Dallas Morning News YET AGAIN! 12/11/05

[jimlongley]

This morning they published my answer to a writer that had complained about people leaving items unsecured, such as purses and keys, in public places, and that this wouldn't happen in her native New Jersey.

I was polite and didn't say "Welcome to Texas, now won't you please go back home?" but I thought it.

What I did say was:

" Not half-cocked

Re: "Get street smarter," Wednesday Letters.

In New Jersey, where Rita Gold came from, "street smarts" is part of survival in a society where leaving a purse open or keys on the table is an invitation to the criminal elements that inhabit those climes to do as they please with other peoples' property.

In Texas, "street smarts" is being aware that more than 250,000 Texans are licensed to carry concealed handguns, and the criminals' survival may very well depend on knowing that the person whose property they are making off with might just end their criminal careers.

"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life." – author Robert A. Heinlein

Jim Longley, Allen "

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 911ae.html

[gigag04]

Haha funny reply Jim.

One thought though - some lib might try and use your article and claim that we will just shoot at some pursesnatcher and injur innocent lives or something.

Note - this isn't a criticism at all, I agree with you - just a thought I had after reading it.

-nick

[ElGato]

A good point gigag and I'm sure that Jim doesn't take it as criticism, He seems to be very aware that there are people who will take what we say and turn, twist and edit to their advantage and against us.

I think that it's a good thing for us to remind each other of that.

While we spend our time helping each other prepare for a threat that some of us might someday face we should remember that there is always a threat to our ability to defend ourselves, those that would like to put us back pre 95.

Tomcat

[jimlongley]

Taken in context, with the original letter where the writer was criticizing Texans for not having what she termed as street smarts, it appears a little less threatening.

The point I was trying to make was that in crime ridden and anti-gun New Jersey you are not safe to do most anything, whereas in Texas life is different.

BTW, here are the lyrics to my friend Brian Burns' song "Welcome to Texas."

http://www.brianburnsmusic.com/ao_song_01.htm

Listen to the exerpt.