These are the people Obama DIDN'T trot out when discussing gun violence.

If you want to make a political point, there's no better way to do so than by parading victims in front of the cameras. At least that's what Obama thought tonight during the "annual reading of the TelePrompter". Parents of children who were killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting were trotted out to elicit sympathy for the President's gun control plans. While everyone sympathizes with the grieving families, this sort of theater has no place when discussing serious legislation regarding the 2nd amendment. But if you are going to have a serious discussion, and if you are going to use people as props, why not include people who have had all kinds of experiences with guns and violence?

For instance, we didn't see 71 year old Samuel Williams who defended himself and everyone in an Ocala, Florida Internet Café on July 18, 2012, when two thugs stormed in, brandished a gun and attempted to rob patrons at gunpoint. Mr. Williams withdrew his legally concealed pistol, fired at the armed intruders and potentially saved lives. (The goons ran out of the establishment like scared rabbits) They were later apprehended.
Nor did you see Debi Keeney, 47 of Highland, Missouri. She shot an intruder who forced his way into her apartment at 3 a.m. and threatened her 55 year old wheelchair bound sister. Debi didn't much enjoy watching her sister turn blue as the assailant choked her sister while demanding money - so she shot the SOB. Must have come as quite a surprise to the guy.
You also didn't see the Loganville, Georgia woman whose house was invaded by 32 year old Paul Slater. Mr. Slater, who has been arrested 6 times since 2008 and was recently released from prison, thought it would be a good idea to use a crowbar and break into the home's front door. He was mistaken. The woman had her two small children at home. She withdrew to a home office area in an attempt to hide from Slater. He entered the room and she promptly fired 5 shots, several of them entering Paul's face. Oooh! Unless you're Superman, that's gotta' hurt!
Last June in Phoenix, Arizona a 14 year old boy who was babysitting his siblings ages 8,10 and 12 shot a home intruder. The 37 year old intruder was armed but never got a shot off. The teen grabbed his father's 38 revolver and shot the scumbag as he charged the boy. This happened in an upper-middle class neighborhood at 4:30 in the afternoon. The youngster didn't appear during the State of the Union address either.

In all of the above mentioned instances, the potential victims used guns to save either themselves, loved ones or innocent strangers from imminent carnage. But such usage of legally owned firearms wasn't even mentioned. This President much prefers the adoration of victim hood. Those innocents in Connecticut last December were victims. But he wont discuss the non-victims I just did, because they don't fit into his arguments and ideology. Facts be dammed. While we mourn the loss of innocent life, we apparently don't celebrate the saving of innocent life when a gun is involved. A gun is a tool, nothing more. Yes, it can take a life. But so can a hammer. And last year more people were murdered by hammers than so-called assault rifles. Yet no one is considering limiting the sale, size or weight of hammers. Well, not yet.