U.S. Concealed Carry
“Armed American Report”
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July 25th, 2008
Dear Friend,
First order of business- thanks to everyone who emailed me about the shotgun barrel length laws! I don’t know what I was thinking when I mentioned the “16 inch” shotgun barrel… I guess I was thinking about AR-15s! The shotgun shown in the picture has a perfectly legal Remington slug barrel on it. Again… THANKS for pointing this out! (Check your state laws, but 18 inches is the shortest shotgun barrel allowed under Federal law!)
Now… onto business:
Do you remember that TRAGIC story from last week (if you didn’t read it, here is last week’s A.A.R.)? Well, inside the article, it mentions that one of the victims had a CCW. Well, I got the FULL scoop on this from the guy that actually gave him his CCW training, and I’m using his words as the ‘Feature Article’, because it’s an EXTREMELY valuable lesson for everyone.
You’re going to see why you NEED to carry one hundred percent of the time.
Okay friends… Let’s get to it.
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== USCCA Laugh of the Week ==
See all of Chaim’s Cartoons at his website:
http://www.chaimcartoons.com/
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== House Keeping ==
Dear CCM subscribers! We want your photographs for future CCM covers.
1) One or more armed individuals.
2) A relaxed, comfortable, everyday feeling to the photo.
3) A non-cluttered background.
4) Empty space around the sides and top, so there’s enough room for
headlines and article titles.
5) Good lighting, pleasant expressions, and no safety violations.
COMPOSITION:
Vertical format, cover quality images of people with their carry guns. We want in-focus faces and safe gun handling. We will not permit risque clothing and foul or controversial shirt graphics – let’s all put our best faces forward and show we’re the respectable good guys. Take it outdoors! Watch your backgrounds and your shadows falling into the image.
TECHNICAL:
Set your camera to the highest resolution. Take multiple shots to ensure at least one is in focus! Watch out for squinting in bright sunlight and faces hidden in dark shadows. Zoom in, zoom out for a variety and so we have the best possible compositions to choose from. Remember, our big CCM logo goes at the top of the picture and we need room to place it in there!
Photo guidelines: http://www.usconcealedcarry.com/public/1056.cfm
Photo Advice: Photographer Advice, PDF
IMPORTANT:
We will need to get a signed model release so we know we have the model’s permission to be published (we don’t want our pants sued off!).
Model Release form (for an Adult)
Model Release form (for a minor)
EMAIL IMAGES TO:
Art Director Betty Shonts
betty@swatmag.com
subject title: CCM cover submission
Include 2-3 images with short paragraph describing the model, any visible carry gear, and the model’s interest in firearms or experience with concealed carry. (For examples, see page 2 in past issues of CCM). Be sure to include the photographer’s name!
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== “No Safe Places” ==
by Don Myers
Recently, there were two Christian musicians who were leaving a recording studio and were murdered for two dollars and their car. Initially, I paid little attention to the news reports nor did I listen to the names of the two victims. Three days later, I received an e-mail from a woman friend who had received her CHL by taking my course along with her son and daughter. The e-mail read, “Hi Don, my son, Steve, was murdered Thursday. His funeral is at….”
I sat there stunned. Steve had been licensed through my instruction. I had been to a couple of activities that he and his mother attended – in both cases they were armed. I knew Steve’s mother believed as I do that you never go anywhere unarmed if it is legal to carry in those places. I did not know Steve as well as I did his mother, but I found him to be very likable and smart. In fact, I later discovered that he was probably a genius. Of course after getting that terrible news, I couldn’t help wonder if he was armed that night. I assume that he wasn’t because of the deadly results of his encounter with two heartless thugs. Both criminals were captured the next day. A television interview showed that one of them was almost proud of what they had done. Apparently, he is feeling good about being a “gangsta” now.”
I attended Steve’s funeral wishing that I could ask if Steve had been armed that awful night, but knew it would be totally inappropriate to ask such an insensitive question. After the funeral service was over, I watched as the ushers allowed the family members to leave the sanctuary first. I couldn’t help notice that Steve’s mother and sister were carrying handbags made of nylon that were an odd shape. Of course, it was obvious to me why they were carrying those bags and what was in them.
I waited my turn to give condolences to Steve’s mother. Then as I approached her, she said in a voice that was a mixture of crying and disbelief, “Don, Steve didn’t have his gun! He always carries his gun! When he comes to my house, he has his gun on him under his shirt. He doesn’t go anywhere without his gun! Don, he didn’t have his gun! In fact, when the police were telling me about the shooting, I asked them where Steve’s gun was. They said that they had not found his gun so I told them that the criminals have it. Later, we found it at his home.”
I was sick. The tragedy was bad enough, but for him to be killed on one of the few nights where he had forgotten to take his gun seemed to rub salt into the wounds of those of us who cared for him. I am always amazed at how many people who have taken my CHL class do not carry all the time. Some almost never carry a pistol. And yet, here was a case where someone who practically always heeded my advice to be armed at all times was killed while the others who continue to walk around in an un-armed condition, in a mental state of white, don’t pay the price that Steve did. No, I don’t want those others to pay that price. It’s just that they are more likely to be hurt or killed than those who do carry where it is legal. The irony cannot be ignored.
One of the reasons that I became a CHL instructor was because of a conversation I heard during my first renewal class. An elderly gentleman asked the instructor, “I live in a nice neighborhood. My wife and I go walking nearly every evening. Do you think I should take my gun with me?”
Incredibly, the instructor replied, “Well, that’s a personal decision that you will have to make for yourself.”
I wanted to scream, “Of course, you should! There are no safe places!” In fact, I was so stunned at the stupid answer that I didn’t say what I was thinking. I still feel guilty about not speaking up. However, I do speak up now. Throughout the classes that I teach I use examples, many of actual shootings, to show the need to carry all the time. One such example is an appeal to logic. I ask the students if you could turn off and on your fire insurance at will, would you ever turn it off because there was little chance of a fire on a particular day? Of course, you wouldn’t! But, that’s exactly what you do if you decide to leave your home un-armed. You have chosen to let yourself be vulnerable to a mean world that can take you or your loved ones from this world for two dollars or for your tennis shoes.
There are no safe places! One woman who took my class has for many years worked as a contractor in federal housing, i.e. high crime areas. Unfortunately, her employer will not let her carry her gun in her car (she can’t go in the federal buildings armed), but she has never needed a gun in those high crime areas. On the other hand, she has needed a gun for protection three times in “safe areas.”
She started carrying a gun at seventeen because the police would not believe that she and her boyfriend had been robbed and that she had nearly raped (she said that she was in her menstrual period or she would have been raped). The police did not believe her because at that time there had never been any crime in the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (this occurred in the 1960’s). This “safe place” soon became a hot spot of rape and murder during the following year causing it to be fenced and closed at night. Fortunately, the gang of youths were caught and convicted of multiple rapes and murders.
Those of you who are instructors have probably had many stories of similar need for a gun for protection told by your clients. I use real life stories as much as I can, but I am still frustrated at how many people have the “it won’t happen to me attitude” and don’t carry all the time. I have finally decided that few people really take to heart my cajoling and warnings. Fortunately, many have, but I want to be even more effective in getting that point across since not only are they safer being armed, but we are too.
Since many of you who are reading this newsletter are instructors, I invite you to e-mail me if you have found effective methods to get the point across that it is important to be armed. Hopefully, there will be enough information that I can pass it on to others via this newsletter. If you have something that will help, please e-mail me at happydad1@sbcglobal.net. If I do write another article on that subject I will give you credit for your ideas.
I truly believe it is important for us to teach our clients and friends that CHL holders should be armed whenever possible and this safety advice is just as important to teach as it is for us to teach conflict resolution and the use of deadly force required by the state. I hope you agree. Be armed; be safe.
Don Myers
Texas Concealed Handgun License Instructor
7624 Hightower Dr.
N. Richland Hills, TX 76180
happydad1@sbcglobal.net
817 929-6060
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== AWESOME T-Shirts ==
‘By Michael Grimler‘
USCCA GEAR REVIEW
This is going to be a FUN review!
First off, check out this picture…
I was contacted a week or so ago by the USCCA member that sells these. He said, “Hey Tim, check out my shirts… what do you think..?”
After about 5 minutes of browsing his sites, I KNEW that I had to tell you guys about them. But then I thought- “Hey, why don’t I incorporate these into a gear review? That would be PERFECT!”
And so, here they are! There’s not much to say about them other than they are awesome designs. He has a TON of designs across his two sites, and he sent me the three shown in the above picture. I can’t wait to wear one of them around the county fair! It’s going to be hilarious!
He told me that he had to spread the designs across the two sites, because one of them is a little too ‘obama-friendly’ for their own good!
Anyway… you absolutely have to go look at the designs on these shirts, even if you don’t plan on buying any. I will say this though- the shirts themselves are very good quality!
Site Number One: http://www.cafepress.com/wyor
Site Number Two: http://www.printfection.com/wyor
You just have to click on the designs once you go there to see all the clothing styles available for each design!
Have fun!!
PS- Michael also does CCW training in New Mexico, and from what I hear, it’s VERY good training: http://www.wyor.com/
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== USCCA Members-Only ==
Forum Highlights
Every Member has complete access to the USCCA forum, which is constantly being accessed by members sharing information, knowledge, insight, and fun. With well over sixty-thousand posts and growing by the hour, this is one heck of a valuable resource!
What’s The Best Way To Teach Someone Not To Flinch? by ‘Alderson Arts’
Hey,
I figure you guys and gals have seen close-ups on TV of guys like Doug Koenig shooting a handgun during a competition, and noticing how he doesn’t even slightly blink his eyes. So, how do ya teach something like that without having to have a person shoot 5000 rounds a week for 15 years?
Warning: If you give me a good idea I’m going to use it, and not send you any royalties. So, what’s your motivation to tell me? I’d say it’s because you love me.
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Virtual reality police shooting simulator! by ‘8657Chuck’
One of my sons works for a neighboring county’s sheriff’s department. He arranged for them to let me spend about an hour training in their $150,000 virtual reality police shooting simulator as a Father’s Day gift! The experience was awesome.
This unit is computer controlled and interactive. I stood on a stage surrounded on 300 degrees by interactions with targets, burglars, school bombers, murderous traffic stops, suicidal people, etc. I had to talk down criminals of all sort and accurately decide when and who to shoot. While doing this the crook’s friends could and sometimes did sneak up on you from behind and shoot you dead.
What a Father’s Day gift.
I’ll tell you more about this later. The training officer promised me a second go at it sometime soon.
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Which S.E.R.E. bag (Man Purse) Would You Recommend? by ‘Alderson Arts’
Hey, I was looking for a bag smaller than the Bail Out and Bug Out type. The so-called S.E.R.E. bag looks to be a good size. Anybody got a favorite?
Ah, this question feels kinda weird. I feel like I’m asking the rest of you “girls” (No offense intended for the real girls) about which purse you like. 
By the way, if I get one and one of you guys ever sees me, and you say something like, “Oh I like your bag,” I’m gonna havtah scratch your eyes out!
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Need to find out how much a gun is worth by ‘bpphoto’
Hello,
I need to find out how much a gun is worth. Is their a site I could check out to find out what I can sell a gun for??? ie: a blue book for guns if you will???
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BUG out bag by ’soundlzrd’
Last year I spent time and money getting my camping gear together. Up until that point I had not spent much time camping because I worked so much, and it wasn’t all that accessible to me. Now that I live in a very out door minded area, I find myself camping, and I love it. However, I always put all my gear away in those big plastic tubs. However, I have been thinking about putting a every day bag that sits in my car, and a larger bag at home that is just for bugging out. Does anyone else have these? What do you have in them? More importantly, how to you pick a location to run to? Being an apartment dweller for the time being, I don’t think this would be the best place to be.
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== “Chasing Down Criminals… in His Boxers!!” ==
(This video is AWESOME!!)
USCCA VIDEO OF THE WEEK
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== “Tim-spiration” of the Week ==
USCCA PHOTO OF THE WEEK
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USCCA QUOTE OF THE WEEK
- Sometimes a good quote will inspire or motivate you. Sometimes, they’ll just put a smile on your face! Here is the quote for this week…
“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
-Albert Einstein
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Self Defense Story OF THE WEEK
- Every day, thousands of Armed Americans use their firearms to preserve human life. Let this section of my newsletter serve as a record of this fact!
- “Protecting the Kids: Would-Be Burglar Shot”
found at:http://www.claytoncramer.com/gundefenseblog/blogger.html
A homeowner shot a would-be burglar in Southwest Miami-Dade on Sunday, police said.
Police said the man shot was one of two thieves who tried to burglarize a house in the 2400 block of 117th Avenue about 2 a.m.
He was taken to the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The second man apparently got away.
Neighbors said the house, which sits on the side of the street nearest the interstate, has been hit by thieves before.
Police said two children, ages 5 and 9, were inside the house when the culprits tried to break in.
No charges had been filed against the homeowner Sunday.
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Closing Thoughts
Well friends, I hope you have enjoyed this edition of the Armed American Report.
Please don’t forget about the opportunity to have your own picture on the cover of our very own Concealed Carry Magazine! Please refer to the snippet towards the beginning of the newsletter for more information on this!
I also wanted to thank all those who took part in the new member-”How to Defeat a Bigger and Stronger Opponent” introductory bonus! We’re packaging the book with your new-member packets, and I KNOW you’re going to love this thing.
Have a GREAT weekend everyone!
Tim Schmidt
Founder - U.S. Concealed Carry
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com