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The Ethical Spectacle
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Book Review:
“The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor — The Life and Times of Tony Mazzocchi” This is a fascinating book about a labor leader who has had tremendous influence on our lives, but whose name is not even known by millions of Americans. Please read my review.

From:
The American Rifleman
November/December, 1999

Studies indicate that firearms are used over two million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting usually can be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate imminent threat to life limb or in some cases property. Anyone is free to quote or reproduce these accounts. Send clippings to: “The Armed Citizen,” 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030

Retired utility worker Joe Mergerle was walking in a Kenton County, Kentucky, park one morning when a man approached him, drew a pistol and demanded money. Fortunately, Mergerle was one of 51,000 Kentucky residents who held a firearms carry permit under a three-year-old state law allowing concealed carry. The law-along with Mergerle’s .25-cal. pistol-may well have spared his life. Mergerle, fearing for his safety, drew the gun and shot his attacker twice, sending him to the hospital in critical condition. The would- be mugger is facing an attempted robbery charge and may also be charged with attempted murder. Sheriff Charles Korzenborn said of the incident, “People have not only a right but a responsibility to take care of themselves.” (The Kentucky Post, Covington, KY, 8/20/99)

When an armed burglar wearing a ski mask broke into Patricia Mathias’ basement early one morning, the frightened 63-year-old Keene, Ohio, resident went to investigate. Feeling a cold draft upon opening the door, Mathias retreated to her bedroom for a .22-cal. semiautomatic pistol and returned to the basement stairs. When she stepped down, an exchange of gunfire followed in which Mathias felt a bullet whiz by her ear. Her tormentor was not so lucky and suffered a fatal wound. His body was dumped in a ditch by an accomplice and was found eight days later. (The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus, OH, 2/23/99)

World War II veteran Clair Wallingford was in his Appenzell, Pennsylvania, general store one afternoon when a man came in, bought a soda and inquired about the distance to nearby Neola. He apparently didn’t like Wallingford’s answer of “five miles” because he summarily reached inside his baggy clothing, declared he had a .45-cal. handgun and demanded, “Give me your change box!” Wallingford’s response doubtless took the ne’er-do-well aback. He produced a pistol of his own and said: “I got a .45, too. Who’s going to shoot first?” With that, the man fled. Wallingford, who trailed after the man, quickly called the state police. “These people don’t scare me one bit,” he later declared. (The Times News Pocono Post, Gilbert, PA, 8/13/99)

Richard Stein, a Monticello, New York, veterinarian, was at home one night when a knock came at the front door. When Stein found no one there, he reached for his .22-cal. rifle. His instincts turned out to be dead on. Moments later, a man appeared in the rear of Stein’s house and began attacking him with a vacuum cleaner handle. Stein attempted to warn his attacker off, but to no avail. Police arrived to find the intruder dead with a single gunshot wound to the chest. (The Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY, 8/26/99)

Store owners Eugene and Clara Clifford were preparing to close their Cincinnati carryout late one night when three male teen-agers entered with shirts pulled over their heads. According to the Cliffords’ son, Aaron Webster, “They said this is a stick-up and they wanted money.” After one of the ruffians knocked down Mrs. Clifford, held her to the floor and put a gun against her head, her husband grabbed a gun and fired several shots, hitting all three. One later died of his wounds and police eventually caught and charged three other teen-agers allegedly involved in the attack. (The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, 9/9/99)

Trucker Michael Pressley’s routine delivery to an Atlanta foundry turned deadly early one morning when two seemingly innocent men approached his rig asking if he had a cigarette, then requesting that he make a call for them on his CB radio. “When Pressley went to reach for his radio, the first guy pulled out a 9 mm handgun and pointed at him,” said Atlanta Police Sgt. Cecil Mann. The frightened trucker responded by firing his .25-cal. pistol, critically wounding one of the thugs who police said had a lengthy criminal record. (Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, GA, 8/11/99)

With her husband and older sons on a camping trip, Kathy York and her land 8-year-old sons were left to fend for themselves when a rabid skunk attacked the family dog at their Palmyra, Maine, home. Fortunately, the 8-year-old was more than up to the task of reloading the single-shot .22-cal. rifle for his mother who fired at the crazed, wild animal seven or eight times before finally killing it, ending its relentless attack. (Portland Press Herald, Portland, ME, 8/18/99)

A 20-year-old man allegedly went on a crime spree early one Saturday in remote Posey, California, breaking into several homes, burglarizing some and brandishing a knife at residents. He finally picked the wrong house where he allegedly attempted to stab resident Lonnie Dugger. The armed citizen then put a stop to the rampage by shooting the deranged man once in the arm and detaining him until sheriff’s deputies could arrive. (Fresno Bee, Fresno CA, 8/29/99)

Mike Aldrich was unaware of the danger he was about to face when he confronted a man attempting to steal items from his pickup truck one evening in Belen, New Mexico. The startled ne’er-do-well allegedly robbed Aldrich of his wallet and took the keys to the vehicle before pulling a gun on him. Aldrich fought back by retrieving a rifle from his other vehicle and shooting the man twice. When police arrived, they found the man being held at riflepoint. (Valencia County News-Bulletin, Belen, NM, 8/18/99)

If you have had a firsthand “Armed Citizen” experience,
call NRA-ILA Grassroots at (800) 392-8683.

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Last Updated — June 20, 2008