I couldn't believe the news last night.  Channel 13 had a story on a high crime minority neighborhood in Norfolk (Parkplace) where the residents are fed up with the inability of the police to protect them. Prominent businessman, Carlos Howard, called on neighborhood residents to exericse their 2nd amendment rights and arm themselves for self defense.  The on the air segment on this was pretty well done with this guy Howard articulating himself pretty well.  This was encouraging that even minority communities are beginning to stand up for their 2nd amendment rights. This gives me some measure of encouragement that "gun control" is becoming a loser issue for the Democrats.

WVEC 13

Park Place residents discuss crime fighting ideas

10:57 AM EST on Tuesday, January 31, 2006
By 13News



Fight crime by encouraging law abiding citizens to get guns? It's a controversial proposal for a Norfolk neighborhood plagued with crime.

Park Place has been the site of several shootings, including the murder of Norfolk Police Officer Stanley Reaves in October.

Monday night, residents talked about ways to fight back against crime, including learning martial arts and installing security alarms.

One idea raised eyebrows – having residents arm themselves. Representatives from the National Rifle Association spoke to the crowd after community leader Carlos Howard came up with the proposal.

"It's not in terms of creating a Dodge City or vigilante, but there needs to be some protection here. If the police or authorities can't do it, then people need to live up to their Second Amendment rights, and protect themselves," noted Howard.

Some residents said it sounded more like a sales pitch than a solution.

"If someone kicks in my front door, I'm going out the back door and calling 911. I'm just not a gun person," said Glen Ruley.

Howard said the neighborhood has to do what it takes to protect itself against crime.

"If someone kicks in my front door, I'm going out the back door and calling 911. I'm just not a gun person," said Glen Ruley.

I saw the same segment.   It was very interesting to see it on the news.   This person's comments got me a little riled up.  I told my wife, if someone were to kick in our front door, would we just run out the bedroom slider, leaving our two kids to fend for ourselves?    I am sure there were people there in the audience with similar thoughts, but the reporter sought this one out to play on air.

That makes me MADhere
(ITS BETTER TO HAVE ONE AND NOT NEED IT THEN TO NEED AND NOT HAVE ONE!!!!!)

come in my damn house and my remi 870 home defender is going to get some body action!!!!  hotgun.gif

Yep

Tidewater is starting to see a number of home invasions although they have been limited to some not so nice places in the area. However, I fear it's just a matter of time before the bad guys start to figure out there are better pickings in some of the nicer neighborhoods.

I don't know if it's just living around me or the perception of increased crime in the area, but my wife has demanded I start to take her shooting and went by Bobs Gun Shop the other day on her own to look at handguns for herself.  She got her concealed carry permit several years ago, but never carries and used to call me a nut when I carried.  That attitude is gone now.  I of course am all over this with encouragement. I am taking her down to Pungo this weekend she wants to learn to shoot the AR's. This is starting to seem too good to be true.  We went to Bob's range the other night and rented  .357 and .38 special revolvers. I thought she would be comfortable with the revolver and the reduced recoil from the .357/.38.  She then wanted to shoot my Glock 21 (.45 ACP).  She had unbelievable tight grouping at 10 meters shooting the black out of the silhouete center and the black center head shots.  Now she wants to shoot different Glocks in .45 cal. I think she will want to go with the automatic. I am very proud of her.  I really think if anyone kicked our door down when she's home they are going to be met by a wall of lead.

I am glad that there were some pro-gun people to assist the community. Since we are talking about Norfolk, I attend ODU and there has been a rash of robberies and assaults... Guess What? NO FIREARMS allowed!!! Even if you are licensed to carry concealed!!!

WTF?

Is a Kel-Tec clipped IWB concealed? Not if they dont know...

Quoted: I am glad that there were some pro-gun people to assist the community. Since we are talking about Norfolk, I attend ODU and there has been a rash of robberies and assaults... Guess What? NO FIREARMS allowed!!! Even if you are licensed to carry concealed!!! WTF? Is a Kel-Tec clipped IWB concealed? Not if they dont know...

I live near ODU in Larchmont and consider ODU as the buffer between my neighborhood and what my wife calls "scary town".  The shooting in ODU village wasn't much of a surprise to me.  They were pushing it constructing on the other side of Hampton Blvd. Eventually ODU will gentrify the whole area over to Colley Ave and a lot of these high crime areas will be pushed out.

The New Years day home invasion/killings in Richmond, is what I really think convinced my wife that we aren't as well protected from crime here as she thought.

I was really disappointed that the VA legislature failed to pass the legislation that would have preempted university prohibitions on carry by CCW holders.  

Quoted: I was really disappointed that the VA legislature failed to pass the legislation that would have preempted university prohibitions on carry by CCW holders.

Tell me about it.

I'm a TA/grad student. All my grad classes are at night. My school is right next to Petersburg. Somebody gets mugged/assaulted every so often.

Quoted: The New Years day home invasion/killings in Richmond, is what I really think convinced my wife that we aren't as well protected from crime here as she thought.

Hurricane Katrina convinced me that my "poor man's assault rifle" (Marlin .44 Mag lever action) wasn't enough, and to buy an AR.  The Richmond New Year's killings convinced me to quit procrastinating.  I got my Bushy on Jan. 11th.

Who on Earth could slit the throats of such a beautiful family as this...
home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=97806&ran=147543&tref=po

These are their murderers...
www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=4334013

More of us need to shoot back.  I wish the father of this family could have.

Amen to that.   My problem is getting my wife to be as paranoid as I am about safety and security.  I still find her leaving the door unlocked when she is alone in the house.   Thinking about getting a dog.

Yes...  Get a dog, great early warning system, and a pal to keep you company!

I have a Minature Pinscher, a mean little bastard that wont shut the hell up, he barks at anything that moves!

Quoted: Yes...  Get a dog, great early warning system, and a pal to keep you company! I have a Minature Pinscher, a mean little bastard that wont shut the hell up, he barks at anything that moves!

Don't get one, get TWO!

Quoted: Quoted: Yes...  Get a dog, great early warning system, and a pal to keep you company! I have a Minature Pinscher, a mean little bastard that wont shut the hell up, he barks at anything that moves! Don't get one, get TWO! photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=32917

+1

I have a German Shepherd and a Belgian Malinois.   These dogs are terrifying in appearance when they are alerted.  I have been working on my wife to build a little healthy paranoia. However, the Richmond killings the local home invasions, and a rise in pan handlers in my neighborhood has helped a lot in providing a dose of reality.  My wife now wants her own pistol and has been to the range shooting with me twice. The last time was an all day trip to Pungo, where she insisted on learing to shoot the AR.  I am embarrassed to say she is a better pistol shot than I am with a .45 (Glock 21).  We are probably going to buy her a smaller glock in .45, just haven't decided which yet.

I saw the same segment but I didn’t interpret it to be a pro-RKBA piece. I thought they made it sound like they residence didn’t want the NRA there. Maybe it was just me?

As for that pansy that said he would run out the back door and call 911…well let’s just say it amazes me that people still believe the Police are there to protect them.

Quoted: I saw the same segment but I didn’t interpret it to be a pro-RKBA piece. I thought they made it sound like they residence didn’t want the NRA there. Maybe it was just me? As for that pansy that said he would run out the back door and call 911…well let’s just say it amazes me that people still believe the Police are there to protect them.

I took it as a balanced piece neither pro nor anti RKBA. I know what you mean though, I think us RKBA folks are hypersensitive to the anti's.  What did strike me as significant was a pro RKBA view by a prominent African American resident/business owner (Carlos Howard) in the Park Place community. He was the organizer of this "public safety/community forum". Who would have thought these guys would have even invited the NRA down to present a self defense/reliance point of view to a predominantly minority audience.  This is the first indication I have seen locally of any minority expressing a pro RKBA position.

You're probably right. I don't think I saw the entire piece and I probably am hypersensitive to these issues.