Give them what they want, or what they deserve?

By Jim Irvine
One of the common cries of the anti-gun crowd is that you should simply give a criminal what he wants, because if you draw a gun, you will “escalate the violence.” Last week, during an armed robbery, a clerk followed those instructions perfectly – right to his death.

The Houston Chronicle outlines the death of another victim who followed deadly advice. According to Chief Deputy Craig Brady of the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office:

"There was absolutely no justification for injuring the individual. The employee was cooperating fully. He gave him everything he asked for. It is obvious on the tape he offered no resistance and he was just executed basically."

This is not an uncommon phenomenon. Cincinnati has had several similar shootings recently.

Another popular saying by those claiming to protect us from ourselves is, “If it saves just one life…” Ironically, no one ever forces them to explain their position when it costs one life. Or 10, or 100, or 1,000 or 10,000 or even 100,000 lives.

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Several studies have shown that firearms are used 2,500,000 times per year to stop or prevent a crime. 20% of those who responded believe they saved an innocent life. Even if only half of those are correct, that is still 250,000 lives. The real questions should be, “If it saves a quarter of a million lives a year, why doesn’t the media trumpet the solution?” (Hint – Espousing their personal, albeit failed, policy is the real priority.)

Again from the paper:

After Maknojia was hit, another employee who was in the back of the store rushed out and frantically dialed 911.
Police dispatchers could hear the dying clerk moaning in the background as the caller described how the gunman had run from the store.
An ambulance arrived a few minutes later, but Maknojia was dead, police said.

So we have another person following more anti-gun advice, “Just dial 911.” And the result is the same – a dead victim and a criminal at large.
Forgive me for sounding callus, but life and death are, well, life and death. This is serious stuff and the other side, supported by many in the media, continues to give advice that helps criminals kill victims.
I’ve got a better idea, how about giving people advice that allows victims to survive the attack, helps police catch criminals, and in some instances, insures the criminal will never be a repeat offender. The program costs our government nothing, because the entire cost is paid by participants. It’s called concealed carry.
The premise is pretty simple. You are responsible for your self. You take training, submit an application, get a background check, obtain your concealed carry license (CHL) and then carry a gun. If you are the unfortunate target of a criminal, you respond to violence with the only thing he understands – force, including deadly force when legally and morally justified. Stop the criminal. Go home safely to your family. One wonders why anyone would chose a different outcome.
One final detail from the story:

The robber was walking out of the store when he turned and fired one shot at Maknojia and hit him in the neck.

Many are aware of a Toledo robbery that was striking similar to this one. Habib Howard was working in a convince store, and gave the criminal everything he wanted. When the robber was walking out of the store, he turned and raised his gun, but Howard, who received his CHL three days earlier, was armed, and he shot back. Howard was not physically injured, the criminal went to the hospital, and then to jail.
Sometimes giving the criminal something is a good choice. Often it is not. The situation can change quickly. In Howard or Maknojia’s case, there was one good way to respond. Howard chose to be armed. He chose to be able to protect himself. He chose to live. Maknojia did not, and this was his choice.
Responding to a violent criminal with your firearm does not escalate the violence, it ends the violence. Rather than rewarding criminal behavior by “giving him what he wants” we should give them what they deserve.