Thanks for the Memories

It happened again between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Pismo Beach California, a mad man armed himself with two handguns, entered a Denny's restaurant and began taking lives. He managed to kill two people and shoot two others in the butt before barricading himself inside the restaurant. Lawrence E. Woods, 60, eventually ended the stand off by taking his own life.

"For 64 year old Frank Velasquez and his 5 year old great-grandchild, it was supposed to be a special day. They were going to have lunch together. Seeing his grandchildren made the Army veteran happy.

The pair walked into the Denny’s restaurant off Five Cities Drive and Fourth Street in Pismo Beach shortly after noon. Velasquez’s wife, LaVina, 72, was with them. It was familiar territory. Velasquez ate at the restaurant at least twice a week. "That was one of his favorite restaurants," said his granddaughter, Crystal Tanner, 27, of Santa Maria. "Today was their special day."

Minutes later, LaVina and their great-grandchild watched in horror as Velasquez was gunned down by a man who walked inside and began shooting."

Frank Velasquez was murdered in front of his grandchild. It will be a memory that will likely shape that child's life forever.

Oppressive gun laws in California did not prevent this horror. Oppressive gun laws in California aided and abetted this horror. A single person with a concealed handgun and the willingness to use it could have prevented this tragedy. If Mr. Velasquez, a law abiding veteran of the US Army, had been allowed to carry a firearm under his clothing, the outcome in Denny's would have been different. His beloved grandchild would not carry a horrible memory of his death; a child would still have a grandfather. Perhaps more lives would have been saved. This memory was brought to a child in part by a delusional attempt at preventing violence by controlling the means to quell violence.

Who do we have to thank for these memories?

That's right Dianne, step up and take credit.