By Lawrence W. Reed

On Sunday evening—July 17, 2022—at the Greenwood Park Mall in Indiana, a gunman opened fire in a food court. He killed three people and wounded two others. He might have murdered many more but for the quick work of a man named Elisjsha Dicken, who pulled out his own gun and blew away the assailant.

Dicken, who was legally carrying a firearm under the state’s constitutional carry law, was hailed as a “Good Samaritan” for saving lives. The next day, the Greenwood police chief added, “Many more people would have died last night if not for the responsible armed citizen.”

Gun control advocates immediately condemned the police chief for his “Good Samaritan” reference, drawn from a famous parable told by Jesus Christ. A local reporter exclaimed,

The term, ‘Good Samaritan’ came from a Bible passage of a man from Samaria who stopped on the side of the road to help a man who was injured and ignored. I cannot believe we live in a world where the term can equally apply to someone killing someone.

Who is correct here, the police chief or the reporter? A related question is, Did Jesus support self-defense, or the taking of a guilty life to save the lives of innocents?

In Chapter 10 of the Book of Luke in the New Testament, Jesus tells his parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan is judged “good” because when he came upon a man who was beaten and robbed, he chose of his own free will to help the injured man with his own resources. As I wrote in my 2020 book, Was Jesus a Socialist?, if the Samaritan had ignored the man or expected the government to help him, we would likely know him today as the “Good-for-Nothing” Samaritan.

The Good Samaritan in Jesus’ parable did not commit a violent act himself. The injured man’s assailants were presumably long gone. He stepped in to assist the assailed. So strictly speaking, the Greenwood police chief’s reference was not entirely analogous to Elisjsha Dicken’s action in taking down the shooter at the shopping mall.

For centuries, many people have employed the term “Good Samaritan” to describe anyone who isn’t compelled to come to the aid of the innocent but takes the initiative to do so anyway. A Good Samaritan takes charge of a bad situation, improves it as best he can, and prevents further harm. That is exactly what Elisjsha Dicken did in Greenwood.

Undoubtedly, the critical reporter in this instance is a person of good intent. He can’t imagine Jesus endorsing Dicken’s action because Jesus was a man of peace. He might even cite Matthew, chapter five, in which Jesus urges us to “turn the other cheek” if someone insults us or physically slaps us in the face.

“The question of rendering insult for insult, however, is a far cry from defending oneself against a mugger or a rapist,” writes Lars Larson in Does Jesus Christ Support Self-Defense?. To “turn the other cheek” means to refrain from a needless escalation of a problematic situation. Elisjsha Dicken did not escalate anything; in fact, he dramatically and decisively de-escalated it in the only possible way, given the circumstances.

The reporter likely shares the widely-held, radically pacifist or “namby-pamby” view of Jesus—the view that he would never endorse an act of violence for any purpose, even if it’s necessary to save lives. It implies that Elisjsha Dicken should have run for cover and allowed the Greenwood shooter to kill another dozen or two people. That’s wrong, if not downright blasphemous.

When Jesus dined at The Last Supper, he gave his disciples specific instructions, including this one (Luke 22:36):

He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 

Note that he did not advise anyone, then or at any other time, to stand idly by and allow wanton slaughter of innocents. And he offered support for the threat of force to prevent the theft of property as well. In Luke 11:21, Jesus said:

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and divides up his plunder.

This is the same Jesus who, in Luke 12:39, says, “If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” It’s the same Jesus who never criticized anyone for possessing a lethal weapon such as a sword, though he certainly condemned the initiation of force or the impetuous and unnecessary use of it.

In Jesus, Guns and Self-Defense: What Does the Bible Say?, Gary DeMar maintains that

Being armed and willing to defend ourselves, our family, and our neighbors is not being unchristian or even unloving. Self-defense can go a long way to protect the innocent from people who are intent on murder for whatever reason.

The Greenwood reporter’s errant perspective is not untypical of people who think they know Jesus and Christianity but spend more time criticizing them than learning about them. I see evidence of this all the time, most recently from a speaker at an April 2022 conference in Prague, Czech Republic.

“When it comes to the source of individual rights,” the speaker pontificated with misplaced confidence, “there are only three possibilities.” One, he said, is a Creator (God), which he summarily dismissed as a ridiculous, untenable proposition. The second is government, which he ruled out as equally ridiculous and untenable. The only logical option, he said, was “nature”—something which he suggested evolved out of nothing from nobody. As I listened with the largely student audience, I thought to myself, “This supposed expert hasn’t even considered a fourth option, namely, a combination of the first and third—which is to say that God, as the author of nature, is in fact the author of individual rights as well.”

The speaker added another uninformed dig at Christianity by claiming it was stupid for Jesus to ever suggest you should love your neighbor. “What if your neighbor is an axe-murderer? How much sense would that make?” he asked derisively. If he had known of the passages I cite above, he would have been embarrassed by his own ignorance. As a general principle, Jesus argued, you should love your neighbor but the same Jesus would urge you to arm yourself if your neighbor threatens your life or property.

In The Life and Death Debate: Moral Issues of Our Time, Christian theologians Norman Geisler and J. P. Moreland write:

To permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally.

When Elisjsha Dicken pulled out his gun to stop a shooting spree, he had every reason to believe he might attract the shooter’s aim and be killed himself. Fortunately, he was not, and he is among the living whose lives he saved.

If Elisjsha Dicken had been killed, the rest of us could at least take comfort in the words of Jesus as quoted in John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Elisjsha Dicken is not only a Good Samaritan. He’s a very good one. Give him a medal.

 

Lawrence W. Reed is FEE’s President Emeritus, Humphreys Family Senior Fellow, and Ron Manners Global Ambassador for Liberty, having served for nearly 11 years as FEE’s president (2008-2019). He is author of the 2020 book, Was Jesus a Socialist? as well as Real Heroes: Incredible True Stories of Courage, Character, and Conviction and Excuse Me, Professor: Challenging the Myths of Progressivism. Follow on LinkedIn and Like his public figure page on Facebook. His website is www.lawrencewreed.com.

This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.

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105 COMMENTS

    • “I cannot believe we live in a world where the term [Good Samaritan] can equally apply to someone killing someone.”

      The answer to that idiotic statement is not the act of killing someone- it is the act of laying down one’s life in the defense of others.

      John 15:13: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life
      for one’s friends”. (NLT)

      Of course, those subscribing to such nonsense as the original statement above would never have read The Bible. They would likely be quoting Mao’s “Red Book”, Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”, or Marx’s “Manifesto”.

  2. We can take it back to even more basic than this. The parable of the Good Samaritan was Jesus’ attempt to explain what He meant by “neighbor” when He said that the second-greatest commandment was to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The Good Samaritan was the neighbor, and treated the victim as his neighbor – exemplifying Jesus’ command.

    So, what does it mean to “love your neighbor as yourself”? Elsewhere (John 15), Jesus tells His disciples: “Greater love has no man than this: that he lay his life down for his friend.”

    The greatest expression of love is sacrificing one’s own life for the sake of others. Obviously, Jesus is foreshadowing His upcoming crucifixion. But the principle remains the same: the greatest expression of love is sacrificing one’s own life for the sake of others.

    That is exactly what Eli Dicken did: risked his life to save the life of dozens of his neighbors. If anything, his actions went far and above what the Good Samaritan did.

        • Satanic Gun Control zealots look pathetic going biblical when history confirms their Gun Control agenda is rooted in racism and genocide.

          Elisjsha Dicken is without question seen as a Good Samaritan especially for those in the sights of the murderous perp. The kind of perp Gun Control zealots need to sell there sick agenda that would have tied the hands of the Good Samaritan.

        • Similar to what I was gonna say, Debbie, if sumbitch was aiming his gun at me when this guy put him down, I would sure as HELL call him a good samaritan.

    • The parable of the good Samaritan isn’t limited to this one event of helping a man on a roadside. Our country is full of good Samaritans helping others daily. The people who needed help were the other people in the mall and Eli Dicken most certainly helped them. Also, the good Samaritan Eli Dicken renewed our faith in young people.

  3. On the other hand, there was a lot of smoting going on in the Old Testament. So this misguided perp got his ass smoted big time…
    Just say thank you to Mr. Dicken for saving lives (including his own), and move along lefty critics.

    • They can’t get over the fact that here was the beginning of a mass shooting that would help the passage of the assault weapons ban that they are introducing now. They see a missed oppertunity and we all see it as a great deed that saved many lives. Excuse the spelling.

  4. Where do people get this idea that the bible tells them they should be doormat pussies who let psychos, schizos and pedos just walk all over them? The OT God loved smacking down assholes and even hippy dippy Jesus knew some folks deserved a millstone around the neck.

    • If you’re looking for a serious answer, Shire-man, let’s blame the translations of the Bible. “Thous shalt not kill” is properly translated as “Thous shall do no murder”. You can check that with any rabbi or scholar of Judaism, or even any linguist who can read the old books in their original languages. We have 1/2 the world basically misunderstanding the commandments, because that one word was translated improperly.

      Today, we have gun grabbers who intentionally confuse the issue further, pretending that a justifiable homicide is the same as murder.

      • I have also understood that during the time the bible was being written (by men, btw, not by “gods”), if you killed someone who was a guest in your home, that was “murder”, but if you waited until he left and was 100 yards down the street it was simply business as usual. I wasn’t there and neither were you, but that’s what I understand.

    • One problem is some passages in the Bible condone mass pedophilia:

      Numbers 31:17-18 KJV

      17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.”

      • Howdy militant athiest larper tell us more how you hate Jews and Christ and why you are relevant.

      • Pedophilia? Seriously? How, outside of psychological projection, could one read that passage and come away with that conclusion?

      • An example of another atheist who has never supported the First Amendment. But they do support pornography and cross burning.

      • Hey don’t blame me ya’ll.

        This is what they were talking about in a NAMBLA meeting I…. was… er…. giving a ‘friend’ some support.

  5. Always concerned about the murderers life, the victims not so much. The penalty for murder is public execution, others will see it, and this will cease among you. How can anyone criticize Eli? Kind of like criticizing JESUS for healing.

  7. I think that common sense should dictate the outcome of a situation not the example of one biblical issue compared to a modern-day event. If a person carries a firearm or anything else that is legal and prevents injury or death to a potentially larger number of people by acting as in this case that is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, for the left they are grossly lacking in common sense, logic, ethics and morality. They are hypocrites and hyper biased when it comes to respecting their beliefs when they don’t respect anyone else’s. I think the best course of action with these people businesses that believe as they do, is to ignore them and boycott them. If they bother you kick their butts and don’t take any nonsense from them. If they push you push back. Most of them are paid cowards and a good butt whooping might do them some good.

  8. “The term, ‘Good Samaritan’ came from a Bible passage of a man from Samaria who stopped on the side of the road to help a man who was injured and ignored. I cannot believe we live in a world where the term can equally apply to someone killing someone.”

    Apparently someone does not understand their Bible ….

    “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” (Gospel of Luke: Chapter 10: Verse 33) (varies a little depending on which bible you use)

    Notice that it does not use the word “good”. That’s because the original translation did not include the word “good” and the reason for that it is in the original gospel Jesus never said “good Samaritan” but rather ‘Samaritan’, but adding the word “good’ does not change the meaning of the parable.

    The is a parable told by Jesus. The parable of the Samaritan is about a traveller (understood to be Jewish) who is stripped of his clothing, beaten, and left half dead by the road. When a Jewish priest and later a Levite come by, they both ignore the man. Eventually, a Samaritan comes across the man, and, even though Samaritans and Jews despised each other the Samaritan helps him.

    “a Samaritan” is a charitable or helpful person.

    I’d say that the defender was a helpful person, he saved lives.

    The use of the term “good Samaritan” as opposed to “Samaritan” to mean someone who helps with no thought of reward only started to become popular in the mid-1600s. The word “good” in relation to ‘Samaritan’ is not in the original translation of Jesus telling of the parable.

    So when Justin Kollar makes his stupid comment he is actually complementing the defender here because the defender helped with “with no thought of reward.”

    But since we are doing bible study and digging out random verses….

    Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

    In other words God gave command – put to death anyone who murders another person.

    And that’s just what the defender did.

    The parable is in this context, for example, “I was saved by a good Samaritan, who put a blanket on me and called an ambulance.” – its in the context of one who saves and save lifes is exactly what the defender did.

    The people in the mall were shielded by the ‘blanket’ of defense provided by the defender and they were saved. Granted, some did die but the many more did not because of this “good Samaritan” carrying out defense of innocents as the bible outlines and says, Jesus taught, and God commanded, is a necessary thing to do against a murderer.

    • That’s a hell of an outlook.
      But just to be an a$$hole.
      “THERE AINT NO SKY DADDY” sarcastic tag required I’m sure.
      .
      This world is under a pressure cooker, she’s about ready to pop. To much violence, and not only in the United States, its world wide.
      I’m laying it on Mars turning Red and the Blood Moon, just cause why not?
      Its actually a plethora of events of which my opinion would be only that.
      However in my opinion the pandemic and inflation/strife was a precursor. Those however are the top of an iceberg.
      I think deep down humans know they’re fcked and their going off.

    • “When a Jewish priest and later a Levite come by, they both ignore the man. Eventually, a Samaritan comes across the man, and, even though Samaritans and Jews despised each other the Samaritan helps him.”

      THIS is central to the lesson of John 15:13 as the lesson found in the “Good Samaritan” parable.

      We cannot rely on those around us who purport to subscribe to the same laws/principles we live under.

      It is always real ACTIONS over INTENTIONS that determine one’s true position in Life.

      As is painfully obvious from cases since the Stockton/Columbine school shootings through Ulvade and anything likely down the road in the future- those hired to protect the public often fail in their duties and often someone with little actual skin in the game may come along to help end the situation.

  9. Dicken isn’t a just a “good Samaritan.” He’s a man, which is more than I can say for that sniveling soyboy Justin Kollar. Dicken saved many lives. Kollar once saved a computer file. What a hero he is.

  10. He deserves a financial reward for saving the city and taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    • Handgun of choice plus 1000 rounds for practice and replace the 10 he fired into shitforbrains. With the reward loudly proclaimed!

  11. The ““turn the other cheek” parable is not about not defending ones self. Its about revenge, its a reference to the old testament ‘instructions’ to forgo revenge.

    • .40,

      Agree. That is another dimension of the ‘other cheek’ parable.

      Let’s imagine: if a mother or father complained to Jesus that the Roman’s killed their son, would Jesus have said “Offer the Roman’s your other son”? Of course not. More likely, he would have told them to hide their other son, to protect him.

      The ‘other cheek’ parable is not about pacifism, it is about avoidance.

      • There’s an argument to be made (and it has) that “turn the other cheek”, taken in context of customs and behavior during Jesus’ lifetime, meant not letting someone belittle you by backhanding you – make them acknowledge you and treat you as more of an equal by turning your other cheek, making them open-hand slap you or punch you. This point of view makes this about demanding the dignity that should be afforded to all people, a perspective given by those who believe Jesus was a more radical figure as “King of the Jews” and a Messiah sent by God to free them (or at least show them how to free themselves) from the yoke of oppression – represented in the context of the times as the Romans.

        • I always thought turn the other cheek was about ducking an inside cross.
          Jesus was a 112th degree kungfu fu martial artists. He’d zenn’ed up so much he could walk on water and make wine out of it too(probably learned how to walk on water by stomping grapes). He could wave his arms around so fast doing kung fu punches thatd it’d blow storms away. He could whip the sht out of just about anybody, just ask them guys at a card table.You can kill him and three days later he’ll come out of it and then in about 7000 years he’ll come back and kick all your asses. Jesus is a badass, dont wanna fck with him.

  12. Not exactly applicable, but I like it:

    And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
    Acts 10:13

    • So, Peter was not at a food court…agree, not applicable. Interesting, but not applicable.

    • Yes AMEN…the real JESUS will soon break through the clouds. “In righteousness HE doth judge & MAKE WAR”. He’s not coming back as a sacrificial lamb but as a LION. You think it’s hot now??? BTW Samaritans(are) were despised half Jews who were hated as “half-breeds” by the so-called chosen people.

      • Half breeds are better the full bloods. Well most times, but usually they get run over on the highway so you ain’t gotta worry about them to long.
        As far as full blood humans on earth, I dont think theres any left. You’ve all been cross breeding sing Ghengis Khan and the Vikings at least. Then the blacks, if you check them out you can see just about every nationality in them. I was once called a Roman after ragging on a Pakastani, couldn’t figure that out until found out Rome had been to my ancestors place.
        We’re all the same only different,,,lol

  14. You can act in Christian love toward your horrible axe murderer neighbor by acting to save him from himself. He is psychotic, or demonically-possessed, or otherwise driven to do something horrible for whatever reason, but if he were rational and honorable, he would want you to stop him. Knowing he’s going to do something horrible, you can act to restrain him or stop him, using the force needed to accomplish that, even if it kills him.

    Jesus said to turn the other cheek and forgive those who trespass against us, but he also made it clear that we need to resist evil when it is in our power to do so.

  15. Elisjsha Dickens needs to train the 376 officers converged on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas!

      • A “School District “Police Dept” is laughable drivel. See also a college (or mall) PD.

      • I’ve commented on that “school district police chief” before.

        The man is nothing more than a custodian. Like the janitor, he should have got the hell out of the way when real cops showed up on scene, his only input should have been pointing out access routes, so the real men could put them to use.

        “School district police chief” is an oxymoron.

  18. Don’t entertain bible verses used against you by people who don’t respect the bible…

  19. OK, So more importantly what was his sidearm of choice and how far were the shots. Just wanna know if he is a better marksman than most of us…..

  20. UUUUM BIBLE THUMPERS ,, TWO SIDES TO THE COIN …
    GOOD SAMARITAN FOR ME IS PERSON THAT DOES A GOOD DEED , DICKENS STOP A THUG THAT WAS KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE , YES HE DESERVES A METAL AND A MILLON BUCKS WOUNDN’T BE ENOUGH FOR LIVES HE SAVED , WHAT IS A LIFE WORTH DEPENDS ON THE PERSON OPINION . UUUUM ~ GOD ~ JESUS ,, WELL AS JESUS SAID GIVE TO CAESAR WHAT IS CAESAR’S , GIVE TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S .. ALL BELONGS TO GOD , JUST MAYBE GOD CALLED ONE TO BE EXECUTED AND DICKEN TO SLAY GOLIATH THUG , WAS BRAVE PERSON AND REST OF YOU WHO WHERE NOT THERE GUESS YOU WOULD TRY TO TALK THE THUG MURDERING PEOPLE WITH THE HELP OF JESUS TO LAY DOWN HIS GUN .. YEAH RIGHT .. NAW … KNOW YOUR KIND , IF WAS YOU , YA WOULD BE PRAYING FOR GOD TO STRIKE HIM DOWN AND HOPING SOMEONE WOULD SHOOT THE THUG … GOD WILL RECYCLE THE THUG , AND GLORIFY THE SAVIOUR DICKEN WHO SAVED LIVES …
    REST OF YA THAT DON’T HELP OR THINK HAVE RIGHT TO RUN SOMEONE DOWN FOR SAVING LIVES , AAA GO TA HELL.. WHETHER OR NOT POLICE , MALL SECURITY , OR DICKEN STOP THE THREAT , THAT THUG NEEDED KILLING …AMEN

    • “UUUUM BIBLE THUMPERS ,, TWO SIDES TO THE COIN”

      On one side of the coin is the defender Elisjsha Dicken, on the other side of the coin is the murderer mass-shooter – the murderer mass-shooter lost the coin toss.

  21. The same media-wing of the Govt would be championing a Govt agent for the same result. This is the real problem of this story, more so given the cowardice of the Govt Agents in Uvalde; we can’t have people solving their own problems, we can only let the Govt do that.

  23. T shirt to the right in the first picture almost looks like the symbol of my beloved US Air Force! Not sure if that’s a new motto or something. Seems like we change it every year or two (Yes I will poke fun at my guys, just do it in the nicest possible manner if you’re not USAF).

  24. It’s always a little sh*tty when someone has to pull down on someone no matter the reason. But I’m glad he was able to get in there and put a few rounds where they needed to be.

  25. Here are some more details from:
    https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/greenwood-hero-is-a-freaking-stud-fired-9-rounds-neutralized-shooter-in-15-seconds/

    GREENWOOD, Ind. — Within 15 seconds of a mass shooter opening fire inside the Greenwood Park Mall, Elisjsha Dicken got off 9 rounds, striking the shooter multiple times, and killing him.

    Police say Dicken was shopping with his girlfriend Sunday at the mall when he stopped at a cookie counter close to the main walkways of the mall. When the gunman exited the restroom, beginning his shooting spree, police say what he did was nothing short of heroic.

    Armed only with a handgun, police say Dicken engaged the shooter from a distance of perhaps 30 yards. Police say he was very proficient and tactically sound.

    Dicken started making his way towards the gunman, motioning for people to leave behind him. The gunman tried to retreat back into the restroom, but Dicken continued on, shooting the suspect until he fell.

    “The surveillance video shows Sapirman exit the restroom at 5:56:48 p.m.,” Ison said. “He was neutralized by Dicken 15 seconds later at 5:57:03 p.m.”

    When police arrived, they say Dicken approached mall security, telling them that he was the one that neutralized the shooter. He waited with security until the police could arrive.

    Police took him to the Greenwood Police Department while they watched the security video and spoke with other witnesses to confirm what Dicken told them. During the whole process, police say Dicken fully cooperated.

    Police say Dicken had no police training or military background.

    Police also confirmed Dicken was carrying a gun under the constitutional carry law that went into effect July 1.

  26. There is an obvious metal that already exists – Presidential Medal of Freedom

    HELL would freeze before this faux President would award it. The medal has been awarded to many useless turds however.

    • Brandon gave that award to Meghan Rapinoe. It will never have the same meaning anymore. Obummer pulled some of the same crap.

      • The medal is suppose to represent “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”

        Rapinoe isn’t deserving. Her only significant societal, public or private endeavors were shown in her display of contempt for the United States by her knee-takings during the U.S. anthem, and she has made absolutely zero “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States”. Shes obnoxious, self-smitten, classless, and self-aggrandizing, she is all about her.

        This medal award was a shameful and exploitative political move by the Biden administration to attempt to gain voting favor from the LGBT community. I hope members of that community can see it for this as this is what it really was and not what they wanted it to be.

        • Perhaps you can help me to understand how golfers have made “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace… “

          “A day after his supporters rioted inside the U.S. Capitol, President Donald Trump turned his attention to golf.

          “Trump on Thursday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to retired professional golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player, and posthumously to Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who died in 1956.”

        • I can’t help you understand that Miner49er. I can say that golfers are not a big voting influence demographic because they golf.

        • ” Gary Player is well-known not just for his accomplishments on the golf course, but also for being a man of principles and values – he is someone who is respected not only for being a great player, but also for being an awesome human being. His ‘The Player Foundation’ works to provide education, nutrition and medical care to underprivileged children. The foundation has till date contributed more than $50 million to various children’s charities.”

          “Sorenstam became a citizen of the United States in 2006, and during retirement she has put her efforts towards the Annika Foundation, which, along with creating golf opportunities for young women, has goals to promote a healthy lifestyle, education and community.”

          “Sorenstam, 49, a native of Sweden, is the first female golfer to be a recipient, as well as the first female who is a naturalized citizen to receive the honor. Player, from South Africa, joins other members of golf’s “Big Three,” Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The other golfers to receive the honor are Tiger Woods and Charlie Sifford. Woods received his Medal of Freedom from President Trump in April 2019.”

          “The White House explains honorees as having “made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

          Copied from Google searches. I would say these people are known world wide and have made significant changes for the better to the lives of people who have benefited from their various charities and foundations.
          Pretty sure it is up to the individual to make up their own mind as to whether these people are worthy.

        • Just so ya’ll know, President Donald Trump, our greatest modern president, is always on my mind.

          When I wake President Donald Trump.

          When I eat President Donald Trump.

          Even hen I ‘visit’ the chicken coup, yup, President Donald Trump.

          I’m sure it’s the same for everyone else. Right?

    • “There is an obvious metal that already exists – Presidential Medal of Freedom

      HELL would freeze before this faux President would award it.”

      The next conservative president can award it.

      And I hope they do…

  30. On a happy note: Democratic lawmakers arrested in abortion rights protest

    “More than a dozen Democratic members of Congress were among those arrested by Capitol Police on Tuesday afternoon as part of an abortion rights protest in front of the Supreme Court.”

    Among those arrested:

    Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark of Massachusetts
    Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
    Barbara Lee of California
    Jackie Speier of California
    Sara Jacobs of California
    Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
    Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey
    Andy Levin of Michigan
    Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
    Jan Schakowsky of Illinois
    Madeline Dean of Pennsylvania
    Cori Bush of Missouri
    Carolyn Maloney of New York
    Nydia Velazquez of New York
    Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
    Alma Adams of North Carolina

    https://www.ocregister.com/2022/07/19/democratic-lawmakers-arrested-in-abortion-rights-protest/

    • Those weren’t arrests. That was political theater, with congresscritters cosplaying as arestees, walking around with arms crossed behind their backs, pretending to be in handcuffs.

        • Then found in court to be Not Guilty.
          I do have Hope’s that this is ‘the time of year'( from the song Woodstcock) that America becomes justice and freedom rings.
          However, I’ve been known to live in fantasy land before.

        • And not one of them attacked the police with pepper spray, flag poles or fire extinguishers. No police officers were injured during their protest.

        • “Then found in court to be Not Guilty.”

          Over 10,000 (collectively) BLM protesters were arrested in the 2020 protests. Some of those were also found to be not guilty, but raze and pillage and plunder and harm they did do but the burden of beyond reasonable doubt was not satisfied.

          Bad people get found not guilty of their crimes every day across the United States, but the crimes they did do.

        • that I wrote above about being found not guilty, there is also the influence of politics.

        • They didn’t have to attack the police to have caused harm. They blocked traffic which is no little thing like being inconvenienced. The person or persons having life threatening emergencies sitting in blocked traffic might have something to say. I’m not saying that happened but it could have.

        • “Political theater or not, they were actually arrested.”

          No, they weren’t. They were escorted away from the street they were blocking, and then issued a citation (ticket).

        • Thanks, Chip, that makes more sense than that they were found not guilty on the same day (or in the same year) that they were ARRESTED.

        • “And not one of them attacked the police with pepper spray, flag poles or fire extinguishers. No police officers were injured during their protest.”

          That’s why we have the Democrats enforcers, antfa.

          They do the Democrats dirty work so the fragile people you mentioned above don’t have to.

          They are pretty good too.

          How many lives lost and billions in property damage are they up to?

        • @Chip

          according to public statement by Capital Police the democrats were arrested >
          https://twitter.com/CapitolPolice/status/1549477982187700227

          “U.S. Capitol Police
          @CapitolPolice
          Correction: We made a total of 35 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307).

          That arrest number includes 17 Members of Congress.
          2:35 PM · Jul 19, 2022·Twitter Web App”

  31. This is what we need more of, responsible, able, CCW carrying gun owners to stop this kind of criminal activity.

  32. When religion is brought into any argument all semblence of logic and critical thinking exits. THe very real question should be asked is WHY DOES THIS NOT HAPPEN more often? In pretty much every incience like this in the USA there must be according to the available statistics half a dozen ‘brtave citizens within spittin’ distance of that incident and ALL WITH the CITIZENS Right of CITIZENS ARREST with the use of PROPORTIONATE FORCE which even in the UK includes the right to KILL to protect others or self from being killed or there is reasonable cause to think that this is likely be the case as it the Act of Terrorism on LONDON BRIDGE.’
    I do NOT see this guy as a hero I see him as a CITIZEN doing his duty. The fact that he had a bloody hand gun and used it is not a ‘heroic’ act. What would have happened if he had MISSED and hit and killed another bystander -would he have still been a hero then?? Or would he have been just another fool with a gun??

  33. IT would be so nice if Mr. Dicken would come out state “I’m NO HERO! I simply did my duty, As an armed citizen!”….A constitutional carrier should realize it is his or her duty to save lives from terrorist….Anyone committing or attempting a mass shooting is a terrorist…

    • And 35.4% would be dead by the time Law Enforcement got there. When seconds determine if you or a loved one. Lives or dies at the hands of a criminal. Law enforcement is minutes away. You are your own first responder.

    • and 35.4% don’t realize that:

      1. law enforcement, both local and federal and state and county, do not have an obligation to protect them unless is specified in law.

      2. That law enforcement arrives AFTER the fact that the active shooter has started shooting. And the time between when law enforcement is notified and they arrive is the most important time to deny the shooter kill zone dominance and law enforcement isn’t even there. A basic proficiency active shooter, on average, can shoot more than 10 people during this time, even with a single shot firearm, unless they are denied kill zone dominance as quickly as possible during that time.

      3. Contrary to the assertion by anti-gun that ordinary law abiding armed citizens are like locust destroying everything in sight and are out to shoot everyone they see just for the fun of it – they save a lot more than people know about through media and are the most law abiding in the country. Overall, society is literally safer around ordinary law abiding armed citizen’s than they are near any automobile traffic.

      4. Its actually kinda rare that an ordinary law abiding armed citizen would be where a mass shooting takes place, because overall mass shootings are rare no matter how anti-gun wants to make it look like they happen every minute of the day. Even if normally armed that ‘no gun’ policy/law things make it difficult for an ordinary law abiding armed citizen to be armed in these areas even though 94% of mass shootings take place in these areas. But if there is an ordinary law abiding armed citizen that responds they are 94% effective at stopping the active shooter, whereas law enforcement and even armed security are less than 5% (if armed security is included) effective.

      Thankfully Dicken was armed where he was without actually creaking a law to do it, because the mall ‘no gun’ policy does not have the force of law behind it in Indiana to make it illegal so he was not actually breaking a law by being there armed.

  36. The Leftist “Hill” included a blurb that only 3% of mass shootings in the past 21 years were stopped by a civilian.
    Leaving aside the certainty that they cherry picked the data, how many lives did that 3% save?

    AND What ever happened to “If it saves only one life…..”?

    • Was there ever ONE which was stopped by police? This kind of criticism from a rag which dedicates huge effort to making sure no honest citizen is armed, ever, anywhere? Stupid upon stupid.

      • Dicken saved a lot of lives from gun violence so it was worth it for him to be armed. Ya think Barack will give him a big hug now?

  37. Engaged the shooter at 40 yards and advanced. 15 seconds and hit 8 out of 10 rounds fired as the shooter was running for the bathroom.

    So much for all the training they try and sell you.

    Too bad he hasn’t been at school shootings.

    • Basically he used common basic skills in firing that anyone uses when they go to the range. Probably had some practice though, and he did have a grandfather that taught him.

  38. Wow. Bringing the Bible into this??? Okay. Now we can start discussing biblical stories of using a slingshot. A long-distance weapon. And using it accurately.

    • David didn’t use a slingshot, he used a sling. A sling throws an object like a rock, ots basically a ‘pocket’ with two longer ‘strings’ attached. The rock goes in the pocket. a sling shot uses ‘elastic’ like bands between two supports to launch a projectile (which can be a rock too if you want)

  40. People just can’t stand to be wrong so they crap on people.
    That kid needs a medal and a profitable speaking tour and an agent and a lot of protection.
    By now someone has dug up a time when he was 7 and mis gendered a person so must be cancelled.

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