Coming to America

American Handgunner, July-August, 2009 by David Medlin, Denny, William Schiffmann

I just finished reading Mr. Huntington's article (Insider, "Coming to America," May/June, 2009) and I had mixed emotions. I was delighted to read two more souls had escaped the Republic of California to seek a life so many of us in real America already enjoy. And at the same time I felt California just lost a voice of reason in the on-going battle for gun owner freedom. That last sentence was not intended to evoke any feelings of guilt on his part but meant as a compliment to the work Handgunner does for we gun-owners.

By the way, here in Nebraska life is a good deal like it is in your area of Missouri. Enjoy your new digs, I'm happy for you.

Denny in Nebraska

Via e-mail

I read your story about returning to America and it made me smile. Welcome to the real United States of America! It's nice to see there is still many good, real folks here in the heartland. Most of the land mass of the U.S. is still this way, it's just the cities on the coast--and Chicago as well--that aren't the real America anymore. We have to remember, and use the power we have, as there are far more of us than them. Welcome home.

Sheriff David Medlin

Oldham County, Texas

I wanted to take a minute to welcome Roy to the real America. I spent most of my adult life in California, armed myself when a man was murdered in the housing tract I lived in east of San Francisco, and endured decades of unfriendly leftists who had a great time tampering with the freedoms we were all born with.

All that ended in 2003 when I retired and my wife and I moved to Texas. We live in a small town north of Austin, and while I don't have Roy's acres to play with, I now enjoy a friendly wave from just about everybody in my neighborhood, instead of the stone face or middle digit salute I got used to in California. People in stores greet you and seem to appreciate your presence in their shops, tradesmen do their work with pride and show up when they say they will, and guns are treated as just another part of life, not a scourge to be banished from the face of the earth. I carry licensed every day and don't plan to stop, no matter what the regime in Washington may decide is in my best interests.

I was proud to serve in the military of our wonderful country, which offers individual freedoms unprecedented in world history. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are documents that have protected those freedoms for more than 200 years. Shame on us if we allow Obama and his minions to gut them.

William Schiffmann

Lago Vista, TX

The outpouring of welcome I've received from readers has been stunning--but I shouldn't have been surprised. The e-mails, hand-written letters and personal phone calls are into the dozens now and continue to roll in. I've had genuine offers of friendship, to "come join our shooting group" and "go huntin' with us" and even sincere offers to give me a hand with our new property as we settled in. I've had readers answer my questions about tractors, wells, tree work, hunting in the area and more. And the amazing thing is I actually get recognized in stores around here at times. Recently in a local gun store (Brandon's) a reader spotted me and said how much he liked the "Coming To America" editorial and promptly invited me to go shooting with him. Suzi and I attended a gun show recently and about a dozen readers spotted us and extended their hands in welcome. In all honesty, I had never been recognized when I lived in California. Damndest thing, that. So thanks to you all who have reached out. You've made what might have been a trying time--much easier. The welcome is genuine, and we're very pleased to be here. And being able to shoot in my back "yard" is, well ... you can imagine. Editor