Gun Nut Roundup

Three Strikes Against Gun Owners

Story 1

Des Moines Crime Victim Screwed by "Big Pizza"

Many of you have probably already read about this, but on March 27 two young criminals tried to rob Des Moines, Iowa, Pizza Hut delivery driver James William Spiers. One robber, 18 year-old Kenneth Jimmerson (who already has a rap sheet a mile long) held a gun to Spiers' head and demanded his money. Spiers, who has an Iowa license to carry concealed-weapons, managed to draw his own pistol and shot Jimmerson. Jimmerson and his skanky gal-pal Melanie Stout were both arrested and Jimmerson was treated for his wounds. Police filed no charges against Spiers as it was obviously self-defense, the most basic human right.

While Spiers was clearly well within his rights as defined by God and the State of Iowa, he ran afoul of something a little more stringent: company policy. Pizza Hut does not allow its drivers to carry guns on the job, even if they are licensed by the state to do so. So, instead of a hero's welcome, Pizza Hut gave single-parent Spiers a pink-slip.

Delivering pizzas in large cities really is a dangerous job. Think about it, deliverymen have to walk into unfamiliar places in the dark of night, usually carrying a sack of money. No cop in the world would do this without backup and a pistol on their hip.

I remember in 2002, a Pizza Hut delivery driver in Marion, Iowa, wasn't so lucky as Speirs. Deliveryman Greg Wells showed up at an apartment and a young lady beckoned him in to pay him. As soon as he stepped in, a young man jumped out of a closet and beat Wells to death with a hammer. Then they slit his throat for good measure. This, apparently, is the scenario that Pizza Hut prefers for its drivers. Pizza Hut's v.p. for human resources, Vonnie Walbert, says that drivers are not allowed to bear arms "because we believe that that is the safest for everybody." Tell that to Greg Well's widow, Ms. Walbert!

If you would like to give your views on Pizza Hut's policy of delivering-up unarmed victims as well as tasty vittles, click here or try calling 1-800-948-8488.

Story 2

Reverend Remanded by Rascally Reds

Pastor Phillip Miles of Conway, South Carolina got busted for smuggling contraband into Russia. No, the pastor didn't have a balloon of cocaine up his bum, he had a 20 round box of hunting ammo at the bottom of his suitcase.

He had declared the ammunition for U.S. customs on the way out and ammunition wasn't on the list of prohibited items that was given to Miles by officials. At the Russian airport it was explained that the ammo was verboten, so Miles handed it over dutifully and went on his way. But when he returned to the airport to fly back to The States, Russian government thugs were waiting for him. They threw him in jail on February 3 and he's still there.

At the risk of understatement: A dank commie jail cell is not a good place for a middle-aged preacher with health problems. Since this man is a United States citizen, not an illegal alien, the Bush administration might not feel inclined to defend him much. You can go to Gun Owners of America's site to send a pre-written email to Bush officials and your congresscritter, urging them to help Pastor Miles.

Story 3

Iowa State Government Keeps Sucking and Sucking...

A bill designed to cleanup Iowa's concealed-weapons permit system died quietly in Des Moines last week. This bill would have made training and issuance standards uniform throughout the state. Even such modest reform to the state's system proved too worrisome to the hand-wringing, wussy, Democrat-controlled Iowa legislature. I hope that Bawb has extra room in his mountaintop bunker for me.