Bryan Miller, Again

Bryan Miller does his latest dance. Nothing new there, really. But, I have to address this "heartbreaking" end to his latest:

And, sooner or later, the shootings and woundings and maimings and killings will strike someone close to each and every one of us. Close to you, even.

And, then you'll know.

And, then you'll wonder why something wasn't done about America's gun problem before and why you weren't part of the discussion.

But, it will be too late.

And, then you'll learn.

You'll learn what real sadness, and real grief and, most of all, true, utter and uending [sic] shock is.

And, it will be too late.

So, I don't know about you, but, even though I already have experienced and do experience every day that undending shock, I'm going to do what I can to push the media, and pull the politicians, and importune my friends and colleagues - to get the discussion about gun violence in America started.

I hope you'll do the same.

Who knows? Maybe we'll save some lives...and the soul of a country

Brian, I have news for you. I've been in exactly that situation. I had a houseful of kids inside, and one bi-polar, full grown, and prone to violence man outside, wanting in to get to one of those kids.

The police had been called, they were on their way. However, in between the time they were called and the arrived, this is what happened:

He pounded and kicked at my door, yelling and screaming. I was standing on the other side of the door, some distance away, with my gun. The kids were hiding in the back. It reached a point where I knew he was either going to break down the door, or go away. I heard someone on the other side of the door (his ex wife, maybe) say "He's got a gun", talking about me. The guy left the scene. A few minutes later, a cop arrived, and everything was sorted out.

So, I did learn something about America that day. I learned that, being a responsible adult, I was able to protect children prior to the police getting there.

All the sadness you speak of was averted by my actions. It did leave a mark on me. In the over 20 years I spent in the Army, I never came as close to killing someone than I did that day. It's not a good thing, but living with the idea that I couldn't protect those kids in my house would have been much worse.

I, for one, hope I never have to feel that.

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