If you grew up in a house without guns the idea of actually owning a gun may seem foreign or perhaps even frightening to you. Like many Americans, you probably grew up believing you didn�t need a gun because the police were a phone call away. Adding to the fear of guns, the majority of news reports involving guns feature tragic accounts of murder, rape and robbery. But what we rarely hear about are the millions of Americans who defend themselves with guns each year from criminals. Who are these people? They�re average Americans; level-headed, responsible citizens that you might sit beside in church on Sunday or play golf with on weekends�and their extraordinary accounts of self-defense are provocative food for thought.

�We hear so many tragic stories about criminals shooting people that there�s a negative perception about guns,� says Chris Bird, a gun-rights activist and author of the new book, �Thank God I Had a Gun: True Accounts of Self-Defense (Privateer Publications, 2007). �Guns have been vilified in this country when having a gun and knowing how to use it could someday save your life.�

As a former crime and investigative reporter, Bird saw too many cases where criminals got the best of law-abiding citizens. He started to research the cases where a would-be crime victim turned the tables on their attacker, often without ever firing a shot. He points to research by Florida State University and other universities estimating about 2.5 million ordinary Americans use a gun to defend themselves from criminals each year.

�One of the best-kept secrets in America is how often and how effectively ordinary citizens defend themselves with firearms against a criminal attack or threat,� says Bird. �For decades, Americans have been brainwashed into taking a passive role in their own survival. They have been told that the government will protect them. But it�s clear that police play a limited role in protecting citizens.�

Bird cites the lawlessness that descended upon post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans as a perfect example of the systematic breakdown of law and order. The government was clearly not in control of the city after the levees broke, unleashing torrents of water and chaos on the city. During the mayhem that ensued, looters, thieves and thugs had free reign.

�What Katrina demonstrated is that we�re just one disaster away from anarchy. Many police officers simply fled the city and many who remained were part of the problem, not part of the solution. And anyone who tried to ride out the storm was left to fend for themselves,� says Bird. �And that includes protecting themselves from the thugs who were stealing cars and roaming the streets looking for dry, empty houses to loot.�

Bird points to the story of Vinnie Pervel, a contractor in New Orleans who up until the aftermath of Katrina, didn�t like guns and was uncomfortable having a weapon in the house. After being hit in the head and carjacked, Vinnie became a believer in armed self-defense.

�That experience transformed Vinnie,� says Bird. �He went home, found an old shotgun that belonged to his partner and for the next few weeks, Vinnie, his family and a neighbor stood armed watch over their home and street to protect themselves from the criminals who were trying to take advantage of the disaster. They knew the police weren�t going to help them; they had to rely on themselves for protection.�

Bird, who is also a certified concealed weapons instructor, believes the collection of stories about self-defense featured in his book illustrate lessons from which we can all learn. If you�re a gun owner, Bird advises you to:

*Seek training to learn how to use your gun
*Practice shooting your guns frequently and safely
*Always know what is behind your target (are there innocent people in the surrounding area)
*Always treat your gun as though it is loaded
*Avoid getting involved in third party disputes; use your gun only to defend yourself, your family or very close friends
*If you must shoot an attacker, remember your purpose is to stop his hostile action; not kill him
*If you have shot an attacker, always consult a lawyer before you give a statement to the police

For more information or to purchase the book visit www.privateerpublications.com
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Chris Bird has been a journalist for 25 years and a handgun shooter for more than 40 years. He was born in England and his interest in shooting has steered him through the bureaucratic red tape of owning handguns in England, Canada, and Australia. He was a commissioned officer in the Royal Military Police of the British Army in the 1960s. After leaving the military Bird migrated to Canada. There he worked as a cowboy in British Columbia while shooting and hunting extensively. He later became a journalist and worked for newspapers and television stations as a crime and investigative reporter. Bird is also the author of The Concealed Handgun Manual: How to Choose, Carry and Shoot a Gun in Self Defense, now in its fourth edition. He is certified in Texas as a concealed-handgun instructor. He is a director of the Texas Concealed Handgun Association and a member of both the Texas State Rifle Association and the National Rifle Association.