Cold Dead Hand, Sista! Cold Dead Hand!

I found this story last night while looking into the juxtaposition of statistics regarding “accidents” caused by drunk drivers and “accidents” caused “by” firearms. Now, I realize here that it’s kind of a silly thing to study since there really isn’t such a thing as an “accidental shooting.” It’s okay if you disagree with me on this issue. You’re wrong, but it’s okay. We can talk about that later. Right now I’m disgusted for Meleanie Hain.

Here's the story:

Before heading out the door to go to Wal-Mart, Meleanie Hain fussed over her children, grabbed her coat and keys, then ran upstairs to get one more item: her loaded Glock 26, which she strapped to her hip.

She never leaves home without it.

Hain, 30, has caused a stir in this rural Pennsylvania Dutch community 25 miles east of Harrisburg for packing a gun everywhere she goes, including to her 5-year-old daughter's soccer games this fall.

She's paid a big price for sticking to her gun.

The mother of four, who often carries a baby on one hip and her Glock on the other, has been criticized by even the most ardent gun-lovers. From once-friendly neighbors to the local police chief, the general feeling is that Hain's pistol-packing behavior is, well, extreme.

"People get alarmed because they don't see that too often," said Charlie Jones, a soccer coach who confronted Hain about the gun at a Sept. 11 game. "They don't know what your intentions are going to be."

Hain said the outcry has hurt her babysitting business and left her feeling isolated. She has been called an attention-seeker, psycho, moron and worse on hundreds of pages on Internet forums. Neighbors have blasted her on radio shows, her daughter's principal warned her against taking the gun to school (she doesn't), and the local police chief advised her to put it away.

Now she is firing back. On Oct. 24, Hain filed a federal lawsuit against Lebanon County and Mike DeLeo, the sheriff who revoked her gun permit after jittery parents complained about her at the Sept. 11 game.

The suit says they violated her constitutional and civil rights and seeks more than $1 million.

"The sheriff got on TV after the hearing and said, 'I stand by my decision,' " said Hain, who grew up in Lancaster County in a family that did not own guns. "That comment makes people think I'm still an idiot and what he did was right."

DeLeo, who calls himself a staunch NRA member, said he has nothing against guns but felt it was his duty to take action "because of the safety and security issues involving [children] on the field."

Last week, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence offered to defend DeLeo and the county for free.

"This is a case that calls out for common sense and sanity," said Daniel Vice, the center's senior attorney. "It's an incredible risk to bring a loaded semi-automatic weapon to a children's soccer game."

No one disputes Hain's right to own a gun. Many of her critics are hunters. But they say that packing heat at a soccer game - or anywhere else around children - is dangerous and foolhardy.

In Pennsylvania, gun owners are allowed to carry weapons in the open as Hain does, but need a permit to conceal them in a pocket, purse or car. So without a permit, Hain could still carry a gun at the game but couldn't take it in the car to get there.

Even Judge Robert J. Eby, who restored her permit on Oct. 14, said he thought she lacked good judgment and common sense.

"You scared the devil out of some other people," Eby said.

He chided her for causing anxiety and apprehension in other people and said he didn't think anyone needed gun protection at a 5-year-old's soccer game. Concealing it "would be the right thing to do," he said. (end of article)

This is what I have to say about it:

Meleanie, I’m so sorry that you experienced the misfortune of dealing with ignorant, ill-informed humans. Sadly, there some uneducated people all over our country working in law enforcement. I can promise you that my husband and I will do everything we can to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else, and we will do all we can to educate as many people as we can in regards to the laws of The United States of America! Please know that I support you, and I have your back covered by own 9mm Smith and Wesson. (My brother carries a Glock, and I do admire your choice. Austrians make very nice weapons!) Mel, we’ll have to talk sometime… I’m looking at Kimber, and I’d love to hear your opinion.

As a card carrying member of the NRA, I stand up, gun in hand (or legally concealed in my bag) and say, “The right of the people to keep and BEAR arms shall not be infringed.”

I looked up the meaning of the word, “Bear,” and this is what I’ve found:

have; be entitled to; to hold; exhibit; show; carry; possess; fit for or worthy of possession

I also looked up the meaning of “infringe,” and this is what I’ve found:

usurp; lift; meddle; invade; trespass; pirate; break; breech; intrude; interfere

So, I’m trying to figure out exactly the problem with Meleanie’s choice to “bear” her “arms.” I have no difficulty in finding the problem with Sheriff Mike DeLeo, if in fact, he actually said what I read in the paper. (I’m hoping this is all an exaggeration, an unfortunate misunderstanding, or that Ashten Kutcher is “Punking” us; because if this really went down the way it reads in the paper then I’m afraid for our country in that Mike DeLeo is one extremely ignorant son-of-a-gun carrying a gun in the name of the law!) Here’s my problem with this hopefully well intended, but sadly wrong Sheriff: he infringed Meleanie’s rights!!!

The 2nd amendment doesn’t say, “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed except in the cases of:

1. Attending a soccer game
2. The complaints of ignorant neighbors
3. Uneducated citizens
4. Opposing opinions of those wishing to usurp the laws of this great country
5. Unsubstantiated fears of those in the community

Nope, it doesn’t list any exceptions~ not one! I do need to ensure that Sheriff DeLeo received a citation for his choice in so clearly breaking the law by “infringing” Meleanie’s right to keep and bear arms!

I do find a few pieces (no pun intended) of this article entertaining.

1. Charlie Jones saying, "They don't know what your intentions are going to be." I'm pretty sure Meleanie's intent was to be an American. Maybe it was to "serve and protect" since we obviously see that Sheriff DeLeo is unable of providing it.

2. What kind of kid is going to try to take a gun from an adult's holster? Obviously Meleanie's kids haven't tried it. If a child tries to take an adult's gun then that child needs some serious help! What kind of parent doesn’t teach a child to keep his/her hands to himself??? Why is it Meleanie’s fault if a child isn’t properly taught? No child (even my own) should ever touch an adult’s possession whether it is a gun, some candy, or a Bible. Seriously… we teach our kids not to take candy from strangers, shouldn’t we teach them not to take guns from strangers, as well?

3. (The most ridiculous point of the entire article,) “Even Judge Robert J. Eby, who restored her permit on Oct. 14, said he thought she lacked good judgment and common sense. ‘You scared the devil out of some other people,’ Eby said. He chided her for causing anxiety and apprehension in other people and said he didn't think anyone needed gun protection at a 5-year-old's soccer game. Concealing it ‘would be the right thing to do,’ he said.” I find this ridiculous because, as I mentioned earlier, “Bear: to possess; hold; to have; to EXHIBIT; to SHOW!

Meleanie, you go girl! Cold dead hand, Sista! Cold dead hand!