I love gun T-shirts! My favorite is a picture of a decked out AR with the words “Happiness is zero at 200”. The trouble is, I never wear it. I have another that I like from Academy Sports centers and it simple says “Got Ammo?” but I never wear it. My wife says I’m a closet gun nut. She’s pretty accurate. And I’m not “coming out” any time soon! I’m not ashamed of my affiliation with guns. I just don’t need the world to know. I even refrain from posting on politically charged Twitter feeds and Facebook posts. Some have told me I’m a wimp and afraid of the left. I don’t think I’m afraid of the left, but I have worked for the government for 30+ years. I know what they are capable of. I’m not afraid of them in particular. I’ve been a cautious guy for a long time. I have operated with great caution for many years concerning what I do and how I do it. I’m not as extreme as I sound sometimes in this blog. I have had food storage my entire marriage and that did not change with Y2K or with the “prepper” movement. I’ve been a gun nut most of my life and have not really changed much from my younger years. But I operate maybe from what some may deem paranoia. I don’t share personal information with many and especially with the internet. I use the word paranoid facetiously. But my advice to any of you is to tone down the way you talk about guns.
Red flag laws are a little different in each state. But basically, if a family member or others believe that you are a danger to yourself or others they report you. The police can take your guns from you “temporarily”. I’m not sure what that means exactly but it does have to go through a judge. This has already helped some would-be suicide victims. I am not sure. I’m wondering if a disgruntled ex-spouse can turn in their ex just for spite. I guess they would have to lie to a judge but for some that would not be a problem. I’m not sure what it is like to try and get those guns back from the police if the crisis is over. I may be worried for nothing. But like I said, I don’t trust the government. Even though I love this country and think our government is the best I’ve seen, I still don’t trust them! So I’m dubious about this law. But that’s not what this article is about really.
Because of these laws and possible future laws it behooves us to practice operations security. Be vague about what you do. In that same vein, don’t be so cavalier with talking about guns you own. Or the number of guns you have. Or the amount of ammo you keep. Or anything like this. Others don’t really need to know this information.
A few years ago I was waiting at a light in a line of cars turning into a Walmart. I was with my son and we were behind a pick-up. I sat there looking at the back of that truck and I told my son, “I can tell you a lot about the owner of that truck.” He said, “How?” I said “I can tell you with a reasonable amount accuracy that this truck owner also owns a gun. He has a “Glock” sticker along with an “NRA” sticker on his back window. He has 3 kids and a dog from the family stickmen stickers, and he’s Jewish from the Star of David emblem.” My son said “Wow!” “And finally” I said, “He’s probably a Republican from the “Ted Cruz” sticker in his back window.” All this from the back of his vehicle. Talk about vulnerabilities! I have no problem with any of those things that this guy has broadcast to the world but others may. For one thing you’re asking to be a target to any nutbag out there. The other is you’re making public some things that you may not need to be secret, but just private.
I am a Life member of the NRA yet you would not know it by my vehicle. I’m also a gun guy but you wouldn’t know by my clothes. I don’t wear 5.11 pants or “I don’t call 9-1-1” T-shirts. When I carry a gun it is concealed and you wouldn’t know I was carrying.
I was driving through a neighborhood one day when I happened to see a box out with the trash in front of a house. Nothing crazy about that. Except that it was a long, flat box with the Ruger logo all over it! Someone got a new rifle. This is prevalent especially after Christmas. Maybe you get your ammo in bulk from the internet. Take the box with the “Fiocchi” logo all over it and throw it in a dumpster behind the mall. Cut you name and address off of it first.
Some may call this paranoia but I just call it OPSEC. As laws change you may find yourself in a position of owning a banned weapon. I’m not saying bury it (although that IS an option) but I am saying it would be nice to try and figure out what your next move is before the neighbors turn you in.
So my advice is to look at what you do, what you say, how you dress, everything about you. If you’re comfortable with it and it doesn’t say much about you, then carry on! But if you need to make changes make them now. I’m not sure how these red flag laws are going to play out. They may do as they are intended to do and keep us safer. I have my doubts. That would be somewhat successful legislation from a government who can hardly fight a war. They can’t, and won’t, police themselves. I don’t see how their new ideas will actually work.
Beginning to trail off on your conversations, how you buy, and what you do will help you if these laws start to strip away our rights. Remember what Benjamin Franklin said:
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
I’ve talked before about the responsibility of Carrying a Gun. You must be the master of what I call ADD: avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation. This means your situational awareness must be sharp and always in use.
I would also advocate the quiet professional demeanor. Don’t stick out or be overly open about the fact that you own and train with a gun. Keep a low profile. When I was in basic training I had to get the signature of my instructor on a form. I entered his office in the proper way and stated my need. He took the paper and proceeded to sign it. As he did so he looked at me and said that I was keeping quite a low profile and that he noticed it. I said “Sir. Yes Sir.” He just smiled and gave me my paperwork and dismissed me. He knew what I was up to. I was trying to not make any waves, get into any trouble, or stand out in any way to avoid problems and get through this training. He wanted me to know he knew what I was doing, but approved of the tactic. At graduation as I was headed to jump school and SERE he went out of his way to find me, salute me, and shake my hand to wish me well. He appreciated the quiet professional. This may not be for everyone but I try to maintain this all the time. Sometimes I’m successful at it and sometimes I’m not.
In the wake of gun tragedy and gun control being called for (they never let a tragedy go to “waste”) we must protect our rights and our property. Keeping a low profile, or going underground, will give you options if things go bad, and let you operate a little freer in these troubled times.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
OpSec is more important than ever!
ReplyDeleteLast time I was called up for jury duty one of the major questions asked was "What bumper stickers do you have on your vehicle?"
This is a not so subtle way of determining one's political views.
But I don't think it wise to broadcast your mindset to the world, as many are now willing to lie in an effort to harm those with opposing views.
Living as I do to the East of 'The Peoples Socialist Republic of Tucson' I have noticed a sharp upswing in reports of keying and other vandalism of vehicles with MAGA or Trump supporting stickers.
One of the nice things about Arizona is the ability to concealed carry without a permit. But even so it is probably not a good idea to confront a loser vandalizing something unless they also threaten your person or family.