The next time you are tracking an escaped prisoner remember these tips.
Actually, this information will be handy for more things that it is typically used for. Unless you are a Border Patrol agent you may not use this information much. But you may be called upon to find a lost child or even find livestock in the brush. These reasons and more are why learning these skills can help you to be better pepared.
This information was given to me by a Border Patrol Agent. (Thanks Green Bro!)It can be used to track animals or people. The sign is the same.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SIGNCUTTING:
When searching for sign/tracks there are 5 characteristics:
1. Flattening -- leveling of rocks, twigs and dirt caused by weight and pressure of foot
2. Regularity – lines circles or geometric shapes pressed into ground by shoe/foot pressure
3. Color change -- color change in soil, vegetation, or twigs, rocks etc. caused by foot pressure
(i.e., snapped twig, turned leaf, soil difference from scuffing, etc.)
4. Disturbance -- dislodging of stones, twigs, vegetation
5. Transfer -- finding materials moved by sole of shoe "transfer"
TRACKS:
Use the angle of the sun to "see" tracks. Greater the angle the more shadow created. A flashlight at
night held close to ground can help locate track.
• Look for path of least resistance--that's how most people move.
• People tend to aim toward something. Look for what might attract their aim.
Following tracks:
1. Draw detailed picture of footprint.
2. Measure:
a. Heel to toe length,
b. Distance across ball of foot
3. Length and width of heel.
Include all visually important information. Learn to describe this picture for radio communication with searchers ahead of you.
Using a the tracking stick-.
1. Stick will record 3 measurements:
a. Step interval: Place tip of stick on back edge of front heel mark and place first elastic at point where the toe of back foot touches stick. THIS IS THE DISTANCE TOE TO HEEL OF STRIDE.
b. Length of foot: first elastic marks the toe front of the print and a second elastic marks the back heel edge. THIS SHORT DISTANCE IS THE TOE TO HEEL FOOT PRINT LENGTH.
c. Stride: this is already marked on your stick; it is the distance from the tip of the stick to the second elastic. STRIDE LENGTH WILL VARY DEPENDING ON TERRAIN, BUT THIS GIVES YOU A DISTANCE THAT YOU MAY CHANGE AS YOU SEE A BETTER AVERAGE EMERGING WHILE TRACKING.
2. USING STICK WHILE TRACKING: Hold the stick at the second elastic over the back edge of the last heel print. Swing stick in arc looking for next heel print near tip of tracking stick. Keep in mind that terrain affects stride length, but print has to be near arc. LOOK FOR SIGN CHARACTERISTICS MENTIONED ABOVE.
Use crepe (toilet) paper to mark track or sign. Break off small twigs tie crepe paper and put into ground at heel of sign. Series of marked tracks can suggest direction when sign is no longer clear.
Grass, low shrubs show passage and direction particularly in early morning (disturbed dew).
Tracking teams could have the sign cutter with two flankers. Flankers work to the sign and slightly behind. Flankers must be very careful not to destroy clues when signcutter is having trouble locating track. Once track and direction is found search can be sent in front with planes or dogs to locate victim.
Be careful not destroy track as you pass through as it may be evidence.
I’ve used some of these techniques in searching for cattle. But there is a lot of good information to learn an practice. Last year I think I did an article about how to avoid being tracked by dogs. The above information can be used to escape and evade.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
Celebrate Porter Rockwell's 206th Birthday With A OPR Tour
I do not live in Utah. I keep my location and other personal things vague on here for privacy reasons. If someone wanted to find out who I am I’m sure they could. It’s really not a big state secret. But, just because I don’t live in Utah doesn’t mean I have no ties there. My sisters live there. Most of their kids live there too. Some of my kids live there courtesy of BYU. I don’t hate Utah. But there is a different culture there. I grew up in Arizona in a very LDS city. So I understand that culture some and I prefer to live in the “mission field”. It’s just a preference. One of my kids who live there asked me the other day where I would live when I retire. Other than where I am now, I probably would live in Southern Utah. As usual, I’m rambling. I only mention Utah because I have created a tour, so to speak, of sites that anyone interested in Orrin Porter Rockwell should see.
As a notorious gunslinger, wanted man, and devout Church member, Orrin Porter Rockwell led a life of paradox. His lethal accuracy with a shotgun and policy to “always shoot first . . . that way they know you’re armed” made his time as a lawman controversial at best. Charged with murder or attempted murder on three occasions, Porter was acquitted twice and died before the last charge could come to courts. Despite his rough-and-tumble attitude, Porter Rockwell remained unshakably faithful to the Church and its leaders until his death in June 1878, serving as a body guard to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
I have relatives who knew Ol’ Port and served with him. He is one of my heroes. So I’ve created a tour, or at least a bucket list, of places having to do with the historical figure.
I have never been to any of these places so my description of location and other details may be slightly skewed.
My kids live near Provo in Utah so I am starting this tour from the South and working my way up Interstate 15. There are also two locations that are not in Utah.
First on my list is Eureka, Utah.
Porter's Place, 321 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Porter’s Place used to be located in Lehi, Utah but because of a problem with the building they were in, they relocated.
This restaurant is devoted completely to Porter Rockwell and his fame and legend. Porter’s Place is an independent family owned restaurant that is dedicated to honoring the heritage of Mormon Pioneer Orrin Porter Rockwell.
In 2018, after nearly 50 years operating on Lehi Main St, the restaurant moved to Eureka Utah.
This is a great first stop. Eat lunch and ask about the historical items they have in their restaurant. Take pictures!
Porter Rockwell Cabin
229 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Another great historical site is the cabin of Porter. It was moved from The Porter Rockwell Ranch near Cherry Creek, Juab County, Utah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRE2ivawJi4
Here is a video walking through Porter's Cabin
Next on the list is Lehi, Utah. It was said that Porter lived in Lehi at one time. Check out the John Hutchings Museum, 55 N Center St in Lehi. There are many items from Porter in this museum. Also in the Lehi town square N Center and about E 100 N is a statue of Ol' Port himself. Get lots of pictures!
Now head to “the point of the mountain” Bluffdale, Utah
In Harold Schindler's biography, "Orrin Porter Rockwell", it states: “On July 29, 1858, Orrin Porter Rockwell counted out $500 and purchased from Evan M. Green sixteen acres of real estate at Hot Springs near Point of the Mountain (on the road between Great Salt Lake City and Lehi). The trail was traveled by every city bound trooper in Johnston's Army. Mr Rockwell had it in mind to build a place where a man could buy a glass of home brewed beer, stable his animals, stay overnight, or just stop to pass the time of day. He called it the Hot Springs Brewery Hotel. In its prime this property included a hotel with dining facilities, stable, brewery and a Pony Express station.”
As far as I have found, there is nothing left of the Hotel and Brewery. If there is, I can't find any information about it. There is, however, a Porter Rockwell Boulevard in Bluffdale. State Route 131 is a Utah state highway, routed entirely on Porter Rockwell Boulevard. It is currently a 0.8 miles spur southwest from 14600 South, but it will extend west to Redwood Road once an extension is complete. I'm not sure it has been completed.
There is a memorial called The Porter Rockwell Center at I15 and Highland just outside of Bluffdale. There is another, of only two that I know of, statue of Porter Rockwell.
Rockwell's Station (14600 S Street, Bluffdale, UT) is on the Pony Express National Historic Trails list. There is a large stone memorial to Porter's station there.
Then we leave Bluffdale and head to Draper to visit Porter Rockwell Trail
The Porter Rockwell Trail begins at Draper City Park in Draper, Utah.
To reach the park from I-15 in the Salt Lake Valley:
5. Take Exit 291 for 12300 South.
6. Turn east onto 12300 South and continue for 2.2 miles to 1300 East.
7. Turn right (south) onto 1300 East and continue 0.3 miles to Park Road.
Turn right (west) onto Park Road and then immediately left into Draper City Park.
This looks like a great trail for hiking, or biking. Again, take lots of pictures!
Finally the last Utah location is Salt Lake City. Porter Rockwell's grave is in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N St E, Salt Lake City, Utah
His grave location: Plot C, Block 5, Lot 9, Grave 1, Tier E.
There are also many prophets and apostles buried there.
The first out of Utah location is Independence, Missouri
Missouri Mormon Walking Tour
Beginning at Walnut and River, across the street from the Community of Christ Auditorium, the trail is one-mile-long with 14 plaques depicting key early Mormon sites.
1827 Jail Lot 2
The 1827 county jail was located at the back of the lot at the southeast corner of present-day Main and Truman. An outside stairway to the upper room was the only way to enter the 16 X 16-foot-square hewn-log structure. Prominent Mormons, A. Sidney Gilbert, William McLellin, John Corrill, and Isaac Morley, were jailed in the lower dungeon in Novemeber 1833. A decade later, Orrin Porter Rockwell was held in the second jail built on this site. The present building on this site was a fire station and today serves as the Truman Home ticket office.
Nauvoo Illinois home site
There is a monument there that marks the site of the Porter Rockwell Nauvoo home. Porter was raised in Manchester, New York and was a boyhood friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was ever loyal to the Prophet and his successor, President Brigham Young.
I have never visited any of these sites but I will do the Utah tour the next time I’m in Utah.
Orrin Porter Rockwell’s 206th birthday is on June 28th. I hope we can remember him as the tough, defender of the prophet and defender of the faith. That’s how I remember him.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
As a notorious gunslinger, wanted man, and devout Church member, Orrin Porter Rockwell led a life of paradox. His lethal accuracy with a shotgun and policy to “always shoot first . . . that way they know you’re armed” made his time as a lawman controversial at best. Charged with murder or attempted murder on three occasions, Porter was acquitted twice and died before the last charge could come to courts. Despite his rough-and-tumble attitude, Porter Rockwell remained unshakably faithful to the Church and its leaders until his death in June 1878, serving as a body guard to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
I have relatives who knew Ol’ Port and served with him. He is one of my heroes. So I’ve created a tour, or at least a bucket list, of places having to do with the historical figure.
I have never been to any of these places so my description of location and other details may be slightly skewed.
My kids live near Provo in Utah so I am starting this tour from the South and working my way up Interstate 15. There are also two locations that are not in Utah.
First on my list is Eureka, Utah.
Porter's Place, 321 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Porter’s Place used to be located in Lehi, Utah but because of a problem with the building they were in, they relocated.
This restaurant is devoted completely to Porter Rockwell and his fame and legend. Porter’s Place is an independent family owned restaurant that is dedicated to honoring the heritage of Mormon Pioneer Orrin Porter Rockwell.
In 2018, after nearly 50 years operating on Lehi Main St, the restaurant moved to Eureka Utah.
This is a great first stop. Eat lunch and ask about the historical items they have in their restaurant. Take pictures!
Porter Rockwell Cabin
229 Main St, Eureka, Utah
Another great historical site is the cabin of Porter. It was moved from The Porter Rockwell Ranch near Cherry Creek, Juab County, Utah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRE2ivawJi4
Here is a video walking through Porter's Cabin
Next on the list is Lehi, Utah. It was said that Porter lived in Lehi at one time. Check out the John Hutchings Museum, 55 N Center St in Lehi. There are many items from Porter in this museum. Also in the Lehi town square N Center and about E 100 N is a statue of Ol' Port himself. Get lots of pictures!
Now head to “the point of the mountain” Bluffdale, Utah
In Harold Schindler's biography, "Orrin Porter Rockwell", it states: “On July 29, 1858, Orrin Porter Rockwell counted out $500 and purchased from Evan M. Green sixteen acres of real estate at Hot Springs near Point of the Mountain (on the road between Great Salt Lake City and Lehi). The trail was traveled by every city bound trooper in Johnston's Army. Mr Rockwell had it in mind to build a place where a man could buy a glass of home brewed beer, stable his animals, stay overnight, or just stop to pass the time of day. He called it the Hot Springs Brewery Hotel. In its prime this property included a hotel with dining facilities, stable, brewery and a Pony Express station.”
As far as I have found, there is nothing left of the Hotel and Brewery. If there is, I can't find any information about it. There is, however, a Porter Rockwell Boulevard in Bluffdale. State Route 131 is a Utah state highway, routed entirely on Porter Rockwell Boulevard. It is currently a 0.8 miles spur southwest from 14600 South, but it will extend west to Redwood Road once an extension is complete. I'm not sure it has been completed.
There is a memorial called The Porter Rockwell Center at I15 and Highland just outside of Bluffdale. There is another, of only two that I know of, statue of Porter Rockwell.
Rockwell's Station (14600 S Street, Bluffdale, UT) is on the Pony Express National Historic Trails list. There is a large stone memorial to Porter's station there.
Then we leave Bluffdale and head to Draper to visit Porter Rockwell Trail
The Porter Rockwell Trail begins at Draper City Park in Draper, Utah.
To reach the park from I-15 in the Salt Lake Valley:
5. Take Exit 291 for 12300 South.
6. Turn east onto 12300 South and continue for 2.2 miles to 1300 East.
7. Turn right (south) onto 1300 East and continue 0.3 miles to Park Road.
Turn right (west) onto Park Road and then immediately left into Draper City Park.
This looks like a great trail for hiking, or biking. Again, take lots of pictures!
Finally the last Utah location is Salt Lake City. Porter Rockwell's grave is in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 200 N St E, Salt Lake City, Utah
His grave location: Plot C, Block 5, Lot 9, Grave 1, Tier E.
There are also many prophets and apostles buried there.
The first out of Utah location is Independence, Missouri
Missouri Mormon Walking Tour
Beginning at Walnut and River, across the street from the Community of Christ Auditorium, the trail is one-mile-long with 14 plaques depicting key early Mormon sites.
1827 Jail Lot 2
The 1827 county jail was located at the back of the lot at the southeast corner of present-day Main and Truman. An outside stairway to the upper room was the only way to enter the 16 X 16-foot-square hewn-log structure. Prominent Mormons, A. Sidney Gilbert, William McLellin, John Corrill, and Isaac Morley, were jailed in the lower dungeon in Novemeber 1833. A decade later, Orrin Porter Rockwell was held in the second jail built on this site. The present building on this site was a fire station and today serves as the Truman Home ticket office.
Nauvoo Illinois home site
There is a monument there that marks the site of the Porter Rockwell Nauvoo home. Porter was raised in Manchester, New York and was a boyhood friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was ever loyal to the Prophet and his successor, President Brigham Young.
I have never visited any of these sites but I will do the Utah tour the next time I’m in Utah.
Orrin Porter Rockwell’s 206th birthday is on June 28th. I hope we can remember him as the tough, defender of the prophet and defender of the faith. That’s how I remember him.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Danites And Modern Persecution To The Church
I am a student of security. My family say I am obsessed with it. They listen as I drone on about home security, internet security, personal security, et al, ad nauseam… Yes they are sometimes, understandably, annoyed with me. But, I have seen some of that obsessive behavior pay off. They are more careful, ergo, I continue. Now how the heck is that of any interest to you? I only bring up my “paranoia” to say that I keep track of some pretty obscure data. For instance, I have been (very unofficially) been tracking acts of violence on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints property. I also have been interested in anti-Mormon activities for many years. On my mission I had the mission’s largest collection of anti-Mormon material. I did not spend much time reading it or studying it (heaven knows it’s not very deep) but I was interested in what would make someone be “anti” anything. I learned a lot from that “literature”. So between my crazy anti interest and my security obsession (that’s what happens when you get shot at!) I have had some interesting conclusions.
The following is snip from a NY Times Op-ed piece in 2012 when Mitt Romney was running for President of the United States.
“Why We Fear Mormons” Op-ed in The New York Times
By J. SPENCER FLUHMANJUNE 3, 2012
“When a perceived oddity is backed by Mormon money or growing political clout, the left gets jumpy. MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell and HBO’s Bill Maher have resorted to caricature, stereotyping and hyperbole in their anti-Mormon attacks. Liberals were outraged by Mormon financing of Proposition 8, the 2008 ban on same-sex marriage in California. They scoff at Mormonism’s all-male priesthood and ask why church leaders have yet to fully repudiate the racist teachings of previous authorities.
For the right, Mormonism figures in even more complicated ways. The Mormon road to respectability has often led, as it did for Mr. Romney, through Harvard Business School; pro-business Republicans have found ready friends among well-placed Mormons. But many rank-and-file evangelical Protestants call Mormonism a cult — as the pastor Robert Jeffress did last fall — or a “non-Christian religion.” Indeed, evangelical hatred has been the driving force behind national anti-Mormonism.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/opinion/anti-mormonism-past-and-present.html
Our religions opponents are generally light-weights. I’ve never put much stock in their rantings and ravings. I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my entire life. There are those who think they are “experts” on our Church and our religion. Studying something for X number of years, does not an expert make. I am a gun instructor. “Experts” in that field abound yet I feel you can always learn, and the term “expert” is very fluid.
In my study of those who study us, I’ve found there is usually an agenda in their interest. There may be some who honestly want to learn about our religion from a scholarly point of view. But most are trying to tear it down and some are even bent on destroying the Church. As I’ve believed for many years if the Church has any enemies, the worst would usually be ex-members. Some of these are even, in my opinion, physical threats to the Church.
Actual acts of violence against the Church are considerably less common in the United States today than they were in the nineteenth century. However, one major event related to the persecution of the Church is the murders of two missionaries in La Paz, Bolivia in May of 1989 by a terrorist organization called the Zarate Willka Liberation Armed Forces. On May 28, 1989, in the streets of La Paz, Bolivia's cemetery district, two Anglo missionaries were cruelly assassinated. For the first time, Guerrillas deliberately stalked and struck at representatives of the Church. This type of violence has increased.
Other events happened in the 1980s. Anti-Mormon protestors stood outside the Denver temple and threw rocks, and a firebombing scare was also reported there. Another Bolivian terrorist group, the Tupac Guerrilla Army, claimed responsibility for two attacks against chapels. The Latauro Youth Movement in Chile conducted twenty seven small-scale bombings against Mormon churches in 1992 as well. It has been reported that a total of one hundred and forty nine individual attacks had been carried out against LDS targets in Latin America since 1983.
There have been 27 acts of violence on Church property in the United States from 1999 until 2018. In 2018 there were 3 separate incidents. I’m not an alarmist but my time in the military taught me to look for trends. This violence is a trend. Now I will be the first to recognize that these acts of violence are not the acts of someone persecuting the Church. Most of them are acts by individuals targeting other individuals.
This is from an article from Bloomberg Businessweek September 25, 2018
Turkey May Target Mormons Next After Case Against U.S. Pastor
By Marc Champion and Cagan Koc
“The indictment, filed in May, ties Brunson to three alleged coup attempts against Erdogan since 2013. Yet the sole evidence for the Brunson-Abney meetings at the center of the prosecution’s conspiracy argument consists of cellphone tower records showing that, on the days the planning allegedly occurred, the two men’s phones were in Alsancak. Given that both men lived there, that would have been true most days of the year. “We never met Brunson” or even knew of his existence until his 2016 arrest, says Abney, now 71 and on a Mormon mission in the U.S. Nor, says Abney, had he conspired in any way against Turkey. “We just wanted to help people,” he says, by bringing wheelchairs to the disabled, pomegranate trees to poor villagers, and computers to schools.
According to Abney, the main witness against Brunson is almost certainly a former LDS member whom the prosecution has code-named “Dua,” a word meaning “prayer,” to protect his identity. Some of the evidence Dua produced comes from the Abneys’ computer, according to Kenneth Abney, who says the laptop was taken for repair by an interpreter who was later expelled by the church for allegedly embezzling $10,000.
Dua makes some spectacular claims—for example, that an umbrella organization for Christian churches that’s led by Mormons but involves the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency controls the deployment of all U.S. Christian missionaries; that they identify each other in the field with a secret handshake, a curl of the middle fingers into the palm; that LDS members sent to infiltrate Turkish military high schools as language teachers all had a finger missing; that Mormons make up 40 percent of the U.S. military stationed overseas; and that evangelicals and Mormons are driven to Turkey by a common desire to bring about the end-of-days prophesies in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, by reuniting the Kurds—the lost 13th tribe of Israel.”
It's not interesting to me that the Church is targeted in Turkey, I think that is pretty typical for these days. I think it will change soon though. What is interesting to me is that an ex-member has fabricated a wild story of conspiracy. Even in Turkey ex-members are the Church’s worst enemy.
For instance the case of Sam Young. I don’t know the man, nor have I ever met him. But I’ve read his ramblings. On one hand he says he wants to be a member of the Church and then he publically rails on his leaders. He seems like a loose cannon to me. I don’t trust him. I believe him to be an enemy of the Church. I would watch him like a hawk.
John Dehlin is similar to Sam Young. John traded fame and “free speech” for his membership but I can say he did it with a lot more class. I don’t think he feels a need to rail against the Church as others who traded something for their membership. I would not consider Dehlin a threat to the Church as I would Young. Young has a buddy in his ridiculous “crusade” by the name of Mike Norton. Mike is just a plain idiot. He said he would pay a cash reward to someone who told him the location of Pres. Oaks so he could physically assault him. Never mind that this would be a young guy beating up on an elderly person, but he doesn’t quite understand the mission of Church security. They would have him on the ground faster than a calf at a rodeo. If he wants a piece of someone I’d oblige him. Unlike most members I’m not opposed to defending myself. I don’t perceive him as a real threat to me though. But this Einstein is a real physical threat to the Church. One of these days he’s going to run into someone who does not take kindly to his empty threats. But I digress.
“The Danites is the common name for the “Daughter of Zion,” an oath-bound military society organized among the Latter-day Saints in Missouri in summer 1838 to defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from internal and external opposition.
The official name was apparently derived from a passage in the book of Micah: “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.”
The society was modeled after the Israelite armies of the Old Testament, with companies of tens and fifties, but it also had officers like those found in state militia organizations.
The society’s constitution vested executive authority in Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency.
Joseph Smith attended at least one of the society’s meetings and reportedly expressed approval of its aims, but the precise nature of his involvement with the organization is unclear.
The Danites began in connection with the effort to intimidate dissenters into leaving Far West, Missouri.
According to its constitution, the society sought to protect the God-given rights of the Latter-day Saints and to resist oppression.
It also promoted political candidates favored by the First Presidency and attempted to enforce consecration efforts.
Later, in the “Mormon War” of autumn 1838, the term Danites was used interchangeably with armies of Israel to describe Latter-day Saint forces generally.
The popular notion of the Danites as an enduring secret society of Latter-day Saint avengers far outlived the society’s brief existence in summer and autumn 1838.”
From The Joseph Smith papers
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/topic/danites
B.H. Roberts (Church Historian, Presidency of the Seventy)
A Doctor Sampson Avard joined the Church a short time previous to the apostasy of Marsh and Hyde. He was one of those restless, ambitious men who desire to become great, and lord it over their fellow men. Possessing neither the intelligence nor the integrity to rise to positions of honor and trust in The Church by open, fair means, he resolved to become a leader by craft and villainy. He employed the art of flattery in his conversations with the brethren, appointed frequent meetings at his own house which was guarded by one or more of his trusted associates, who would give him a sign if any one approached whom he had not trusted. With an air of mystery he would intimate that he had been appointed by the heads of The Church to accomplish some important work of a secret character, and at last put those whom he had won by his flattery, under an oath of eternal secrecy, not to reveal anything that he should communicate to them.
By these means he continued to enlarge his band, which he named The Danites, claiming of course that it was a very ancient order or society. He gave to them certain secret signs by which members of the band could recognize each other either day or night. He gave them to understand that he had authority from the heads of The Church for what he was about to do. He then proceeded to organize his men into companies of tens and fifties, placing a captain over each. Up to this time Avard had never intimated that anything unlawful or contrary to the spirit of the gospel was to be carried out. But now that he had the companies organized and all under an oath of secrecy, he thought he could with safety let the mask fall. After instructing the men as to what their duties were under their several captains, he took the captains into a secluded place and there told them they would soon be permitted to go among the Gentiles and take their property as spoil, and by robbing and plundering the Gentiles, they were to waste them away and with the property thus confiscated build up the Kingdom of God. If any of the band were recognized by their enemies, "who could harm them?" he asked: "for," said he, "we will stand by each other, and defend one another in all things. If our enemies swear against us, we can swear also." At this point some of the brethren expressed surprise, in fact, astonishment. But Avard continued by saying:
As the Lord liveth I would swear to a lie to clear any of you; and if this would not do, I would put them or him under the sand as Moses did the Egyptian.... And if any of us transgress, we will deal with him amongst ourselves. And if any one of this Danite society reveals any of these things, I will put him where the dogs cannot bite him.
This lecture of the doctor's revealed for the first time the true intent of his designs, and the brethren he had duped suddenly had their eyes opened, and they at once revolted and manfully rejected his teachings. Avard saw that he had played and lost, so he said they had better let the matter drop where it was. As soon as Avard's villainy was brought to the knowledge of the president of The Church he was promptly excommunicated, and was afterwards found making an effort to become friends with the mob, and conspiring against The Church.
This is the history of the Danite band, "which," says the Prophet Joseph, "died almost before it had an existence." (Missouri Persecutions, p.218-220)
Joseph Smith History
And here I would state, that while the evil spirits were raging up and down in the state to raise mobs against the "Mormons," Satan himself was no less busy in striving to stir up mischief in the camp of the Saints: and among the most conspicuous of his willing devotees was one Doctor Sampson Avard, who had been in the Church but a short time, and who, although he had generally behaved with a tolerable degree of external decorum, was secretly aspiring to be the greatest of the great, and become the leader of the people. This was his pride and his folly, but as he had no hopes of accomplishing it by gaining the hearts of the people openly he watched his opportunity with the brethren—at a time when mobs oppressed, robbed, whipped, burned, plundered and slew, till forbearance seemed no longer a virtue, and nothing but the grace of God without measure could support men under such trials—to form a secret combination by which he might rise a mighty conqueror, at the expense and the overthrow of the Church. This he tried to accomplish by his smooth, flattering, and winning speeches, which he frequently made to his associates, while his room was well guarded by some of his followers, ready to give him the signal on the approach of anyone who would not approve of his measures.
In these proceedings he stated that he had the sanction of the heads of the Church for what he was about to do; and by his smiles and flattery, persuaded them to believe it, and proceeded to administer to the few under his control, an oath, binding them to everlasting secrecy to everything which should be communicated to them by himself. Thus Avard initiated members into his band, firmly binding them, by all that was sacred, in the protecting of each other in all things that were lawful; and was careful to picture out a great glory that was then hovering over the Church, and would soon burst upon the Saints as a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, and would soon unveil the slumbering mysteries of heaven, which would gladden the hearts and arouse the stupid spirits of the Saints of the latter-day, and fill their hearts with that love which is unspeakable and full of glory, and arm them with power, that the gates of hell could not prevail against them; and would often affirm to his company that the principal men of the Church had put him forward as a spokesman, and a leader of this band, which he named Danites.
Thus he duped many, which gave him the opportunity of figuring as a person of importance. He held his meetings daily, and carried on his crafty work in great haste, to prevent mature reflection upon the matter by his followers, until he had them bound under the penalties of death to keep the secrets and certain signs of the organization by which they were to know each other by day or night.
After those performances, he held meetings to organize his men into companies of tens and fifties, appointing a captain over each company. After completing this organization, he went on to teach the members of it their duty under the orders of their captains; he then called his captains together and taught them in a secluded place, as follows :
My brethren, as you have been chosen to be our leading men, our captains to rule over this last kingdom of Jesus Christ—and you have been organized after the ancient order—I have called upon you here today to teach you, and instruct you in the things that pertain to your duty, and to show you what your privileges are, and what they soon will be. Know ye not, brethren, that it soon will be your privilege to take your respective companies and go out on a scout on the borders of the settlements, and take to yourselves spoils of the goods of the ungodly Gentiles? for it is written, the riches of the Gentiles shall be consecrated to my people, the house of Israel; and thus you will waste away the Gentiles by robbing and plundering them of their property; and in this way we will build up the kingdom of God, and roll forth the little stone that Daniel saw cut out of the mountain without hands, and roll forth until it filled the whole earth. For this is the very way that God destines to build up His kingdom in the last days. If any of us should be recognized, who can harm us? for we will stand by each other and defend one another in all things. If our enemies swear against us, we can swear also. [The captains were confounded at this, but Avard continued]. Why do you startle at this, brethren? As the Lord liveth, I would swear to a lie to clear any of you; and if this would not do, I would put them or him under the sand as Moses did the Egyptian; and in this way we will consecrate much unto the Lord, and build up His Kingdom; and who can stand against us? And if any of us transgress, we will deal with him amongst ourselves. And if any one of this Danite society reveals any of these things, I will put him where the dogs cannot bite him.
At this lecture all of the officers revolted, and said it would not do, they would not go into any such measures, and it would not do to name any such thing; "such proceedings would be in open violation of the laws of our country, would be robbing our fellow citizens of their rights, and are not according to the language and doctrine of Christ, or of the Church of Latter-day Saints."
Avard replied, and said there was no laws that were executed in justice, and he cared not for them, this being a different dispensation, a dispensation of the fullness of times; in this dispensation he learned from the Scriptures that the kingdom of God was to put down all other kingdoms, and the Lord Himself was to reign, and His laws alone were the laws that would exist.
Avard's teachings were still manfully rejected by all. Avard then said that they had better drop the subject, although he had received his authority from Sidney Rigdon the evening before. The meeting then broke up; the eyes of those present were opened, Avard's craft was no longer in the dark, and but very little confidence was placed in him, even by the warmest of the members of his Danite scheme.
When a knowledge of Avard's rascality came to the Presidency of the Church, he was cut off from the Church, and every means proper used to destroy his influence, at which he was highly incensed and went about whispering his evil insinuations, but finding every effort unavailing, he again turned conspirator, and sought to make friends with the mob.
And here let it be distinctly understood, that these companies of tens and fifties got up by Avard, were altogether separate and distinct from those companies of tens and fifties organized by the brethren for self defense, in case of an attack from the mob. This latter organization was called into existence more particularly that in this time of alarm no family or person might be neglected; therefore, one company would be engaged in drawing wood, another in cutting it, another in gathering corn, another in grinding, another in butchering, another in distributing meat, etc., etc., so that all should be employed in turn, and no one lack the necessaries of life. Therefore, let no one hereafter, by mistake or design, confound this organization of the Church for good and righteous purposes, with the organization of the "Danites," of the apostate Avard, which died almost before it had existed. (History of the Church, 3:178-182)
These are a few writings on the Danites. I believe the Danites should exist again. Not in secret, and not by secret oaths. Those are evil and will spiral those who pursue them to their undoing. But the Danite organization for protecting the Church from persecution. In many ways, the Church legal department and the Church Security department are those organizations. Eventually it may come to others being organized to secure and uphold the Church. Just as many members sleep peacefully in their beds while rough men stand to do violence in their behalf, we should remember that we as members have a responsibility to defend this Church. I will admit that we are not even close to the point the Church was in while in Missouri. I think that will change and get worse. It actually is supposed to in the last days. This is why I advocate getting trained in defense. We will need it one day and we should have these skills already. I know that some will not agree with me. Some think that violence only begets violence. They would be correct. Always follow the Spirit when it comes to this. Be careful to not get caught up in the evil that can and does exist when it comes to using violence. The secret oaths still are out there and it’s a short step from defense to secret combinations. Like Moroni we should not be “men of blood” but not afraid to defend “…our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.” (Alma 46:12)
We must be vigilant.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
The following is snip from a NY Times Op-ed piece in 2012 when Mitt Romney was running for President of the United States.
“Why We Fear Mormons” Op-ed in The New York Times
By J. SPENCER FLUHMANJUNE 3, 2012
“When a perceived oddity is backed by Mormon money or growing political clout, the left gets jumpy. MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell and HBO’s Bill Maher have resorted to caricature, stereotyping and hyperbole in their anti-Mormon attacks. Liberals were outraged by Mormon financing of Proposition 8, the 2008 ban on same-sex marriage in California. They scoff at Mormonism’s all-male priesthood and ask why church leaders have yet to fully repudiate the racist teachings of previous authorities.
For the right, Mormonism figures in even more complicated ways. The Mormon road to respectability has often led, as it did for Mr. Romney, through Harvard Business School; pro-business Republicans have found ready friends among well-placed Mormons. But many rank-and-file evangelical Protestants call Mormonism a cult — as the pastor Robert Jeffress did last fall — or a “non-Christian religion.” Indeed, evangelical hatred has been the driving force behind national anti-Mormonism.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/opinion/anti-mormonism-past-and-present.html
Our religions opponents are generally light-weights. I’ve never put much stock in their rantings and ravings. I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my entire life. There are those who think they are “experts” on our Church and our religion. Studying something for X number of years, does not an expert make. I am a gun instructor. “Experts” in that field abound yet I feel you can always learn, and the term “expert” is very fluid.
In my study of those who study us, I’ve found there is usually an agenda in their interest. There may be some who honestly want to learn about our religion from a scholarly point of view. But most are trying to tear it down and some are even bent on destroying the Church. As I’ve believed for many years if the Church has any enemies, the worst would usually be ex-members. Some of these are even, in my opinion, physical threats to the Church.
Actual acts of violence against the Church are considerably less common in the United States today than they were in the nineteenth century. However, one major event related to the persecution of the Church is the murders of two missionaries in La Paz, Bolivia in May of 1989 by a terrorist organization called the Zarate Willka Liberation Armed Forces. On May 28, 1989, in the streets of La Paz, Bolivia's cemetery district, two Anglo missionaries were cruelly assassinated. For the first time, Guerrillas deliberately stalked and struck at representatives of the Church. This type of violence has increased.
Other events happened in the 1980s. Anti-Mormon protestors stood outside the Denver temple and threw rocks, and a firebombing scare was also reported there. Another Bolivian terrorist group, the Tupac Guerrilla Army, claimed responsibility for two attacks against chapels. The Latauro Youth Movement in Chile conducted twenty seven small-scale bombings against Mormon churches in 1992 as well. It has been reported that a total of one hundred and forty nine individual attacks had been carried out against LDS targets in Latin America since 1983.
There have been 27 acts of violence on Church property in the United States from 1999 until 2018. In 2018 there were 3 separate incidents. I’m not an alarmist but my time in the military taught me to look for trends. This violence is a trend. Now I will be the first to recognize that these acts of violence are not the acts of someone persecuting the Church. Most of them are acts by individuals targeting other individuals.
This is from an article from Bloomberg Businessweek September 25, 2018
Turkey May Target Mormons Next After Case Against U.S. Pastor
By Marc Champion and Cagan Koc
“The indictment, filed in May, ties Brunson to three alleged coup attempts against Erdogan since 2013. Yet the sole evidence for the Brunson-Abney meetings at the center of the prosecution’s conspiracy argument consists of cellphone tower records showing that, on the days the planning allegedly occurred, the two men’s phones were in Alsancak. Given that both men lived there, that would have been true most days of the year. “We never met Brunson” or even knew of his existence until his 2016 arrest, says Abney, now 71 and on a Mormon mission in the U.S. Nor, says Abney, had he conspired in any way against Turkey. “We just wanted to help people,” he says, by bringing wheelchairs to the disabled, pomegranate trees to poor villagers, and computers to schools.
According to Abney, the main witness against Brunson is almost certainly a former LDS member whom the prosecution has code-named “Dua,” a word meaning “prayer,” to protect his identity. Some of the evidence Dua produced comes from the Abneys’ computer, according to Kenneth Abney, who says the laptop was taken for repair by an interpreter who was later expelled by the church for allegedly embezzling $10,000.
Dua makes some spectacular claims—for example, that an umbrella organization for Christian churches that’s led by Mormons but involves the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency controls the deployment of all U.S. Christian missionaries; that they identify each other in the field with a secret handshake, a curl of the middle fingers into the palm; that LDS members sent to infiltrate Turkish military high schools as language teachers all had a finger missing; that Mormons make up 40 percent of the U.S. military stationed overseas; and that evangelicals and Mormons are driven to Turkey by a common desire to bring about the end-of-days prophesies in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, by reuniting the Kurds—the lost 13th tribe of Israel.”
It's not interesting to me that the Church is targeted in Turkey, I think that is pretty typical for these days. I think it will change soon though. What is interesting to me is that an ex-member has fabricated a wild story of conspiracy. Even in Turkey ex-members are the Church’s worst enemy.
For instance the case of Sam Young. I don’t know the man, nor have I ever met him. But I’ve read his ramblings. On one hand he says he wants to be a member of the Church and then he publically rails on his leaders. He seems like a loose cannon to me. I don’t trust him. I believe him to be an enemy of the Church. I would watch him like a hawk.
John Dehlin is similar to Sam Young. John traded fame and “free speech” for his membership but I can say he did it with a lot more class. I don’t think he feels a need to rail against the Church as others who traded something for their membership. I would not consider Dehlin a threat to the Church as I would Young. Young has a buddy in his ridiculous “crusade” by the name of Mike Norton. Mike is just a plain idiot. He said he would pay a cash reward to someone who told him the location of Pres. Oaks so he could physically assault him. Never mind that this would be a young guy beating up on an elderly person, but he doesn’t quite understand the mission of Church security. They would have him on the ground faster than a calf at a rodeo. If he wants a piece of someone I’d oblige him. Unlike most members I’m not opposed to defending myself. I don’t perceive him as a real threat to me though. But this Einstein is a real physical threat to the Church. One of these days he’s going to run into someone who does not take kindly to his empty threats. But I digress.
“The Danites is the common name for the “Daughter of Zion,” an oath-bound military society organized among the Latter-day Saints in Missouri in summer 1838 to defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from internal and external opposition.
The official name was apparently derived from a passage in the book of Micah: “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.”
The society was modeled after the Israelite armies of the Old Testament, with companies of tens and fifties, but it also had officers like those found in state militia organizations.
The society’s constitution vested executive authority in Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency.
Joseph Smith attended at least one of the society’s meetings and reportedly expressed approval of its aims, but the precise nature of his involvement with the organization is unclear.
The Danites began in connection with the effort to intimidate dissenters into leaving Far West, Missouri.
According to its constitution, the society sought to protect the God-given rights of the Latter-day Saints and to resist oppression.
It also promoted political candidates favored by the First Presidency and attempted to enforce consecration efforts.
Later, in the “Mormon War” of autumn 1838, the term Danites was used interchangeably with armies of Israel to describe Latter-day Saint forces generally.
The popular notion of the Danites as an enduring secret society of Latter-day Saint avengers far outlived the society’s brief existence in summer and autumn 1838.”
From The Joseph Smith papers
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/topic/danites
B.H. Roberts (Church Historian, Presidency of the Seventy)
A Doctor Sampson Avard joined the Church a short time previous to the apostasy of Marsh and Hyde. He was one of those restless, ambitious men who desire to become great, and lord it over their fellow men. Possessing neither the intelligence nor the integrity to rise to positions of honor and trust in The Church by open, fair means, he resolved to become a leader by craft and villainy. He employed the art of flattery in his conversations with the brethren, appointed frequent meetings at his own house which was guarded by one or more of his trusted associates, who would give him a sign if any one approached whom he had not trusted. With an air of mystery he would intimate that he had been appointed by the heads of The Church to accomplish some important work of a secret character, and at last put those whom he had won by his flattery, under an oath of eternal secrecy, not to reveal anything that he should communicate to them.
By these means he continued to enlarge his band, which he named The Danites, claiming of course that it was a very ancient order or society. He gave to them certain secret signs by which members of the band could recognize each other either day or night. He gave them to understand that he had authority from the heads of The Church for what he was about to do. He then proceeded to organize his men into companies of tens and fifties, placing a captain over each. Up to this time Avard had never intimated that anything unlawful or contrary to the spirit of the gospel was to be carried out. But now that he had the companies organized and all under an oath of secrecy, he thought he could with safety let the mask fall. After instructing the men as to what their duties were under their several captains, he took the captains into a secluded place and there told them they would soon be permitted to go among the Gentiles and take their property as spoil, and by robbing and plundering the Gentiles, they were to waste them away and with the property thus confiscated build up the Kingdom of God. If any of the band were recognized by their enemies, "who could harm them?" he asked: "for," said he, "we will stand by each other, and defend one another in all things. If our enemies swear against us, we can swear also." At this point some of the brethren expressed surprise, in fact, astonishment. But Avard continued by saying:
As the Lord liveth I would swear to a lie to clear any of you; and if this would not do, I would put them or him under the sand as Moses did the Egyptian.... And if any of us transgress, we will deal with him amongst ourselves. And if any one of this Danite society reveals any of these things, I will put him where the dogs cannot bite him.
This lecture of the doctor's revealed for the first time the true intent of his designs, and the brethren he had duped suddenly had their eyes opened, and they at once revolted and manfully rejected his teachings. Avard saw that he had played and lost, so he said they had better let the matter drop where it was. As soon as Avard's villainy was brought to the knowledge of the president of The Church he was promptly excommunicated, and was afterwards found making an effort to become friends with the mob, and conspiring against The Church.
This is the history of the Danite band, "which," says the Prophet Joseph, "died almost before it had an existence." (Missouri Persecutions, p.218-220)
Joseph Smith History
And here I would state, that while the evil spirits were raging up and down in the state to raise mobs against the "Mormons," Satan himself was no less busy in striving to stir up mischief in the camp of the Saints: and among the most conspicuous of his willing devotees was one Doctor Sampson Avard, who had been in the Church but a short time, and who, although he had generally behaved with a tolerable degree of external decorum, was secretly aspiring to be the greatest of the great, and become the leader of the people. This was his pride and his folly, but as he had no hopes of accomplishing it by gaining the hearts of the people openly he watched his opportunity with the brethren—at a time when mobs oppressed, robbed, whipped, burned, plundered and slew, till forbearance seemed no longer a virtue, and nothing but the grace of God without measure could support men under such trials—to form a secret combination by which he might rise a mighty conqueror, at the expense and the overthrow of the Church. This he tried to accomplish by his smooth, flattering, and winning speeches, which he frequently made to his associates, while his room was well guarded by some of his followers, ready to give him the signal on the approach of anyone who would not approve of his measures.
In these proceedings he stated that he had the sanction of the heads of the Church for what he was about to do; and by his smiles and flattery, persuaded them to believe it, and proceeded to administer to the few under his control, an oath, binding them to everlasting secrecy to everything which should be communicated to them by himself. Thus Avard initiated members into his band, firmly binding them, by all that was sacred, in the protecting of each other in all things that were lawful; and was careful to picture out a great glory that was then hovering over the Church, and would soon burst upon the Saints as a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, and would soon unveil the slumbering mysteries of heaven, which would gladden the hearts and arouse the stupid spirits of the Saints of the latter-day, and fill their hearts with that love which is unspeakable and full of glory, and arm them with power, that the gates of hell could not prevail against them; and would often affirm to his company that the principal men of the Church had put him forward as a spokesman, and a leader of this band, which he named Danites.
Thus he duped many, which gave him the opportunity of figuring as a person of importance. He held his meetings daily, and carried on his crafty work in great haste, to prevent mature reflection upon the matter by his followers, until he had them bound under the penalties of death to keep the secrets and certain signs of the organization by which they were to know each other by day or night.
After those performances, he held meetings to organize his men into companies of tens and fifties, appointing a captain over each company. After completing this organization, he went on to teach the members of it their duty under the orders of their captains; he then called his captains together and taught them in a secluded place, as follows :
My brethren, as you have been chosen to be our leading men, our captains to rule over this last kingdom of Jesus Christ—and you have been organized after the ancient order—I have called upon you here today to teach you, and instruct you in the things that pertain to your duty, and to show you what your privileges are, and what they soon will be. Know ye not, brethren, that it soon will be your privilege to take your respective companies and go out on a scout on the borders of the settlements, and take to yourselves spoils of the goods of the ungodly Gentiles? for it is written, the riches of the Gentiles shall be consecrated to my people, the house of Israel; and thus you will waste away the Gentiles by robbing and plundering them of their property; and in this way we will build up the kingdom of God, and roll forth the little stone that Daniel saw cut out of the mountain without hands, and roll forth until it filled the whole earth. For this is the very way that God destines to build up His kingdom in the last days. If any of us should be recognized, who can harm us? for we will stand by each other and defend one another in all things. If our enemies swear against us, we can swear also. [The captains were confounded at this, but Avard continued]. Why do you startle at this, brethren? As the Lord liveth, I would swear to a lie to clear any of you; and if this would not do, I would put them or him under the sand as Moses did the Egyptian; and in this way we will consecrate much unto the Lord, and build up His Kingdom; and who can stand against us? And if any of us transgress, we will deal with him amongst ourselves. And if any one of this Danite society reveals any of these things, I will put him where the dogs cannot bite him.
At this lecture all of the officers revolted, and said it would not do, they would not go into any such measures, and it would not do to name any such thing; "such proceedings would be in open violation of the laws of our country, would be robbing our fellow citizens of their rights, and are not according to the language and doctrine of Christ, or of the Church of Latter-day Saints."
Avard replied, and said there was no laws that were executed in justice, and he cared not for them, this being a different dispensation, a dispensation of the fullness of times; in this dispensation he learned from the Scriptures that the kingdom of God was to put down all other kingdoms, and the Lord Himself was to reign, and His laws alone were the laws that would exist.
Avard's teachings were still manfully rejected by all. Avard then said that they had better drop the subject, although he had received his authority from Sidney Rigdon the evening before. The meeting then broke up; the eyes of those present were opened, Avard's craft was no longer in the dark, and but very little confidence was placed in him, even by the warmest of the members of his Danite scheme.
When a knowledge of Avard's rascality came to the Presidency of the Church, he was cut off from the Church, and every means proper used to destroy his influence, at which he was highly incensed and went about whispering his evil insinuations, but finding every effort unavailing, he again turned conspirator, and sought to make friends with the mob.
And here let it be distinctly understood, that these companies of tens and fifties got up by Avard, were altogether separate and distinct from those companies of tens and fifties organized by the brethren for self defense, in case of an attack from the mob. This latter organization was called into existence more particularly that in this time of alarm no family or person might be neglected; therefore, one company would be engaged in drawing wood, another in cutting it, another in gathering corn, another in grinding, another in butchering, another in distributing meat, etc., etc., so that all should be employed in turn, and no one lack the necessaries of life. Therefore, let no one hereafter, by mistake or design, confound this organization of the Church for good and righteous purposes, with the organization of the "Danites," of the apostate Avard, which died almost before it had existed. (History of the Church, 3:178-182)
These are a few writings on the Danites. I believe the Danites should exist again. Not in secret, and not by secret oaths. Those are evil and will spiral those who pursue them to their undoing. But the Danite organization for protecting the Church from persecution. In many ways, the Church legal department and the Church Security department are those organizations. Eventually it may come to others being organized to secure and uphold the Church. Just as many members sleep peacefully in their beds while rough men stand to do violence in their behalf, we should remember that we as members have a responsibility to defend this Church. I will admit that we are not even close to the point the Church was in while in Missouri. I think that will change and get worse. It actually is supposed to in the last days. This is why I advocate getting trained in defense. We will need it one day and we should have these skills already. I know that some will not agree with me. Some think that violence only begets violence. They would be correct. Always follow the Spirit when it comes to this. Be careful to not get caught up in the evil that can and does exist when it comes to using violence. The secret oaths still are out there and it’s a short step from defense to secret combinations. Like Moroni we should not be “men of blood” but not afraid to defend “…our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.” (Alma 46:12)
We must be vigilant.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Monday, June 10, 2019
Privacy: Dead Drops Now and Then
What is a dead drop? It is a method that spies use or have used to communicate with
Others who have information for them. The dead drop allows them to exchange information without having actual physical contact with each other. The person leaving the information can leave it under a rock or a can or bush. The person leaving the information also leaves some kind of signal the drop was made. Someone views the signal and retrieves information.Signaling devices can include a chalk mark on a wall, a piece of chewing-gum on a lamppost, or a newspaper left on a park bench. Alternatively, the signal can be made from inside the agent's own home, by, for example, hanging a distinctively-colored towel from a balcony, or placing a potted plant on a window sill where it is visible to anyone on the street. Convicted CIA mole and Soviet spy Aldrich Ames left chalk marks on a mail box in Washington D.C. to signal his Soviet handlers that he had made a dead drop. If you are an “X-Files” fan you remember the signal Mulder would put on his window. He used masking tape and taped an “X” on the window to signal “Deep throat” he needed to see him.
Some more unusual dead drops have used dead animals like rabbits, rats and a large
Bird to hide the information. These have been used by both the CIA and KGB. The one problem with this type of dead drop is that other scavengers tend to mess with dead animals. The CIA and KGB found an easy solution to that; they poured liberal doses of hot sauce on the dead animals and scavenges became disinterested in them. Another type of unusual dead drop location is using a portable toilet. The commodes could hold a lot of information; however, portable toilets are regularly vacuumed out so one would need to be careful about leaving information there. On one occasion a Porta- Potty was used, the information bag got stuck in a vacuum hose.
This is a very low-tech, simple way to communicate when you don’t want to meet face-to-face with someone, or want to leave information for someone.
The tech equivalent of a physical dead drop would be the website Dead drop me dot com. (https://dead drop.me/)
As you go to the dead-drop.me site it asks you to enter the message you want to send.
It then gives you an address location where your message is and a password to get this message.
Here's why your message is safe:
Your message is not transmitted unencrypted
Your message is not stored unencrypted
Your encrypted message is stored for 24 hours, then deleted
Once your message is retrieved, it is deleted
If there is a problem retrieving your message, including an incorrect password, it is deleted
The website cannot decrypt your message, they simply don't have the password
The security of the encryption used is handled by the Symmetric Encryption engine developed at Stanford University.
The largest threat associated with this method is having your message & password both intercepted and retrieved before your intended recipient has an opportunity to retrieve it. You should be mindful of how you transmit these pieces of information, and ideally send the password separate from the link.
To further secure your message you can write it in code. My family has used a Book cipher code for years.
A book cipher is a cipher in which the key is some aspect of a book or other piece of text. Books, being common and widely available in modern times, are more convenient for this use than objects made specifically for cryptographic purposes. It is typically essential that both correspondents not only have the same book, but the same edition.
Traditionally book ciphers work by replacing words in the plain text of a message with the location of words from the book being used. In this mode, book ciphers are more properly called codes.
Another approach is to use a dictionary as the codebook. This guarantees that nearly all words will be found, and also makes it much easier to find a word when encoding
Make sure everyone in the message stream has the same printing of the book used. I bought about 10 dictionaries at the dollar store for my family.
Dead drops have been used a very long time. We know they were used during the Revolutionary War. In modern time an FBI agent named Robert Hanson, caught in 2001 spying for Russia. He used a dead drop under a bridge in Virginia.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Friday, June 7, 2019
Overwatch: Drill of the Month For June
June 2019
Speed Loading Tactical Shotgun Drill
This drill is for using a tactical shotgun to fight multiple attackers. The scene begins with you facing three attackers, your gun shot empty. You must load your shotgun single-shot from your spare ammo and take out the attackers one by one.
Three knockdown targets are set at 5 yards, 10 yards and 15 yards. Start with the shotgun on your shoulder, with slide back and action open (on a semi-auto the gun should be at slide-lock). At the buzzer, load one shell from your ammo supply and shoot the 5-yard target. Load a second shell and shoot the center target. Finally, load a third shell and shoot the last target. The timer stops with the final shot.
The key is to hit the first assailant immediately, so timing the first shot and the speed of the splits for the following shots is important—total time is not. A good shooter can actually load three shells and shoot three targets with a faster total time, but the time to the first shot will be at least double. That gives an attacker plenty of time to take you out.
Spare ammo should be carried the same as you would in a real fight. We found a receiver-mounted sidesaddle fastest, followed by a vest or jacket pocket (which was usually about 1 second slower in total time). Go to your ammo supply for each new shell, as trying to grab multiple shotshells will usually result in slowing down that critical first shot.
To start, most shooters will take about 9 seconds to complete this drill. With practice, a good shooter does it in 7 seconds, and anything under 6 seconds is excellent. If you can get the time under 5 seconds you’re OK to brag—loudly and often. The most important aspect is the time to the first shot, followed by the splits between the next two shots. Most shooters are 3 to 3.5 seconds to the first shot (anything under 2.5 seconds is excellent)—it takes a very good shooter to do it under 2 seconds. The splits for the next two shots will be slightly faster because the shooter no longer has to react to the buzzer. For a good shooter, splits are 2 seconds with anything under 1.5 seconds being very good. These times apply to a pump action, so may vary with a semi-auto.
This drill is from an article By Bryce M. Towsley titled: “Six Lifesaving Gun Drills” for Personal & Home Defense Magazine, October 25, 2012
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2012/10/six-lifesaving-gun-drills/
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
See “Overwatch: Drill of the Month” page for more drills
Speed Loading Tactical Shotgun Drill
This drill is for using a tactical shotgun to fight multiple attackers. The scene begins with you facing three attackers, your gun shot empty. You must load your shotgun single-shot from your spare ammo and take out the attackers one by one.
Three knockdown targets are set at 5 yards, 10 yards and 15 yards. Start with the shotgun on your shoulder, with slide back and action open (on a semi-auto the gun should be at slide-lock). At the buzzer, load one shell from your ammo supply and shoot the 5-yard target. Load a second shell and shoot the center target. Finally, load a third shell and shoot the last target. The timer stops with the final shot.
The key is to hit the first assailant immediately, so timing the first shot and the speed of the splits for the following shots is important—total time is not. A good shooter can actually load three shells and shoot three targets with a faster total time, but the time to the first shot will be at least double. That gives an attacker plenty of time to take you out.
Spare ammo should be carried the same as you would in a real fight. We found a receiver-mounted sidesaddle fastest, followed by a vest or jacket pocket (which was usually about 1 second slower in total time). Go to your ammo supply for each new shell, as trying to grab multiple shotshells will usually result in slowing down that critical first shot.
To start, most shooters will take about 9 seconds to complete this drill. With practice, a good shooter does it in 7 seconds, and anything under 6 seconds is excellent. If you can get the time under 5 seconds you’re OK to brag—loudly and often. The most important aspect is the time to the first shot, followed by the splits between the next two shots. Most shooters are 3 to 3.5 seconds to the first shot (anything under 2.5 seconds is excellent)—it takes a very good shooter to do it under 2 seconds. The splits for the next two shots will be slightly faster because the shooter no longer has to react to the buzzer. For a good shooter, splits are 2 seconds with anything under 1.5 seconds being very good. These times apply to a pump action, so may vary with a semi-auto.
This drill is from an article By Bryce M. Towsley titled: “Six Lifesaving Gun Drills” for Personal & Home Defense Magazine, October 25, 2012
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2012/10/six-lifesaving-gun-drills/
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
See “Overwatch: Drill of the Month” page for more drills
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Concealed Carry And Law
I am not a lawyer. So this is not legal advice. I have also never been in a gunfight as a civilian. I have however, used my gun in defence, but I did not have to shoot it. So what I know is just what I have learned from others. I’ve talked about the need for restraint when you are armed. If you carry a gun you should not be easily angered. You should not be easily provoked. You should know when to draw your weapon and when you should run, or at least back off and leave.
Who are you going to call at 3 AM while the police are coming to arrest you for legally defending yourself and your family?
Here are four options to meet your specific, or unique needs:
1. Texas/US Law Shield https://www.uslawshield.com/
2. NRA Carry Guard https://www.nracarryguard.com/
3. USCCA (United States Concealed carry Association) https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/
4. Firearms Legal Protection https://firearmslegal.com/
There are others but these are the ones I’m most familiar with.
During a call and an interrogation you must say the “magic words”…
“I am the victim of a violent crime.”
”I want to remain silent.”
“I want an attorney present.”
If you fail to say the magic words your silence will and can be used against you in a court of law.
This is only my opinion. Get competent legal advice on what to say and not say.
It is ok to get them your name/identification.
If you have any weapon or a gun in your defence plan, take five minutes and get legal protection!
For "Right-to-Carry" law info, check out the NRA/ILA: www.nraila.org/gun-laws.aspx
Here are some tips from “Criminal Defense Lawyer” by Lauren Baldwin
“A person is entitled to use a gun for self-defense in the U.S., if necessary, but laws in every state establish when a person can use force to defend himself (or another), and whether a person can use a weapon.”
“The law governing self defense does not excuse any violent act just because another person struck the first blow or made a violent threat. Traditional self defense laws require a person who is being attacked or threatened with imminent attack to act reasonably and
• retreat if possible without taking any physical action, and
• use only the amount of force reasonably necessary to fend off the attacker.”
“If the victim could not retreat, the jury usually next must consider whether the victim was reasonably in fear for his physical safety and whether any force the victim used was reasonable. The test is often whether a reasonable person in similar circumstances would be afraid and would act as the defendant did.”
“In general, people who are under attack in their own homes don’t need to retreat or try to escape, even if they can do so safely. Instead, they can typically “stand their ground” and use force—even enough force to kill—if they are in apparent danger of serious injury. The theory is that people shouldn’t have to run within or from their own homes—that they should be free to defend their “castles.””
“If you are charged with a crime, you should contact an attorney who is familiar with the criminal law in your state. If you used a gun in self-defense, you also should contact an attorney whether or not you have been charged with a crime. An experienced attorney can advise you of the law regarding guns and self-defense and represent you in a criminal case, if necessary.”
These were just snips from her article titled: “Using a Gun for Self Defense: Laws and Consequences.”
https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/using-a-gun-self-defense-laws-and-consequences.htm
Being responsible in carrying a gun means getting and continuing training, learning laws, keeping laws, and doing your best to avoid, deter, and de-escalate any fight. You must do this if you are to be responsible. Otherwise, you’re just someone with a gun.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Who are you going to call at 3 AM while the police are coming to arrest you for legally defending yourself and your family?
Here are four options to meet your specific, or unique needs:
1. Texas/US Law Shield https://www.uslawshield.com/
2. NRA Carry Guard https://www.nracarryguard.com/
3. USCCA (United States Concealed carry Association) https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/
4. Firearms Legal Protection https://firearmslegal.com/
There are others but these are the ones I’m most familiar with.
During a call and an interrogation you must say the “magic words”…
“I am the victim of a violent crime.”
”I want to remain silent.”
“I want an attorney present.”
If you fail to say the magic words your silence will and can be used against you in a court of law.
This is only my opinion. Get competent legal advice on what to say and not say.
It is ok to get them your name/identification.
If you have any weapon or a gun in your defence plan, take five minutes and get legal protection!
For "Right-to-Carry" law info, check out the NRA/ILA: www.nraila.org/gun-laws.aspx
Here are some tips from “Criminal Defense Lawyer” by Lauren Baldwin
“A person is entitled to use a gun for self-defense in the U.S., if necessary, but laws in every state establish when a person can use force to defend himself (or another), and whether a person can use a weapon.”
“The law governing self defense does not excuse any violent act just because another person struck the first blow or made a violent threat. Traditional self defense laws require a person who is being attacked or threatened with imminent attack to act reasonably and
• retreat if possible without taking any physical action, and
• use only the amount of force reasonably necessary to fend off the attacker.”
“If the victim could not retreat, the jury usually next must consider whether the victim was reasonably in fear for his physical safety and whether any force the victim used was reasonable. The test is often whether a reasonable person in similar circumstances would be afraid and would act as the defendant did.”
“In general, people who are under attack in their own homes don’t need to retreat or try to escape, even if they can do so safely. Instead, they can typically “stand their ground” and use force—even enough force to kill—if they are in apparent danger of serious injury. The theory is that people shouldn’t have to run within or from their own homes—that they should be free to defend their “castles.””
“If you are charged with a crime, you should contact an attorney who is familiar with the criminal law in your state. If you used a gun in self-defense, you also should contact an attorney whether or not you have been charged with a crime. An experienced attorney can advise you of the law regarding guns and self-defense and represent you in a criminal case, if necessary.”
These were just snips from her article titled: “Using a Gun for Self Defense: Laws and Consequences.”
https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/using-a-gun-self-defense-laws-and-consequences.htm
Being responsible in carrying a gun means getting and continuing training, learning laws, keeping laws, and doing your best to avoid, deter, and de-escalate any fight. You must do this if you are to be responsible. Otherwise, you’re just someone with a gun.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Remember 75 Years Ago-D-Day
Remember with reverence this day, 75 years ago on what became known as D-Day in 1944. Allied forces took on 10,000 casualties including over 4,000 dead. We must not forget this sacrifice of Australia, the U.K., Canada, and U.S. forces.
Take a moment out of your busy day to show reverence for this sacrifice and remember.
Thank you to all those who served, and who serve now. You are our true heroes!
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Take a moment out of your busy day to show reverence for this sacrifice and remember.
Thank you to all those who served, and who serve now. You are our true heroes!
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
AK Or AR? The Eternal Question
Are you an AK guy or an AR guy? How many times have you heard that question? My answer is always, “Depends”. Am I going house-to-house in Kabul? Or am I outfitting an Army to overthrow a Marxist regime? Each gun has their good points. Most people have a favorite. Sometimes it depends on your experience. In the military we learned a lot about the AKM, (M for “modernized or upgraded”) which is the real name of the variant most people call “AK-47”. An AK-47 is really an old gun. One that I would love to get a hold of. They are getting increasingly rare. Russia manufactured the original Kalashnikov, a Type 1 AK-47, in 1948. There is a Type 2 AK-47 which is actually an AK-49. By 1956 the AK-49 (named for the year it started development) was being manufactured but not widely. The SKS designed by Simonov, was being used by the military more than the AK’s. In 1959 the SKM was widely distributed. The AK variant is the most-used and copied design in the world. The AKM is the design that most call the “AK-47”. It is encountered more than any other design. All variants were based on the original AK-47 design but the only correct AK-47 is based on one of the three original receiver types.
In 1974 the Soviets were replacing the AK-47’s and AKM’s with their new AK-74 rifle which does not shoot the traditional 7.62 x 39 round, but the newer 5.45 x 39mm round.
So when you hear anti-gunners talk about the dreaded AK-47, you might teach them that those guns are hard to find. An AK variant is what they are talking about. But like clips and magazines, most people don’t know and many don’t care.
The AR-15 is a lightweight, magazine-fed, air cooled rifle with a rotating-lock bolt. It works on what is called direct impingement gas operation or long/short stroke piston operation that fires 5.56 mm/.223-caliber ammunition.
It was first built by ArmaLite as a small arms rifle for the United States armed forces. Because of financial problems, ArmaLite sold the AR-15 design to Colt who made some modifications and the redesigned rifle was adopted as the M16 rifle. This was the main rifle used by US Armed Forces. Colt then started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15 for civilian sales in 1963 and the term AR-15 has been used to refer to semiautomatic-only versions of the rifle ever since.
I love the AK platform. To me it is an exotic firearm even though it’s one of the most common in the world. They are not favorite, it’s hard for me to give up the good ol’ USA made AR. I’d love to have an AK. I’ve been shot at enough with AK’s it would be nice to point it the other way! I am also not a fan of the 7.62 x 39 round. I don’t mind it to hunt with but for defense I just prefer the 5.56. The .308 is too heavy of a bullet for my taste.
Here are my comparison points. There are many opinions on this particular subject, but this is mine.
Cost
Once upon a time, there was no debate. The AK could be had for far less than an AR, which made it very attractive to new shooters wanting a so-called “assault rifle” on a budget. In fact, many people wanting to get into tactical-style rifles gravitated toward the AK to start with.
But baby, things change.
My first gun show in the 80’s had AKs or SKSs for $299 each, today finding one for that price should be wonderful. A quick look over on Gunbroker shows that many AKs have a price tag of over $1,000. There are a number of reasons for that, and we don’t have the space to go into all of them, but the days of inexpensive AKs are over. While there are a handful that are priced a bit better, the lowest price for an actual 7.62×39 AK was around $800–they’re still pretty pricey.
ARs, however, seem to have a bit of a range in price. Budget AR-15s can be had for around $600+, and the choices are plentiful and from brands ranging from DPMS to Smith & Wesson. The top end for ARs seems to be “how much money you want to put in?” Realistically, you can spend several thousand dollars on an AR if you want to, but that’s up to you.
Ammo: Availability and cost
Once upon a time, this was a big factor that drove a lot of people to the AK over the AR. Back then, there was a whole lot of surplus ammo to be found, and that drove the costs of ammunition for the rifle down. Also, the AR did not have the popularity it enjoys now.
Those days are over. The surplus ammo has pretty much gone away. This means you’re either shooting old stuff you have stocked or you’re spending a lot of money.
Basically, the higher end ammo is really close in price for the two weapons while the lower you go, the bigger the discrepancy. However, at no point is the difference that much for a box of 20. If you buy in bulk, though, you may see more variance.
But if bulk of ammo is a factor for you (like humping 400 rounds several miles) then obviously, the smaller bullet would be lighter. You can carry more.
Weight
The original AK-47 weighs a little over 8.5 lbs, with an empty magazine in the weapon.
By contrast, the stock AR-15 weighs around 6.5 lbs in a similar state.
In other words, you have a two-pound difference. Additionally, the 7.62×39 round of the AK-47 is a heavier round than the 5.56×54 the AR-15 is chambered in. In a fully loaded rifle of each, the difference in weight is even more noticeable. That makes the AR the clear winner on this one.
Now, that said, weight changes as people add stuff to a weapon, and the AR platform is notorious for having a plethora of accessories. So, if you add too much stuff to your rifle, you negate weight savings.
Power
When it comes to discussion on power, there’s a lot to discuss. Frankly, an entire post could be written on this topic.
The general consensus is pretty clear; the 7.62×39 round is a more powerful round than the 5.56 round. That’s not really up for debate. It’s a bigger, beefier round that hits with more punch. Now, that size comes with costs. For example, weight.
The key point to remember here is that 7.62×39 is legal to hunt deer in a lot of places where 5.56/.223 is not.
Accuracy
All the ammo in the world won’t make a hill of beans if you can’t hit what you’re aiming at. All the practice in the world won’t help if your weapon is destined to miss everything anyway.
The AK is notorious for being an inaccurate rifle. Some chalk this up to the ammunition most people get. Others chalk it up to the looser tolerances of the AK platform. It doesn’t matter. The reputation is still there.
Based on my own experiences, it’s there for a reason. The AK will probably hit the guy you’re aiming at if you’re not at extended ranges and do your part correctly. This means you’ll probably hit any game you’re hunting under the same circumstances.
However, hitting your target and putting a living target on the ground are very different things.
The AR, on the other hand, tends to be far more accurate. The 5.56 round and tighter tolerances provide for a platform that has more inherent accuracy than its competitor. Further, the platform can be made even more accurate with aftermarket additions, something that just isn’t available with an AK style rifle.
Reliability
It doesn’t matter what the weapon can do if you can’t trust it to go bang when you pull the trigger, and one of these weapons has a nasty reputation on this front as well.
This time, it’s the AR…sort of.
You see, the similar M-16 rifles were notorious for jamming in Vietnam, and it wasn’t because of the full-auto parts either. Instead, it was a combination of factors that are still the source of some debate, even today.
By contrast, the AK is a notoriously tough rifle that will run no matter what you do to it. You can supposedly bury it in the mud and gunk for a year, pull it out, run a cleaning rod through the barrel to make sure it’s clear, then go to work.
Of course, neither of these reputations are quite accurate. They have their basis in reality. But they’re not quite true.
I’ve had an AK jam, and I’ve never had a jam with an AR. So maybe my experience is a little off. But I’ll also be the first to tell you not to trust the experiences I’ve had. Find out for yourself.
Through the years, I’ve seen very few AKs jam, and most of those were either magazine or ammo issues. Meanwhile, I’ve seen more ARs jam. These are often maintenance issues as well as the obligatory magazine and ammo problems.
Neither are common, however. So, while you can trust your life to an AR, I’m still giving the edge to the AK. Maybe that is just reputation and history.
There you have it. My own lame opinion of the differences between an AK and an AR. Your experience may vary.
In the end, most of what we do is from our experience rather than someone’s blog post, or review, or their own tests. Most of us have an opinion because of our own experiences. I am an AR person. But you may be different.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
In 1974 the Soviets were replacing the AK-47’s and AKM’s with their new AK-74 rifle which does not shoot the traditional 7.62 x 39 round, but the newer 5.45 x 39mm round.
So when you hear anti-gunners talk about the dreaded AK-47, you might teach them that those guns are hard to find. An AK variant is what they are talking about. But like clips and magazines, most people don’t know and many don’t care.
The AR-15 is a lightweight, magazine-fed, air cooled rifle with a rotating-lock bolt. It works on what is called direct impingement gas operation or long/short stroke piston operation that fires 5.56 mm/.223-caliber ammunition.
It was first built by ArmaLite as a small arms rifle for the United States armed forces. Because of financial problems, ArmaLite sold the AR-15 design to Colt who made some modifications and the redesigned rifle was adopted as the M16 rifle. This was the main rifle used by US Armed Forces. Colt then started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15 for civilian sales in 1963 and the term AR-15 has been used to refer to semiautomatic-only versions of the rifle ever since.
I love the AK platform. To me it is an exotic firearm even though it’s one of the most common in the world. They are not favorite, it’s hard for me to give up the good ol’ USA made AR. I’d love to have an AK. I’ve been shot at enough with AK’s it would be nice to point it the other way! I am also not a fan of the 7.62 x 39 round. I don’t mind it to hunt with but for defense I just prefer the 5.56. The .308 is too heavy of a bullet for my taste.
Here are my comparison points. There are many opinions on this particular subject, but this is mine.
Cost
Once upon a time, there was no debate. The AK could be had for far less than an AR, which made it very attractive to new shooters wanting a so-called “assault rifle” on a budget. In fact, many people wanting to get into tactical-style rifles gravitated toward the AK to start with.
But baby, things change.
My first gun show in the 80’s had AKs or SKSs for $299 each, today finding one for that price should be wonderful. A quick look over on Gunbroker shows that many AKs have a price tag of over $1,000. There are a number of reasons for that, and we don’t have the space to go into all of them, but the days of inexpensive AKs are over. While there are a handful that are priced a bit better, the lowest price for an actual 7.62×39 AK was around $800–they’re still pretty pricey.
ARs, however, seem to have a bit of a range in price. Budget AR-15s can be had for around $600+, and the choices are plentiful and from brands ranging from DPMS to Smith & Wesson. The top end for ARs seems to be “how much money you want to put in?” Realistically, you can spend several thousand dollars on an AR if you want to, but that’s up to you.
Ammo: Availability and cost
Once upon a time, this was a big factor that drove a lot of people to the AK over the AR. Back then, there was a whole lot of surplus ammo to be found, and that drove the costs of ammunition for the rifle down. Also, the AR did not have the popularity it enjoys now.
Those days are over. The surplus ammo has pretty much gone away. This means you’re either shooting old stuff you have stocked or you’re spending a lot of money.
Basically, the higher end ammo is really close in price for the two weapons while the lower you go, the bigger the discrepancy. However, at no point is the difference that much for a box of 20. If you buy in bulk, though, you may see more variance.
But if bulk of ammo is a factor for you (like humping 400 rounds several miles) then obviously, the smaller bullet would be lighter. You can carry more.
Weight
The original AK-47 weighs a little over 8.5 lbs, with an empty magazine in the weapon.
By contrast, the stock AR-15 weighs around 6.5 lbs in a similar state.
In other words, you have a two-pound difference. Additionally, the 7.62×39 round of the AK-47 is a heavier round than the 5.56×54 the AR-15 is chambered in. In a fully loaded rifle of each, the difference in weight is even more noticeable. That makes the AR the clear winner on this one.
Now, that said, weight changes as people add stuff to a weapon, and the AR platform is notorious for having a plethora of accessories. So, if you add too much stuff to your rifle, you negate weight savings.
Power
When it comes to discussion on power, there’s a lot to discuss. Frankly, an entire post could be written on this topic.
The general consensus is pretty clear; the 7.62×39 round is a more powerful round than the 5.56 round. That’s not really up for debate. It’s a bigger, beefier round that hits with more punch. Now, that size comes with costs. For example, weight.
The key point to remember here is that 7.62×39 is legal to hunt deer in a lot of places where 5.56/.223 is not.
Accuracy
All the ammo in the world won’t make a hill of beans if you can’t hit what you’re aiming at. All the practice in the world won’t help if your weapon is destined to miss everything anyway.
The AK is notorious for being an inaccurate rifle. Some chalk this up to the ammunition most people get. Others chalk it up to the looser tolerances of the AK platform. It doesn’t matter. The reputation is still there.
Based on my own experiences, it’s there for a reason. The AK will probably hit the guy you’re aiming at if you’re not at extended ranges and do your part correctly. This means you’ll probably hit any game you’re hunting under the same circumstances.
However, hitting your target and putting a living target on the ground are very different things.
The AR, on the other hand, tends to be far more accurate. The 5.56 round and tighter tolerances provide for a platform that has more inherent accuracy than its competitor. Further, the platform can be made even more accurate with aftermarket additions, something that just isn’t available with an AK style rifle.
Reliability
It doesn’t matter what the weapon can do if you can’t trust it to go bang when you pull the trigger, and one of these weapons has a nasty reputation on this front as well.
This time, it’s the AR…sort of.
You see, the similar M-16 rifles were notorious for jamming in Vietnam, and it wasn’t because of the full-auto parts either. Instead, it was a combination of factors that are still the source of some debate, even today.
By contrast, the AK is a notoriously tough rifle that will run no matter what you do to it. You can supposedly bury it in the mud and gunk for a year, pull it out, run a cleaning rod through the barrel to make sure it’s clear, then go to work.
Of course, neither of these reputations are quite accurate. They have their basis in reality. But they’re not quite true.
I’ve had an AK jam, and I’ve never had a jam with an AR. So maybe my experience is a little off. But I’ll also be the first to tell you not to trust the experiences I’ve had. Find out for yourself.
Through the years, I’ve seen very few AKs jam, and most of those were either magazine or ammo issues. Meanwhile, I’ve seen more ARs jam. These are often maintenance issues as well as the obligatory magazine and ammo problems.
Neither are common, however. So, while you can trust your life to an AR, I’m still giving the edge to the AK. Maybe that is just reputation and history.
There you have it. My own lame opinion of the differences between an AK and an AR. Your experience may vary.
In the end, most of what we do is from our experience rather than someone’s blog post, or review, or their own tests. Most of us have an opinion because of our own experiences. I am an AR person. But you may be different.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
An Oath: Worth Fighting For
June is when I think about the Oath that I took back in the early eighties.
My oath was and is:
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
30 something years ago today I took this oath. I took it more than once. Even though it’s been many years since I took that oath last, it still resonates in my head. Let’s look a little closer at this oath.
Solemnly swear or affirm. What does this mean? Making a serious promise.
Support and defend the Constitution of the United States. This means fighting oppression where ever it is found. Many think this is not necessary. That is the way many felt in 1941 until Pearl Harbor was bombed.
All enemies foreign and domestic. This means that we are all for freedom in this country. But try and place a socialist, communist, or oppressive government into this country, legal or not legal, I will fight against that.
Bearing true faith and allegiance. This means that the Constitution is the foundation on which we put our faith and that we are loyal to its principles.
Obey the orders of the POTUS and those officers appointed over me. This mean that obedience is our mantra. It does not mention “lawful” orders, but that is the only orders we are to carry out. Orders we deem to be lawful.
So help me God. This means God should be with us in carrying out these lawful orders or in defending that Constitution.
The earliest Western use of oath books (swearing on something) in a legal setting dates to ninth-century England when, in the absence of a structured royal government, certain transactions were conducted at the altar, the participants swearing on a gospel book. Three centuries later, English courts adopted the practice, requiring jury members and individuals in particular trials to take an oath on the Bible. An unnamed thirteenth-century Latin manuscript, now held in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, sets out the method and the significance of the act. By placing a hand on the book and then kissing it, the oath-taker is acknowledging that, should he lie under oath, neither the words in the Bible nor his good deeds nor his prayers will bring him any earthly or spiritual profit. In time, this became standard legal procedure—all witnesses swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—and made its way into American courts. British witnesses today still take their oaths “by Almighty God,” as American oath-takers conclude theirs with “so help me God.” Witnesses and officials can opt to make an affirmation rather than swear; the affirmation omits reference to God and uses the words “I affirm” rather than “I swear.” The formula was developed to accommodate those branches of Christianity that believe swearing to be an offence, but it is now available to atheists and to agnostics. In such cases, no book is used. A few years ago, and more recently, some firefighters and others took their oath on an electronic device.
The Constitution was signed September 17, 1787, born out of the Declaration of Independence as a means of governing 13 very diverse states. Prior to that date, the young nation had been ruled by the Articles of Confederation, which required all 13 states to agree unanimously to get anything passed. Finding that a bit unwieldy in the days after the war, the Constitution diluted the majority requirement to a two-thirds agreement, or nine out of 13 states.
After months of arguing Benjamin Franklin, wrote to the committee as they met Sept. 17, 1787, begging them to become unified. “I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the builders of Babel; and that our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another’s throats.”
Subtlety aside, Franklin’s words must have worked. Thirty-eight signed the document, with two delegates from Virginia, Gov. Edmund Randolph and George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, as the hold-outs. As soon as the ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified the document on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became law, going into effect Sept. 15, 1788. Rhode Island would be the last of the 13 states to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
From this came the need for Oaths to uphold this great document. The end of the declaration has its’s own form of oath:
“And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
People don’t talk like that anymore. Certainly not our politicians.
Most oaths do not have an expiration date. I’ve never seen one that has.
We just had Memorial Day. The 4th of July will be here soon. After that is Veteran’s Day in November. June 14th is the anniversary of the first military oath taken in 1775. A year later was the birth of this great country.
Don’t thank a veteran for their service, for most of us were just doing what we think is right. I only ask that you read the words of those Oaths all military members take, and try to understand just how significant it is. You might fail to capture it, just as I have, but it could be an exercise that imparts the true significance of just what it means to be willing to give up everything to defend what’s worth fighting for.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
My oath was and is:
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
30 something years ago today I took this oath. I took it more than once. Even though it’s been many years since I took that oath last, it still resonates in my head. Let’s look a little closer at this oath.
Solemnly swear or affirm. What does this mean? Making a serious promise.
Support and defend the Constitution of the United States. This means fighting oppression where ever it is found. Many think this is not necessary. That is the way many felt in 1941 until Pearl Harbor was bombed.
All enemies foreign and domestic. This means that we are all for freedom in this country. But try and place a socialist, communist, or oppressive government into this country, legal or not legal, I will fight against that.
Bearing true faith and allegiance. This means that the Constitution is the foundation on which we put our faith and that we are loyal to its principles.
Obey the orders of the POTUS and those officers appointed over me. This mean that obedience is our mantra. It does not mention “lawful” orders, but that is the only orders we are to carry out. Orders we deem to be lawful.
So help me God. This means God should be with us in carrying out these lawful orders or in defending that Constitution.
The earliest Western use of oath books (swearing on something) in a legal setting dates to ninth-century England when, in the absence of a structured royal government, certain transactions were conducted at the altar, the participants swearing on a gospel book. Three centuries later, English courts adopted the practice, requiring jury members and individuals in particular trials to take an oath on the Bible. An unnamed thirteenth-century Latin manuscript, now held in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge, sets out the method and the significance of the act. By placing a hand on the book and then kissing it, the oath-taker is acknowledging that, should he lie under oath, neither the words in the Bible nor his good deeds nor his prayers will bring him any earthly or spiritual profit. In time, this became standard legal procedure—all witnesses swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—and made its way into American courts. British witnesses today still take their oaths “by Almighty God,” as American oath-takers conclude theirs with “so help me God.” Witnesses and officials can opt to make an affirmation rather than swear; the affirmation omits reference to God and uses the words “I affirm” rather than “I swear.” The formula was developed to accommodate those branches of Christianity that believe swearing to be an offence, but it is now available to atheists and to agnostics. In such cases, no book is used. A few years ago, and more recently, some firefighters and others took their oath on an electronic device.
The Constitution was signed September 17, 1787, born out of the Declaration of Independence as a means of governing 13 very diverse states. Prior to that date, the young nation had been ruled by the Articles of Confederation, which required all 13 states to agree unanimously to get anything passed. Finding that a bit unwieldy in the days after the war, the Constitution diluted the majority requirement to a two-thirds agreement, or nine out of 13 states.
After months of arguing Benjamin Franklin, wrote to the committee as they met Sept. 17, 1787, begging them to become unified. “I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the builders of Babel; and that our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another’s throats.”
Subtlety aside, Franklin’s words must have worked. Thirty-eight signed the document, with two delegates from Virginia, Gov. Edmund Randolph and George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, as the hold-outs. As soon as the ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified the document on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became law, going into effect Sept. 15, 1788. Rhode Island would be the last of the 13 states to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
From this came the need for Oaths to uphold this great document. The end of the declaration has its’s own form of oath:
“And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
People don’t talk like that anymore. Certainly not our politicians.
Most oaths do not have an expiration date. I’ve never seen one that has.
We just had Memorial Day. The 4th of July will be here soon. After that is Veteran’s Day in November. June 14th is the anniversary of the first military oath taken in 1775. A year later was the birth of this great country.
Don’t thank a veteran for their service, for most of us were just doing what we think is right. I only ask that you read the words of those Oaths all military members take, and try to understand just how significant it is. You might fail to capture it, just as I have, but it could be an exercise that imparts the true significance of just what it means to be willing to give up everything to defend what’s worth fighting for.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Monday, June 3, 2019
Gun Registration in The U.S.
I get this question from many different people. Do I have to register my gun?
Let me try to set the record straight. Hollywood and the left mainstream media have been somewhat successful in their propaganda war against the 2nd amendment. At least in the area of registration. Most people think that guns must be registered. Even those who have bought a gun think that filling out an ATF Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record, is registering their gun. There is no national database or system or registry that ties gun owners to their firearms. The background check is not even in a system for more than 24 hours. In 1986 the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act makes it illegal for the national government or any state in the country to keep any sort of database or registry that ties firearms directly to their owner. The exact wording of the provision is as follows:
“No such rule or regulation prescribed [by the Attorney General] after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or disposition be established. Nothing in this section expands or restricts the Secretary's authority to inquire into the disposition of any firearm in the course of a criminal investigation.”
A few things here you should understand. First notice the use of the word “after” in the first sentence. That means that any law that existed prior to the passing of FOPA, that required guns be registered, can still exist and be legally enforced.
FOPA revised many of the provisions of the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Remember that just because something is illegal doesn’t mean it isn’t being done. New York for example. It’s interesting to me that those that are for “sensible” gun laws, decide to ignore a federal law. They are for federal gun bans, but FOPA they ignore.
The NYPD has a record of the manufacturer, model, serial number and caliber of every firearm (handgun and long arms too) in NY. You need to have a registration certificate for every long arm in addition to needing a “Permit to Possess Rifles or Shotguns In New York City” (which are limited to 5 rounds among other restrictions). Other municipalities also have a track record of ignoring the Federal Firearm Owner's Protection Act.
Local Jurisdictions that Register Guns:
States that Require Registration of All Firearms
1. District of Columbia
2. Hawaii
States that Require Registration of Handguns
New York
States that Require New Residents to Report Their Firearms
1. California
2. Maryland (handguns and “assault weapons”)
States that Require Registration of Pre-Ban “Assault Weapons” and/or 50 Caliber Rifles
1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Hawaii
4. Maryland
5. New Jersey
6. New York
Despite FOPA There Are Some Limited Government Gun Databases
In addition to the local authorities who may disregard the local law we also know that the ATF keeps at least 5 databases of specific firearms and their owners to include:
1. Multiple Sale Reports. Over 460,000 (as of 2003) Multiple Sales reports (ATF F 3310.4 – a registration record with specific firearms and owner name and address – increasing by about 140,000 per year). Reported as 4.2 million records in 2010.
2. Suspect Guns. All guns suspected of being used for criminal purposes but not recovered by law enforcement. This database includes (ATF's own examples), individuals purchasing large quantities of firearms, and dealers with improper record keeping. May include guns observed by law enforcement in an estate, or at a gun show, or elsewhere. Reported as 34,807 in 2010.
3. Traced Guns. Over 4 million detail records from all traces since inception. This is a registration record which includes the personal information of the first retail purchaser, along with the identity of the selling dealer.
4. Out of Business Records. Data is manually collected from paper Out-of-Business records (or input from computer records) and entered into the trace system by ATF. These are registration records which include name and address, make, model, serial and caliber of the firearm(s), as well as data from the 4473 form – in digital or image format. In March, 2010, ATF reported receiving several hundred million records since 1968.
5. Theft Guns. Firearms reported as stolen to ATF. Contained 330,000 records in 2010. Contains only thefts from licensed dealers and interstate carriers (optional). Does not have an interface to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) theft data base, where the majority of stolen, lost and missing firearms are reported.
Gun registration DOES NOT STOP CRIMINALS! How could it? Even if law enforcement know who owns a gun used in a crime, that does not convict anyone! It does, however, burden a law enforcement agency. All registration does is track the innocent. Criminals are not going to participate.
Making it easy for our government to identify what they perceive as a threat, and ignoring Constitutional, God given rights, is always pursued in the name of law enforcement. Please don’t misunderstand my attitude toward law enforcement. I think they are the best in the world! I’ve trained, and trained with, many of these fine men and women. I applaud their tireless efforts to keep Americans safe and secure. But they do work for the people. The people’s rights should not be ignored in the name of making law enforcements jobs easier. I want law enforcement to succeed. But not at the expense of my rights. Why is anyone so trusting of government? I agree that our governments are not perfect, but I’ve never seen a better one. But the people should ALWAYS have power over government, not vice versa. A good example of government gone crazy is the case of the FBI trying to force Apple to open the phone of a terrorist. What kind of police work is that? It’s not the responsibility of the people, or Corporations, to do the FBI’s work! Then, after taking Apple to court, they did what they should have done all along, hired someone to hack into the phone. Instead they took Apple to court and tried to force an American citizen to do their work! What kind of lazy police work is that? This is what I think of gun registration. I’m not really worried that my government is going to storm into my house demanding guns, but I do know that if they don’t know who has guns it would make it much more difficult. I should be difficult. That’s why the 2nd amendment is there. So that the people have power over the government.
Regardless of those governments that think they rule over the people (yea I’m talking to YOU Hawaii and Washington D.C.) there is no gun registration in the United States.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
Let me try to set the record straight. Hollywood and the left mainstream media have been somewhat successful in their propaganda war against the 2nd amendment. At least in the area of registration. Most people think that guns must be registered. Even those who have bought a gun think that filling out an ATF Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record, is registering their gun. There is no national database or system or registry that ties gun owners to their firearms. The background check is not even in a system for more than 24 hours. In 1986 the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act makes it illegal for the national government or any state in the country to keep any sort of database or registry that ties firearms directly to their owner. The exact wording of the provision is as follows:
“No such rule or regulation prescribed [by the Attorney General] after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or disposition be established. Nothing in this section expands or restricts the Secretary's authority to inquire into the disposition of any firearm in the course of a criminal investigation.”
A few things here you should understand. First notice the use of the word “after” in the first sentence. That means that any law that existed prior to the passing of FOPA, that required guns be registered, can still exist and be legally enforced.
FOPA revised many of the provisions of the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Remember that just because something is illegal doesn’t mean it isn’t being done. New York for example. It’s interesting to me that those that are for “sensible” gun laws, decide to ignore a federal law. They are for federal gun bans, but FOPA they ignore.
The NYPD has a record of the manufacturer, model, serial number and caliber of every firearm (handgun and long arms too) in NY. You need to have a registration certificate for every long arm in addition to needing a “Permit to Possess Rifles or Shotguns In New York City” (which are limited to 5 rounds among other restrictions). Other municipalities also have a track record of ignoring the Federal Firearm Owner's Protection Act.
Local Jurisdictions that Register Guns:
States that Require Registration of All Firearms
1. District of Columbia
2. Hawaii
States that Require Registration of Handguns
New York
States that Require New Residents to Report Their Firearms
1. California
2. Maryland (handguns and “assault weapons”)
States that Require Registration of Pre-Ban “Assault Weapons” and/or 50 Caliber Rifles
1. California
2. Connecticut
3. Hawaii
4. Maryland
5. New Jersey
6. New York
Despite FOPA There Are Some Limited Government Gun Databases
In addition to the local authorities who may disregard the local law we also know that the ATF keeps at least 5 databases of specific firearms and their owners to include:
1. Multiple Sale Reports. Over 460,000 (as of 2003) Multiple Sales reports (ATF F 3310.4 – a registration record with specific firearms and owner name and address – increasing by about 140,000 per year). Reported as 4.2 million records in 2010.
2. Suspect Guns. All guns suspected of being used for criminal purposes but not recovered by law enforcement. This database includes (ATF's own examples), individuals purchasing large quantities of firearms, and dealers with improper record keeping. May include guns observed by law enforcement in an estate, or at a gun show, or elsewhere. Reported as 34,807 in 2010.
3. Traced Guns. Over 4 million detail records from all traces since inception. This is a registration record which includes the personal information of the first retail purchaser, along with the identity of the selling dealer.
4. Out of Business Records. Data is manually collected from paper Out-of-Business records (or input from computer records) and entered into the trace system by ATF. These are registration records which include name and address, make, model, serial and caliber of the firearm(s), as well as data from the 4473 form – in digital or image format. In March, 2010, ATF reported receiving several hundred million records since 1968.
5. Theft Guns. Firearms reported as stolen to ATF. Contained 330,000 records in 2010. Contains only thefts from licensed dealers and interstate carriers (optional). Does not have an interface to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) theft data base, where the majority of stolen, lost and missing firearms are reported.
Gun registration DOES NOT STOP CRIMINALS! How could it? Even if law enforcement know who owns a gun used in a crime, that does not convict anyone! It does, however, burden a law enforcement agency. All registration does is track the innocent. Criminals are not going to participate.
Making it easy for our government to identify what they perceive as a threat, and ignoring Constitutional, God given rights, is always pursued in the name of law enforcement. Please don’t misunderstand my attitude toward law enforcement. I think they are the best in the world! I’ve trained, and trained with, many of these fine men and women. I applaud their tireless efforts to keep Americans safe and secure. But they do work for the people. The people’s rights should not be ignored in the name of making law enforcements jobs easier. I want law enforcement to succeed. But not at the expense of my rights. Why is anyone so trusting of government? I agree that our governments are not perfect, but I’ve never seen a better one. But the people should ALWAYS have power over government, not vice versa. A good example of government gone crazy is the case of the FBI trying to force Apple to open the phone of a terrorist. What kind of police work is that? It’s not the responsibility of the people, or Corporations, to do the FBI’s work! Then, after taking Apple to court, they did what they should have done all along, hired someone to hack into the phone. Instead they took Apple to court and tried to force an American citizen to do their work! What kind of lazy police work is that? This is what I think of gun registration. I’m not really worried that my government is going to storm into my house demanding guns, but I do know that if they don’t know who has guns it would make it much more difficult. I should be difficult. That’s why the 2nd amendment is there. So that the people have power over the government.
Regardless of those governments that think they rule over the people (yea I’m talking to YOU Hawaii and Washington D.C.) there is no gun registration in the United States.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn
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