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Joe Schallmoser
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Former Police Officer and Sergeant for 10 years in the Lakewood, Colorado Police Department |
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Former NRA Certified Police Firearms Instructor |
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Competed as a Municipal Master at the National Police Combat Pistol Championships for several years |
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Instructor Certification in the NRA Refuse to Be A Victim Course |
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Former local, state, regional and national NRA competitive shooter |
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Oversaw security services for 144 schools and was the firearms instructor for the armed security officers |
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Served as a Firearms Instructor for Lakewood PD |
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Organized and hosted an NRA Regional Match at Camp George West in Golden, Colorado |
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NRA Certified Instructor in the Basic Pistol Course, Range Safety Officer Course and the Personal Protection in the Home Instructor Course |
Joe is a Certified firearms instructor, and co-owner of SureSight Firearms Training in Denver, Co. You can visit his site by clicking here |
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¶ Thoughts on the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
By Joe Schallmoser • December 13, 2010
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"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution
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Violent crime on the rise
Is it just me, or has there been an ever-increasing number of stories in the news about incidents of violent crime on our streets, in our stores and malls and even in our private homes? Just here in the Denver area we hear reports on nearly a daily basis that involve vicious, often armed attacks against innocent people who are going about their daily lives. Some are initiated by repeat offenders, some by gang members trying to "earn their way" into their criminal gang by proving their manhood to their fellow gangsters. Still other attacks occur on a dare or by roving groups of thugs.
More and more people across America become the victims every day to violent crime.
As a former police sergeant, I know that most citizens support most of the efforts made by law enforcement to combat crime. But we also know that the police have limited resources and many duties and they cannot be there when you need them the most. Most often, the police respond AFTER the crime has been committed. And if YOU happen to be the victim of that violent crime, you know it is already too late at that point for the police to keep you from being harmed.
So I am not surprised to see the surge in demand by law abiding citizens who are exercising their 2nd amendment rights and are seeking out firearms so that they may protect themselves in the event they are confronted in a violent encounter. Most of the folks I know interpret the 2nd amendment to mean that they have the right to "keep and bear arms" because the 2nd amendment says that that right shall not be infringed. Those who detract from this interpretation hang their collective hats on the preamble to that amendment -- you know, the part about a well-regulated militia. Well, finally the U.S Supreme Court ruled, in McDonald v. Chicago, that the right to keep and bear arms applies to the states, and that means you and me. Is it as interesting and peculiar to you as it is to me that in the major U.S. cities that have the most restrictive gun laws, their violent crime rates are out of control?
In the week before the McDonald ruling, in Chicago alone, there were 10 homicides with guns and 60, yes 60, shootings resulting in injuries! To me, that sounds more dangerous than being in Iraq or Afghanistan! To me it is not a coincidence that Illinois is one of only two states that do not have a concealed carry law and that they experience this kind of mayhem. Makes you wonder what might happen if you could wave a magic wand and concealed carry became legal in Chicago!
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You have the right to protect yourself
As certified firearms instructors, we routinely teach normal, honest citizens (which is the vast majority of us) in the basics of firearms, how handguns work, defensive handgun techniques, personal protection in your home, the use of shotguns and rifles to defend yourself and your loved ones in your home, and on and on, because more and more of you are recognizing that you have an obligation to defend yourself in the event of a violent attack. It is very apparent to us that most people today are buying and carrying guns because they recognize the limitations of government to provide minute-to-minute personal security to each and every one of us.
We are staunch supporters of the 2nd amendment and we also believe that with the exercise of any of our rights, including those mentioned in the 2nd amendment, there comes with that right a great degree of responsibility. Yes, if you are not a convicted felon, mentally unstable, etc. you can purchase a firearm and own it legally. But buying that gun is just the beginning! We advocate the exercising of that right by being a responsible citizen and encourage you to pursue professional training regarding firearms safety, basic marksmanship, legal issues and many other related topics. I recognize that some people are able to develop basic marksmanship skills with a minimal amount of formal training. But I can attest to the fact that it is a whole other matter when you are making a decision to draw your firearm to defend yourself and point or shoot at another human being. So if you are considering exercising your 2nd amendment right please know that we are with you on that decision. But please also accept the responsibility that goes with it by properly practicing and training so that you don't become another crime victim unnecessarily.
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• Visit Joe's website by clicking here
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