Ottawa Citizen: American police officer writes letter to editor about lack of handguns in Canada

[tuvor]

Off-duty officer from U.S. had uncomfortable confrontation with strangers during Calgary Stampede

Yes, Walt Wawra is a real person. No, the letter we published from him Tuesday, about the “confrontation” he and his wife had with two Calgarians in Nose Hill Park, was not a hoax. The fact that so many readers have written in, or posted comments online, wondering if it was for real, speaks volumes about the cultural differences between Canadians and Americans. It gives the lie to those who say that Canadians are no different than Americans.

Wawra, who lives in Kalamazoo, Mich., is a police officer. While on a recent visit to Calgary, he and his wife, Debbie, were approached by two young men on a pathway in Nose Hill Park, who asked the Wawras if they had been to the Stampede yet. When they asked the question a second time, Wawra moved between the men and his wife and told them he had no need to talk to them. He said they looked “bewildered.” The parties then went their separate ways.

In his letter, Wawra said it felt strange not to carry his off-duty handgun in Canada and added that he thanked the Lord they didn’t pull a weapon on him. No benefit of the doubt given the young men, no thought that they might have just been trying to be friendly.

He also complained about Canadian gun laws, saying that in Canada, only the police and criminals carry handguns. Yes, that’s true, and it’s probably one of the reasons when there’s a dispute over a parking space in Canada, nobody dies from bullet wounds as a result.

...

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/American%2Bpolice%2Bofficer%2Bwrites%2Bletter%2Beditor%2Babout%2Black/7059774/story.html

(Link to original letter to the editor may be found in the linked story.)

[samsingh]

1. is he upset that no one was shot to death?

[PDJane]

2. Real irony? The guys who 'confronted' him

Were likely handing out free tickets to the stampede. Sigh.

[HubertHeaver]

4. That makes sense.

[DBoon]

3. As an American, I apologize

while many of us resemble Walt, a good number of us do not share his paranoia and obsession with violence.