Red, Blue, and Brady

24: Gun Violence is Wack

November 25, 2019 Brady
Red, Blue, and Brady
24: Gun Violence is Wack
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Show Notes Transcript

JJ is joined by Christian Kimbrough, founder of Revive Minds, gun violence advocate, and survivor. Christian is joining us today to talk about being a survivor of being shot in the head at age 13, living with a traumatic brain injury, and running his amazing company, Revive Minds

In this episode, we cover: 

  • why being a Christmas miracle can be hard;
  • why he felt the need to become an advocate;
  • why youth outreach is so important;
  • how the media lies about quick recovery times;
  • what it's like living with a traumatic brain injury; and finally
  • why gun violence is wack. 

JJ also talks about why you shouldn't bring a gun to a bar...and then steal that gun back from the court, and applauds GVP heroes who fought the law and won.

Revive Minds can be found here: https://www.reviveminds.com/. Go shop!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. 
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells, for their longstanding legal support 
 ℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
In a crisis? Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor 24/7.

Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Brady music:

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JJ:

This is the legal disclaimer where we tell you the views, thoughts, and opinions sharewd on this podcast belong solely to the person talking right now, and not necessarily Brady or Brady's affiliates. Please note, this podcast contains discussions of violence that some people may find disturbing. It's okay. I find it disturbing, too.

Brady music:

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JJ:

Welcome back everybody to"Red, Blue, and Brady," the podcast all about gun violence and most importantly gun violence prevention. Today I'm joined by Christian Kimborough, a wonderful young entrepreneur, artist and activist who survived being shot directly in his left frontal lobe at point blank range with a 38 special. He also has a truly fantastic Twitter that I am super jealous of. After our chat, look forward to our"unbelievable, but" segment where I break down the choices that go into a) getting arrested for having a gun in a bar and b), then getting arrested for stealing that gun back while you're on trial. Truly a great American story. Finally, I'll leave you all with our gun violence prevention heroes of the week. A group of folks who fought the law and won. No, they didn't steal any guns, don't get yourself in a tizzy. It's just really nice to see the good guys finish first sometimes.

Brady music:

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JJ:

And speaking of good guys, Christian, thank you so much for coming on and joining us.

Christian:

Hello. Hello everybody.

JJ:

Would you mind introducing yourself and your company to our listeners?

Christian:

Yeah, well my name is Christian Kimborough. I'm, my hometown is Little Rock, Arkansas, but I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia. My company is called Revive Minds, where we speak to the youth about gun safety and tell them that you know, they can overcome their situations no matter what they are.

JJ:

And we will, of course,on the descriptor of this episode be linking to your organization--to Revive Minds as well as to your fantastic merchandise, which I think everyone in this office wants now.

Christian:

Thanks!

JJ:

So, you're welcome. We've been running around talking about the T-shirts in particular and how good they are. So everyone should go check those out.

Christian:

Yeah, thank you. Really appreciate it.

JJ:

Well I appreciate that. You know, it's, it's nice when there's like merchandise with good messaging that also then goes to a good cause at the same time. What's awkward for me generally on this podcast is that we start a lot of these interviews with survivors with asking them about their worst days because that's how most of us know one another because of these terrible things that have happened. So as strange as it is, can we start off with you telling us what happened on December 18th, 2005.

Christian:

Okay. Wow. Um, so that day happened to be the worst day in my life. So I was over my best friend's house and we've been best friends since second grade and I was in the eighth grade, you know, our, our parents, our moms, you know, God, used to drive each other, you know, to my house one weekend and I'll stay over his house one weekend and we just, since second grade just bounced back and forth, back and forth. And this was the weekend I was over at his house. And, um, I don't know if you remember the movie called"Aeon Flux," but it was the movie that we watched. I remember we watched that movie and then we would have went to grab some pancakes. Um, and yes, I said pancakes. I remember what I, what I was eating rooty tooty fresh and fruity pancakes and everything like that. And, uh, we had gone up, he had a cousin or a friend of the family that was staying there at, at, at the house because, you know, he was a troublemaker, I guess, you know, nobody wanted him. And he was standing in the attic at that time and that moment of time, and I didn't even know him for a full 24 hours. And so he was, he was standing there, my best friend's mom had just came back from, uh, you know, getting us and we pull up in the driveway and obviously he couldn't get in the house without her, without her keys. So we all go up there and, um, we all go to the second floor and where his room is. And he came from the attic with a loaded gun. Uh, so he whispers, it's two blanks in the gun, two real bullets in the gun. to me. And this was, this was when his, well, my best friend's mom had sent him downstairs to go get some tissue, but she, she said that, and that's when he came in the room and pointed the gun at me and I stood up, you know, hands up and I was like, Hey, don't point that gun and be like, what are you doing? I'm 13 I don't understand that terminology that he just just said, you know, I've never seen like a real live gun and you know, I now I'm staring down the barrel of one. And so about seven yards, he pulls the trigger. So we're, we're, we're in very close proximity, I want to say six or seven yards. And he pulls the trigger and it just went off and my eyes shut and I felt a little woozy, but though I was still standing up. And so I felt the heat, the heat of the bullet and you know, the warmness on the left side of my face and I looked down and it was just pouring blood and I'm thinking to myself, I was like, Oh man, I know. He just didn't, I know he just didn't, when I look at him, he has the whole Macaulay Culkin, awful"Home Alone," look like, you know, Oh my God, what have I done? Kind of. And so once, once he, once he notices that, you know, he put the gun in my hand and my right hand knowing I couldn't move cause, I was attempting, cause I'm right handed, I was attempting to move the right side of my body but I just couldn't. And so once he noticed that he put the gun in my hand and ran out screaming,"he shot hisself! He's gone crazy, come quick, come quick." And he was about 19 or 20 at the time. I, he definitely wasn't our age, me being 13, as you know, me and my best friend being 13. And um, after, after he said,"come quick, come quick," you know, my best friend's mom had just came from the, from the bathroom and the ambulance came. Uh, the EMT came later, you know, cause they don't, they, they don't come right away when you need them. And so that, that was it. The EMTs. I remember the EMT saying, man, this doesn't look good. Um, you know, this doesn't look good at all. Oh, we have to get'em outta here and get him outta here. And I blacked out as they rolled me into the ambulance. Granted I'm just in my, in my tee shirt and I'm getting, I was getting undressed at the time so I'm only in a t-shirt and boxers i s very cold and I just, I just black out and I woke up on, u h, December 25th, which is Christmas day. So seven days later.

JJ:

Wow, there's, there's so many things there that it, it's so strange for me that I've heard now echoed from other survivors too that just, I think sort of point out the misperceptions that a lot of people have about like what actually does happen when you get shot, right? Yeah. What you see on TV is so different--

Christian:

Right? Because you know, naturally when you get shot, Oh, you fall or like near death experience and I see a white light, but you know, I didn't see anything. I just, you know, thought about my family. And you know what I will miss. But as far as seeing a white light, I didn't see any of that stuff, so I didn't see any of that. I just blacked out and, um, I was able to wake up.

JJ:

How, how do you, at that age, you know, thinking back, how do you even sort of wrap your mind around what has happened when you wake up in a hospital?

Christian:

Um, you know what, um, it was a lot to process. I literally woke up on Christmas day, so shot seven days later, everybody was calling me the Christmas miracle and was so happy, you know, that I, I woke up, but in my head I'm like, okay, why am I even here? What just happened? Why am I being strapped down to the bed? Because I will try to, you know, walk on my own. Um, I ha I was, you know, using the bathroom with the catheter. I used to pull my catheter out, you know, because I thought I was still normal. I thought everything was still normal. I'm like, okay, why am I in the hospital? I can do this by myself. Um, I couldn't even talk then. So it's just like, why is the entire side of, you know, my right side of my body numb? Um, I was basically just more frustrated than anything because I truly didn't understand. I'm like, no, I did everything right. I was not a bad kid. I made straight A's. I wasn't gang-affiliated, which is the norm, um, in, in, in my hometown. And, um, I just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time, so I just couldn't, I couldn't wrap my head around that until a couple months later.

JJ:

And by that point, by the time you wake up, did, did people know that you hadn't injured yourself? It had been done to you, or did that come later?

Christian:

So there was a lot, a lot of, um, rumors circulating around that time that, you know, I shot myself, that my best friend shot me. But you know, the detectives, you know, the, the, the law enforcement was like, why would he shoot himself with his right hand on his left side while he'd go across his face? So it, something didn't make sense at the time. So the detectives were, I remember my mom telling me this, the detectives were going in, in, in, into the hospital, the hospital room, and they were asking her,"Hey, what happened to him?" You know, and then she said,"Hey, when my baby wakes up and can finally talk, then you will know something." But until then, she was so stern, she said, until then, you know,"I don't want nobody in the room with me. I don't want anybody just bothering us. Let, let, let his mechanics improve and let his skills improve. And so he can tell you exactly what happened." And I remember, um, it was one day and, um, I think it was January when, you know, the detectives finally came back and I was able to actually say something and she asked me, she said,"did you shoot yourself?" I was like, no. I shook my head. No. She said, tdid hey tell you, uh, my best friend, she said,"did he shoot you?" I said, no. And I shook my head no. And she said, did, you know,"did his cousin shoot you?" And I said, yes. I nodded my head yes. So that, you know, it all came out, it all came out at that moment. And so it's just, it was just so much going on. And by the time I got out of the hospital, which was later on down the line, you know, um, everybody stopped being, you know, we were in middle school so everybody stopped being friends with my best friend, uh, at the time, his friend because they thought he has something to do with it. And you know, is is, is things again, you know, jumbled up and mixed up. But we finally, then gained some clarity when I was able to, you know, actually shake my head no and yes and everything like that.

JJ:

Again, I think it's this belief of you get shot, you wake up in the hospital, you're fine, right? You know that your recovery is quick. ER doesn't show that you're in there for months, that you've got rehab and outpatient appointments and infections, all of that. And then the secondary thing is what a lot of people who I think don't work necessarily like in gun violence prevention or who, who are lucky enough to, to not have known anyone who's injured is that there are all these ripple effects. You know, your, your best friend has to deal with the fact that his best friend has been shot. Your mom has to deal with the reality that her child's been hurt. It, that's a recovery is rough and multifaceted. And so I definitely wanted to ask you, you know, what was your recovery like and what do you wish people knew about it?

Christian:

Well, um, my recovery process was kinda hard, but I like to say that my team and my family recovery process because they, it right along with me. So it was more like a group effort. Um, but I had to learn how to walk, talk, move the right side of my body, like all over again, which, you know, me being 27 now and you know, that happened when I was 13, you know, the doctor would be telling me, hey, if you woulda got shot later on down the line, you wouldn't be able to do half the things that you're doing. You, you'd still probably be, um, um, in, in a wheelchair, you know, or bedridden. So learning how to walk was difficult, but it was, I would say doable, but I would say learning how to talk was the most difficult because you would know exactly what to say exactly what you want to say, but you can't say it. You know, I had this speech therapist who would come in and hold off flash cards and when I was fresh out of, uh, ICU, so, and I, I didn't like her at all. I felt like she was insulting my intelligence because you know, when, when after that happens, you feel like, Oh, well I know everything. You know, I know, you know what time, what time is it? You know, what color is this? And you know, she was asking me all these other questions, but you know, I felt like she was insulting my intelligence, but I couldn't voice it. And get the words out. So I understand why she, you know, she was trying to help me, you know, is, is I, I knew what I wanted to say. I just couldn't, I just couldn't say. And that used to send me, you know, I used to get so frustrated, I was even mad at the world. I was mad at my mom, so she knew something was really wrong with me, but we all got through it. But I would say just holding up those flash cards, hold on those flash cards, you might hear it in, in my speaking now because I used to think, man, I used to have way better speech, you know, then then this, um, now it's like my brain tends to move faster than my mouth and I hear it. That's normal all the time. That is normal. But you know, you just don't, you just don't believe them because, you know, because even they didn't grow with a TBI, you know, they didn't grow with TBI. So, you know, it's, it's a little different hearing from, Oh yeah, you're just normal. You know, that's normal. But to me it is a normal by any stretch.

JJ:

Yeah. That just has to be so incredibly frustrating. Especially, you know, as, as you described, you know, you're a straight-A student and then all of a sudden you've got to explain to somebody what a cat is in order to go home. That's gotta be super hard. You know, you are left with, with the TBI, with a traumatic brain injury and that's, that's a lifelong than injury that you've got to deal with that maybe isn't super visible for folks. And so why, what impact did this shooting, you know, have on bullying on your family?

Christian:

I would want people to actually know something about TBI. Everything is a process. Just because you can't see my injury doesn't mean that it isn't there. And I think I speak for all of my TBI survivors when I say that, um, I want, I want them to know that, you know, take things more slow. Um, I'm more of a hands on learner. And so when somebody tries to teach me, um, something, you have to sometimes repeat things to me because I have some trouble understanding. Uh, the first time. But on top of that we get extemely tired, so fast with a brain injury. But as far as what impact did it have on my schooling? Well, my skull was crushed completely on my left side, like totally like totally gone. So from that, from December to June I had to go without a skull. So it was just beating like my brain was outside of my head basically. So imagine waking up in like nine o'clock in the morning with your brain sticking out. Like you know your, cause your skull is protecting the other right side of your head. But you know, it's just, bulging out, bulging out. And then once it gets about like noon-ish it would like sink in and everything like that to the point where I, you know, I would have to wear a helmet in the car. I hated that I had to wear it, have it in the car and I, I hated it. I was totally against it. I used to argue with my mom back and forth and, but you see who won those arguments, it took a major toll on my family because they were grieving. You know, we, we didn't celebrate Christmas until I got out of the hospital, which was the later part of January. And to see all those gifts wrapped up under the, you know, the tree was just kind of like a reminder to me that, you know, they didn't do anything. They were locked in waiting on me to get well and get better. And so that, that, that was a plus, uh, the community, they, they get hard, but you know, that's normal news while I'm from. And so to the people that knew me then, you know, they took it hard. But the communities is, you know, every day, every day they hear about something like that around that time.

JJ:

which is sad for its own reasons. Right. And also I can just picture with the helmet too. Like when you're 13, what you want more than anything is to look exactly like everybody else.

Christian:

Yes. And to look cool. You know, you don't want to being 13 and having to ride around the city with a helmet on. First of all, I like, I started liking girls at 13, a little bit of third grade. So it's just like, man, I don't want them to see me, you know, even though, uh, because my mom, she, you know, she understood that I miss my friends and everything like that, so we would go up to the school, uh, the middle school that I went to on lunchtime so everybody can actually see me and everything like that. And, um, I used to wear this, you know, tight beanie on my head and, you know, she would talk to the kids, you know, before they even saw me and was like, Hey, you know, Christians here, but you can't, you can't touch his head. You know, you, you can't touch his head because it's not there. And you know, that was a lot of life for people to take in. But, um, it's just, I miss my friends. I miss, you know, just being normal. So I think, you know, to back back to your point, the helmet in the car is, it just wasn't normal. It just wasn't normal. And I wanted to feel normal. But you know, obviously I wasn't at that time.

JJ:

Such a good mom though.

Christian:

Yes. I have a, I have a loving mother. Uh, I have a loving mother, you know, she doesn't take, she doesn't take anything. Um, especially around that time, you know, she was, she just wasn't having it. Um, she, she watched my friends closely. She was just the loving, caring mother that she is. And um, I really do appreciate her more than anything.

JJ:

I'm sorry to bring up maybe some awkward pre prom memories then. Um, but I guess maybe that's one of the reasons why I think you're, you're so great with the advocacy you do with kids and with teenagers because maybe, you know, you get that feeling. What, what brought you in, transitioned you into then working in like gun violence advocacy and to working with young people?

Christian:

I think when I finally realized what happened to me, to my family and you know, even to my community is something that I just took on. Um, I, I guess I was one of the lucky ones that can actually speak for myself and actually live through it and being a survivor. So, um, I really took it upon myself to speak about guns, ending gun violence and building a platform. And you know, now that I, I'm really talking to you guys, so I, I'm, I'm going somewhere with it, but you know, I was shot with, you know, um, it was an unkept gun and so it was a gun just laying around the house. So that's what I emphasize as well. And so I just try to talk to the kids about like the gun safety, you know, because it's, it's happening, you know, as much as we try to sh, you know, shun it away, it happens all the time. So I just would like to, you know, just educate kids wherever I can, schools, community centers, you know, wherever I can get the word out.

JJ:

One of the programs we have here and family fire is all about the fact that people can be responsible gun owners, but that we lose people every day to guns that aren't stored or handled properly. And, and some of those are children.

Christian:

Right.

JJ:

And in addition to advocacy, you also run a company. Can you tell maybe our listeners a little bit about specifically what Revive Minds does?

Christian:

Uh, so yes, Revive Minds was like actually created, I remember creating it like, just the idea and just a thought I was at, um, it was created in the springtime of 2015 but I remember exactly where I was and exactly who I was speaking to. Uh, and you know, um, like that I was at an Applebee's talking to my girlfriend about, Hey, I just want to speak to speak to kids. To answer the second part of the question. I feel as though, you know, we should be involved more if we can just change their minds about growing up, you know, about gun violence, how it affects the person behind the gun, their families and friends, et cetera. And, and not just them. Um, surrounding them in a, in like a program that informs them about that. Those things are like a little earlier on in life. Um, that should go along way. And that's what Revive Minds is basically, my motto is changed the way you think. Reverse the way you live. And you know, if I can just touch one person, one young, one young person, then I've done my job. So that's what Revive Minds is. And we also have a brand with a positive messages on shirts, statement, shirts, and um, we have big things in the works.

JJ:

You have some of the best merchandise, I've ever seen flat out. I'm not.

Christian:

Thank you. Thank you.

JJ:

I'm not just flattering you. You know, I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about how you've designed some of those shirts because the one that everyone here in the office wants is the, there's one that says like"gun violence is wack." And for people of our age group, we were like that is it.

Christian:

Right. Well thank you. It was something that actually took forever to think of a, which I know is weird because this design is so simple, but I felt like I needed a statement piece. You know, everybody has to statement piece, okay you know, this design is them, you know those guys, this design is for that logo. And so I felt like, you know, I always say that I won't put or give out anything that I wouldn't wear myself. And I'm a firm believer in that. And so everything that is on the site and everything like that I'll wear and I just was watching the news and you know, getting better from hearing the stories. And that led me to making it a, I made a, I made a sample of the design people. I actually really loved it. And here we are now and I'm selling them now. So, so selling out of them actually.

JJ:

Which is great. I mean it's a good, it's a good thing to have, especially because full disclosure, you've been so nice to donate a portion of future proceeds to Brady. So!

Christian:

Yes, yes. I feel like if, you know, we just, we just got to get behind the organizations that are trying to fight as the whole thing and try to figure this whole thing out. So I was like, hey, why don't I just, you know, donate a little bit of my proceeds. It won't be, I know it won't be substantially, but it can accumulate over time, uh, to you guys.

JJ:

I mean, and then again, like there's two great things there, which one is, when we started this podcast, sort of our hope was that, you know, recognizing that as an organization, we're part of a movement that's getting bigger every day because people are just tired. You know, they've, they've, they've had enough with losing people to gun violence. They've had enough of seeing it on the news and they know their kids have to do lockdown drills in school. They're done. So the more that we can all, everybody who's working in this group, whether it's somebody who's running like a community watch organization or like a huge NGO, like if we all need to be talking to each other. And then the secondary thing is, is that like any like a small thing can have a huge impact. I'm sure that you've had a massive impact on the kids that you go into and talk to. I'm positive you had, you had to have, you can't look at the images that I found of you online with you have a, an image of your skull. Actually, I'm going to remember that picture forever.

Christian:

Yes. And that's why I bring it along.

JJ:

I was going to say, how did that develop the idea of, of bringing that along?

Christian:

Yeah. So, um, when I kind of received the skull, uh, I didn't know what to do with it, uh, because you know, I received it when I was like 13 or 14 and he goes, you know, me just getting out of the hospital and you know, they were like, Hey, you shouldn't, you shouldn't have lived through that. You know, cause I got shot with a 38, a 38 revolver. And so I don't know if you know how big those bullets are in it. It didn't just in graze my head. It went in my head and it, and it stopped. Luckily I got a hard head, but the hospital gave it to me. The replica gave it to me and my mom as a gift because they wanted to emphasize that, you know, I was a Christmas miracle. Uh, so it was like basically a Christmas gift, like,"Hey, you're alive but," and, but, and, and I shouldn't survive that. Uh, so I had my very first speaking engagement at my old middle school. So the, on the anniversary, a 10 year anniversary. So this was, I got shot December 18 2005 I was able to speak to the kids December 18 2015 and that was actually the, um, the time, the Friday, the exact day before they got out over winter break, cause I got shot over winter break so that it was gonna have a positive impact on the kids who were going, you know, um, to spend time with their families, their friends over winter break. So I wanted to, I wanted to show them my story, you know, I wanted to show them where I was, what I've been through and how I became my situation that I was so blessed to do. And so I took one look at my school and I felt like that was the perfect example to do that. Plus, you know, it's, it's, it's a cool piece. Like not everyone shows up with their own replica of their own skull in their hands. You're like ready to speak to tons of people. So I felt like that that was my calling. So that I feel like using just that imagery is really, you know, giving kids something to look at and you know, knowing I don't want that to happen to me. And so let me, you know, if I have any questions, any concerns I need to change the people that I'm hanging around, you know, I, I just want to show them that it's real and it can happen to you as well.

JJ:

I'm, I'm super curious how to, is that, you know, what are, what are you working on currently? What's next? Can you, can you tell our listeners or--

Christian:

Yes. Well I can, I can fill you in a little bit. Um, me and my team just shot a short film, uh, based on gun violence. It's going to be really interesting to watch. I shot it in my hometown and it was around the same house that I got shot in. And so I wanted to make it authentic as possible. Um, it's supposed to come out pretty soon. We're also doing big things with the clothing, brand, shirts, hats, hoodies. I'm still speaking to schools. We're still speaking at community centers, churches, even podcasts, uh, anywhere that I can get the word out about my company. And, um, we're now for 2020. We'll be working on a docu series, a documentary series. So, uh, also stay tuned for that.

JJ:

Well, and then we have to have you back to talk all about the docu series too. And then for our, for our absolute final question for you, I promise, is just if you had any advice for people who want to get into gun violence prevention advocacy or who want to get involved at all with reducing gun violence, especially in targeted communities. So dealing with kids, dealing with communities that see a lot of gun violence. Like what would you recommend?

Christian:

I will tell them no, do not take no for an answer. I know there's a lot of people who are going to have a negative outlooks just because it's gun violence prevention. Um, but there's something more than needed, you know, um, 310 people are shot every day in the, in the United States, and that's every day. And uh, 21 children ranging from age one all the way to age 17 are shot every day. So I feel like we have to find a way to reach out to the masses if they don't open the door, you know, push it down, kick, kick the door down. And you know, it's not just, you know, my story, it's his story. Her story.

JJ:

Yeah, I think it's, it's come up again on this podcast a few times now that just this, we're all in this weird family together and the family unfortunately gets bigger every day.

Christian:

Every day.

JJ:

I get asked this a lot, what would you do if we could just sort of solve this gun violence problem? If we get rid of violence, what would be your next task?

Christian:

I would jump with joy because it's, it's really, I've never been that type of person to, you know, you know, just to inflict or understand why would you want to con commit a crime against a violent crime against another individual. And so I feel as though if we just release all the violence altogether, then that, you know, would make me the one of the most happiest people in the world because no one that I got shot in my head to, you know, making a difference within, you know, if I could just touch one person, then I've done my job. So if I could just, you know, be the, the, the spark to, to ignite it and to really get change, really see change within the gun violence community or violence altogether and to see it go away. I think that, you know, people, people will be more happy. People will be way more happy.

JJ:

Well perfect. I can't think of a better way to end.

Christian:

Yes. Me neither.

JJ:

It was so nice talking to you, Christian. It was so great to get to meet you and to get to talk to you. And before, you know, we cut from this to go to our"unbelievable" story. I have something that you all should believe in and you should do. Please go check out Revive Minds. com, check o ut Christian's work, check o ut his merch, and remember for every T-shirt you buy, a percentage of the proceeds goes to Brady.

Brady music:

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JJ:

And now it's time for our unbelievable story of the week. You know the thing that's unbelievable, but we want you to know about it. Today, we're moving away from tales of animals who can't seem but to shoot their owners to gun owners who can't seem to say goodbye to their firearms. In short, we're talking about the sensational news story where a woman was charged with stealing evidence her own gun. Yes, that's right, and there's a lot to unpack here. To begin this tale, we have to travel to Fairbanks, Alaska. Last year, well in a bar, a woman was refused service for being intoxicated, so she did the totally rational thing and pulled out a loaded 45 caliber handgun, waved it around, and then fought with three bouncers until the police arrived who she then continued to fight with. She's scrappy, but my advice, don't try this at home kids, that's not a good way to enter Saturday night. Now on Tuesday she went to trial where her gun was introduced as evidence. Despite it being secured with a zip tie and sitting in an evidence box near the judge, she somehow managed to steal it back. While court was in session. She then hid the gun in the snow outside, as one does. Sadly, it did not turn into a talking snowman, but instead it sat getting cold until it was found by police, who then rearrested the lady for new charges of felony theft, possessing a firearm in a courthouse, evidence tampering and violating conditions of release. So so many bad choices were made and I don't know really where to start with that, but do not. And I mean, do not play with a gun while drunk. Don't take it to a bar. Don't fight with bouncers and the police. Don't steal a gun in the courthouse. Take backsies don't work in the court of law. But you know what does work in the court of law? Our GVP heroes of the week.

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JJ:

This week we salute a group of heroes from our own beloved Brady Sarasota chapter, who all deserve a big shout out. This is the shout out! This week in Sarasota, Florida County commissioners voted down a resolution to make the county a second amendment sanctuary city. These so-called sanctuary cities are essentially saying they won't enforce gun laws passed at the state level. And this is a really scary trend that's been developing across the country. Brady Sarasota's chapter testified on the resolution making clear that the constitution and the bill of rights already protect second amendment rights and that these so called sanctuary cities are as unnecessary as they are troubling. Brady Sarasota president Carol Rescigno couldn't have said it any better. Quote,"we already have a sanctuary state because few sensible gun laws make it to the house or senate floor. I'm very happy this resolution didn't pass," end quote. So a big thanks to Brady Sarasota for their hard work, which we do know will continue as they try to move those sensible gun laws forward and, hey, that's all we can do. Just try to make changes in our own small way and hope that eventually this epidemic of gun violence will end.

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JJ:

Thanks for listening. As always, Brady's lifesaving work in congress, the courts, and communities across the country is made possible, thanks to you. For more information on Brady, or how to get involved in the fight against gun violence, please review the podcast and also subscribe. Get in touch with us online at brady united.org or, hey, find us on social at Brady buzz. Be brave and remember, take action, not sides.

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Disclaimer:

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