by Richard Cameron

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of personal narratives from real people, who rely on the natural law and Constitutional freedom to use firearms to defend themselves from crime. In recreating their stories, I have allowed them anonymity to respect their privacy. These composite first person accounts and viewpoints are characteristic of many thousands of gun owners who are responsible and use firearms lawfully to protect themselves, their loved ones, neighbors and even strangers.

I, gun owner

live in Portland, Oregon and have a concealed carry permit. I was with a friend and her young daughter at the shopping mall in our area one evening when I heard the sound of gunfire and an armed man had just shot two shoppers. I took cover behind a store entrance and pulled out my pistol, released the safety and shouted out a warning to the man as he began prowling for more victims.

“Drop your weapon or you are dead!”, I yelled as my heart raced. He knew I had the drop on him and he pointed the gun to his own head and killed himself.

I’m no hero – at least, I don’t think I am. It’s called doing what you have to do and being prepared. I had to go through a lot of hassles and answer a lot of questions to get that concealed carry permit, even though I have never so much as even gotten a speeding ticket. Looking back though, it was still worth it.

I, gun owner –

am a woman who narrowly escaped a sexual assault by a man a foot taller than me and who outweighed me by 100 pounds. He had a knife held to my neck and forced me into his car and told me he was taking me to a party where I would provide ‘entertainment’ for several of his friends. I knew that he meant I was going to be gang raped. I somehow managed to survive jumping out of his car at freeway speed and hit the embankment. I was severely injured and was in critical condition at the local medical center, but it was still preferable to what I had been facing.

I was never so shaken and in fear for my life and it was then that I decided that I would never give anyone a second chance. I purchased a small .38 caliber Taurus pistol with a 10 round magazine and asked a friend to take me to an indoor range to learn how to use it.

Maybe the Lady Senator has security people with her now and doesn’t need to carry concealed, but I don’t know why she would impose her preferences on me. My self defense weapon is my last resort and an equalizer. I can feel confident that I’m not powerless.

I, gun owner,

am a long haul Truck driver by profession. It is quite enough to drive the long hours battling fatigue and putting in the kind of miles needed to make a decent living, plus stay ahead of all the expenses of the semi tractor, gasoline, maintenance, insurance and the rest, without having to deal with the risk of armed robbery.

Beginning in October, we begin hauling an inordinate tonnage of consumer goods leading up to the Black Friday shopping events and into the Christmas shopping season. There is always the threat of cargo theft or robbery of the driver himself and a driver has to keep a situational awareness, because we aren’t always stopping to catch some sleep in a secure, patrolled area like a truck stop – and in many cases they are an extremely dangerous place as well.

A couple of years back, the body of a trucker friend of mine was discovered on the perimeter of a Southeast Dallas truck stop that I have frequented numerous times over the years. He had just purchased 5 gallons of gas and was lugging the container back to his stalled rig. Someone had beaten him to death. Less than a month before, another similar killing occurred at the same facility.

I conceal carry in states that don’t allow open carry. I don’t intend to wind up like my friend and others I know of. I don’t intend to be a statistic.

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