Jeanne Assam
December 12th, 2007 by 
Alica
Do you know Jeanne Assam? She has been in the news the last couple of days because she shot a gunman at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., after he entered the church, killed two people and injured others.
Assam is a 1984 graduate of Brandon Valley High School. I looked at that year’s high school yearbook yesterday. Apparently Assam was a member of the German Club and the tennis team. Later, she became a police officer in Minneapolis.
Do you know her? What kind of person is she? Did she want to be a police officer when she was a kid? On Sunday, when she shot the gunman, she was on a three-day religious fast. Was she religious as a kid?
Sam Assam was in high school the same time I was, in the early 1970s. Is he related to Jeanne Assam? If so, how?
What do you think of Jeanna Assam’s actions in the church when the gunman started shooting?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
December 12th, 2007 at 8:40 am
I went to school with the older Assams. I am trying to remember if Jeanne is one of the younger twins. Most of the family is connected to the medical field. The news showed Sam as being the brother. Congrats Jeanne!!!
December 12th, 2007 at 9:05 am
My wife said her sister went to school with Jeanne and that she was one of the twins.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I don’t know her but would like to applaud her. I think she should be put in for a Presidentail Medal of Freedom. This country would be so much safer if most of us were willing to excersize our 2nd amendment rights more assertively, and demand the end of the ridiculousness that is a “gun free zone” Does anyone believe a murdering criminal takes time to read those signs?
December 12th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I went to school with Jeanne’s sister. I think she did a very brave thing under very scary circumstances! I am completely annoyed by the poeple out there on other blogs questioning her past, etc! Why is it when someone does something good, people try to find dirt on them! She is obviously strong in her faith, and if I remember correctly, the Assam family is very loving and supportive! So hopefully she will come through this without any long term effects.
December 12th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
I was in school 2 years under the twins, Jeanne & Jennifer, and on the track team also. I remember them both being SUPER nice. It doesn’t surprise me that she would try to downplay her role in the actions.
December 13th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I just want to say THANK GOD there is a church that allows guns. See guns save lives also. It’s refreshing to see a church that is open minded or there would be alot more dead people. Jeanne did a great job.
December 13th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
I graduated w/ Jeanne. We lived
3 miles from each other, rode the bus together, (she could run
really fast up her driveway) & car pooled. (and she had really big dogs)I have not talked to
her since school, but Jeanne & Jennifer were two of the nicest
girls in the class of 84. I am
very proud of her.
December 13th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Wes, let’s not politicize Jeanne’s heroic act. She saved a lot of people, and we are all glad for it. But I think this was a freak thing, and doesn’t make a case for everyone to carry a gun around.
241, she was carrying the gun because she was working as a security guard and she was doing her job very well. I doubt that regular church members are allowed to carry guns into the church, although I don’t know that for sure.
She did a brave thing that day, let’s just acknowledge her fortitude and her willingness to act.
December 13th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Re #5 - I wish I was under the twins….sounds fun.
December 15th, 2007 at 6:30 am
If she’s any relation to the Assam liquor store people, kudos! I love that liquor store.
December 17th, 2007 at 9:59 am
I think Sam was like a step-brother, or something like that.
He was quite a bit older. I don’t think I ever met him.
Assam Drug….I know the family
owned at one time….Fred (Assam
Real Estate) was her dad. I remember they belonged to a church that you could not do anything on Saturdays. (no sporting events).
I remember the younger sister was Coral, but cannot remember what the name of the older sister. When Jeanne graduated, I had heard she went to Calif. to try to be an actress….(not
sure about that)
December 18th, 2007 at 11:32 am
#9 Anonymous…how old are you…?? I was sure this was a blog of serious minded adults.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I graduated with Jeanne… I knew Jeanne really well. We dated off and on for a few years during and after highschool. We went to the prom together. Jeanne and Jennifer were and are extremely nice women. Jeanne was always very independent and very athletic. I remember so very many things about her all of which are innocent and good.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:26 am
From afar, why is it “political” to advocate the full exercise of a garunteed freedom under our constitution? it has only become political because those bent on ruling us seek to ignore or regulate the 2nd amendment out of existence.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:39 am
It occurs to me that the second amendment can be interpreted in more than one way.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Not by anyone with an understanding of the founder’s intent behind that amendment or by anyone who has read the writings of the crafters of the constitution like Madison, Hamilton et all. It only became open to interpretation when courts overturned years of prior understanding and practice to impose regulations barring the “right to keep and bear arms”
December 19th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
I’m interested in learning more about the founders’ intent. To which writings of Madison and Hamilton do you refer?
Would you provide a list, please, so I can read some of them? I want to make sure I read the same sources you have.
Thank you.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
#9, That was funny.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:12 pm
You can start with the Federalist Papers. And the basic understanding that our founder’s understood that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is menaingless and unnattainalbe without individual liberty. That liberty is severly compromised when the individual is denied the basic right of self preservation. For writings other than the Fed Papers i’ll have to dig, as I have read more things than I can recall off the top of my head.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Here are some quotes from various founders i dug up, should provide some insight: (i apologize for the length I tried to find an email address for you but couldn’t)
“I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials.”
— George Mason, in Debates in Virginia Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, Elliot, Vol. 3, June 16, 1788
“Whereas civil-rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as military forces, which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow citizens, the people are confirmed by the article in their right to keep and bear their private arms.”
– Tench Coxe, in Remarks on the First Part of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution
“The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.”
– Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers at 184-188
If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual State. In a single State, if the persons entrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which it consists, having no distinct government in each, can take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without system, without resource; except in their courage and despair.
– Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 28
“That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms … ”
– Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at 86-87 (Pierce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850)
“[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation…(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”
–James Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 46
“To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws.”
–John Adams, A Defense of the Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788)
“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive.”
–Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787).
“Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American…[T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”
–Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.
“Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it.”
–Richard Henry Lee, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.
“What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.”
– Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787. ME 6:373, Papers 12:356
“No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”
– Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J. Boyd, Ed., 1950]
“The right of the people to keep and bear … arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country …”
– James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434, June 8, 1789
“What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty …. Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.”
– Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789
” … to disarm the people - that was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”
– George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 380
” … but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights …”
– Alexander Hamilton speaking of standing armies in Federalist 29
“Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?”
– Patrick Henry, 3 J. Elliot, Debates in the Several State Conventions 45, 2d ed. Philadelphia, 1836
“The great object is, that every man be armed … Every one who is able may have a gun.”
– Patrick Henry, Elliot, p.3:386
“O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if, to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people! Your arms, wherewith you could defend yourselves, are gone …”
– Patrick Henry, Elliot p. 3:50-53, in Virginia Ratifying Convention demanding a guarantee of the right to bear arms
“The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them.”
– Zacharia Johnson, delegate to Virginia Ratifying Convention, Elliot, 3:645-6
“Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms … The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard, against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible.”
– Hubert H. Humphrey, Senator, Vice President, 22 October 1959
“The militia is the natural defense of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpation of power by rulers. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of the republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally … enable the people to resist and triumph over them.”
– Joseph Story, Supreme Court Justice, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, p. 3:746-7, 1833
” … most attractive to Americans, the possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a slave, it being the ultimate means by which freedom was to be preserved.”
– James Burgh, 18th century English Libertarian writer, Shalhope, The Ideological Origins of the Second Amendment, p.604
“The right [to bear arms] is general. It may be supposed from the phraseology of this provision that the right to keep and bear arms was only guaranteed to the militia; but this would be an interpretation not warranted by the intent. The militia, as has been explained elsewhere, consists of those persons who, under the laws, are liable to the performance of military duty, and are officered and enrolled for service when called upon…. [I]f the right were limited to those enrolled, the purpose of the guarantee might be defeated altogether by the action or the neglect to act of the government it was meant to hold in check. The meaning of the provision undoubtedly is, that the people, from whom the militia must be taken, shall have the right to keep and bear arms, and they need no permission or regulation of law for the purpose. But this enables the government to have a well regulated militia; for to bear arms implies something more than mere keeping; it implies the learning to handle and use them in a way that makes those who keep them ready for their efficient use; in other words, it implies the right to meet for voluntary discipline in arms, observing in so doing the laws of public order.”
– Thomas M. Cooley, General Principles of Constitutional Law, Third Edition [1898]
“And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress … to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms…. ”
–Samuel Adams
December 21st, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Thank you for the information. I’ll read through them.
My email address is apthiele@argusleader.com.