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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In the April 2011 issue, Lenny C. (Letters
to the Editor) complains that the blank
white cover of his USCCA magazine attracts
the wrong sort of attention by suggesting
itself to be porn. How about giving
the magazine a disguise? Let the cover
proclaim it to be the journal of the U.S.
Canine Companions Association... or the
Undersea Salvage and Collection Club
of America... maybe even the Ultraviolet
Spectrographic Chemistry Collegiate
Alliance. We’d just look for the familiar acronym,
and Mr. Volk would get a chance
to photograph something other than yet
another person holding gun.
Scott Bates
We took a poll around the office, and
prefer Ubiquitous Skedaddling Carnival
Clowns Anonymous—though there was
a strong minority vote for becoming the
Ukulele Strummers of Central Cleveland
Abbey.
Just got through reading Letters to
the Editor (April 2011) about the complaint
concerning the plain wrapper delivery
method. Several years back, I had
a subscription to a motorcycle magazine.
During the three year subscription I received
only about 40% of the issues from
the normal monthly mailing. I recently
subscribed to a popular gun magazine
and have only received two of my first
four issues. In contrast I have never had
a problem with Concealed Carry. If those
folks at the post office don’t know what it
is they don’t pilfer it. Please keep the plain
wrapper.
Peter Thompson
While we heard from many readers on
both sides, we heard from far more who
value their privacy and appreciate the discretion
with which CCM is mailed.
In the Feb/Mar 2011 issue, Massad
Ayoob states in “Five Lessons from the
Courtroom for Armed Citizens” that
Washington and Florida are the only two
states where there is a law in place for the
government to pay back the legal fees
when a defendant is acquitted. Does he
mean the legal fees that are incurred in a
criminal defense or a civil defense?
In Mississippi, the “Castle Doctrine”
law states that the court shall award
reasonable attorney’s fees, court costs,
compensation for loss of income, and all
expenses incurred by the defendant in
defense of any civil action brought by a
plaintiff if the court finds that the defendant
acted in accordance with the law.
Mort Abramson
Ayoob writes: “Washington and Florida
compensate for criminal defense only.
The compensation comes from the prosecuting
authority, which is responsible
for bringing the prosecution, but can’t be
held responsible for an individual private
plaintiff in a civil case.” In Washington,
this good law recently came under attack
by an official who quietly slid a repeal bill
into committee. Gun owners throughout
the state flooded the capitol switchboard,
and the bill was quickly slipped off the
agenda almost as quietly as it first appeared.
I am writing to thank you for the excellent
articles and columns in CCM. Some
of the information I acquired and the
skills that I learned through reading the
magazine may have saved my life yesterday.
It was nine in the morning and I
had just arrived in Baton Rouge. I was 30
minutes early for a meeting in a government
building and parked in one of the
few remaining spots between F150 and a
subcompact.
I reluctantly secured my Taurus PT709
Slim (Hornady Critical Defense rounds)
and my spare magazine in the center console,
as concealed carry is not permitted
in this building. I also removed my pocket
knife. As I stood there eating an orange
with the trunk open, I became aware of
movement to my right. As I turned in that
direction, a disheveled male with widely
dilated pupils, dressed in pajama pants
and a T-shirt, had already closed to within
eight feet of me. Both his words and
his posture were threatening. I had the
distinct impression that he was under the
influence of drugs. He was a good three to
four inches taller than me and had at least
30 pounds on me. My vehicle was behind
me and I had no route of escape to either
side. He blocked the path in front of me.
Due to volume received, not all letters
can be answered. Letters may be
edited for space and clarity.
Send your letters to:
Concealed Carry Magazine, Attn: Editor
N173W21298 Northwest Passage Way,
Jackson WI 53037
Or email:
editor@usconcealedcarry.com
I felt quite vulnerable, having just secured
my weapons. As I glanced in my
trunk, I saw a large golf umbrella with a
metal shaft, which I casually took into my
hand. I did my best not to exhibit fear,
tersely answered one of his questions
and made it clear that I did not wish to
continue the conversation. He slowly
continued to close the distance until he
was six feet directly in front of me, hands
in his pockets. I had no way to determine
whether he was armed but assumed that
he was.
I will never know whether it was my
words or the large umbrella in my hand,
but he walked away without another
word. I was immediately grateful for my
training and practice, not just with my
weapons, that permitted me to remain
calm and protect myself.
Later, the thought occurred to me that
to a bad guy this parking lot offered easy
prey. Most of the cars were late model
suggesting that their drivers had financial
means. But I suspect that the most attractive
feature of this location to a criminal
is that he is nearly guaranteed that no
one he might approach would be armed.
I found it especially ironic that on the
property of a government building, my
2A rights were practically nonexistent.
I cannot ever recall reading a news report
where a concealed carry holder shot
someone in a government building. It is
as if in order to transact business with the
government we are required to put ourselves
at unnecessary risk.
Repeated training over the years and
your magazine served me very well yesterday.
I am also convinced that I had a
Guardian Angel from above who had my
back.
Keep up the good work.
Glenn Ahava
We’re glad you’re safe!
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USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n MAY/JUNE 2011