimal levels of safety and security.  It forbids the State itself to deprive individuals of life, liberty, or property without “due process of law,” but its language cannot fairly be extended to impose an affirmative obligation on the State to ensure that those interests do not come to harm through other means (page 21).  

There are many references online that point this critical fact out.  Yet the lamestream media continues to lie about it.  Many good CCW holders are left clueless.

IMPLICATIONS

Our own personal security is our OWN!  CCW holders are NOT replacement LEOs.  Concealed weapon carriers do recognize that protecting oneself is first and foremost our own duty.

READ MORE:

Dial 911 and Die

Just Dial 911? The Myth of Police Protection

Justices Rule Police Do Not Have a Constitutional Duty to Protect Someone

Police Have No Duty To Protect Individuals

The Police: No Duty To Protect Individuals 

The police 'protect and serve' the state, not you

FUTURE SERIES TOPICS
* Just Because You Have A Gun Doesn’t Mean You Can Carry It Everywhere
* Just Because You Have A Gun Doesn’t Mean You Are Suddenly a Different Person
* Shoot to Wound or Shoot to Kill

Stay safe and God bless,

Padre