Cheshire, Connecticut - Jennifer, Hayley, and Michaela Petit
Today, at 11:00AM, a public service will be held for Mrs. Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley and Michaela. More will be written but for the moment, may God give the family strength and may Dr. William Petit somehow find the strength to get through the next few horrible days. His torment will never be over. For the moment, to focus on the family alone, may they find comfort in each other and God's strength to see them through. See Capital felony charges filed. H/T to Michael Savage for the story, here.
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6 Comments:
This dreadful crime is a lesson to everyone who thinks they can rely exclusively on the police to protect them. A security doorstop, internal security gate and a handgun are the keys to thwarting a serious home invasion.
Americans generally, unlike Canadians, recognize that evil exists in the world and that individuals have to take steps to protect themselves.
Sadly the Petits did not do so. We mourn for them; but we should also look to our own actions. Feeling bad isn't enough.
Frank, thank you. Am using comment in next post.
The problem is, if someone came into my home at 3am and attacked me, would I have the wherewithall to shoot this person?, let alone find and load my gun? I am not so sure that arming myself is the answer. If you have a weapon in your home, whether it is a gun or a baseball bat, you had better be prepared to use it on your attacker, or you will likely become the victim of your own "protection".
Anon, can you afford to take the chance. Folks I know who teach self-defense classes train folks to keep a gun loaded and handy. They also teach folks to be prepared to use the firearm - no knives, no baseball bats, use of these if destined to get you killed. It takes less than 15 seconds for an attacker to disarm you of a knife or bat. They also teach to back-light areas of your home. Attackers seldom turn off night lights and such. They also teach you to get a mattress between you and the potential attacker.
The NRA estimates that 2,000,000 crimes are stopped each year by armed home owners or private citizens.
A number of years ago, a woman (liscensed with a concealed carry permit) went to dinner at a local family place with her mother and father. She left her gun in the car. One or two men entered the restrauant, opened fire and she watched her mother and father shot to death.
Also, like the 80 year old gentleman in CA a few years back, he had a gun in his night stand. He heard someone enter his home - very early AM - and waited in his bed. When the hulk of a person entered his bedroom doorway, the 80 year old shot. His gun was not registered in the draconian liberal state of California but common sense prevailed for once. The 80 year old was not charged for defending himself.
A lot of it has to do with the gun laws in your state. But if you would hesitate, you are better off with an escape route and not facing the attacker. You just have to do what is best and safest for you and what you can live with. Even very young children can be taught escape routes or plans and they can be very level-headed when they need to be.
I grew up in Cheshire, CT just a few miles away from where this happened. My parents have lived in the same house since the early 70's. Unless you've been to Cheshire and actually lived there, it's hard to understand the mentality. Cheshire is like the Mayberry of the 21st century. Saying that things like this don't happen there would have been an understatement. People didn't think twice about leaving their doors unlocked - in fact the entire 19/20 years I lived with my parents, I don't think I ever even had a key to the front door and I still don't. I don't even think there is one.
I remember many hot summer nights where my mom and I would go lay on the living room floor to go to sleep because it was so hot. we would leave the front and back doors wide open to get a cross- breeze. The thought of someone coming in our home was never even a thought and nothing ever happened. I realize that today times are different than they were 10 years ago, and I am pretty sure that now, all of the residents of Cheshire lock their doors at night. This was just a freak tragic act, and my heart aches for the Petit family. It also makes me sad to think that my beloved town will always be remembered for this one fateful night, not for the good and loving people that livce there.
Anonymous, thank you for your comment. I too grew up in a small "town" where we could leave our doors and windows unlocked - I have returned to that same town and no more does one dare leave a door unlocked in broad daylight. Locking a screen door is hardly enough these days.
But, we - you and I and others like us - had the joy of those warm nights with all windows and doors opened for any hint of a breeze almost so as to trap one if one should venture too close to our doors.
I don't think there are any towns left in America that can boast of such kindredness of spirit and such respect for one's fellowman. We have many things to thank for robbing us of our innocence...not naievete - our parents and grandparents fought two World Wars - we are now in another brought to our doorstep...
May you and yours have a blessed Christmas and a brilliant New Year...
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