Albemarle Tradewinds June 2016 Final Web Optimized

SHOULD I OR SHOULD I NOT? &
SIZE DOES MATTER !
Part 2
By: Publius
If I were to purchase only one of the above selections, it would be
the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard in .38 caliber due to its concealability,
light weight, simplicity of operation and hammerless design
which allows it to be reliably fired from inside a pocket or purse.
There is no magazine to jam or slide to pull back. Simply load
five in the easily swung out cylinder and fire five with a pull of the
double action trigger for each shot. In my opinion, there is no
safer or more reliable choice in a pistol. Although used by some, I
do not recommend anything of less than .38 caliber, with the
correct load, for personal defense.
I have seen a number of individuals purchase a handgun for
concealed carry and end up with entirely too bulky and heavy a
pistol. They were correct in the assumption larger calibers have
more stopping power and a lot of rounds in a magazine are nice,
but totally impractical when expecting to carry on a full time
concealed basis. If it’s too big and heavy, it will end up locked up
at home or in the car and not where it needs to be which is on your
person. Your pistol cannot help you if you do not carry it regularly.
When I began to carry concealed it took about 90 days before I
no longer noticed the small additional weight and presence of the
weapon. I now feel the difference immediately when not carrying
and carry at all times, other than where prohibited. Therefore, as I
am sure now you understand, “Size Does Matter”.
The Chowanoke Indians
By Duvonya Chavis
Life for the Chowanoke Indians took a different turn
after the arrival of the English settlers in the 1500’s.
Unlike contact that had occurred with previous
newcomers, these explorers were destined to bring an
unsettling change to the landscape of Indian country in
eastern North Carolina. Once considered a sedentary
people who had stayed within their geographical
boundaries for centuries, some Chowanoke families eventually left the area to escape
conflict and to retain cultural identity. Some traveled into Virginia and South Carolina
or traveled westward into Ohio and Tennessee. On the other hand, many Chowanoke
families remained. Depending on the period of time, Chowanoke migration into
neighboring Algonquian tribal areas such as the Mattamuskeet, the Machapungo,
and the Nansemond took place and can be verified in historical documents. Likewise,
these neighboring Algonquian tribes also sought refuge in Chowanoke territory or
on the Chowanoke Reservation during different periods of time. In addition, the sale
of the last parcel of land on the Chowanoke Reservation, the eventual disbanding of
the Chowanoke Tribe, and other events brought about further changes in their landscape.
As the struggle to survive and to retain cultural identity continued, Chowanoke
families later moved into isolated havens and began to form small Indian communities
amongst themselves to include areas such as Sarum, Indian Neck, Booneville, Indiantown,
Mintonsville, and Hobbsville, to name a few. While Chowanoke Indians were
not uniquely affected by these circumstances with respect to the rest of Indian country,
losing their reservation made a huge impact in their continued struggle for Indian
survival.
As a side note, historical documentation of the Chowanoke Indians in Gates County
includes records of the names of the tribal “Chiefmen” as being Chowanoke Indian.
This documentation however does not preclude other family names who were likewise
Chowanoke. In view of this, one should consider that during the 1700’s to 1900’s,
census takers delineated race using a binary method. Unless an Indian was living on a
reservation, they were not called Indian. Thus, those same Chiefmen who were listed
as Chowanoke Indian in earlier records, were later recorded by census takers as nonwhite
after the reservation was lost. Finally, laws were passed in Virginia in the early
1900’s that allowed the Register of Deeds to erase Indian from the birth certificates of
all those who were Indian and to reclassify their race. This included Chowanoke families
and relatives living nearby who were born in Virginia and further compounded
their struggle to retain their Indian identity in the absence of a connection to their
land base and a cohesive tribal unit.
Next to come…. The Chowanoke Treaty and the Chowanoke Reservation in Gates
County
The question of how to protect what you have is always a challenge.
In difficult times, what you have and someone else would
take from you and your family could mean the difference between
living or not. Take the best firearms course you can find for the
concealed carry permit and retake it at least every other year. Get
range instruction from a qualified instructor and practice regularly.
Know your laws and stay current on them.
Duvonya, a Chowanoke Indian descendant, is President of Roanoke-
Chowan Native American Association, a non-profit organization
whose mission is to help American Indians in Northeastern NC and
Southeastern VA. She currently sits on the council of the Chowanoke
Tribe. In partnership with another Chowanoke descendant, she is
currently developing Chowanoke Reservation for tribal descendants
to gather and hold cultural events.
16 Albemarle Tradewinds June 2016 albemarletradewinds.com