I’m a second amendment advocate. Unfortunately, there are those that walk amongst us that don’t much believe in the rights we have according to the Bill of Rights and as we move forward these rights will continue to become suspect.
I was reminded of that on Monday, March 20, 2022 at the Nazarene Church. I was invited by the Rim Country Republican Club to speak at a forum there. As I stepped off of the stage after the event, I was assaulted by former councilman Steve Smith, husband of Tina McAlister Smith. He walked up to me directly and immediately started aggressively posturing and degrading me about carrying a sidearm into a church. He proceeded to hurl insult after insult at me inches from my face. I asked him to stand down and he asked me what I would do if he did not. He then chest bumped me trying to start a physical altercation. This was witnessed by at least four witnesses.
In any case his behavior was way out of line and surprising. While his wife, Tina McAllister-Smith is making claims that she brings people together and the “Let’s all just get along“ statements. Perhaps she doesn’t remember.
Well, here’s a short list of what can happen in a church:
1. 11/05/17 Devin Kelly walked into a church and shot and killed 26 members and wounded an additional 20. It could have been much worse. He was stopped by a good guy with a firearm.
2. 9/24/17 Emmanuel Kidega walked into Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Nashville Tennessee and shot and killed one woman and wounded an additional six.
3. 8/13/16 Oscar Morel walked into a mosque in NYC and shot and killed two people.
4. 8/9/16 Daequan Jackson walked into a church in Jersey City and shot and killed one adult male and wounded two teenage girls.
The list goes on and on. The point being that bad things can happen in churches. Churches are like schools. They are usually a soft target and have little or no opposition to an active shooter.
As a former police officer, I know how to defuse a situation. There were concerned citizens over the erratic behavior exhibited by Steve Smith. It’s my assessment that based on this behavior that Steve Smith does not understand the second amendment. It makes me wonder is his wife, Tina McAlister Smith, also an anti-second amendment candidate? These are questions I’d ask of any candidate as a citizen, not as their adversary.
I am unapologetic about being pro second amendment and a life member of the NRA. I will continue to carry as my Constitution and Bill of Rights allows me to do and uphold my oath to protect and serve the citizens of Arizona.
