Sometimes You Have To Break The Law
By some estimates, almost 150,000 Chicago residents, or those who work there, violate the City’s ban on handgun possession. From CBS TV in Chicago, an interview with a shop owner who, if he hadn’t had a pistol with him in his shop, would be dead:
“As he reached to hit me again, I drew my pistol,” he said. “He saw the pistol, and I shot and missed him totally ’cause I was half-knocked. He took off running.”
Chicago police who responded did what officers often do in the city’s toughest neighborhoods. They pretended that the victim had not broken the law by defending himself with an illegal handgun.
“Nothing was said about the gun going off,” he said. “The police come over to make a report. The guy said to me, ‘Well, you’re lucky you weren’t killed. You should’ve had a gun with you. If you had killed the guy, then you would have had to say you took the gun off him.’
That’s a good cop — the kind that understands the reality of the city. It’s believed that quite a few night workers, such as nurses in hospitals (like Cook County, where I was born) CCW small pistols.
Reminds me of the old wheelchair bound woman in NY who shot a violent mugger and the responding cops reported that she was on her way to a shooting range at the time (the only legal way she could carry her legally licensed pistol).
But then we also know the horror stories of people defending themselves and finding themselves arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. Those arrests are from cops who should know better.
I can legally carry in VT and NH. If those states were suddenly to ban all CCW, I would still carry. I’m not going to be easy prey for thugs and frankly, the right to self-protection should not need the permission of authority; it’s a natural right. So I guess that, if I still lived in Chicago, I’d be a criminal, too.
Now that’s a conundrum!
8 Responses to “Sometimes You Have To Break The Law”
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on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:14 am # Michael
I guess the old saying rings true, that I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. But, if I could, I’d move out of that state to a pro-gun state. I know that isn’t always possible,but would do my damnest to do so.
on 11 Jun 2009 at 4:07 pm # Kevin Baker
I’ve often wondered about Ms. Margaret Johnson. I wonder if the city denied her a renewal of her premises permit after the incident, in particular.
on 12 Jun 2009 at 12:51 am # Donna B.
I don’t have CCW permit. It’s likely I won’t ever have one because I’m too much of a sissy, if that excuse is permitted.
Really, I’m quite sure I’d be one of those whose weapon would be wrested from her and used against her. While I might wish this were not so, it would be stupid of me to not recognize my weakness.
This, does not however, prevent me from carrying in specific circumstances. Because of location, I often drive alone through isolated desert areas. When there are no AM radio stations in range, one is in the wilderness and a cell phone isn’t going to help. My greatest fear in these areas are having a breakdown and being exposed to wildlife that might find me tasty.
So, I carry in these conditions whether it’s legal or not. I really don’t care.
on 14 Jun 2009 at 9:15 am # MAJ Mike
When they pry my pistol from my cold, dead fingers, my hope is that the magazine will be empty, my left hand will be clutched around the throat of a dead troll and that the police will have to step over numerous bodies of the fallen,
on 14 Jun 2009 at 11:00 am # Don Gwinn
Donna, I’m glad you protect yourself, but if you live in a place where you could do it legally I’m not sure why you don’t. I live in Illinois, where it’s illegal to carry a loaded firearm at all and there are no permits whatsoever. I know there are lots of people breaking that law–I’ve heard police officers recommend it with my own ears–but I don’t. I have a professional license I would lose forever if I were convicted of a felony. If I could toddle over and get a license, I’d do it in a heartbeat to avoid that problem. In fact, I have a permit from Pennsylvania that I use when I visit other states.
on 14 Jun 2009 at 11:34 am # Harvey
Concerning Margaret Johnson, I don’t know the status of her permit, but she is currently being sued for 5 mil. by the alleged mugger, who was acquitted of the charges. His defense was her dog attacked him,he was defending himself and Ms. Johnson shot him; and the jury bought it. Ms. Johnson, by the way, is the daughter of Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, who controlled the Harlem crime scene from 1930 to 1968. His story has been portrayed in various popular movies such as Shaft, The Cotton Club, and American Gangster. So Ms. Johnson, being a senior, confined to a wheelchair, and definitely a notable personality in the neighborhood, probability received treatment from the NYPD different than most others. The very fact she had any type of permit issued by NYC, is highly unusual.
Personally, more power to her. It’s a shame that all decent New Yorkers can’t protect themselves and their families. I challenge Bloomberg (the mayor) to walk the streets without his detail of detectives there for his personal protection.
on 14 Jun 2009 at 1:59 pm # Jim
Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere
on 15 Jun 2009 at 1:17 pm # T
I was tried by twelve instead of carried by six in Chicago. Only lived there a brief time. Was a misdemeanor, although inconvenient and they stole my firearm. As it’s now a felony I just don’t go there. You can’t count on cops doing the right thing.