Merry Christmas and Trying to Not Offend

In the name of Christmas and peace on earth, I repost this little ditty that I believe promotes kindness and having thicker skin.  I hope you and yours has a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, or a Happy Holiday... Not that there's anything wrong with that..

 Everyone does it. Most people don't really want to offend anyone. Sometimes we try to clarify what we mean and sometimes that comes across as being politically correct. In some ways it is.

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode called “The Outing”? In this episode George and Jerry are mistakenly viewed as being gay. As they discuss this, they deny it by saying, “We’re not Gay! …not that there’s anything wrong with that…”
Well, this is a typical person trying not to be offensive. They are being politically correct.
I think that it’s not a horrible thing to not want to be offensive. We all should be more kind. But sometimes that can be to the extreme …not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Here’s the deal. There’s a fine line between political correctness and not being offensive. I think I may have been seen as being racist or sexist at times. I don’t think that I am. I don’t want anyone to be discriminated against because of race or gender. We should give people the benefit of the doubt. But I also think that we should not be stupid with this and call everyone who may not get along with other cultures a racist. There are times when all of us have a personality clash with another person. Sometimes the foundation of that difference may have to do with a cultural difference. Often cultural differences mean a different race. If I don’t agree with “Black Lives Matters” does that make me racist if I am a different race? I don’t think it does, but many people like to throw out their race card.
Today, we’re left to deal with the dangers of our politically correct society; one where society paints good guys as bad. If you choose to carry a firearm, defend yourself, or even consider taking another human’s life to protect a loved one, you’re demonized. It’s a sad state indeed, but we’re finally reaping what we’ve sowed.
Why is this such a hard concept to grasp and why is there so much push back? My gut tells me it’s simply about control. There are many groups within our country who don’t want life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness to be extolled. Instead, they want you to fall in line and live according to their ideas. If that notion doesn’t scare the crap out of you, then you’re probably on the wrong side of this discussion.
I loved growing up as a kid, sleeping with my windows open and sometimes even the doors open. It was a great time to be a kid for sure, but today we live in a drastically different world.
It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out many crimes are targeted against defenseless or weak targets. I wonder why that is; I wonder if we could look at the animal kingdom and see a similar pattern? Could it be that the lioness is chasing after the weaker of the prey in order to guarantee a meal? If she fails to catch and kill her prey, she doesn’t eat. It really is that simple; in order to increase the chances of success, evil will choose the weaker or soft target.
A new study released by Stanford University entitled “Mass Shootings of America” or MSA has determined that most mass shootings were largely conducted in “gun free” zones. No kidding? I think I’ll fall over and die from that surprise (dripping with sarcasm). If anyone is still convinced gun free zones are safe, they’re ignorant.
“The definition of mass shooting used for the Stanford database is 3 or more shooting victims (not necessarily fatalities), not including the shooter. The shooting must not be identifiably gang or drug related. The motive typically appears to be indiscriminate killing.”
If we know they’ll more than likely target gun free zones, what can we do to help deter them from doing so? Many are quick to comment that the presence of armed, uniformed officers or security guards is enough and while I believe it’s a step in the right direction, it’s not the only solution.
Being politically correct gets people killed. I’m not advocating being racist, sexist, or just plain mean. But we should be able to speak plainly. We have been attacked by Islamic extremists. Is it too much to ask that we are careful with Muslims coming into this country? Is it too much to ask that an American Muslim do their best to show their patriotism and allegiance to the U.S.? I know this is not particularly fair, but it is reality. Black people have dealt with this unfairly for years. If you want change in this country, you must be patient. Sometimes a generation must pass away. I hope that is not the case with real change. My Grandfather fired hands on his farm in the 40’s because they were treating paid black farm hands horribly. He was from a generation where discrimination against blacks was very common, but he understood how wrong it was.
We can be this way too. We can recognize how wrong it is to profile people and to stereotype them into any type of pigeonhole. We can see people for who they are regardless of their culture or skin color. There are jerks and idiots of every color.
The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees that I can say whatever I want in this country. There is a reason that this is the first amendment of the Bill of rights. Many of the other bills are connected to this free expression. But also, you will notice that the very first thing that the forefathers of this country wanted to establish was freedom of religion. Religion was before free speech in this amendment. I think that is significant.
Everyone has an opinion. Everyone should be able to express that opinion. I feel that illegal aliens in this country should not be able to enjoy the fruits of this country. My opinion is that what part of “illegal” do we not understand? If I do something illegal, I must pay the price of that broken law. Does this make me anti-Mexican? I don’t think it does. Talk to a Border Patrol agent and he will tell you he gets just as many OTM’s (other than Mexican) trying to enter this country illegally. Immigration is not just about Mexicans. Liberal thinking sometimes makes me want to be that “ugly conservative”. Liberal views often paint anyone against typical liberal causes, like immigration, as racists. I think President Obama has perpetuated this ridicules attitude. I’m not a Donald Trump fan, but he often says things that he feels and is labeled for it. Politically correct people often paint the first amendment as something that is limited to agreeing with them. Sometimes freedom of speech is not nice. This is where I think people should be kind, not politically correct.
There is a comic strip where a black boy says to his white friend “I like being black.” The white boy says “I like being white”. The last panel is the black boy saying, “Racist!” This is how it has become. There are times when I agree with the T-shirt slogan I saw the other day:
“Politically Correct
A term used to describe whiney, overly sensitive pansies who need the big, bad, real world all sugar-coated.” There is another that I will end this article with.
“You find it offensive? I find it funny. That’s why I’m happier than you.”
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Hoplophobia: That Dreaded Decease

 Hoplology isn’t exactly a household word, so before I get too far with this post I had better define my key term.  Hoplology– derived from “hoplos,” a type of Ancient Greek fighter– is essentially the study of human combative behavior.  Personally, I like to think of it as a quirky branch of anthropology.  Some anthropologists might visit a tribe in a remote corner of the world and study that tribe’s traditional forms of dance, trying to use the dance as a lens to better understand the tribe’s culture.  A hoplologist would want to learn more about the tribe by examining their fighting methods– what do the types of weapons that they use tell us about their culture?  Does the fact that their fighting techniques focus on wrestling tell us something about their society?  Can we learn something from the way that they conceptualize the act of combat?

I have a phobia for doctors.  That is not true, I have an aversion to doctors.  It’s not quite a phobia.  After my combat experience I saw a psychologist and he drove me crazy.  If you ask someone 2,342 times how violence makes them feel rest assured, they will commit violence on you.  I’m not completely knocking the mental health field, but sometimes they do more damage than the original trauma the patient experienced. 

“Hoplophobia is a mental disturbance characterized by irrational aversion to weapons, as opposed to justified apprehension about those who may wield them.”  Lt Col Jeff Cooper

This is the definition of the word that Jeff Cooper first coined.  I see it all the time.  I had a coworker tell me his wife would not let him get a gun even though both of them felt the need for a means to defend their young family.  I told him about hoplophobia and that it is an irrational worry.  Sadly, the bumper sticker is correct, “Guns don’t kill people, People do.”  I told him to find a afternoon when they could meet me at the range.

We found an afternoon and I was ready.  First, we talked about the logical reasons for her fear, which are not really logical but emotional.  I talked about her gun training.  She said she didn’t have any gun training.  I said, “Yes you do!”  Then we talked about the false training that comes for Hollywood and the media.  We were at the range so there was someone else there shooting but several bays away.  Every time there was a shot she jumped.  I gave her some headsets and that helped.  We talked about how guns are just inanimate objects and that they don’t just go off without human interaction.  I kept all the guns in cases on another table.  We talked about gun safety, and we used a “rubber” gun.  It was a natural conversation, and she was put at ease.

Then I showed her a .22 Long round.  Then I brought out a Ruger 10/22, and we talked about the rifle.  We practice rounds I showed her how to load the magazine.  Then, reminding her of the safety rules we talked about, I handed her the rifle, and she loaded the magazine and charged a round.  She then cycled the gun until the 5 rounds from the magazine were all out.

We then talked again about the safety rules, and I gave her some live rounds.  She loaded the magazine.  I handed her the rifle again and she chambered a round.  We talked about aiming and sight picture.  She took the rifle and sighted in on the target and squeezed the trigger.  I had her shoot the 5 rounds I had her load.  We made the gun safe and went to look at her shots.  She had an impressive group with one flyer.  We talked about those 5 shots and went back to the bench.  She loaded and shot 10 more shots.  Then there were 10 more and repeated the process.  I then had her make the gun safe, put the rifle aside, and then we talked.  We talked about her shots, aim, grip, trigger discipline, breathing, all over again.  We touched again on safety then talked about the experience.  I asked her if it was a frightening experience.  She said once she understood the safety rules and why we have them, and understood how to operate the gun, she was actually having fun!  I said it was what I said when we started, “Education changes everything.”  We did similar things with a handgun, and she even shot a 9mm and a .38.  The fear was gone. Replaced by education and fun!  The mystery and false teaching melted away, and she learned to safely control and use a firearm.  She suffered from Hoplophobia, the irrational fear of weapons. 

There are many that suffer from this.  But the media is the worst purveyor of misinformation and downright lies concerning guns.  The anti-gun people are not always bad about this, especially if they are taught truth and given good education.  Most people react like my coworkers wife.  Often many can be brought over to our side with the same type of experience.  So, if you witness some idiot that think it’s funny to give a 12 guage to a petite woman and watch her get beat because of inadequate training, and no safety education, stop the travesty.  And those who are guilty of this are usually not anti-gun.  We want more rational people in our corner and these dangerous, bad experiences just hurt our cause.  Also, stop doing stupid things with guns.  Learn and keep the rules.  Teach with patience and a real interest in making that first range time for the inexperienced person a good experience.  Remember the safety rules:

1.       All guns are always loaded

2.      Never point a gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy

3.      Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until your sights are on the target

4.      Know your target and beyond the target

We as gun advocates need to be calm and rational in a crazy irrational world.  Some anti-gun people are nuts.  Completely unapproachable and unwilling to learn.  But most people will learn and understand better.  It may not make them gun people, but at least they have a better understanding that the hype created by the media is not true.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Hot Gunz: A Stolen Firearm Searchable Database

 Hot Gunz is a database for guns that are stolen.  In the past, only law enforcement were the ones to have access to stolen gun information.  That is no longer the case.  HotGunz was created by gun owners who felt that regular citizens should have access to stolen gun information. Law enforcement databases are only available to law enforcement personnel; there is no way of knowing if a used firearm is a stolen gun. The HotGunz stolen gun database doesn’t necessarily have every stolen gun in it, but it is quickly making it much more difficult for gun thieves to sell stolen firearms. When the database was created in January 2009, they never charged any fees to list a stolen gun or search for a stolen gun. It is a great service for gun sellers and buyers. It is also the longest running and largest user-submitted database of stolen guns.  They have over 32,000 guns from north America and has been trusted by gun owners for 16 years.

Before buying a used gun check against this database.  You can add any guns that were stolen from you.  You can get help from the public and check if a firearm is stolen.

You must have an account to add a stolen gun, edit or remove stolen guns or view stolen guns in your area.  The account is free as of this writing.

Check it out!

https://www.hotgunz.com/

 

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Fallacy of Rule of 3's Training (Take Heed)

This is not my article.  It was sent to me, but I don't know where it came from.  If anyone knows please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.  I've recently heard this "Rule of Threes" training, and I agree with the author of this article.

Not sure of the author but this post came from

reddotrange.com   Red dot training range in New Castle, PA

  You’ve probably heard the phrase: “The average defensive shooting is three rounds, at three yards, in three seconds.” It’s repeated so often that it’s treated like gospel in certain circles, usually to justify lazy training, underdeveloped skills, and resistance to progression.

 

While I’m not sure of the origin of the quote, specifically who to attribute it to, I can tell you that person is probably an idiot. Anyone giving definitive advice on self-defense by quoting a statistical average like it’s predictive is either missing the point or deliberately lowering the standard.

 

Let’s be clear: training around the average outcome is a fundamentally flawed approach when it comes to a task as dynamic and unpredictable as armed self-defense. “Average” does not equal “normal,” and it certainly doesn’t mean “sufficient.” If you build your entire skill set around a midline statistic, you are gambling that your future life-or-death scenario will be mild and convenient. That’s not risk management. That’s willful negligence.

 

Here’s why the “Rule of Threes” fails both logically and technically:

 

First, it’s not grounded in serious data. The origin of the “3-3-3” rule is often attributed to outdated summaries or cherry-picked data from limited law enforcement incident reports decades ago, many of which didn’t account for civilian defensive shootings, multiple attacker incidents, or cases that didn’t result in a full investigation. Worse, it compresses a massive range of possible encounters into one neat little phrase. It’s a misleading average, not a representative breakdown.

 

Second, it’s statistically illiterate. Averaging highly variable events and then using that number to dictate training priorities is idiotic. Imagine if you built a fire department’s training program around the “average” house fire. Would you ignore multi-story buildings? Basements? Wildfires? Of course not. You’d train for edge cases, worst-case scenarios, and high-complexity problems, because that’s what preparation looks like.

 

Third, it ignores distance variability. Defensive shootings don’t all happen at three yards. While some do occur at contact distances, many involve threats beyond ten yards, and a non-trivial number occur past twenty-five. Carjackings, active killers, church or school shootings, parking lot ambushes, and third-party defense situations don’t conform to three-yard templates. If your training plan doesn’t include being accountable at 10, 15, or 25 yards, then you’re not training to be a defender. You’re training to feel good in an echo chamber.

 

Fourth, it denies the reality of misses under stress. The “three rounds” idea assumes either a 100% hit rate or an opponent that falls down instantly. Neither is guaranteed. Under duress, shooting performance drops dramatically: cognitive degradation, narrowed focus, elevated heart rate, degraded fine motor control. Real-world footage shows multiple misses, multiple hits, and still-moving threats. Training to fire only “three rounds” sets an artificial mental threshold that could stall you when real resistance shows up.

 

Fifth, it fails to account for attacker resilience. Motivated attackers may be on drugs, wearing armor, or simply unwilling to stop. A single assailant can soak up multiple hits. Or there might be more than one. Limiting your mindset to three rounds assumes you’ll only ever face one compliant threat with no cover, no armor, and no forward drive. That’s fantasy. In a high-stakes scenario, your job isn’t to meet the minimum, it’s to overwhelm the problem decisively.

 

Sixth, the “three seconds” figure is both arbitrary and misleading. Violence doesn’t operate on timers. If you need to draw from concealment, break contact, seek cover, or protect a third party, your timeline could expand or contract rapidly. Assuming you’ll have “three seconds” of clean, uninterrupted control is nothing more than projection. Worse, when people believe this myth, they fail to train decision-making under time pressure. They don’t practice movement. They don’t rehearse complex threat assessment under stress. That’s how people freeze or fumble.

 

Finally, the “Rule of Threes” encourages training to a minimalist standard. It’s the weaponized version of “good enough,” and it pushes people toward mediocrity. It creates shooters who never leave the three-yard line, never push cadence or accuracy, and never stress-test themselves at distance or under duress. That kind of training may feel comfortable, but it isn’t preparing you for reality.

 

The mission of defensive firearms training should be preparedness, not statistical mimicry. You’re not trying to pass a math test; you’re trying to win a potentially lethal encounter where failure has permanent consequences. And if that’s the standard, then any mindset that leads you to prepare for the average, rather than training to handle the worst, is doing you a disservice.

I hadn't heard of this "rule of three's" but from what I know of it, I don't like it for reasons cited in this article.  Be very careful of the training that is out there.  Be sure it makes sense.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Round in the Chamber? How Can You Do That?

Again I got the question.  Often it's an argument, do you carry a round in your chamber?  Rather than answer this over and over again, I will repost this from February of 2016.  Enjoy!

 Everyone who owns a gun or carries a gun has different thoughts about safety. Some believe that to be safe you must lock up guns. This is true but only to a certain point. When it comes to guns and children, keeping them safe is your primary concern. But as your children get older, I believe if they are trained and exposed to guns, the mystery is removed, and a respect and safety ethic replaces curiosity. Safety is a perspective thing.

Remember this scene from the movie “Blackhawk Down”?
Steele: Sergeant, what's the meaning of this?
[Thinking he's talking about the unauthorized pig picking]
"Hoot": Just a little aerial target practice, sir. Didn't want to leave 'em behind.
Steele: I'm talking about your weapon, soldier. Now Delta or no-Delta, that's still a hot weapon. Your safety should be on at all times.
"Hoot": This is my safety, sir.
[He holds up his index finger and bends motions as if squeezing a trigger and then walks off]
Sanderson: Let it alone, sir. He hasn't eaten in a few days.
Guns do not shoot themselves. Contrary to Hollywood’s false impression modern guns don’t go off if you drop them. They only shoot when something presses the trigger.
The amount of people who don’t carry a weapon with a round in the chamber is simply astounding. In this article, I’m going to cover why you should carry a gun that is locked, cocked and ready to rock.
I want to say right now that if you don’t carry a round in the chamber, my goal is not to offend you. My goal is to help you realize something, so please read on.
As a rule of thumb, police officers are taught that an attacker (AKA a bad guy) can successfully make up enough distance to overpower someone in under 21 feet. Why? Because the “average” attacker can usually make up 21 feet in less than 2 seconds. Some guys are even faster than that.
What this means is that by the time you realize your life is in danger, your assailant is already upon you with a knife or other means of deadly force. Unfortunately for you and me, it also takes anywhere from .7-1.5 seconds for your body to react once it realizes that it is in danger. So, if you pull your gun from its holster and there isn’t a round in the chamber what are you going to do? If he is on you and you still need to chamber a round, you’re as good as dead.
In all actuality, what will likely happen is you’ll draw your weapon and your attacker will either turn around and run like a dog with his tail tucked, or he’ll continue on in his pursuit regardless of the outcome. Why? Because that’s how criminals think.
The last thing any criminal wants is to get caught being, is a criminal. If one is bold enough to attack you, he is also bold enough to kill you. How do we know this? Ask a state correctional officer. They have had plenty of time to talk to the inmates and get a feeling for how they think.
More often than not, this attacker will be just a few feet from you, taking even less time for you to react appropriately. The only real way to mitigate the possibility of someone being successful in an attack, is to carry a handgun with a round in the chamber. That way, all you have to do is pull the gun from its holster, and press.
The reason for not carrying with a round in the chamber stems from inexperience and fear. Remember that I don’t mean to insult or offend anyone, these are just my opinions. I would hope you will take this information as it is meant to be given, to educate and inform.
Many people, even those who decide to own and carry a gun, are afraid of them.
Remember when you first started to drive? When another vehicle approached you from the opposite direction, you would hug the shoulder. That is somewhat how it is with a gun. Especially when you start to carry. Many people will touch their gun often when they start carrying to ensure the gun is still there. Learning how to handle and use a gun, then actually using it, will give you the confidence you need to not be afraid of it. The other problem is the media. Movies and TV teach false ideas about guns. Even those who carry guns for a living can be taught false ideas by media. I’ve heard stories of a policeman going into a hostile environment, getting shot in their vest, and falling to the ground, out of the fight. Even though they are really not out of the fight and very few bullets can actually knock someone down.
Lack of training is something that can cause an undue fear of guns. As I said before, the more experience you have with guns the more comfortable you are with them. Like driving a vehicle, you must develop muscle memory. You do this by practicing and training. You soon learn that the gun is not unsafe, but the shooter can be. Also, like driving, if you don’t follow safety rules you can get hurt.
What does this have to do with a round in the chamber? It means that when you are properly trained, practice safety and handling often, you too will have the confidence and see the logic in, carrying a gun with a round in the chamber.
Anyone who does not get training and does not practice will lose what they have learned by their limited training. Find a qualified instructor to take classes from. Notice how the word “Classes” is plural? One class will not take care of your training needs. You need to commit to training or practice. There is a lot that goes into buying and carrying a lethal weapon. It takes time and money as a commitment.
These are the rules that you should learn and be able to quote by heart.
Rule 1: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED
Rule 2: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER (POINT AT) ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY
Rule 3: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET
Rule 4: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND BEYOND
Being prepared with your gun can mean the difference between life or death. It takes only a little effort to find out whether you can be comfortable carrying a round in the chamber. I do not think you will have the time and maybe the motor skills to bring your weapon into battery.
Do whatever it takes to be comfortable, competent, and happy with your gun.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Tactical Driving

 I’m not sure if any of you saw the event of Wed 12 MAR 2014 in Denver, Colorado.  A criminal who didn’t want to go back to jail lead police on an hour long pursuit as he stole a car with a child in it, then carjacked two vehicles in the process of trying to evade capture.  The whole ordeal was captured on video from various sources.  I watched the whole 54 minute video, most of it being the high speed attempt of a not so bright criminal driving at high speeds, barely missing cars, hitting some vehicles, driving the wrong way on roads, and so on.  As I watched the video I found myself critiquing the criminal and the victims.  Having been involved with training with a few army guys I learned some things from just talking with these PSD (personal security detachment) guys.  The course we were taking was combat tactical driving.  The guys that did (and do) this for a living have a particular outlook on driving and how to avoid problems.  As I watched this event unfold on video (something you don’t see every day) I started to think of ways to not be a victim of carjacking.  I will give you my thoughts on this.

Moving

One thing I learned about a gunfight is that a moving target is more difficult to shoot.  That’s why a Command Sergeant taught the phrase “Shoot, Move, Communicate” to his students.  The same can be said for carjacking.  Being static rather than moving improves your chances of being car jacked.  There are times when you must be static, stop lights, getting gas, getting in and out of your vehicle.  These are the times you must be vigilant.  If you’re getting gas at night, or really any time, pick a pump close to the building where you will more likely be in view of others.  Avoid pumps at the end of the row or at an angle that is unobserved from the convenience store or booth.  Try to find a well lit place that is busy enough for people to be around.  Lock your doors and take your keys.  There is a new trend of “gas station sliders”.  This is thieves that open the passenger side of cars at the gas pump and steal purses, or other valuables.  Keep your windows up and doors locked.  Remember always being in Yellow (Coopers Color Code) which means always alert.  At a stop light use your mirrors.  Insure no one is walking up on you.  Give yourself room to maneuver or exit.  Keep your head up.  Most everyone around you will have their noses in a phone.  This is true of people walking as well as sitting at a light. 

Be aware of being boxed in.  Sometimes it’s unavoidable but a planned kidnapping with more than one car can put you in a no exit position real fast.  Most carjacking is a crime of opportunity rather than a planned ambush.  But just remember your situational awareness.

Distance and Speed

An advantage to driving as opposed to someone on foot is the ability to get distance quickly from the threat.  Now a vehicle does need to maneuver around other vehicles, obstacles, and over curbs.  This is why an exit is important.  No one wants to bang up their or others vehicles, but I’d rather deal with a fender bender rather than a threat trying to get into and take my vehicle.  When stopping at a light you don’t want to leave too much space in front of you so another vehicle can pull in front of you but you also want to give yourself space to exit if needed.  Practice as you drive and you will be able to find that comfortable space you should leave yourself.  I don’t see any reason for anyone to run up to your vehicle and try to open your doors.  A panhandler usually won’t approach your car unless you indicate that you have something for them.

A tip on jumping curbs and medians.  You’ll want to be sure you have clearance so you don’t high center your vehicle in an attempt to escape.  Look at curbs and medians as you drive.  You’ll be able to size them up to know what you can and can’t do with your vehicle.  If you find a need to escape this way you should always go over these obstacles at an angle.  This will let you slide and keep one drive wheel on the ground at all times.  It will also relieve the shock of your tires.  Keep the momentum when you try this and don’t stop until you’re over.  This is not a speed maneuver.  To practice this lay a 2x4 on the ground and drive over it at an angle and head on to get a feel for the difference.

Push Through

A common technique taught in terrorism aversion courses is putting your bumper on the vehicle in front of you and pushing it out of the way.  This would be a last resort move because it just may not work.  The car in front may put on their brakes and not let you push them out of the way.  Giving yourself space is the best way to keep out of trouble.

Distance and speed would be the best response to a carjacking attempt.  But as a last resort, without a choice, being armed and ready to defend yourself or others in your vehicle is appropriate.  In the Colorado video I never do see a weapon in the criminal’s hands.  I can only assume the 2 victims who were pulled out of their cars did not have their doors locked.  But always use your best judgment and if confronted by someone with a weapon, giving up your car is better than giving up your life.

Nothing says if someone bumps you that you have to stop right away and jump out of your car.  If you continue rolling and stop 30 or 40 feet down the road, it won’t matter much.  Give yourself space.  Most criminals have not learned “close and engage” but often it’s a natural thing if you want to dominate and “win” a confrontation.  With space, closing is more difficult for the aggressor and it gives the opponent (you) more options.  Just like a confrontation on foot, closing the space between you and your target is important.  Most gun events happen with 10 feet of the two involved.  Giving yourself space in your car gives you the opportunity to put distance between you and the other guy.    If you’re with your family and get in a accident and get out, have your spouse get into the driver’s seat and be ready to leave if needed.  Have a phone ready to dial 911 or call before you get out. 

As I watched the Colorado video I saw simple things that could have made a difference in being a carjacking victim or not.

Practice

Just as you would teach a teenager to drive in an empty parking lot with cones, you too can practice some of the things we’ve talked about here.  Do you or your spouse know the feeling of mashing the accelerator from a dead stop?  Setting up cones for other cars and 2x4s for curbs and medians can give you the edge that you may need to avoid being a victim.  Also, if you use code words for safety reasons with your kids have a word for a problem going down while you’re driving.  Even if it’s just “Lock and duck!”   Get in the habit of locking your doors if your car doesn’t do that automatically.  Also, set up all your mirrors to cover what’s going on behind you.  Consider adding convex blind spot mirrors that stick to your mirrors that give you better view.  Window tint might also be something to consider but make sure you are doing so legally in your state.  Keeping windows up is also a good idea in heavy traffic. 

Going through life paranoid of everyone and everything is not what I suggest.  But going through life oblivious of your surroundings is dangerous and stupid.  Be wise and do the little things that will often keep you out of harms way.

A few weeks ago I was getting gas at a convenience store I don’t usually go to.  I happened to be armed, something I usually can’t do working on a federal installation.  As I was walking in after pumping gas a man approached me and started to close.  He started with “Are you from around here?” and he was getting uncomfortably close so I put up my hand and that stopped him.  I said “Hold on one minute” and kept walking to get in the building.  He said something about finding HEB but not being sure where Walmart was.  I put some space between him and I before I turned to face him.  He turned out to be traveling and was trying to find Walmart because at that time, Walmart was open 24 hours.  But I was not sure and wanted to be safe.  Situational awareness saved me in combat and it’s hard to turn it off now.  I’m not sure I should anyway.

Be aware and be safe.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

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Should I Carry A Gun? (repost) What Kind of Question is That?

This is a repost from 2017.  It seems I'm reposting a lot lately, I am.  It's not laziness but circumstances and questions are coming my way to where my answer is something I've already written.  So, I repost.

 Someone asked me the other day “Why should I carry a gun?” I happened to know the person pretty well and I knew their politics. They are conservative. That helped with my answer. Had they been coming from a liberal point of view I would have thought it to be more of a challenge or someone looking for an argument rather than some really wanting to know.

I have my reasons to carry and I’ll explore a few of them.
One is, I really know what I’m doing with a gun. I’m not just tooting my own horn, I have been around guns, been shooting guns, have competed with guns, and have been a gun instructor for many years. I’m not all knowledgeable, and of course there is always something more to learn, but I feel I have a good grasp on how to use a weapon.
Two is, I’ve gone through some extensive training.
Three is, I feel the need.
I have a friend who told me a story. He knew a law enforcement officer who talked about not carrying his gun in church. He said that he could not live with himself if a crazed gunman came into his church and started to shoot and he was unarmed. He knew that would be something that he could not get over. I have been down the same road. Actually, a few Sunday’s ago I experienced a horrible anxiety at church. I had left my gun at home and it almost did me in. A few times I would have drove back home and retrieved it but I was apart from my wife (she was in Relief Society and I in Priesthood meeting) and she had the only set of keys to our vehicle.
Nothing happened and I survived, but I prayed one of the several law enforcement guys that we have in our ward was armed. I really must have a private conversation with a few of them and breach the question of being armed in church. I may feel better if I ever forget again. Because of that incident I am more aware of what’s going on and remembering my weapon.
Should You Carry?
That’s a fair question to ask. Let’s assume, first off, that you CAN carry a gun with you on a regular basis. There are lots of people (my wife included) who, because of their work environment, can’t carry a concealed firearm around with them on a regular basis. If that’s the case, this discussion is moot.
But if you can carry, should you carry? Consider this post on Reddit.com
“I live in a small town in Iowa. A couple years ago I applied for and received my concealed carry permit. I have a G26 with a crossbreed supertuck to go with it, and I have a Ruger LCP. I would carry one of these every day, everywhere I went, religiously, for quite a while.
This past summer, I decided to stop carrying. I decided it’s just not worth it for me. It’s not worth the pain in the butt to put it on, it’s not worth the weight and discomfort, it’s not worth introducing a firearm into every single encounter in my daily life. It’s not worth it to me, for the one in a million chance that I might ever maybe possibly need to use it.”
Is that person right? Is carrying a firearm not worth the trouble, given the “one-in-a-million” chance you’ll need to use it?
Depends. I carry a first aid kit in my car: Am I expecting to be first on the scene at a major traffic accident? No. Have I needed it to patch up the scrapes and cuts of my teen kids? Oh yeah.
The knowledge and assurance that you are ready and able to deal with what life throws at you can be a powerful, powerful thing, and when you need a gun, there aren’t a whole lot of things you can use as a substitute.
Should you carry a gun? Can you think of something in your life worth dying for? Would you rather die for it or live for it?
If you have not weighed this and thought it out ahead of time, then be sure before you carry. It’s an investment in responsibility, time, money, and a mind set. I’ve grown up being taught that you should always have a plan in whatever you do. And have a plan “B” and “C” too. I didn’t always follow this wise counsel but when I grew older I adopted that same policy. Be prepared. We have car, life, and homeowners insurance, why would being prepared in other things be so difficult to understand? Defense is one of those other things. I have a friend who will probably never carry a gun. But he is very prepared to defend himself! I’ve tried to teach my family that being prepared is important in this life. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Maybe this thinking is a little aggressive, but I had it pounded into me: “Close and engage!”
Consider the following if you decide to carry:
You may have to change the way you dress to conceal.
You may have the extra expense of different clothing, a holster or purse to conceal, a concealable weapon.
If you haven’t practiced presenting your weapon, that too must be practiced.
1. If You Carry, Always Carry - You never know when something might happen. It could as easily be in your local supermarket parking lot instead of late at night in an urban area. Make sure you establish practices so that you always pick up the gun on the way out.
2. Don’t Carry If You Aren’t Prepared To Use It – Deadly force means deadly force. Don’t think you are going to be able to threaten someone out of a situation. If you pull it, be prepared to use it.
3. Don’t Let The Gun Make You Reckless – There is always someone badder, tougher, and smarter. Use situational awareness to avoid a situation
4. Get The License! – I know, I know, the 2nd Amendment gives you the right. At the same time, do you want the hassle and legal expense to fight this? If you are convicted and become a felon, your life has changed dramatically.  Being licensed means your serious and want to be law abiding.
5. Know What You’re Doing – You need to understand your weapon(s) – what the capabilities are and limitations. Understand and follow the Four Rules of Gun Safety.
6. Concealed Means Concealed – When you flaunt the weapon you have just given the bad guy the edge. By letting others know you conceal carry you give them power over you and they may lead you into situations you should not be in. This means friends and co-workers too. Practice good OPSEC (operations security).

7. Maximize Your Firearms Familiarity – Practice, practice, practice. Dry fire, live fire, simulations. You can never be smooth or fast enough. Think ahead about what could happen, plan out what you will do and practice for these situations.
8. Understand The Fine Points – Know the laws of your city, county, state. Know what to do at a traffic stop, know what to say when someone accidentally sees your piece.
9. Carry An Adequate Firearm – Carry a gun you can handle. A single shot derringer is not going to do you much good. On the other hand, a Desert Eagle in the hands of a 110 pound woman without adequate training is a danger to her and others around her.
10. Use Common Sense – Always look to deescalate the situation and for situation avoidance. Be deadly serious.
Concealed Carry is a big responsibility. It affects you, your family, and those you work with, and those you are around. Make sure it affects all in a good, positive, and safe way. Like any other tool, a weapon can do a lot of negative things. Be ready for that and your weapon won’t be a “hassle” and a “burden” to you and your loved ones but a blessing.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
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Beating A Dead Horse (Just a little) and Solutions/Situational Awareness

 Brothers and Sisters and friends.  I don’t mean to bring this up again but the persecution is increasing.  It concerns me because I have several children and Grand children out there.  Because we have such a large family I have children in 3 states.  Some are in Utah close to where Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered.  I want them to be safe.  I want everyone to be safe.  Maybe it’s my PTSD paranoia but I see this anti-Mormon rhetoric turning from words to actions.  I included this good sisters letter to the University of Cincinnati athletic dirctior.  I also include here a portion of the training that I have taught concerning situational awareness (SA).  I start with SA because many people are hesitant about self-defense, especially carrying a weapon.  Starting with SA helps them ease into self-defense and triples or quads their chances of being in a position where they would have to defend themselves or their family.

 

This is a letter written by a survivor of the Grand Blanc LDS Church shooting and a member of the Church.

 

“Jared and I got to sneak away this weekend for a much needed date night. We went to the BYU vs. Cincinnati football game. This is us trying to move on from the attack on our church two months ago. Trying to do something fun where the attack is not at the forefront our minds for once. This is us at the game before all the heaviness and fear still found a way to creep in and overtake my emotions and thoughts the next few days as the Cincinnati fans chanted hateful words directed towards us. This has got to stop. 

 

I emailed the University of Cincinnati athletic director and assistant athletic director yesterday and shared my thoughts with them. I am going to share that email here as well, in hopes the message can extend farther than just this incident because it happens at a lot of football games. It is unacceptable.

 

“Dear Mr. Cunningham,

 

I am writing to you from my heart as a disheartened college football fan. More specifically, as a BYU football fan and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commonly known as “the Mormons.”

 

As a BYU alumni and huge fans of college football, my husband and I took the opportunity to travel 4.5 hours from our little city in Grand Blanc, Michigan to come spectate and enjoy our favorite pass time at the BYU vs. Cincinnati football game at Nippert Stadium last night. 

 

I want to provide a little bit of background for you in order to portray the strength and courage it took for us to travel to this event and really try to enjoy ourselves.

 

You see, just eight short weeks ago, while attending church, we were attacked at our place of worship simply for being “Mormon.”

Someone with hatred in their heart rammed their truck into the front of our church building, entered the chapel, and began shooting us and setting our church on fire while many people were still hiding inside. As my family (me, my husband, and our three young children), ran for our lives, my husband and my 5 year old daughter were both shot. I was also running with my 15 month old baby and my 3 year old in my arms as I was struck in my back with shrapnel. I will spare you any further details about the nightmare we lived through that day and the recovery that has followed, but miraculously, me and my family all made it out alive. 

 

The anxiety and fear we have felt since that day has been debilitating. We have put in a lot of work in that short 8 weeks so we can try to feel some sort of safety and normalcy again and enjoy the things we used to, including football games. 

 

We had been planning to come see this game for months as we don’t get the opportunity to see many BYU games in person since we moved across the country for my husband’s medical training. We almost didn’t come because it felt scary and overwhelming since the attack on our church. However, we know we cannot live in fear and we need to enjoy the things that used to make us happy. We decided to come and that took a lot for us both mentally and physically. I was nervous putting on my BYU fan gear that day because I knew it would identify me as one of ”the Mormons.” I did it anyway. 

I was apprehensive when I walked down to my seat and saw that the nearest exit was pretty far from me. I continued to my seat anyway. We came. We smiled. We cheered. We enjoyed ourselves….Until the University of Cincinnati fans began to chant “F*** the Mormons.”

 

This is not a new chant. This is not a chant that is specific to your university. This is a chant I’ve heard before while enjoying a football game whether in-person or on tv. It’s always disheartening to hear. However, now that we Mormons have been quite literally targeted, attacked, chased, shot at, and some of us have been killed simply for being “Mormon,” this chant is no longer just disheartening. It’s crippling. It’s personal. It’s unacceptable. Period. 

 

While I did hear the announcer give a warning over the speakers at the game that such chants will not be tolerated, it was simply just that- a warning. It was not just a few fans, it was tens, possibly hundreds of the university’s student fans chanting “F*** the Mormons.”

 

Please, Mr. Cunningham, do not tolerate it. Remove them from the game. Don’t let them come back. Educate them on the seriousness of their actions. Set that standard and expectation moving forward and enforce it. We are hurting. Badly. We just want to enjoy the things that make us happy again without the fear of being targeted and attacked for our religious beliefs. 

 

I know you have no control over the Cincy fans on the shuttle after the game ranting about Mormons and how awful we are and how we must have just paid off the refs because we’re corrupt and evil. I don’t get it, but I am used to it. It’s not new to me to hear this stuff and these huge misconceptions about my faith. But now it is personal. Now it is me fearing for my life everywhere I go because someone decided to take it there. Someone tried to kill me, my kids, and my husband. Someone killed 4 of my friends. Now the chanting means something more than it used to. 

 

I know you can’t control the actions and words of the fans on the bus. However, I do believe you have the ability to get control of the students’ hurtful and hateful chanting. 

 

If you made it this far, thank you for listening. If I am mistaken about any actions that were or were not taken as a result of the chanting, please feel free to correct me.

I would welcome the reassurance.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Brandi Hicken 

A fellow college football fan

A Mormon

A Christian

A mass casualty hate crime survivor

A human deserving of respect”

 

I first learned of the Color Code from Jeff Cooper himself teaching a portion of the Air Force Combat Arms Instructor Course in the early 80's.

The color code as originally introduced by Jeff, had nothing to do with tactical situations or alertness levels, but rather with one's state of mind. It relates to the degree of peril you are willing to do something about and which allows you to move from one level of mindset to another to enable you to properly handle a given situation. Jeff didn't claim to have invented anything in particular with the color code, but he was apparently the first to use it as an indication of mental state.

 

During my time in the military I taught classes on thinking tactically.  I taught the importance of living in Yellow.  It’s true for the average person as it is for the battlefield. A lethal confrontation is not something anyone expects. An excellent explanation of the real world was given in the novel State of Fear, by Micheal Criton, and I have paraphrased it here.

"If someone tries to kill you, you don't have the option of averting your eyes or changing the subject. You are forced to deal with that person’s behavior. The experience is in fact a loss of certain illusions. The world is not how you want it to be, it is the way it is. There are bad people in the world and they need to be stopped."

The color code defines four different mental states. Why four? Because three doesn't adequately cover the subject and five is too much to remember. The four colors used are white, yellow, orange, and red.

 

White - Relaxed, unaware, and unprepared. If attacked in this state the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy and ineptitude of your attacker. When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, "This can't be happening to me."

Yellow - Relaxed alertness. No specific threat situation. Your mindset is that "today could be the day I may have to defend myself." There is no specific threat but you are aware that the world is an unfriendly place and that you are prepared to do something if necessary. You use your eyes and ears, and your body language says "I am alert." You don't have to be armed in this state but if you are armed you must be in yellow. When confronted by something nasty your reaction will probably be, "I thought this might happen someday." You can live in this state indefinitely.

Orange - Specific alert. Something not quite right has gotten your attention and you shift your primary focus to that thing. Something is "wrong" with a person or object. Something may happen. Your mindset is that "I may have to fight that person." If you are armed your pistol is usually holstered in this state. You can maintain this state for several hours with ease, or a day or so with effort.

Red - Fight trigger. This is your mental trigger. "If that person does "x" I will fight them." If armed your weapon may, but not necessarily, be in your hand. In Red you have decided to act the instant the threat’s behavior warrants an immediate response.

You should always be in Yellow.

 

Mindset

We’ve talked about how to think before violence happens.  To continue, know that there is a potential problem.  Don’t get caught in the mind game of the Normalcy Bias.  The Normalcy Bias is a psychological state of denial in the event of disaster or violence. This is because some people have a difficult time believing their lives can change dramatically. Their denial is based on the assumption that if the disaster/violence has not occurred until now, it will never occur.

The reason that Normalcy Bias is so dangerous is that when the violence happens it’s too late for preparation.

Normalcy Bias is a state of mind that develops before the disaster or violence even starts, and it gets worse once the event hits.  Disaster and violence are similar except that violence usually is fast and doesn’t always last a long time, the opposite of disasters. Alike disasters, violence can happen anytime, and anywhere.  Some people believe that if they live in a good neighborhood that nothing bad will happen.

The Normalcy Bias can cause people to not prepare or to not understand reality.  It can get you killed.  How can you use this in your life?  Stay in Yellow.

 

 

Please be aware of your surroundings in this holiday season and always.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can sometimes be very trusting of others and strangers.  Be aware and wary.  We don’t need to think every person is evil but like General James Mattis said:

“Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

This seems like the words of a over-zealous killer.  But notice he didn’t say “Kill everyone you meet” but have a plan in case you need to kill everyone you meet.  Have a plan. Likely you won’t need to ever kill anyone, but if you need to then what?  Do you have a plan of defense?  If not, get one.

As men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we believe we have duties we should perform.  Some of these are outlined in the document titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

 

This refers to God telling us as Fathers that we are preside in our families, provide for them, and to protect them.  This tells me that I should have a plan of protection for my family and for myself.

As persecution changes and moves into something more physical will we be able to avoid it?  I hope we can. As the scriptures say in Daniel 3:17-18  “…But if not…”.  You can be very safe in North America, but if not, you should have a plan.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

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