Store Information
P: 832-237-4867F: 832-237-4257 | M - F: | 10am | - | 7pm | | Saturday: |
9am | - | 5pm | Closed Sundays
Except on
CHL Class
Days: | 11am | - | 7pm |
 STORE LOCATION
|
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: For the past few weeks, we've been telling you how some Hurricane Katrina evacuees have worn out their welcome in Houston, Texas. Even the police union blames a new crime wave on Katrina evacuees. And now a local celebrity is calling for people in Houston to arm themselves.
CNN's Sean Callebs explains.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Houston gun-shop owner Jim Pruett is fed up with the rise in violent crime in the city.
JIM PRUETT, GUN SHOP OWNER, HOUSTON TALK SHOW HOST: This is called a looter shooter.
CALLEBS: A spike in robberies, assaults and murders Houston police blame, in part, on Katrina evacuees. For Pruett, the final straw was listening to a radio interview with an evacuee who he says dropped a not so veiled threat.
PRUETT: He said that if he doesn't get some rent money, if the FEMA money runs out, then the level of crime is going to go up in this neighborhood because I'm going to have to get me some money.
CALLEBS: Part gun-enthusiast and part showman, Pruett is also a local talk radio host. He put out a commercial warning Houstonians to arm themselves.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM COMMERCIAL)
PRUETT: When the "Katricians" themselves are quoted as saying, the crime rate is going to go up if they don't get more free rent, then it's time to get your concealed handgun-license.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: It's no secret that most of the so-called "Katricians" are evacuees from New Orleans. People like David Turner who proudly boast a tattoo reading "6th Ward."
DAVID TURNER, KATRINA EVACUEE: This is my 'hood where, you know, where I grew up in New Orleans.
CALLEBS: It's an area near the French Quarter. Turner says when people in Houston see his dreadlocks and tattoos, they think one thing.
TURNER: It's -- they be like thug. That's the first thing come in their mind, like thug.
CALLEBS: And that's something echoed by Tanishia Nicholas, who says evacuees are being unfairly singled out.
TANISHIA NICHOLAS, KATRINA EVACUEE: If there's three guys from New Orleans causing trouble and there's 100,000 people here, I mean you can't -- you just can't have a weapon for everybody.
CALLEBS: A large majority of the 130,000 or so Katrina evacuees in Houston are unemployed, according to the city.
TURNER: See, I'm willing to work. I'm willing to get, you know, a nice job out here, but I don't have like transportation.
NICHOLAS: You can't find a job and you just really don't know what to do.
CALLEBS: And the last of the government benefits are running out.
(on camera): Is that loaded?
PRUETT: This is loaded. It's cocked and locked.
CALLEBS (voice-over): After handing out about 8,000 concealed weapons permits in both 2004 and 2005, Harris County, home to Houston, is on track to issue 11,000 so far this year. Pruett offers no apologies, only a final salvo.
PRUETT: In Texas, we don't carry handguns because we have to, it's because we get to.
CALLEBS: Sean Callebs, CNN, Houston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: So let's get both sides of the debate now.
Joining us is talk show host and gun-shop owner Jim Pruett, whom you just saw in that report, and Tyrone Graves, a storm evacuee now living in Houston.
Gentlemen, thanks for joining us.
Jim, let me begin with you.
So, since the ad campaign started, what's happened to gun-sales at your place?
PRUETT: Actually, since the ad started -- the commercial was running for about three weeks and nobody paid any attention. Then suddenly CNN picked it up and the business is going crazy. I couldn't get out of the store today for the number of people getting the -- registering for the canceled handgun-class and buying handguns.
LIN: So, Tyrone, what is your reaction to this ad campaign?
TYRONE GRAVES, EVACUEE RESIDING IN HOUSTON: Well, first of all, I would like to thank the people here in Houston for accepting us in their city. Also, I would like to thank ACORN, one of the first responders that went down to the shelters to meet the people that came in on the buses.
LIN: So, Tyrone, what are you saying?
GRAVES: Also...
LIN: Are you saying that -- because Houston was very welcoming initially for the Katrina evacuees. But then you've got people like Jim Pruett who are telling people to arm themselves.
So what do you make of all this?
GRAVES: But when you have people like Mayor White and his housing assistant, John Walsh, who went out to respond to over 100,000 people and found over 35,000 apartments to house these people in. People like this that are, you know, the heroic things that they did to...
LIN: Well, I'm glad to hear that.
GRAVES: ... to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
LIN: I'm glad to hear that you have felt welcome.
GRAVES: Very much so.
LIN: So, Mr. Pruett, you're not talking about people like Tyrone, are you?
But you really don't think that there's going to be this shootout between Houston residents and Katrina evacuees, do you?
PRUETT: Oh, no, not at all.
GRAVES: I am... PRUETT: The majority of the evacuees are law abiding citizens. They have come here, they got jobs. Down the street we have a couple from Louisiana that moved in.
LIN: So why doesn't that come across in your ad campaign?
I mean you've come up with an -- you've come up with the name of Katricians. You say, you make them...
PRUETT: May I define that?
LIN: Yes, because you make it sound like they're a bunch of Martians who are ready to rob you.
PRUETT: Absolutely not. I wish I would have coined the phrase Katrician, but actually I got it from a policeman. They use it to describe the criminal element of the evacuees. And, you know, if you've got a job here and you're working, you've got -- you're in the community, you're a Houstonian now. God bless you. And we have a bunch of them. And that's what makes this city great.
LIN: So, Tyrone, do you think that Katrina evacuees are the cause of this crime wave that Houston police are talking about?
GRAVES: I am a law abiding -- a law abiding American citizen. All my friends, neighbors, are law abiding American citizens. My sisters, my brothers and their children are all law abiding American citizens. There are crimes. People commit crimes. And I think they should pay. And that's final.
LIN: So are you going to take up Jim Pruett's offer to sell you a weapon, then?
GRAVES: I am a law abiding citizen. We are victims. We are victims and I think what's happening, we have been blamed for our own victimization.
LIN: What does that mean?
GRAVES: That means that people, you know, kids are going to be frightened. I'm frightened just by hearing, you know, people arming themselves against Katrina victims. I mean there are so many people that really don't know how to even handle guns. And you're going to have kids, you're going to have women, elderly people that are not -- you know, it's just going to be so much -- so many unsafe acts, people getting shot for nothing.
LIN: Well, Tyrone Graves, I know that you and your wife are going to school. You're trying to make a life for yourself in Houston. You dream of the day of going back to New Orleans. So I wish you well.
Jim Pruett, it wasn't CNN's intent to increase your gun-sales. But, appreciate the time that you're giving us today.
PRUETT: Hey, our pleasure. This is a great city. We don't have a crime problem, we have a cash problem.
LIN: OK...
PRUETT: But because it's a bustling city and a lot of people come here to make their money.
LIN: I understand...
PRUETT: Also...
LIN: Jim Pruett...
PRUETT: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
LIN: Jim Pruett, we're going to leave it there.
I just feel like I'm talking to a different man than the man who advertised and, you know, exploited the fact that you own a gun-shop and you were asking people to buy weapons in your city.
But it's one of the reasons why we wanted you on the program today.
PRUETT: I'm not asking them to buy weapons. Getting their canceled handgun license legally so they can carry a handgun-on their person or in their car...
LIN: OK.
PRUETT: ... and defend themselves against criminals.
LIN: All right.
PRUETT: We're not going to be victims anymore.
LIN: Yes, I hear you.
PRUETT: It ends now.
LIN: I hear you.
You specifically said Houstonians had better pack some serious heat. I think that's an appeal to buy weapons.
Jim Pruett, thank you very much.
Tyrone Graves, good luck to you.
Transrcipt: CNN
|
|
|
Who's Online
We have 3 guests and 1 member online
|
