"Worse than thieves, murderers, or cannibals those who offer compromise slow you and sap your vitality while pretending to be your friends. Compromisers are the enemy of all humanity, the enemies of life itself. Compromisers are the enemies of everything important, sacred and true."

~ L. Neil Smith

While the vast majority of emails I have received in response to my articles here and here, have been overwhelmingly positive, I have received quite a number from those who believe compromise with the state on the subject of concealed carry permits to somehow be positive, while others who continue in their support of the NRA have written to say, Neo, you must swallow the blue pill; life is good, the NRA is our friend.

I am no psychologist, but I do understand the desire of those who have chosen to compromise feeling the need to be reinforced in their actions, so they attempt to convince others to do likewise. Compromise is the path of least resistance.

It is my belief one cannot compromise with anyone whose goal is your destruction, for it is not the gun in the hands of a free man the tyrant fears, but the spirit of the man who possesses it. Compromise destroys the spirit of liberty and converts it to one of accommodation.

Compromise bears bitter fruit. On a bright sunny day in October of 1991, then Suzanna Gratia went to lunch with her parents at Luby’s restaurant in Killeen, Texas. In order to be in compliance with an unconstitutional law that forbade the possession of a concealed weapon, Ms. Gratia compromised and left her .38 caliber pistol in her vehicle. Suddenly, a madman, George Hennard, drove his truck into the cafeteria, got out of the truck and opened fire on those inside.

Ms. Gratia and her father, Al, turned over a table to use as cover. Ms. Gratia stated she reached for her purse to retrieve her .38, but then realized she had left it in her car.

Believing the madman was going to shoot everyone, Al Gratia, exhibited uncommon courage in rushing the killer. Hennard shot him in the chest, an obvious mortal wound. Ms. Gratia spotted a window, broken by another patron trying to escape, told her mother to follow her and then made her escape. Her mother decided she could not leave her wounded husband, sat on the floor and cradled his head in her arms. Hennard would return to where Mrs. Gratia sat and shoot her in the head. The couple had just celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary.

Ms. Gratia, now Dr. Suzanna Hupp, has become a crusader for the Second Amendment. Here she shows she inherited her mother and father’s courage as she addresses the Charles Schumer led committee on banning assault weapons. Notice she says, "I would much rather be sitting in jail with a felony offense on my head and have my parents alive." She also states "she made the stupidest decision of her life" when she decided to comply with the law and not carry her weapon.

Best of all was when Ms. Gratia Hupp explained to the tyrants on the committee the true meaning of the Second Amendment; "the Second Amendment is not about duck hunting, and I know I am not going to make very many friends saying this, but, its about all of our rights to be able to protect ourselves from all you guys up there." What courage. Those of you who are more than willing to compromise away our rights and freedoms are not fit to carry this woman’s shoes.

God Bless you, Dr. Hupp, you are the epitome of courage.

The battlefield of freedom is littered with the bodies of those who believe in compromise. Unfortunately, they usually manage to take some heroes with them.

Hope is not a method.

The Best of Michael Gaddy