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