This is why I have a gun.

Earlier this week, a 66-year-old Arlington, Texas grandmother was at home with her daughter and granddaughter when a 22-year-old male intruder broke into their home. While her granddaughter dialed 911, the grandmother, Susan Buxton, retrieved her .38 and threatened to shoot the intruder. Underestimating Mrs. Buxton's intestinal fortitude, the criminal lunged for the gun. She shot him. Twice.

Good for her. She did exactly what she needed to do to protect her family and herself. Who knows what this guy would have done to them? Most criminals do not break into people's homes while the residents are there--at least, not the ones who are only there to rob. The ones who do so are either out of their minds on drugs or are bent on violence. In fact, I would state that the only thing she did wrong is aim too low. No kidding--police instructors and licensing instructors teach to aim for the midsection, as it is the easiest to hit while under stress, and the most likely to stop a perpetrator.

The 911 call has been released, and Mrs. Buxton's story has been featured on a couple of radio talk shows today. While it was picked up by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, it is conspicuously absent from the Dallas Morning News website. Typical of the media who only report negative instances of gun use, and almost never mention the thousands of times each year responsible gun owners use their weapons to thwart crimes. Earlier this year a grandmother shopping at a Wal-Mart in (I think) New Mexico used her concealed-carry to shoot (and, I believe, kill) a man who was stabbing his estranged wife, a Wal-Mart employee. She saved the woman's life.