In addition to provided my occasional perspective on life as a Soldier on various topics, I’m going to take a more active role in educating my readers about the 2nd Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms. I love guns and don’t think anyone can ever have enough.

People always ask me why I have a certain type of gun or guns. My answer is simple: “because I can.” We live in a great country where our founding fathers recognized the threat of an unarmed populace against criminal elements, a tyrannical government or foreign invasion. I shutter to think where we’d be had our forefathers in the 1700s not had access to weapons.

One of the things I’ll be focusing on are those citizens who have had the misfortune to actually use a gun in self-defense, which is basically the only time (other than target shooting or hunting) when we should have to use them. There is a common misconception that if a gun is not used for hunting purposes, there is no need to have it. For one the Constitution makes no reference to what is and is not a “good purpose” for having a gun. It doesn’t matter what caliber, type, or shooting rate a gun has if the person is a legal holder of that weapon. It also doesn’t matter what caliber, type or shooting rate a gun has in the hands of a criminal. Guns are the tools of those wielding them.

I recently finished reading a great book called “After You Shoot: Your gun’s hot. The perp’s not. Now what?” a new book by Alan Korwin. The book talks about the pitfalls citizens make when defending themselves and using 911. It was a wakeup call for me, since I would have made a lot of the common mistakes that end up getting good people convicting of ridding the world of bad people. I highly recommend it for anyone intent on protecting themselves and their property.

I’m also a member of the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, which publishes some really enlighting Gun Training Reports to subscribers (free). Today’s report was quite aggravating and highlights the political correctness running rampant in this country, but also highlights mistakes made that could cost you a LOT of time and money – not to mention your possible reputation.

Dear Subscriber,

Here is an intense, real life example of someone making several flagrant mistakes in their 911 call to report two men burglarizing a neighbor’s home.

The 911 dispatcher does a fantastic job of counseling and advising the caller, but the situation escalates into the caller shooting and killing the two burglars as they left his neighbor’s home.

The shooter’s actions resulted in a firestorm of public outcry from all sides of the issue, forcing a Grand Jury to ultimately determine the fate of the shooter.

First, listen to the actual 911 call and then I will discuss the event and the actions of the shooter. You will need to turn up your speakers so you can make out all of the conversations.

(click here for video – can’t embed for some reason)

Points to consider from this 911 call:

1. It took over 7 minutes for the police to respond to this extremely urgent 911 call. You can expect at least that amount of time or more should you ever need the police. Remember that when seconds count, the police are just minutes away…

2. 911 calls are recorded and will be used as evidence against you if you make a decision or take action that results in criminal investigation or civil litigation.

3. NEVER, EVER say you are going to kill anyone. If you must shoot, you are shooting to stop an attack. Shooting with the intent to kill elevates your “reaction to a deadly threat” to “premeditation to kill” and can be used against you by a criminal prosecutor or civil lawsuit attorney.

4. The reason you call 911 is because you fear for your life and need emergency help, not because you are pissed off and want something done about it. NEVER, EVER say, “I ain’t gonna’ let em’ go… I’m going to shoot…”

5. Never challenge or argue with the 911 dispatcher who tells you, “You’re gonna’ get yourself shot if you go outside that house” with a response like, “Wanna bet? I’m gonna’ kill em’.”

6. A crow bar IS a deadly weapon BUT ONLY IF your assailant is close enough to use it (21 feet or closer) AND is showing INTENT to use it to inflict serious bodily injury or death. There was only one crow bar.

7. Note the two rapid shots and then what sounds like a third shot a significant amount of time (about 8 seconds) later. Although you cannot determine shot placement from the audio tape, news reports state that both burglars were SHOT IN THE BACK, indicating they were fleeing when shot.

This situation is not looking good for the shooter, Joe Horn. In a place like San Francisco, California or Boston, Massachusetts or New York City, Joe would have been arrested and the District Attorney would have immediately filed criminal charges against him for manslaughter or worse.

However, Joe lives in the great state of Texas. Texans elect a different breed of public official and thus have a different set of laws than most states. Knowing that this case was going to polarize the community, especially along racial and socio-economic lines, the Grand Jury was asked to review the evidence to decide if charges should be filed or not.

Here is the ABC News story following the Grand Jury’s decision.

(click here for video – can’t embed for some reason)

Surprised at the verdict?

The only thing that kept Joe Horn from a prison yard full of the same type of people he shot was the interpretation by the Grand Jury of the law in Texas that allows use of deadly force to protect personal property. Most states do not have such a law, so don’t expect to enjoy a similar outcome if you shoot two men in the back who burglarize your neighbor’s house.

Here is a question for you… After all that Joe Horn has been through over 7 months — including the legal fees, sleepless nights, potential for a criminal manslaughter conviction and prison sentence, do you think he would do it again to protect a “bag of loot?”

Would you?

THAT is the question you need to answer for yourself in advance or you could be in the same situation Joe Horn is in.

A good rule of thumb is: If it is not worth killing or dying for it probably isn’t worth fighting (shooting) for.

Another good rule of thumb is: When you shoot for property or principle, it carries a VERY HIGH price tag.

Dr. Ignatius Piazza
Front Sight Founder and Director
www.frontsight.com