Impressed: it has been years since I've been hacked this well :(

[Chipp Walters]

Stephen,

I know this is a bit off-topic, but guns and Texas are interesting to me.
When I first came here in 1982, people could drink and drive openly. You can
imagine the freeways in Houston on a Friday evening. I was told over 50% of
people in cars then had firearms--and nothing's more fun than mixing liquor
and guns. Scared the hell out of me (who had never even fired a gun, less
own one).

First week I was here, they captured the biggest US mass murderer in
Houston. Same week, 2 guys shot it out and killed each other in a parking
lot over who's door ding was who's. I remember California (LA) making a big
deal about shootings on the freeway--heck we had so many they quit making
the news. 'Cover me, I'm heading for the off-ramp', was heard more than
once.

You can imagine what crime rates were like. Little by little, things
changed. When they finally passed a concealed hand gun law-- burglaries,
hold ups and violent crime against victims actually went down. Once the bad
guys didn't know who had guns, they started being a bit more careful. I'm
not saying this is good or bad, just that it did happen.

I never owned a gun until I moved out to the country. I live in a very rural
area, on a little horse ranch. The main reason I have a gun is to kill deer
who have been hit by cars. It keeps them from suffering. Next time we get
together (Vegas?), remind me and I'll tell you a great story about my first
experience shooting a gun..quite a hoot!

-c

On 6/15/07, Stephen Barncard <stephenREVOLUTION at barncard.com> wrote:
>
> yeah, but you live in Texas. Doesn't everybody carry a gun there? :)