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If You’re in a Fair Fight, Your Tactics Suck

August 19, 2013 by

Dirty fighter

What I mean by “If you’re in a fair fight, your tactics suck” is that if you’re attacked, there is no such thing as a fair fight. You should do what you need to do to ensure you walk away, even if that means “fighting dirty”.

A disclaimer of sorts: Violence should only be used to stop violence directed at you or a loved one. Once someone puts their hands on you or a loved one, they have given you consent to defend yourself and/or the ones you love.

If I am forced to use violence, the goal is to end the threat and get away to safety. The goal is not to beat the attacker to a pulp, though that might be needed to get away. Some of the things I will explain are not going to neutralize an attacker by themselves. Some may just “short circuit” them for a short time. When the attacker is short circuited, you can either use that brief pause to use another attack or to get away.

I often carry a firearm for self-defense but there are times when I can’t. There are also situations, such as being within arm’s reach, which might not permit drawing a firearm, making hand-to-hand necessary.

None of the techniques I am explaining need any training to learn, though training will help you and the techniques be much more effective. Many of them will work for people of smaller stature against larger attackers.
 
 
Eye gouge/eye flick

I have seen this tactic mentioned several times over the years and it is often explained as pushing your thumbs deep into the eye sockets of the attacker. There is a problem with this explanation however; doing so is repellent to human behavior. In his book “On Killing,” Lt. Col. Dave Grossman explains the following:

“The single most effective mechanically easiest way to inflict significant damage on a human being with one’s hand, is to punch the thumb through his eye and on into the brain.”

He goes on to explain that even though this attack would be extremely effective, it goes against human nature. He also says that during the filming of a movie that was rated X because of it’s violent content, an actress who was to portray stabbing a man in the eye with a rat tail comb, passed out twice during filming.

“This is a professional actress, she can portray killing, lying and sex on the screen with relative ease, but even the pretense of stabbing someone in the eye seems to have touched a resistance so powerful and deep seeded that her body and emotions, the tools of the professional actress literally refuse to cooperate. In fact I cannot find any references of anyone in the history of human combat ever having used this simple technique.”

As we can see, a gouge is not something many people can do. Because of that, here is a different method of attacking the eyes: keep your fingers limp and flick your wrist, aiming your fingers at the attacker’s eyes. This will short circuit them and cause the eyes to water, enabling you to assess and flee or attack again, if needed.
 
 

Box the Ears

Boxing of the ears can be very painful and can inflict severe damage to the ear drums. To box the ears simply slap the ears with your palms. This is another means of short circuiting the attacker, enabling you to assess and flee or attack again, if needed.
 
 

Crush the Windpipe

To crush the windpipe, keep your four fingers together and fully extend the thumb making a V with your hand. Aim at the attacker’s throat, trying to have the thumb and fingers on opposite sides of the throat. Depending on the force, this attack can be a short circuit, causing the attacker to gasp for air. It can also be fatal.
 
 

Punching or Smashing the Nose

Punching or smashing the nose can cause blood loss and the eyes to tear. Sometimes, seeing their own blood takes the fight out of the attacker. Also, if their eyes are watering, you can either take advantage and attack again or flee. I say “smash” because, due to body position, sometimes you can’t truly punch but you may be able to smash their nose with the palm of your hand.
 
 
Groin Attacks

I think everyone knows a groin attack on a man can shut down a fight quickly, but it can be very painful to a woman as well. When attacking the groin, you don’t have to aim directly for it. If you attack the high leg, momentum will bring the attack to the groin.
 
 

Brachial Plexus

The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves running from the spine and through the neck. This is another short circuit, with the potential to be a finisher. While doing gun disarms with a partner a while back, I hit him with roughly 50% strength. This was enough force to cause him to drop the blue gun, even though that wasn’t the portion of the move that was to strip the gun. I have a friend who has done training in the past where a blow to the brachial plexus caused someone to lose consciousness. To initiate this move, simply strike the crook of the neck by punching or chopping. Chopping works really well for shorter people who might not be able to punch effectively on a taller person.
 
 
Head Butt

I am not talking about the traditional WWF head butt. This head butt is accomplished by facing the attacker, grabbing their head with both hands and squatting, slamming their face on the top of your head. This obviously isn’t an attack you would start with. Since your hands are already on their head, this is an excellent move after boxing their ears.
 
 

Elbow and Knee Strikes

Many of the attacks listed above are great ways to short circuit an attacker but many are just that, only short circuits. A fantastic closer is an elbow or knee strike. When striking with the elbow, do so with an open hand. This causes you to strike with the bare ulnar bone. If you do an elbow strike with a closed fist, the ulnar bone is covered with muscle, which is softer than bone and causes less damage to your attacker. Strike with elbows instead of fists whenever possible. The bones in your hands are far less forgiving. A broken hand can take you out of the fight.
 
 

Closing thoughts

Since we only use force in self-defense, the rule of thumb is to keep attacking until either your attacker stops or you are able to get away. It could take multiple attacks for either of those to be a viable option. An engagement drill we practiced in Haganah chained many of the attacks listed above; it went something like this: The attacker comes at you. You kick them in the thigh, aiming for a nerve in the thigh. This is followed by a punch to the brachial plexus, boxing their ears, head butting, lifting their head and delivering an elbow strike to the brachial plexus. We would then put them in a type of hold, deliver three knees to the legs, swing them to the ground and feign breaking their ankle.

That is one example of chaining attacks, but doing an eye flick, punch to the noes and an elbow to the jaw might work just fine. Do not stop fighting until they give up or you have an opportunity to retreat.

 
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Home Security Inside and Out

June 5, 2013 by

Let’s face it, most homes are not built with security in mind and are relatively easy to get into. But that doesn’t mean they need to stay that way! In this article, I’ll give you some tips on making your home look like a harder target, actually make it harder to breach and give some general things to keep in mind about security.

 

Things to Keep in Mind

My local police captain said that most theft is drug related; people either breaking in looking for drugs, prescription or otherwise, or people breaking in to steal things they can trade or sell to get drugs. He also said that most of the crime in my city comes from Minneapolis, which is twenty miles away. I think those two things hold true in any area. Most theft is probably drug related and most criminals don’t steal from the area they live. They travel to another neighborhood or city.

Why is this important? It means that often times the criminals would have to “case” a residence to see if it is worth breaking into. The term “curb appeal” usually means how aesthetically pleasing your home is from the curb. One often wants curb appeal when they’re selling their home.

But does your home have curb appeal to Joe Dirtbag and his criminal friends? Are there any expensive items in view from the street that might advertise other valuable items that might be inside? In my neighborhood, it’s not uncommon for people to leave their garage door open until they lock up for the night. Anyone passing by can get a good idea of where they may want to come back to later. They might not want the items in the garage, but if you have expensive tools or other items, that can be a sign that other valuables are inside.

One thing I recommend is to walk around the outside of your home and look for ways that Joe Dirtbag may try to gain access. Do you have any tall shrubs near windows or doors that could give Joe Dirtbag a place to hide while he tries to gain access to your home?

Have you heard this one? “Two friends were hiking and came upon a mother bear and her cub. The bear gave chase and the two friends began running. One friend said to another, there is no way we can outrun this bear. The other friend responded with, “I don’t have to out run the bear, I just have to out run you”.

Many times the same theory applies; you don’t need to be able to make your home impenetrable, you just need to make it look like a harder target than your neighbors.

All of that being said, if someone wants to get into your house, you’re not going to keep them out. The items I’ll cover have two purposes; to make your home a harder target and to slow down Joe Dirtbag once he does gain access to your home.

Some things to keep in mind about Joe Dirtbag and his friends are that, in general, they are lazy and not sophisticated. Yes there are some criminals who might use lock picks, subvert alarm systems and use devices that disarm cell phones. But for the most part, the criminals that break into the average homes use brute force and go for easy pickings.

There are two types of security that will be covered; active and passive. “Active” means that it is something you will have to do, like locking a door or putting a door brace in place. “Passive” is something that you just have to install once. This would be something like putting longer screws in a door jamb.

Security systems are a good option if they fit your lifestyle and the monthly payments are not prohibitive. The following are things you can do on top of or instead of a security system.
 

Home Exterior

I covered a bit of this above. None of these, by themselves, will deter someone, but if you have multiple things to make possible detection too risky, they may go elsewhere. Do you have bushes or hedges that could conceal someone trying to gain access to a door or window? Do you have a tree that could be climbed to give access to a second story window? Motion sensor lights are a great item to have. They only light up once something has passed in front of the sensor. One option is to use thorny bushes such as Pyracantha and Barberry in front of windows.

Home alarms are a great option and having a sign in your yard that advertises the alarm is a good idea as well. It, by itself, won’t stop anyone but adds one more item to the list of reasons why your house might not be the best choice is the objective. If you don’t have an alarm system, you can buy alarm company signs on eBay and Amazon.
 

Home Interior

The goal for this section is to make it take as long as possible for Joe Dirtbag to get through the front door to you and your family. As with the exterior, the interior of most homes is not set up with security in mind. It is set up for the ease of use and comfort of the family. However, having a way to lock a teenager in their room until they’re 30 does sound appealing. But I digress; the average home has a front door or windows that a criminal can gain access from, and a bedroom door that is often hollow core with a simplistic lock. If we can add another layer or two of security, we can add to the length of time it takes Mr. Dirtbag to get to the family, giving us more time to gather the family, arm ourselves and call police.

I think everyone should have a room in their house they consider a “safe room”. I don’t mean a room that is commercially fortified and has its own air filtration system. I mean a room that you might reinforce, that is the “go to” spot if there is an intruder. If you have children, you might choose one of their rooms. If you have multiple small children, you might first go to the smallest child’s room and carry them to the largest child’s room and make that the safe room.
 
Doors

This info applies to both exterior and interior doors. If you chose to make one of the rooms in your home a safe room, doing the following things to the door of that room will greatly increase the time it takes to get to you. Before I go further, let me give a brief description of the parts of a doorway. The door frame is the opening in the wall, reinforced by studs. The door jamb is what is attached to the door frame, which the door is then mounted to via the hinges. It is possible to reinforce many parts of the door so I’ll cover them individually.
 

The door

There are usually county or city codes on the exterior door, so I’ll not cover that. I do recommend that the interior door of the safe room be solid and not a hollow core door. A door that has three hinges is preferable over a door that has only two hinges.
 
Door Jamb and Hinges

While expensive, it is possible to replace a wooden door jamb with a metal one. Most of the time, the screws that are used to attach the door jamb through the hinges to the door frame are 1”-2” long, which is not long enough to go into the studs of the door frame. Replacing them with 3” screws will allow the screw to go into the door frame. This is beneficial as the impact from a kick is then displaced over the door frame as well. Now, instead of a kick only needing to tear the screw out of the door jamb, it is needing to break through the stud as well.
 
Striker Plate

The striker plate usually is only two inches or so and attaches with two screws. It is possible to get one that is 4”, the full length of the door, and attaches with multiple screws. Replacing the short screws with 3” screws that will go into the door frame is also a good idea. Adding a longer strike plate that has more screws will displace a kick over a greater area, making it harder to kick the door in.
 
Locks

Most exterior doors have a deadbolt and a lock on the handle. Here is a video that shows how you can reinforce the deadbolt with a metal pipe. Most bedroom doors have flimsy locks on the handles, if any lock is there at all. Replacing it with a lock that cannot be picked with a paper clip is one option. Adding a deadbolt that is reinforced with a pipe is another.
 
Door Braces

There are several types of door braces, all of which are active security, so you’ll need to put them in place for them to work. Some will mount on the floor. If you have carpet or wood, this might be an option. If you have tile or would rather not have something mounted to the floor, there are braces that slide under the door knob and have a pole that extends to the floor. I’m not endorsing the following products, as I have never used them but I wanted to show a visual example. On a side note, these two types of door braces make lock picks useless.

Here is a video of a floor based system called Nightlock. It shows two men, each trying to kick in a door, one with Nightlock and one without. In the video, the gentleman trying to kick in the door never gets through. In fact, the door jamb begins to separate from the doorframe before he gets in. Now I don’t know if they did anything else to make that door more secure, but if not, this is pretty impressive.
 

 
Here is a video on a door brace that slides under the door knob. I tried to find a video of this type being tested but couldn’t find one. This type can also double as a sliding glass door stop and can be taken with you to be used when travelling. If you don’t want to mount the floor based systems, this might be the best option. I like the idea of this for the safe room. It could be next to the door, waiting to be used.
 

 

Windows

Windows are a bit trickier to protect but there are still a couple options. The first is the more expensive option, which is a film you can place over the window to make it more resistant to breaking. While I am sure there are more companies that sell this type of film, here are three 3M, Solar Guard and Burglar Guard. The only one that listed prices that I could find was Burglar Guard. Their price was $319 for a 36in by 25ft piece of film. As you can see in the video below, this stuff works.
 

 
Another, less expensive, option is window alarms. These won’t prevent glass breakage but it will alert two different ways; on vibration or if a magnetic contact is broken. They range in price from $7.00-$15.00 per alarm or you can buy a full window alarm system for under $200 on Amazon.com
 

Final Thoughts

Doing many of the above mentioned things can add precious seconds to the time it takes you to respond and act on your plan. Having a firearm and phone in your safe room is also a good idea but know how to use both! Wait for the dispatcher to tell you the scene is clear, not the “officer” on the other side of the door!

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Christianity and the Bible’s Case for Self-Defense

May 29, 2013 by

Today we have a guest post, an author published by Prepper Press named John Elliot.  John writes about Christianity and self-defense.  This is a subject I covered a couple years ago, please see the comment section for my thoughts on John’s article, and on the subject in general.

 

Christianity and the Bible’s Case for Self-Defense

As the author of books having to do with self-preservation and, far more importantly, as a Christian, I have had to answer some rather deeply personal questions that require a considerable level of introspection. At the forefront of those questions is the one that asks, “What does God say about Believers protecting themselves from criminals, terrorists, or anyone else who may wish to harm us?”

Since my last book came out, Don’t Be A Victim!, I have been asked that question no less than six times. Well, part of the answer can be found in various books of the Bible. Was Moses condemned by God for going to the defense of a fellow Israelite and killing an Egyptian? The answer is no. In the book of Acts, chapter 7:24, it clearly demonstrates that the act of killing that Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite was in fact part of Moses’ acceptance by the Israelites.

Nowhere in the Bible does it show that Christians are to be the doormats for the evil people of the world; but are we as Christians called upon to turn the other cheek? Well, yes. Matthew 5:39 instructs us about just that thing. There is even a time when Believers in Christ may have to suffer and die. We can read about that in Matthew5:11, Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 2:3, and in some other passages found in the Bible. All of that is true; there is no argument here at all.

What is also true is the Christian doctrine of self-defense and preservation, of preparedness and good common sense. The Apostle Paul implied that Christian men ought to defend their families. In 1 Timothy 5:8, after speaking about how the law applies to criminals and other violators of the trust God gives to men and women, it reads, “But those who won’t care for their relatives; especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.” We are told by those words, and so many other passages, that we as Christians have a right, a duty and an obligation to protect the innocent amongst us.

If you are lying in bed at night and you waken by the sound of breaking glass, what do you do? You dial 911 right away, but what happens if an intruder is then heard climbing the stairs to where your wife and children are sleeping? The police may be on their way, but they are still several minutes away. You are a Christian, you are told to love your enemy, but you also know that the burglar in your home is probably capable of unspeakable violence. What now? If you are like me, you reach for that Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol, and before the burglar makes it to the top of the stairs, you send him off to meet his Maker.

We live in a violence-prone world, gone mad with horrible crime each day, with horrific acts of terrorism across the globe, with the knowledge that eventually we may all have to face our worst fears in life. Being a born-again Believer in Christ helps to relieve so much of that fear and anxiety, but being prepared for the unexpected is what God expects from each of us.

John Elliott is the author of Don’t Be A Victim!: An Officer’s Advice on Preventing Crime, published by Prepper Press. He is a law enforcement veteran who worked for police agencies in Virginia, Rhode Island and Florida, as well as for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Customs Service. He also spent many years working with Interpol, and was a bomb disposal technician conducting land mine and unexploded military ordnance disposal in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia and North Africa.
 
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Filed Under: Christian World View, Security

There is no Such Thing as Privacy and yes Big Brother is Watching

May 15, 2013 by

Big Brother

You know that feeling you get when you’re in public and realize your zipper is down? Exposed, uncovered, vulnerable and maybe even a little violated? Some of you are going to feel that way after reading today’s article. Some might accuse me of needing a tinfoil hat after reading this, but I assure you this information is credible. I have used the best sources I can find. If I had to guess, this is only scratching the surface.

There is no such thing as privacy…at least in the modern age of technology; oh and Big Brother is watching. What you say on your cell phone, data you save on your smartphone, write in emails, post to social media, search on the Internet for, say near a cell phone (even if it’s off) and more is all susceptible to being actively stored, cataloged and monitored.

I realize what I have said so far might seem a bit dramatic, so instead of writing my opinion I will give sources for the statements I have made and give you my $.02. Before I go on, I want to address what some of you may be thinking; “I’m not doing anything illegal! Why should I care who tracks what?” You may not be doing anything illegal now but there may well come a day when simply living out our Christian beliefs may be illegal. Saying that marriage should be between one man and one woman could, in the future, be viewed as a hate crime. Don’t think so? Here is an article from the Christian News network called “Canadian Supreme Court Rules Biblical Speech Opposing Homosexual Behavior is a ‘Hate Crime’.” As I will explain below, some of what you say now, can come back to haunt you.
 
 
Internet

There are so many security and privacy concerns when it comes to the Internet that I can’t cover them all. Here are some that I think you should be aware of. As Forbes.com states in their article called “Google Hands Over User Data For 94% Of U.S. Law Enforcement Requests”

“When law enforcement comes looking for evidence hidden in your Google search history, Gmail or the uncountable other Google services that touch many Internet users’ lives, don’t expect Google to turn the investigators away. In 19 out of 20 cases in the second half of last year, the company handed over at least some of the data the government demanded.”

I have read from multiple sources that in some cases, Google didn’t require a warrant.
This means that every search term, every site visited, every document in Google Documents or similar online document hosting software, every download that is done from your computer has the possibility of being compiled and stored about you. I don’t know about you but I have done some research related to preparedness and potential threats that, if taken out of context, could make me look like a homegrown terrorist.
 
 

The National Security Agency (NSA)

Here is where things get a little spooky. I have read quite a lot about the abilities, practices and plans of the NSA and it is all very concerning to me. In short, the NSA has put nearly every American on virtual surveillance by keeping track of every email and other online habits, storing them for possible future use. This has all been done without warrants and according to one of the videos shown below, one whistle blower from the NSA claims it was all done under something called “Terrorist Surveillance Program”. It’s not that the NSA is actively monitoring all digital communications, but that they are storing it and, if the need should arise, they can do a search for a suspect’s name and pull all digitally stored data relevant to that person. In one of the videos below, NSA whistleblower William Binney states that the NSA has been collecting this data for at least the last ten years.

As you can imagine this would require a massive datacenter to store all of this data, which is why the NSA has recently built a “spy center” in Bluffdale, Utah. To help put the amount of data they will be capable of storing into perspective, FOX news, in their article called NSA data center front and center in debate over liberty, security and privacy” says:

“The agency will neither confirm nor deny specifics. Some published reports suggest it could hold 5 zettabytes of data. (Just one zettabyte is the equivalent of about 62 billion stacked iPhones 5’s– that stretches past the moon.”

As an example of what the NSA is capable of, the Blaze, in an article called “NSA Whistleblower Explains Chilling Interview: ‘Everyone in the U.S. Is Under Virtual Surveillance’” notes:

“Binney then discussed the recent resignation of Gen. David Petraeus over an extra-marital affair, and how his private communications were intercepted.
“As far as the actual government goes, [adultery] is not a high crime and misdemeanor here,” co-host Stu Burguiere weighed in. “It’s sort of secondary, and they’ll go to that extent to out somebody who may have had a political issue. That’s frightening.”

Here are two more articles on the Bluffdale “Spy Center”; one called “Is the NSA building a $800 million data center to spy on Americans? Utah desert facility code-named Bumblehive ‘will monitor emails of U.S. citizens’” and another called “The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)”.
Here is an article on NSA whistleblower William Binney from the NY Times whistleblower, as well as two videos with Thomas Drake and William Binney.
 
 

 
 

 
 
Cell Phones

I have seen different reports of this over the last few years, but here is a good article from the Seattle Times called “Even if they’re off, cellphones allow FBI to listen in”

“The FBI converted the Nextel cellphones of two alleged New York mobsters into “roving bugs,” microphones that relayed conversations when the phones seemed to be inactive, according to recent court documents.

Authorities won’t reveal how they did this. But a countersurveillance expert said Nextel, Motorola Razr and Samsung 900 series cellphones can be reprogrammed over the air, using methods meant for delivering upgrades and maintenance. It’s called “flashing the firmware,” said James Atkinson, a consultant for the Granite Island Group in Massachusetts.”

As if that weren’t creepy enough, here is an article from the New York Times called Build Up Your Phone’s Defenses Against Hackers

“Chuck Bokath would be terrifying if he were not such a nice guy. A jovial senior engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Mr. Bokath can hack into your cellphone just by dialing the number. He can remotely listen to your calls, read your text messages, snap pictures with your phone’s camera and track your movements around town — not to mention access the password to your online bank account.”

Believe me, if the good guys can think of this, you had better believe that Joe Dirtbag can as well.

Here is a video from CNN where the host is interviewing a former FBI agent. He claims that when it comes to national security, “there is a way to listen to all digital communications in the past”. That means that all digital communications are stored and may be pulled if needed.
 
 

 
 
Final Thoughts

I have nothing to hide. The only “offense” I might occasionally commit is going a bit over the speed limit. So why does all of this concern me? Partly because of how the IRS was used to target Tea Party and other conservative groups. There have been accusations from different people in Washington calling veterans, fundamentalist Christians and “far-right-wingers” potential terrorists. I am sure that at some point I have said something on or near a cell phone, written something online via a forum or email that, if taken out of context, could paint me in a negative light. The fact that the Attorney General has stated the President has full authority to use drone strikes on Americans, on American soil, against potential terrorists, also has me a bit concerned.

Don’t get me wrong. I like technology as much as the next guy. But it has come at a great cost. If you’re “plugged in”, there is no such thing as privacy and yes, Big Brother is watching!

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five security tips you may not have thought of

May 1, 2013 by

I have covered situational awareness and the Cooper Color Code in the past.  Here are five security tips that you may not have thought of. 

 

Advertising on Your Vehicle

Bumper stickers advertise our opinions on various issues to the world around us.  They also tell Joe Dirtbag about us as well.  Do you have an NRA sticker? If so, Joe Dirtbag now has a pretty good idea you have guns at home.  He might not break in when you’re there, but now he knows what your car looks like and can wait for you to go to work.

The white decals that people put on their back window showing off mom, dad and the kids as well as what each loves also tell Joe Dirtbag about you.  He might now know that you have expensive sporting equipment at home or whether or not you have any pets.

 

Firing Range Safety

 

You may be aware of how Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and one of his friends and coworkers was murdered at a gun range by someone suffering from PTSD.  People committing suicide, committing murder or both is more common at gun ranges than you may think. 

I recommend keeping one firearm loaded and on your person.  If you go with a partner, one can be practicing situational awareness for you both while the other is shooting.

 

Public Restrooms

A few years back, I read that there was a survey of sorts done, asking convicted criminals the locations they preferred to commit their crimes.  One of the most popular was men’s restrooms.  One criminal said it was the easiest, by far, as men are less likely to put up any kind of fight when they are exposed at a urinal.

There was a man going into men’s restrooms in Minneapolis, blitz attacking men.  He would walk behind a man at the urinal and then slam their head into the wall in front of them, hard enough to knock them out; he then emptied their pockets.  Women might be onto something with the group trips to the rest rooms!  Men, another option is to always use the stall.

 

Smart Phones

A recent crime wave includes Joe Dirtbag ripping a smart phone out of people’s hands as they absentmindedly use them in public.  Situational awareness can aid with this in large part, but it might also be a good idea to leave it secure in a pocket or purse while in public.

 

Communion

There have been many reports of criminals waiting for church members to go forward for Communion.  They then go through their purses and jacket pockets looking for cash.

A sad fact is that many places that were once sacred, no longer are.

 
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Trading Liberty for Safety

April 29, 2013 by

In the weeks since the Boston Marathon bombing I have noticed a few things in the MSM, other blogs and in some forums that concern me.  When there is an attack such as the Boston Marathon bombing, 9-11 or school shootings, human beings are shaken.  The emotions from the aftermath of these events, can cause things to be said and done, things that might betray our calmer, more logical and rational selves.  Here are some of the things I have seen that concern me.
 
 
What They Knew and When They Knew It
 
I have seen a few statements that either insinuate or flat out say that the government either knew, or had intelligence that there would be a terrorist attack.  I have seen people say that the government may have planned it and that is why there were so many first responders at the event.  There was a congressman who said there may have been information on an attack before it happened.  There may have been intelligence but I don’t believe they knew enough to know when or how the attack would occur.  If they had nonspecific information, that could be part of the reason there were so many first responders on scene. 
 
I do not believe that the government planned or “let” the bombing occur.  But I do believe they will, as the Presidents former Chief of Staff once said, “never let a serious crisis go to waste.”  There were many calls for changing our gun culture and many more similar statements made.  One company even took pressure cookers off the shelves.  Now Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] has introduced S.792 – A bill to strengthen the enforcement of background checks with respect to the use of explosive materials. In other words, they want to restrict and limit black powder sales.
 
 
Warrantless Searches

In desperate attempts to find the terrorists, police were given authority to carry out door-to-door searches in certain neighborhoods and they were not required to have a search warrant. Below is one of many videos that can be found on youtube of this event taking place.  Police knocked on doors and in many cases ordered innocent home owners to keep their hands above their heads and leave the house.
 

 
I have seen video of news reporters talking to people who were told to evacuate their homes, saying they were happy the police were there and happy they did their job.  I have seen on blogs and forums where people who were not in Boston believe these warrantless searches were a good thing.
 
Before I go any further, let me say now that I am a supporter of the police.  I have donated money to local police charities and organizations several times.  I believe that those who protect and serve are heroes and that the vast majority are stellar human beings. There were some stories about individual police going out of their way to help some civilians who were on lock down.
 
That being said, those searches were a complete violation of the Fourth Amendment and, while not declared, Boston was under Martial Law during that time.  People were told to stay in their homes, and in certain neighborhoods were ordered, at gun point, to leave their homes while officers then stormed in, searching for one of the bombers.

The Fourth Amendment states:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

I fully understand that there was a set of horrible events that led up to this, but our freedoms are defined by how our authorities act in times like this.  If the police believed there was probable cause that Joe Dirtbag was in that neighborhood, they should have had an officer at every entrance and exit to watch for the suspect.  They should have knocked on every door with guns holstered, explaining to the resident that they believed the suspect was in the neighborhood.  They should have asked for permission to search the house and property.  One may say that the police did ask and the residents gave consent to the search, but nothing is consensual when the person asking you has a gun in your face.

Imagine this; a very similar attack takes place in the largest city near you.  There are reports that say the police believe the suspects have fled and have hidden in your town and are looking for them.  They have asked residents to stay in their homes for the time being.  What would you do?  If I answer that, I would say that our windows and doors would be locked and that we would be armed.  What happens if/when the police knock on your door and you give them access?  Do you think that once the police saw you were armed you would be treated as a law abiding civilian who is protecting their house and family?  Or do you think you may be treated as a potential hostile suspect, handcuffed and guns taken?

I didn’t see any reports of people saying “no”, but ask yourself what might have happened had someone said “no”.  Again, I am a supporter of the police, but I believe that when they show up with overwhelming force, “no” isn’t an acceptable answer to them.
 
 
But I Have Nothing to Hide
 
There are some who say, “I have nothing to hide, why should I say no?”  Pastor Niemoller once said,
 
“First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.  Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.  Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.  Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
 
You may not have anything to hide and you might not even be armed in the scenario I mentioned above, but what happens if we go down this slippery slope and warrantless searches become more common place?  Now, instead of only doing warrantless searches when there is a terrorist on the loose, warrantless searches become the norm for the “suspected” terrorist?  A bit further down the slope, warrantless searches are done against fundamentalist who believe marriage should be between one man and one woman and those who believe that abortion is a sin.  These people are accused of spreading hate and are suspected of planning hate crimes.  Do you have a crucifix in your home?  Have you ever had a pro-life or pro marriage sign in your yard, or on your car?  How many Bibles do you have in your home?
 
Think this is a stretch?  Recently, a trooper in Colorado gave a seminar on the dangers of biker gangs, and Sovereign Citizens,where he added the following:
 
“Among those groups, Kluczynski had listed, were those who believe America was founded on godly principles, Christians who take the Bible literally, and “fundamentalists”.  Kluczynski did not explain what he meant by “fundamentalists” but from the context it was clear he was referring again to those who took the Bible literally or “too seriously.”

We are told in scripture that we will see increased persecution.  For many Christians around the world, it is already their daily life.  We will see it escalated here inside America and every other nation.  On a side note, I know a bit about Sovereign Citizens, and they have nothing to do with Christianity.  I bring this up as it is the most recent reference accusing Christians of being potential terrorists.

I do not think the police did a great service going door-to-door, searching homes without warrants.  No, I believe it was a bad precedent to set and could very likely be used as an example of how to respond in the future.  How fruitful were these house-to-house warrantless searches?  Not at all!  Joe Dirtbag was discovered by the homeowner who owned the boat Joe Dirtbag was hiding in.
 
 
All Amendments Need to be Protected

I saw a few occasions on blogs and forums where people who previously said they would not budge an inch when it came to their Second Amendment said they thought the warrantless searches were a good thing.  Maybe they think this way because they believe the danger of the loose terrorist was greater than the danger to the Fourth Amendment.  Maybe it was done because they believe there was enough probable cause to issue house-to-house warrantless searches.  Maybe it was done out of a sense of loyalty to our police and FBI, believing they had the best of intentions.
 
Whatever the reason, I believe we need to exercise and protect all of our God given rights that are listed in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was designed to protect the average, law abiding, citizen from an over-reaching government.  If we hold a loose grip on one amendment, how much longer will it be before it, and others begin to slip away?
 
 
I’ll close with one of my favorite quotes:

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

– Benjamin Franklin
 
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Learning From Evil

April 17, 2013 by

I had planned on posting something else today but I feel the need to give some thoughts on the terrorist attack at the Boson Marathon.  First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out the families of those murdered and those who were brutally injured and their families as well.

We can learn from evil people and the evil deeds they inflict on others.  This article is not about me saying that those victims should have done something differently.  Instead, it is me offering something for you to grasp on to if you ever find yourself in any related type of situation.  Here are some things to keep in mind.

 

Avoid Brain Lock

In the book The Survivors Club, Author Ben Sherwood explores a theory developed by a man named John Leach called “The 10/80/10 rule”. In summary, the rule states that the top 10% of people in a crisis excel; they think clearly and take immediate action. The middle group comprises 80% of people; they are “quite simply stunned and bewildered”; “reasoning is significantly impaired and thinking is difficult”. The last 10% of people are the “ones you definitely want to avoid in an emergency”.

A few pages later, he explains something called ‘behavioral inaction’; “The current theory of behavioral inaction goes like this: As your frontal lobes process the site of an airplane wing on fire, they seek to match the information with memories of similar situations in the past. If you have no stored experience of a plane crash, your brain can’t find a match and gets stuck in a loop trying and failing to come up with the right response. Hence: immobility.”

One of the main reasons the following information is so important is to be able to avoid brain lock, allowing your mind to have something to pull forward.  Another way to build this skill is by mentally placing yourself in situations you see in movies or in the news and then thinking about what you might have done differently.

 

Situational Awareness

I have covered situational awareness in the past, as well as the Cooper Color Code.  Both of these are things that should be a part of your everyday life.  They can be harder to practice in large crowds, but that is probably the most important time to use them.  If you see someone who raises you from code yellow to orange (from the Cooper color code) try to keep tabs on them.  If something really seems off, let an authority know.  “If you see something, SAY something.”

If you find yourself in any type of terrorist attack, from a bombing to a mass shooting, situational awareness can save your life.  By practicing situational awareness, you can keep track of the closest exit, or fastest way to safety.  It can also help you avoid Mr. Dirtbag, who is committing the act of terror.

 

Cover and Concealment

I have explained Cover and Concealment previously but it is worth mentioning again.  Concealment is something that hides you, but will not stop a round.  Cover will stop a round and will usually hide you, except in the case of bullet proof glass for example.  If you are caught near a terrorist attack, getting away from the primary danger should be your first goal.  I suggest finding cover as a part of that goal.

 

Lone Wolves and Swarm Terrorist Attacks

I have written an article called Terrorism: Lone Wolf and Swarm Attacks, which goes into these types of attacks in more detail.   I think these are the types of terror attacks we will see more of.  Because these types of attacks consist of very few people, they are much easier to keep quiet and can be done on a very low budget.  A swarm attack of 10 people killed 160 people in Mumbai, India.  If there is one Mr. Dirtbag, there is always a chance he has a friend or two.  For this reason, if Mr. Dirtbag does show up, keep practicing situational awareness and the Cooper Color Code.

 

Emergency First Aid

I read about some of the carnage that occurred yesterday.  While absolutely tragic, that only three people died is a miracle.  There may have been some medical personnel on site but my guess is that the average Joe and Jane stepped in and assisted those who were in need.

Would you be able to assist a stranger or a loved one who needed emergency first aid?  I can’t recommend taking a first aid class strongly enough.  You can find a class from the Red Cross.

There are also items you can carry that will aid in stopping blood loss; QwikClot and Israeli Battle Dressings.  I will cover these items in more detail next week.

 

Summary

I think we need to learn from evil every chance we get.  Sadly, we’re given far too many chances to do just that.  By doing so, we can be more prepared to avoid brain lock and can put the above mentioned items into play.

 

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What to do if Your Spouse doesn’t Want a Gun in the Home?

February 1, 2013 by

I don’t usually post things that could be seen as controversial.  Today might be a little different.  It is not my goal to offend anyone, and I apologize if I do. I realize that either sex could be opposed to a gun in the home, but the vast majorities, in my experience, are women.  The advice I am going to give today is from the perspective of a man.  Ladies, if you’re in favor of a firearm in the home and your husband is not, most of what I have to say applies to you as well.

 

Why Are They Opposed?

The first step is to find out why they are opposed.  In my experience most objections to firearms from are either based on a lack of understanding about firearms, or are an emotional response.  Don’t poke fun at their opposition, or minimize their concern.

If it is a lack of understanding, one thing you could do is see if they would be willing to get some training.  One thing I have learned (yes the hard way) is that spouses don’t always take direction from one another.  Find an experienced firearms instructor and, if possible, a female instructor.  You could also attend a First Shots class together.  First Shots is an introductory class on basic handgun safety and operation.

If their response is emotional in nature, find out why they feel the way they do.  If your spouse is generally an open minded person, you may be able to show them facts that back up your support of firearms.  It is my experience that when anyone bases their argument on an emotional response, you’ll have a hard time getting them to see differently.

 

What To do if They Won’t Budge.

Let’s say you’ve discussed the issue and tried to get them to see your point of view, but they still won’t relent.  What should you do?  I believe that men and woman are generally equals in a marriage.  When it comes to the safety and security of the family, that role generally falls to the man.

If you feel that a firearm is the best way to protect your family against a multitude of possibilities, purchase one.  Explain to your spouse that you have heard their point of view, but that you feel it is your duty to keep your family safe, and to do that you feel you need to be on level playing ground with the criminal element.

Assure them that you will be safe, you will get training, a gun safe, keep the firearm stored safely.  Do not rub their nose in it, do not flaunt it.  You should also be prepared to spend some time in the dog house.  I am blessed to have a wife who thinks much like I do, but if she was opposed to guns, I would reassure her, purchase the gun and think it worth being in the doghouse it to feel like I did everything I could do to protect my family.

 

Closing Thoughts

I wrote last week that Security is a Woman’s Responsibility Too and I stand by that, but let me clarify.  I think, in this one area, it is the man’s primary duty to protect the home.  Ladies, if you have a husband who is anti-gun or can’t fulfill his duty to protect the home, I believe that the duty now falls on you.

 

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Security is a Woman’s Responsibility Too

January 25, 2013 by

I have noticed that almost half of the people that like the Prepared Christian facebook page, and roughly half of the people that sign up to receive email updates are women.  This article is directed at all of my female readers as well as any man that has a woman in their life.

In many homes the job of seeking out the cause of things that go bump in the night is relegated to a man.  But what happens if the husband isn’t home or is incapacitated?  Then consider single moms or single women that live alone.

According to the Rape Trauma Services website there are “1.3 women (ages 18 and over) in the United States are forcibly raped each minute. That translates to 78 per hour, 1,871 per day, or 683,000 per year.” I believe these statistics were taking from 1992, but I have a hard time believing they would be any lower today.

Whether it is seeking the source of something that went bump in the night, or fending off an attacker, security is a woman’s job too.   The most important self-defense tool you can have is your mind, so I want to discuss mindset, I will also list some tools available to keep you safe.

 

Mind Set

The statistics turn my stomach, but they are eye opening.  It’s something men might think about as a danger for the women in their lives, but not as an ever present danger to themselves.  But the truth is, it is an ever present danger to women.  If you’re reading this there is a good chance you are a prepper, someone who is awake to potential dangers and someone who takes measures to mitigate them. Rape and other violent crime is another very real danger, in fact it is more of a danger than most of the other things we prepare for.

The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence is a book everyone should read, but especially woman. It explains that there are things that happen that we might overlook, but our subconscious picks up on.  I wrote a review of which can be found here. Once you open your eyes and see that there are dangers and you decide to take precautions, you can do things like practice situational awareness and use the Cooper Color Code, these two things will help you be more aware of potential threats, which can help you avoid possibly dangerous situations.

 

It’s Not Just a Man’s Job

As I mentioned above security is many times treated as a man’s job.  I have received email’s stating it and I have seen similar comments on various forums.  I don’t have a problem with security being primarily the man’s job, but it is also the woman’s.  When something goes bump in the night, I am the one to check on it, but Trudee is at the ready, to assist me or call 911 if needed.  If I was injured and was physically unable to check on it, or if while checking on it was rendered incapacitated, she would have a means to protect herself and call for help.

For a woman to be able to defend herself, she must have a weapon she is comfortable using.  One option that I like is a youth model 20 gauge shotgun.  Youth models are shorter and weigh less, and are easier to maneuver inside.  If a handgun with defensive loads are what is used, I suggest going to a range that rents guns and try a few out.  I know one of our local ranges has “Ladies Night” that are a basic introduction to handguns class made up of only woman.  First Shots is an organization that Trudee and I actually went through to take an introductory hand gun course through.

If you can only afford to have one firearm at home, please make it one that the smallest framed adult can use.  And each person should know how to operate it and be comfortable using it.

If you aren’t able to carry a firearm but want to have something for protection, I recommend pepper spray.  I wrote an article called Self-Defense: Pepper Spray where I explain some of the downsides of certain types of pepper spray.  I personally carry Cold Steel Inferno .38 oz. Keyring Hardcase Unit Pepper Spray as does Trudee,  it is OC type, which is an inflammatory agent and causes one’s eyes to slam shut and severe burning.  CS and CN types are irritants and some people are not affected.

 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to security, it might primarily be “the man’s job” but some of that responsibility also falls on the women’s shoulders.  Ladies you are responsible for your own safety and for the safety of your family, even if that means in an assisting role.

 

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One In The Chamber

January 23, 2013 by

If you have your CCW permit, do you carry with one in the chamber?  When I first got mine I didn’t.  I told myself that, if needed, I would be able to get one in the chamber fast enough to be effective.  Thank you Lord that I never had to find out, but I feel pretty confident that I was wrong.

I had a few reasons but they boiled down to a lack of confidence.  I had been to the range a few times and was proficient in putting holes in cardboard, but the idea of carrying with a round loaded made me uneasy.  It’s not that I thought it might just go off.  I knew better than that.  If the gun is only going to fire when I pull the trigger, then the problem is me.  Once I understood that, I examined why I wasn’t confident and rethought my opinion that I would be able to get a round in the chamber fast enough.

 

Anatomy of a Gun Fight

I don’t know if this is true or not but it sounds accurate to me. I have heard this figure a few times in the self-defense circles; “in the average gun fight there are three shots fired in three second in the space of three yards.”  I have heard both yards and feet, but nine feet seems like a more believable distance to me than three feet.

I wish I could say I was a very quick draw.  In truth, I haven’t spent a lot of time practicing drawing to make it sink into muscle memory.  I also carry concealed, so I always have a jacket or shirt over my firearm.  Add these two things to the mix and a good bit of that three seconds has been chewed up just getting the weapon out of the holster.

It is possible to fire a shot immediately after you draw the gun and before you are in a typical stance.  This could only be done if there is one in the chamber.  If you have to chamber a round, you’re now under immense stress, bringing your weak hand over to chamber a round.  Do you think you can do that fast?  Get some dummy rounds and try it out.

 

Situational Awareness is a Must But it’s Not Enough

While it might be true that the average gun fight last three seconds, my guess is that the clock starts once the first shot is fired.  There is almost always a sign before violence erupts.  If you are using Cooper Color Code, you are actively scanning everyone to determine if they are a threat.  You can then either escalate the code or deescalate, based on your judgment.  While this may be true, that only means you are aware of the danger before it erupts into violence.  Situational awareness is a must, but it is not enough.  It will let you know there is going to be a fight, but won’t put rounds in play faster once you’ve drawn.

 

Good Habits

I have always practiced good habits with any firearm; finger never on the trigger until I am ready to fire, never pointing the gun at something I am not willing to destroy, etc.  I have carried with one in the chamber for some time now and it hasn’t just gone off on its own.  I haven’t shot myself in the leg when I unholster the gun at home.  I do, however, remove the magazine and take the round out of the chamber once at home.

Do any of you who are more experienced with firearms have anything to add?

 

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