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A Tale of Three Bridges

Friday’s terrorist knife attack on London Bridge by a prematurely released ISIS terrorist points out the fallacy of the strict gun control laws, about which the British are very serious—as are liberals of all stripes in the United States.

When gun control laws are in effect, citizens who are faced with a lethal threat—in this case two large knives in the hands of a fanatic Islamic terrorist—have three terrible choices: die; be grievously wounded; or attempt to fight back with absurdly improvised weapons. How much more absurd can the five-foot tusk of seagoing unicorn and a large red fire extinguisher possibly be?

The tragic deaths of two innocent bystanders and the wounding of another three on London Bridge brings to mind the two bridges near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Just inside West Virginia, from the bridge that spans the Shenandoah, one can see, just downstream, the confluence of the tributary Shenandoah with the Potomac. Thereafter, a bridge across the Potomac, connects a tiny strip of Virginia to Maryland.

In that mile or so, those two bridges, which represent the boundaries of three states, tell a silent story about the fatal flaws of the gun-control argument.

In Maryland, the anti-gun legislature has passed restrictions almost as severe as those in Britain, where it’s impossible to obtain a handgun legally. Getting a permit in Maryland requires two interviews by the state police at their headquarters, who at their discretion, can choose to issue or not issue a permit.

Crossing the bridge into that small piece of Virginia, pistol carry permits require classes and criminal background checks, but a law-abiding person has, for now, a very good chance of getting his or her concealed carry permit without a problem

Except that a bill, SB 64, in the Democrat-controlled Virginia legislature, may not only take away gun rights, but it would take away all kinds of self-defense training, thus almost completely taking away the ability to credibly defend one’s life against a lethal attacker.

So let us transpose the horrific London Bridge attack to the Maryland side of the Potomac River Bridge.

In an instant, a knife-wielding maniac lunges at the person walking in front of you . . .

One second: He raises the knife.

Two seconds: He thrusts straight into the gut of the victim.

Three seconds: He goes for your throat. You raise your hands in defense and try to turn and run.

Four seconds: Your feel the knife in your back as you hit the concrete and begin to bleed out.

On to Virginia. Same result.

Maybe there will be someone who has taken the time and paid the fees, to draw his pistol as the four seconds pass.

Maybe.

Then onto the Shenandoah Bridge.

The attacker draws his knife to attack . . . and gets shot by a passerby.

And shot again by another. And shot again by a third until the attacker is no longer a threat.

See, in West Virginia, concealed carry is a right within the confines of the state. It reflects the state motto: Montani Semper Liberi. Mountaineers are always free.

Welcome to West Virginia. It’s where America begins.

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About Chuck de Caro

Chuck de Caro is a contributor to American Greatness. He was CNN's very first Special Assignments Correspondent. Educated at Marion Military Institute and the U.S. Air Force Academy, he later served with the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He has taught information warfare (SOFTWAR) at the National Defense University and the National Intelligence University. He was an outside consultant for the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment for 25 years. A pilot since he was 17, he is currently working on a book about the World War I efforts of Fiorello La Guardia, Giulio Douhet, and Gianni Caproni, which led directly to today’s U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command.

Photo: Peter Summers/Getty Images

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