Book Review: From Luby’s to the Legislature - One woman’s fight against gun control

ANNOUNCEMENT: Suzanna Gratia Hupp will be offering proponent testimony at the Wednesday, April 28 Senate hearing on SB239. Following the hearing, she will be appearing at Gander Mountain in Reynoldsburg, OH from approximately 2:30-4:00 PM for a book signing for her new book, From Luby's to the Legislature - One Woman's Fight Against Gun Control!

By Jim Irvine

Suzanna Gratia Hupp's new book, From Luby's to the Legislature - One Woman's Fight Against Gun Control, is much more than the story of the Luby's massacre that occurred in October of 1991.

It is a story about a girl and the lessons her loving parents taught her. It is about her family and events that made her the women she is today, the importance of being able to protect yourself, and the ability to change the world to make it possible (and legal) to protect your family in all the places you live.

Maybe it was because I already knew the story well. Maybe it was because I have met Suzanna before. Or maybe it was because I had just talked with her on the phone while sitting on an airplane about to depart Dallas/Fort Wroth Airport. Whatever the reason, I found that her book evokes much more emotion than the many other stories of killings I have read. Hupp's book is different from the others and anyone on either side of the "gun control" debate will learn from it.

All of us will experience tragedies in our life. Few will experience the gut-wrenching emotion of having our parents gunned down in front of us, or the guilt of not being able to help them.

The true test of a person is what they do after such a tragedy. We all owe Suzanna Hupp a debt of gratitude for the countless times she has had to endure reliving and retelling her story. Even after moving on in her career and family, she continues to make sacrifices in her life in order to educate others. She is determined that no one else should have to endure a similar nightmare. For that alone, we all owe her thanks.

Many people are familiar with the infamous killings at the Luby's cafeteria in Killeen Texas. While I have read several accounts of that day, I learned many new details, such as the story of "Sara," another woman who was killed by a shot to the head. She had a handgun, but it was locked in her car. Such are the results of gun control laws.

This is really not a book about a killing, but rather the people affected by the killing. Those who follow the law live or die with the consequences of "feel good" gun laws. Break the law and face a felony conviction or go unprotected for a brief time. We’ve all made that choice.

Why do legislators force such a decision on good people? How do we help them understand the consequences of these bad laws? What can you do to make a difference? That is what Hupp's book is about.

It is an enjoyable book, with some heartbreaking pages. I smiled, winced, chuckled, even cried. It is a book about life. It covers events before, during, and after the killing. It is written by someone who understands that "common sense gun control" is the opposite of what Sarah Brady and her ilk are pushing.

It is the story of Suzanna Hupp's personal life and the consequences of letting the anti-gun types write laws governing a product they want to ban. But make no mistake, this is not some powder puff read. Hupp knows exactly what the Second Amendment is for, and she has not been content to just preach to the choir.

The normal, everyday events leading up to the killing of her parents show how similar her life is to ours. We are familiar and comfortable with the people and places around us. We enjoy the simple times with friends. Hupp shows us how this innocence can end in an instant.

The book is full of interesting tidbits, like one about Senator Chuck Schumer. No matter if you like or loathe him, Suzanna offers a powerful example of the sort of person he really is.

Hupp includes an appendix with the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and a letter to the editor written by her dad. His letter was not on the topic of guns, but after reading it, I wish I could have met him. I suspect many others will feel the same way.

Suzanna Hupp is a daughter, a victim and a target for media coverage. She has been a voice of reason, an expert witness for your rights, and a legislator fighting for them.

This courageous women has spent much of her life doing everything in her power to ensure we have the ability to stop a madman from killing our families – a right she was denied. Her story is interesting and compelling.

For those who believe in the right to bear arms, and especially for those who don't, this is a must read book.

If you would like to find out more about Suzanna or buy her book, click here to visit her website.