December 22, 2024

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Tidbits One

April 3, 2013 by

I occasionally have a couple ideas for articles that are too short for me to post by themselves and I don’t want to send more than one email on an update per day, to keep you from feeling spammed.  When this happens, I’ll just string them together and make one blog post, with one email going out.

 

Preparedness Club

I mentioned last week that I would be launching a premium membership that I’m calling “The Preparedness Club”.  Today, I want to give you a little more information about it.  This will be one way to support the Prepared Christian Ministry.  I’ve been asked a few times about a donation button.  After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to include one, but I also want to have the Preparedness Club as an option to give something back to you.

This is where the cool part comes in; I have approached companies that offer goods and services in the preparedness market place and so far, 17 have offered discounts.  My goal was to try and get you a discount on any product that you might want to buy and I’ve come close!  From ammo, many kinds of food storage, water purification, paracord, first aid, and books; if you purchase items from the companies who have offered discounts, the Preparedness Club will save you money.

The Preparedness Club will have one giveaway a month, minimum.  Some of the items so far are: a Midland weather radio, the Total Home Prep Now DVD’s, books from Paladin Press, and more.

For those of you not interested in The Preparedness Club, I haven’t forgotten about you.  I have some giveaways planned for you as well.  I hope to launch the Preparedness Club next week, or the week after at the latest.  To celebrate I am going to give away a one year membership, to enter either fill out the form below, or send an email with the subject of Preparedness Club to chris (at) preparedchristian (dot) net and let me know that you would like to enter.

[onw_simple_contact_form]
 

Keeping In Touch With Prepared Christian

If you’re someone who uses Facebook or Google Reader to stay up to date, you might need to make some changes.  It seems Google has decided to shut down Google Reader on July 1, 2013.  If you use them to read my RSS or any RSS feed, you’ll want to find another reader.

Over the last months, Facebook has changed how updates are received.  They want to charge companies for advertising, so only a small segment of people actually see my updates via Facebook.  For example, as of the time of this writing, my last two posts have only been viewed by 101 and 185 people, respectively.

To make sure you see every update, it has been recommended that you create an “interest” list.  I’ll give the steps below.

First, go to the page you want to create an interest list for.  For this example, I went to Camping Survival.

 

Hover over the “like” button and click on “New List”.

interests

 

 

Click the “Next List” button on the bottom right.

 

next

 

Name the new list and click “Done”

create list

 

Your new Interest list will show up on the left hand side of Facebook.

 

hover

 

Bulletproof Mind

I have recently discovered something some of you might already be familiar with; The Bulletproof Mind from Lt. Col. Dave Grossman.  Lt. Col. Grossman travels 300 days a year, giving The Bulletproof Mind lecture but it is also available on DVD.

Here is what is mentioned about Lt. Col. Grossman and the Bulletproof Mind on the USCCA website, where you can also watch a video and purchase the Bulletproof Mind DVD.

“Most of the people in our society are sheep.  They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin’s egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful. But they need warriors to protect them from the predators.

Then there are the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it.  There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

Then there are sheepdogs, and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior – someone who is walking the hero’s path – someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.”

I had read the above years ago, but wasn’t aware of The Bulletproof Mind.  I will be attending the seminar this fall.  I cannot wait!  If you consider yourself a fellow sheepdog, you might consider checking out the seminar or buying the DVD.  You can see Lt. Col. Grossman’s bio here and his calendar here.  As I mentioned, you can find out more about the DVD at the USCCA website.

I will be giving my thoughts on the seminar afterward.  Did I mention I was really looking forward to this?!

 

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School Safety Plans for an Active Shooter

March 29, 2013 by

school shooting

Image from the Washington Post

 

Anytime an issue is brought up multiple times by different people in very different situations, I take it as a sign from God that I should pay attention.  I feel I need to warn some of you; this topic is dark and very unpleasant to think about, especially if you have young children.  It is also very important.

In 2011 I wrote an article called “Terrorism: Beslan Style Attack At Our Schools”.  In it I explain:

“On September 1, 2004, Chechen Islamic terrorists stormed a school taking over 1,100 people hostage for three days. The terrorists were brutal, killing men and boys old enough to resist their attempts. Hostages were forced to stay in a sweltering hot auditorium with little to no food or water. Russian forces eventually stormed the school. In the end there were over 385 dead, including 31 dead terrorists. Wikipedia has a very detailed write up called Beslan school hostage crisis.”

I have read articles that say there were documents found in Afghanistan that point to Beslan being practice for a similar attack in America.  Whether a Beslan-style attack or the types of school shootings we have experienced far too many times, the threat of school shootings is very real.  It is my opinion that the plans many schools have in place are ineffective and dangerous.

 

What is the Plan at Your Childs School?

Many times your child might know the school plan, as they might do practice drills.  If they don’t know, you can ask the school administration.  Let them know you have a child who attends their school and you want to know what their action plan is for a school shooting.  They may give some resistance.  If so, reassure them that you just want to know their plan to keep your child safe.  If they won’t tell you what the plan is, go over their head.

When schools make any policy, they tend to be very black and white, ie. “zero tolerance”.  I believe there are at least two problems with enacting these types of plans.  First; they do not leave room for teacher discretion.  For instance, they enact a zero tolerance for guns on school grounds and then suspend children for playing with an army man that was holding a gun, making a gun shape out of their pop tart, or using their finger as a gun (These are all real events).  The second problem is that a static plan does not account for a dynamic offender.  The best example I can think of is the lockdown, which I will cover in more detail below.

 

Lock Down

There are different ways of initiating a lockdown.  In general, an announcement is made or shots are heard.  The teacher then closes the door and gets the children out of sight of any doors or windows.  I have heard of some plans that state that the teacher will also slip a colored piece of paper under the door.  The paper could mean various things, depending on it’s color what’s written on it.  To an active shooter, those papers are a sign that someone is or was recently in that classroom.  Some schools have a police officer on campus.  Either they or school administration will call for backup or call 911 respectively.  The police have their own response plans that have changed greatly as school shootings have become more frequent.

A static lockdown plan puts all staff and students hiding in a classroom, waiting for the police, even if the shooter is on the other end of the school and an easy escape could be made.  I wonder if the same people who have devised lockdowns at our schools are the same people who say “we don’t need to own guns because it is the job of the police to keep us safe”.

 

A.L.I.C.E.

Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. From School Security.org

“The debate grows as a number of current and former self-defense trainers, individuals with military background, and some School Resource Officers and others in law enforcement advocate for this approach.  This is often referred to as ALICE Training, where ALICE stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. ALICE and other similar programs offer little-to-nothing new with alerts and lockdowns, and schools are already being trained to have evacuation plans, and the idea of “inform” questionably assumes that someone in the school will be able to visually monitor all of the suspects while simultaneously “informing” or communicating their whereabouts to everyone in the building.

The controversial issues rise over the Counter component to the approach which advocates training children to try to “distract” and “confuse” armed suspects by throwing items and attacking the armed intruder.  Many educators, law enforcement officers, parents and school safety specialists do not support this proposed approach for “training” students in preK-12 school settings.”

The article goes on to say:

“Trump says that advocates of such training are quick to claim that opponents of the training are forcing children to become “sitting ducks” waiting to be slaughtered.  While this emotional appeal obviously strikes the chord of anxious, concerned parents, it fails to recognize many critical implementation considerations ranging from child learning and development factors, to implementation issues such as whether school districts could even possibly provide the quality and quantity of training necessary.  Those experienced in school safety who have worked with schools know that with today’s academic demands, the vast majority of schools are struggling to provide the comprehensive and ongoing training needed for the adult crisis team members and staff we entrust with the care of our children. “

Ken Trump is a School Safety Expert with 25 years in school safety experience.  Mr. Trump lists various reasons why this type of training for children is ineffective and a poor idea; from not having the budget or an adequate amount of training, to possibly drawing unneeded attention to themselves.

 

My Take:

Mr. Trump points out that “it is unrealistic to expect 25 students and a teacher to react simultaneously with split-second accuracy and timing when a person with a gun unexpectedly walks into a room.”  I agree with him.  I also think that lock down drills are the equivalent to car a mechanic only using a pliers as his only tool in any situation.  Sure, it might be the perfect tool for some jobs, but there are going to be many jobs where it won’t work very well and others where it’s a complete failure.

This isn’t a pleasant topic, but I think it’s one all parents should talk to their kids about.  You might be afraid you’ll instill some fear, but you may be surprised to find out that their school already does lockdown or other types of drills. Even if you do install a bit of fear, that fear can be used to keep them safe later.  According to Trudee, instead of fear, she sees children feeling empowered by the information and ability to play an active role in keeping themselves safe.

Trudee and I started talking to our kids about this when they hit middle school.  The schools they’ve attended use lockdowns and have one part time officer.  Mr. Trump also makes the point that some teachers have used great courage and stepped in harm’s way to keep their students safe.  I commend those heroes and praise God for them.  However, I am not willing to bank our children’s safety on the decisions someone may or may not make.

A one-size-fits-all plan just doesn’t work.  I believe us parents need to make educated decisions based upon our thoughts on the school plans, our beliefs and our children’s abilities.  After all, we know our children best.

We told our kids to use their brains; that if they thought the directions being given by the teacher made sense, to follow them, but if the teachers’ directions sounded foolish or made them feel like they were in more danger, they could make their own decision.  For instance, if they heard shooting and it sounded far enough away, to get out of the school and meet us at a certain cross street a few blocks away.

If you don’t like the plan your child’s school has and you think your child has the ability to make critical decisions, you may want to come up with an alternative plan.  Introduce it to them as an option they can use.  Find a place they can easily get to off of school grounds that provides cover and concealment.  Walk them through different routes through the school they can take to avoid the sounds of gunfire or other trouble.

Police training has changed drastically since Columbine.  Once they arrive, they will immediately enter the school to engage the shooter(s).  What your child does in those few minutes until the police arrive are what you need to consider.  Here is a video that shows how adults should act in an active shooter situation.  Run. Hide. Fight.  It might be a good idea to watch it before talking to your kids.  You might even want to have them watch it, using your discretion, of course.

 

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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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The War on Guns; Part Two

January 16, 2013 by

The President is to announce his plan to tackle gun violence later today, there are rumors it will entail some new legislation and some executive orders.   I’ll probably add my thoughts on it in the comments section later today.

 

The War on Guns; Part Two

 

Gun Grabbers

As I mentioned in part one, there have been people who don’t think civilians should own firearms since they were affordable enough for the average civilian to own one.  Some of these people have evil intent, but the vast majority is simply naive and afraid.  They seem to believe that more regulation will stop gun violence. Making drunk driving illegal hasn’t stopped it.  There are still many thousands of people arrested for DWI and even more who got away with it.  They also fail to realize that those committing gun violence often have procured the firearms illegally.  That same element who commits gun violence now, will still find a way to get guns.

Those in favor of much stricter gun control come from many avenues, some of which you might not be familiar with.

 

Law Makers

Recently Senator Feinstein had a press release of a bill she will propose to the Senate, aimed at Stopping the spread of deadly assault weapons.  The proposed bill would ban the sale of any militaristic style firearm that had a large capacity magazine.  This bill would stop the personal sale of any firearm, the “gun show loophole”, which allows a private citizen to purchase a table at a gun show and sell their own private collection to other civilians where a personal sale is legal.  These sales, to the best of my knowledge, do not require the seller to perform a background check.  This bill would grandfather in any guns owned at the date of signing, but would require they all be registered under the National Firearms Act and registration would require a picture and a finger print.

This bill is obviously troublesome to any legal gun owner, but something about it doesn’t sit right.  I think this is possibly one of two things.  The first is an attempt at Overton Window., which is a political maneuver where a law maker knows certain legislation would not be accepted in the current political climate; they propose something outrageous, knowing it will not be accepted and then they propose something a little more palatable.  The second proposition may still be bad, but people are more willing to accept it as it’s not nearly as bad as the first proposal.

The second possibility is that this bill is just the start.  If it is passed and we still see gun violence there could be harsher and harsher crackdowns.  As I mentioned above, the element of society who commits gun crime now, in large part, illegally possesses firearms now.  If more regulation is added those, the same people will still commit crimes with guns, which will lead to more regulation and restriction.  Layer upon layer of restriction will only cause legal, upstanding citizens to be unable to own firearms.

The most despicable incident was when Vice President Biden said Obama Considering ‘Executive Orders’ to Deal With Guns.  More on this below.

 

The Media

From news agencies to newspapers and untold blogs, the left has gotten behind stricter gun laws than at any time I can remember.  There have also been many celebrities who have filmed commercials asking:

“How many more?  Enough. Demand a plan. Right now. As a mom. As a dad. As a friend. As a husband. As a wife. As an American. As a human being. For the children of Sandy Hook…We can do better than this. It’s time for our leaders to act.”

How many of those hypocrites have done TV or movies where they used a gun and glorified violence? The trouble here is that this is effective and they know it.  We live in a society that pays more attention to what their favorite celeb is tweeting, dating and wearing than any relevant thing going on in the world around them.

 

School and Doctors

I have read multiple reports in the last couple of years about doctors asking children and adults about what firearms were kept in the home, where they were kept etc.  I, myself, was asked a few years ago during a routine doctor appointment.

I have also read of children being probed at school about what firearms their parents had.  I have a relative whose eleven year old child was talking about a zombie apocalypse.  A teacher overheard this and brought her inside, where she was questioned by multiple adults.  They asked her how she would deal with zombies, if her parents owned guns and other related questions.

I don’t know why schools and doctors are asking these questions or what they’re doing with the information, but you should be aware that some are asking it.  We told our kids what to say if ever asked these types of questions.

 

The Truth About Gun Violence

The truth about any “war” on any inanimate object is that they do not work.  In prohibition it was illegal to make, serve or drink booze, yet there was an entire sub culture that sprang to make, sell and drink booze.  The war on drugs has seen millions of people in and out of jail, but has done little to slow or stop trafficking, sale or use of drugs.  In fact some states are now legalizing marijuana.

Instead of waging war on guns, we should be taking a look at why and who commits gun violence.  We could also make soft targets harder.

 

Mental Illness and Depravity (the true problem)

If we take a look at those who commit mass shooting, I believe we would see most, if not all, were afflicted with some serious form of mental illness.  There are a couple of problems that don’t catch this before acts of violence occur.  First is that many people in the mentally ill persons life don’t want to bring the issue to light.  Some may even be in denial themselves.  Parents say “not my child” or “boys will be boys”.  No one wants to believe that their child is capable of harming them or anyone else, so they don’t get the police involved.  They don’t bring their child to get therapy and overlook certain behaviors.

Often times there can’t be intervention until the mentally ill person commits a crime.  As I mentioned above, loved ones often overlook small crimes, such as underage domestic violence.

I posted this on facebook the day of the Sandy Hook shooting:

“I do not understand the depth of human depravity, there will be some that come out after the tragedy in Connecticut railing against guns, when in truth they should be railing at depravity. We should all be praying for those who lost loved ones, God is the only one capable of healing pain so deep.”

I think that in many cases, when it comes to youth committing gun violence, we can look to the home.  I’m not necessarily saying it is the parents fault, at least not directly.  I have read about some of the kids who have taken part in school shootings and in many cases, the parents were not aware there was a problem.  Maybe they just weren’t involved enough in their kid’s life.  Maybe, because of the digital age we live in, it’s just easier for kids to hide things.

Some say its video games or violent movies.  I disagree, in part.  Yes there are some games and movies that are too violent, but waging war on the games or movies is not going to be any more effective than the war on alcohol, drugs or guns.  Endless hours of video games, violent or not, isn’t healthy.  Parents need to tell their kids they can’t play that game or can only play games for so long.  Parents need to be parents.  They need to stop trying to be their child’s friend.  They can be friends once they’re adults.

The truth is that if we paid more attention to mental illness and acts of depravity, the lives of those people would probably be enriched, and we may slow down the rate of violence, involving guns or not.

 

Guns Involved In Crime

My beautiful wife, Trudee, recently had a conversation with someone on Facebook who was fully behind banning all evil assault rifles but had no problem with people owning handguns, or so she said.  Trudee tried to use logic, which didn’t make a dent in this woman’s thinking.  This makes sense as this woman and many who think like her generate their opinion from irrational fear.  Here is some truth that you can use to inform yourself and others.

I posted this on Facebook recently: “FBI: More People Killed with Hammers, Clubs Each Year Than Rifles”.  This report shows that from 2005 to 2011, each year there were more people killed with hammers and clubs than with rifles.

“For example, in 2011, there was 323 murders committed with a rifle but 496 murders committed with hammers and clubs.”

While this does not take handguns into consideration, that isn’t the point.  Anti-gun advocates largely refer to “assault rifles”, which, according to the FBI, are less used in crimes than hammers.  This also leads me to believe that it is not just “assault rifles” that they want to take away.  I think they can just make an easier case to restrict “assault rifles” because there has already been a ban once.

Fox News has a story where reformed crooks say::

“the New York newspaper that published a map of names and addresses of gun owners did a great service – to their old cronies in the burglary trade.”

One of the reformed burglars went on to say:

“That was the most asinine article I’ve ever seen,” said Walter T. Shaw, 65, a former burglar and jewel thief who the FBI blames for more than 3,000 break-ins that netted some $70 million in the 1960s and 1970s. “Having a list of who has a gun is like gold – why rob that house when you can hit the one next door, where there are no guns?”

 

Guns Used to Stop Crime

Very rarely will you see the main stream media show a story about someone who used a gun to stop a crime. During research for this article I found two sites that publish every news story like this. One is the NRA and the other is The Armed Citizen.  There is most likely some overlap, but both are good resources to get examples of where a gun actually saved an innocent life.

 

What Can We Expect

I wish I could say I knew what to expect.  I may not know what will happen, but I do believe something will.  People have believed President Obama would go after guns since he made the comment, “they cling to their God and their guns”.  Now we have the Vice President talking about executive orders to deal with guns.  We also have the President saying he is putting his full weight behind dealing with guns.  I suppose they could just re-implement the old “assault weapon” ban, but I don’t think they will.  I think they believe the Overton Window has moved far enough that they can make a bigger grab.

An executive order used to bypass congress and make ownership or purchase of certain guns illegal, or requiring every firearm be registered would be unconstitutional and, thus, illegal.  This President has sidestepped congress and the constitution already.

If there is an executive order, there are at least three possibilities.  First, congress could override it with a vote of 2/3.  I honestly don’t see that happening. This is the same congress that passed ObamaCare after all.  The second option is something that Ted Nugent recently commented on as well.  Local law enforcement could refuse to enforce this as an illegal law.  This is also the goal of The Oath Keepers, who reach out to those active duty military and prior service military as well as law enforcement and ask them not to enforce ten (unlawful) orders if they are given.  The number one being disarming the American people.

If you are unaware, when you join the military you take the following oath:

“I, _____, 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.”

Many veterans, myself included, believe that since we have been discharged from active duty, we are no longer beholden to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or obligated to obey orders given from Officers or the President.  We do, however, feel we are still obligated to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.

If Executive Orders are used, depending on the enforcement of them by local law enforcement, we could see another executive order used to install martial law and suspend Habeas Corpus.

 

How Can We Respond?

I say “can” because I won’t presume to tell you what you should do.  Here are my thoughts on how I believe a follower of Christ can act and not walk in sin.

First, let me recommend two articles written by Pastor Chuck Baldwin.  These are well worth reading.  The first, entitled My Line In The Sand Is Drawn Here!, covers his thoughts on the proposed bill from Senator Feinstein.  He also gives you some ways to fight this and to help you draw your own line in the sand.

The second article is called Revolution?.  In it, he explains how the Revolutionary war was actually sparked by gun control and how Christian leaders of the time took a very active role, defying a ruler imposing immoral laws on them.

Now is the time to pray for our enemies, to pray they act out of wisdom and logic and not out of irrational fear.  This is also the time to take action.  This is the time to let our Congressmen and Senators know that we want them to stand firm and protect the Second Amendment of the Constitution they swore an oath to protect.  You can find the phone number and other contact information for your Congressmen and Senators at USA.gov.

In case you’re wondering here is the oath they take.

“I 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; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

If and Executive Order to go after guns is used, or if Congress and Senate overreach in regulating firearms, they will go against the Constitution and against what our Founding Fathers saw as God-given rights to all people.

In God’s Law vs. Man’s Law I explain that when Man’s law contradicts God’s Law, we can be morally correct and violate man’s laws.  I also give examples of this from scripture.

There have been several people saying there will be blood in the street if they come after guns.  I pray not, but  I have to say, I do see it as a possibility and I would not have said that even three months ago.  Each one of us will have to pray for guidance and draw our own line in the sand.  I caution you from posting anything inflammatory on this or any other site on the Internet.

May God bless us each with His guidance.  Lord please give us wisdom so we may see how You would have us act.  Let us stand firm in Your Word.  Bless those elected to lead us with wisdom and courage to uphold the oath they took to defend the Constitution.  Father, I ask that this fight end peacefully and that the outcome not infringe on the rights You have given to all people.

 

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The War on Guns; Part One
The War on Guns; Part Two

Filed Under: Security, Signs of the Times Tagged With: , ,

The War on Guns; Part One

January 14, 2013 by

Unless you have been under a rock the last month or so, you have heard multiple things about the federal government “going after guns”.  This issue is very important and multifaceted.  I want to talk about why this issue is so important, the Second Amendment, the attacks on it and the people who are attacking it, what we might see and how we as Christian gun owners can respond.

This will be a lot of reading, so I am going to break this up into two articles.  The first will explain why this issue is so important.  I’ll also touch on the Founding fathers and the Second Amendment. I am going to link to other articles that I think you should read as well.  I know this is a lot of reading, but it’s important to know why this fight is so important and to understand the argument for our right to keep and bear arms.

 

The War on Guns; Part One

The war on guns is not new but in the last few weeks it has reached a fevered pitch.  The Obama administration is taking the advice of its former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, who suggested “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”  Please do not misunderstand.  Let me make this clear now; the shootings that have happened in recent history are horrific acts committed by depraved and often mentally ill people.   Despite this, the Obama administration is using this as an Overton Window to take advantage of the situation and do something they could not have done sooner.

 

Why Is This So Important?

There are two reasons this issue is so important.  The first is because of what we may face and what the past has shown when firearms have been restricted.  The second reason knowing this information is important is to have a rebuttal to those who would argue to take our guns.

 

Having a Ready Response

Security is one of the five basic human needs.  I believe it is the most important one, because without it you cannot protect the other four.  I believe the Founding Fathers also thought it was vitally important.  I do not think it is by mistake that right to “keep and bear arms” is the Second Amendment, following only the right to speak out in protest.

The Apostle Paul told us we should have an answer ready to explain and defend our faith.  I think that is good advice for anything you have convictions about.  You should be able to logically answer and explain your stance to anyone who challenges you.  I say logically because I think people that base their opinion in emotion often don’t sound serious.  That is not to say that one cannot be emotional about their beliefs, I just think one should have them rooted in logic and facts and speak passionately.

I was recently asked what a Christian should do if the government comes after guns.  I answered that we should follow God’s law any time it and man’s law contradict.  If you understand what the Founders intent was when they wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, you’ll have an easier time answering that question on many subjects dealing with our laws, including gun rights.

 

Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Let me first say that I am not comparing President Obama to Hitler or any other despot.  There have been those who believe no civilian should own a firearm since firearms were affordable enough for the average citizen to own one.  I will discuss gun grabbers in further detail later in this article series.  For now, I want to discuss some of the world leaders who have forced strict gun control on their nation and the outcome it led to.

There is some controversy about Hitler and gun control.  From my study of history, I am led to believe that the Weimar Republic had strict gun control in place long before Hitler came to power.  Hitler did take advantage of it and Jews were not allowed to own firearms.  He is also quoted as saying at a dinner talk on April 11, 1942:

““The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms.  History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing.  Indeed, I would go so far as to say that the supply of arms to the underdogs is a sine qua non for the overthrow of any sovereignty.   So let’s not have any native militia or native police. German troops alone will bear the sole responsibility for the maintenance of law and order throughout the occupied Russian territories, and a system of military strong-points must be evolved to cover the entire occupied country.”

Joseph Stalin is quoted as saying:

“If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves.”

Mao Tze Tung, Nov 6 1938

“All political power comes from the barrel of a gun.  The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever be used to command the party.”

Most recently Robert Mugabe, the dictator of Zimbabwe, has instituted a ban on guns.  Here is a link I found interesting; a liberal who had their mind changed on the possession of firearms.

Something these and so many other evil men understood is that there are two sure ways to control people, take their guns and take their food.  There is a quote that say’s “God created man, Samuel Colt made them equal”.  It is a firearm that levels the playing field and gives a people the ability to stand up and resist tyranny.

Some people will say “This could never happen here”.  I wonder if the Jews in Germany thought the same thing, or the people of Zimbabwe, Rwanda and so many others.

I saw a post recently on facebook that said “I saw a movie once where only the police and military were allowed to own guns.  The name of that movie was “Schindler’s list”.  Never Again!

 

The Founding Fathers

I wrote a series of three articles last year that dealt with the Founding Fathers the Constitution, and the future of America.  I also wrote God’s law vs. Man’s law.  In them, I explain that it took great courage to write the Declaration of Independence. Aside from the Bible, it is one of the most important documents in existence, largely due to the following sentence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The reason that one sentence is so important is because it states that the rights mentioned above in the Bill of Rights and the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and yes, the right to keep and bear arms are granted by God, and what God grants, man cannot take away.

The Founders knew that a large government could not be trusted.  That is why there are so many checks and balances.

 

The Second Amendment

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Something important to keep in mind when studying the Bible, the Constitution or any historical document is that context its king.  Something taken out of context can completely change what the document means; this is the case with the Second Amendment.  I have done a lot of reading the last couple of weeks, shoring up what I didn’t fully understand, keeping track of what the anti-gunners were doing and how pro-gunners were responding.  I came across a fantastic document from the Lectric Law Library called The Second Amendment: The Framers’ Intentions.  The author does a fantastic job of explaining the wording of the Second Amendment and how the particular words meant something different at the writing of the Second Amendment than they do today.  I highly suggest you read it, as I will only touch on some key points of the Amendment.  Any of the italicized text in the Second Amendment section comes from The Second Amendment: The Framers’ Intentions.

The first question to answer is; “why would this need to be specified and added as an Amendment?”  As Noah Webster, whose name you might recognize from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is quoted:

“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe.”

You see, the founders knew that tyrants preferred an unarmed populace.  They knew that an over reaching government with a standing army behind it was a threat to the liberty of the citizenry.

Once we understand that these words were very carefully chosen and that the Founders thought they were important enough to make them the Second Amendment, let’s take a look at the words themselves.  I’m going to break this into smaller pieces and dissect each one.

 

A Well Regulated Militia

Context is king.  When many people hear the word militia today, they might think of extremists who stock guns and are just waiting for a chance to use them.  But, when the Second Amendment was written, the word meant something else.

“When the Constitution was ratified, the Framers unanimously believed that the “militia” included all of the people capable of bearing arms.”

“ALL of the people capable of bearing arms”; this means that according to the founders we are all in the militia.  Alright, so anyone who is capable of bearing arms is in the militia, but what exactly does “well regulated militia” mean?

In modern times the word “regulate” often makes one think of the government regulation and restrictions.   A much better (and much longer) explanation can be found at The Second Amendment: The Framers’ Intentions.  A condensed version is that the founders knew the militia might one day have to fight a standing army raised and supported by the federal government.  They would not have made the militia subject to be regulated by the government.  Who then would be the regulatory body of the militia?  Again, context is king:

“This interpretation is in keeping with English usage of the time, which included within the meaning of the verb “regulate” the concept of self- regulation or self-control (as it does still to this day). The concept that the people retained the right to self-regulate their local militia groups (or regulate themselves as individual militia members) is entirely consistent with the Framers’ use of the indefinite article “a” in the phrase “A well regulated Militia.”

That’s right, “We the people” are to self-regulate our own militia groups made up of anyone capable of bearing arms.

 

“Being necessary to the security of a free State”

Some of us may say we live under tyranny now, but it pales in comparison to the tyranny the Founders lived under.  The Founders knew there were three potential enemies; the first, an invading country, the second, a single terrorist or small groups of terrorists, the last, the standing Army sponsored by the federal government.

It is the job of the standing army to fight against invading forces.  It is the job of police agencies to deal with terrorists.  It is the job of the militia to be a check against the standing army.

“Thus, “well regulation” referred to something else. Since the fundamental purpose of the militia was to serve as a check upon a standing army, it would seem the words “well regulated” referred to the necessity that the armed citizens making up the militia(s) have the level of equipment and training necessary to be an effective and formidable check upon the national government’s standing army.”

“This view is confirmed by Alexander Hamilton’s observation, in The Federalist, No. 29, regarding the people’s militias ability to be a match for a standing army: ” . . . but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights . . . .”

Of course we don’t have a structured citizen militia as well trained or as well-equipped as the standing army, but this does provide the basis for citizens to own weapons on the same level as the average soldier.  This would not apply to planes, tanks, mine or grenades, but it would permit semi-auto rifles and semi-auto handguns with high capacity magazines.

 

The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The first two parts of the Second Amendment set the stage for why the people have the (God given) right to keep and bear arms.  This last part flatly states the right shall not be infringed.

“Furthermore, returning to the text of the Second Amendment itself, the right to keep and bear arms is expressly retained by “the people,” not the states. Recently the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed this view, finding that the right to keep and bear arms was an individual right held by the “people,” — a “term of art employed in select parts of the Constitution,” specifically the Preamble and the First, Second, Fourth, Ninth and Tenth Amendments. Thus, the term “well regulated” ought to be considered in the context of the noun it modifies, the people themselves, the militia(s).”

Here is another fantastic piece from Roanoke.com called In Webster’s English.  It explains that the English language has changed since the writing of the Second Amendment and uses the first Webster’s dictionary to explain it.

 

The Second Amendment in Modern Times

There have been some recent developments with the Second Amendment.  First, on August 24, 2004, the Justice Department released a brief on Whether the Second Amendment Secures an Individual Right.. They state:

“we conclude that the Second Amendment secures a personal right of individuals, not a collective right that may only be invoked by a State or a quasi-collective right restricted to those persons who serve in organized militia units.”

In the wake of illegal confiscation of firearms after Hurricane Katrina, there was H.R. 5013 (109th): Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006, which, among other things, states:

“The Second Amendment to the Constitution states that a `well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed’, and Congress has repeatedly recognized this language as protecting an individual right.”

Most recently, on 6-28-2010, the Supreme Court upheld, 5-4, that The Second Amendment’s guarantee of an individual right to bear arms applies to state and local gun control laws.

 

In Summary

The Founding Fathers clearly laid out that the right to keep and bear arms was an individual right.  There have been many evil men who have tried to control their people by outlawing the ownership of firearms.  I believe the Founders knew this was a possibility in the future of our nation, which is why they spelled it out.  Even though they spelled it out, some have tried to muddy its meaning.  With the paper from the Justice Department and the decision from the Supreme Court it is clear:

 

The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

 

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The War on Guns; Part One
The War on Guns; Part Two

Filed Under: Mind Set, Security, Signs of the Times Tagged With: ,

Interacting With Police While CCW

November 12, 2012 by

Thanks to Jim Moore for the idea on this article and for the transcription below.  First let me state the disclaimer; the laws on CCW vary from state to state, so this is not to be viewed as legal advice.  Use it as part of the information you gather to guide how you will respond if you are ever approached by a police officer while you are legally carrying a firearm.

Many of us have our CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) permit (or whatever your state calls them) and many more might choose to in the future.  This topic is important because there have been citizens who were legally carrying who had encounters with police end very badly.  One example happened at a Costo in July 2010 that left the CCW carrying citizen dead.  I have read a few different takes on the encounter and I will just say that it could have and should have ended differently.

In the CCW class you were probably told what to do if you are ever approached by law enforcement while carrying your firearm.  Some of the instructors are better than others or, for some of us, it has been a few years since we have reviewed this information.  Think of this article as a refresher.  There are really only two times you’ll have to deal with law enforcement while carrying a firearm; when things are normal and your firearm has not been drawn from its holster, and after you have had to use it to defend yourself.

 

Normal Times

When you’re approached by law enforcement while carrying a firearm, there are two components that will determine how it will go; your demeanor and the officers’ demeanor.  You can determine your demeanor and how you respond to the officers.  Remember the reason you carry a handgun is for self-defense, not to make political statements.  Once police approach you, you should not get into a confrontation about your Second Amendment rights.  They know the law and it is their job to make sure you are legally carrying that firearm.  If you are following their directions, chances are you’ll be on your way soon.  Not following their instructions could land you in a jail cell or, worse, in a box.

Here are a couple great videos that offer some different approaches to interacting with law enforcement while you’re carrying.

This first video is of Massad Ayoob, one of the great firearms and self-defense instructors.  In it, he is explaining the correct way of telling law enforcement that you are licensed and carrying a firearm when you have been pulled over.  Much of this would transfer out of the vehicle to any time you encounter law enforcement while carrying.

 

 

Here is a video from The Best Defense, which airs on the Outdoor Channel.  In it there are three scenarios where someone with a CCW has their weapon spotted and how they deal with the civilians and with law enforcement.

Here is another video from The Best Defense on open carrying and interacting with law enforcement.

Again, remember the reason you are carrying in the first place is for self-defense, not to make political statements.  Remember the goal of law enforcement is to go home every night.  As long as you’re compliant and not putting your hand near your firearm, you will, most likely, be on your way in no time.

I have heard a few stories where a police officer who was not in favor of citizens having a CCW went too far, but those are far and few between.  If you run into one of them, you should still be compliant during the encounter and file a formal complaint afterward, just make sure to get his name discreetly.  Going home safely should be your goal as well and escalating into an argument, as I mentioned earlier, could end up with you in a jail cell or in a box.

 

Post Shooting Interaction with Law Enforcement

Praise God I have never had to use my firearm for self-defense.  I know enough about shooting aftermath to know it is a good idea to know what you will say now.  What you say and do after a shooting could land you in jail, even if you were fully justified in your actions.

Here is another video from open carrying, showing a bad, mediocre and good example of how to respond to law enforcement after a shooting.

Their final approach is pretty solid; being compliant and giving enough information to show you were the victim.

Here is another example given by Massad Ayoob.

Jim Moore (Thanks again Jim!) also transcribed the following, which aired on an episode of Personal Defense TV from the Sportsman’s Channel.  This text is the transcription from Massad Ayoob on that show.

“You’ll hear a lot of people tell you don’t tell anything to the police after you have used force in self defense” I can’t recommend going that far. Certainly in the immediate aftermath of the near death experience that led you to draw your weapon, you’re going to be under the influence of physio-psychological phenomena such as tunnel vision which will alter your ability to perceive distances and sizes, tachypsychia, the sense that things are going in a slow motion, that will make it almost impossible for you realistically estimate how long the encounter took. And for reasons like that you never want to go into detail at the scene. Professionals recommend 22 to 48 hours before that’s done.

At the same time I honestly think there are things that need to be established immediately at the scene. The criminal justice system was predicated on the assumption that whoever got hurt was the victim and whoever hurt them was the perpetrator. Well, you have just caused this guy to have a sudden and acute failure in the victim selection process and the perpetrator is laying on the ground in a puddle of blood doing a very convincing imitation of a victim, you’re standing there with a bloody knife or the smoking gun, you look a whole lot like the perpetrator and if don’t say anything you’re going to find yourself typecast. It’s critical that from the begging it be established who was the victim and who was the perpetrator.

And for many years now we’ve had good success with the five point check list.

First point; explain the active dynamic (what actually led to the shooting). The active dynamic is not ‘I shot him,’ the active dynamic is whatever caused you to shoot him, ‘this man attacked my spouse,’ ‘this man was dragging my child out the back of a blacked out van,’ explain the active dynamic.

Second; confirm the situation that you are the victim complainant and that thing laying on the ground looking like a victim is actually the perpetrator.

Third; offer to sign the complaint and I would offer simply those words ‘officer I offer to sign the complaint.’ It’s critical that you point any evidence you are aware of, evidence tends to disappear from crime scenes, it gets overlooked, it gets moved in the hub-bub of the emergency personnel who are responding, a spent shell casing that may have fallen here now actually accidentally gets lodged in someone’s boot and winds up dislodged over here and it changes the dimensions of the scene.

Fourth; point out the witnesses before they decide they don’t want to get involved and disappears and now with them disappears the testimony that would have proven your innocence.

Fifth and final point; I would personally answer any further questions at the scene with “officer, you’ll have my full cooperation after I’ve spoken with an attorney.

 

Final thoughts:

I hope and pray that none of us ever has to be in this situation, but please take some time to think about how you will respond to law enforcement in both of these situations.  During a training session with a retired SWAT instructor, he said that it is standard for an officer to be sequestered for 48 hours after a shooting.  They do not speak to anyone without their representative present.  If a law enforcement officer is involved in a shooting they have many things in their favor, things the average citizen does not.  Having a plan for what to say and possibly the name and number of a seasoned attorney who understands your states’ CCW laws might be a good idea.

There is also insurance coverage available from a few different providers.  I have only looked in to one, which was provided by USCCA.  I decided not to get it, as money is an issue but I might get it at some point.  They had a free trial membership that I signed up for.  They deliver a high quality magazine and have some other nice benefits.  I’m not making an endorsement, but thought some of you would be interested in getting more information.

 

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Review of the Glock 19

November 9, 2012 by

Before I purchased my first firearm, I did a lot of research.  I went to a few gun stores and held them to make sure I liked the feel.  Doing these two things helped me narrow down the list of guns I was interested in.  I then found a range that rented guns and rented my top three choices.  I chose the Glock 19.  I thought I would share some of the reasons I bought a Glock.

 

Specifications

Caliber:                9mm
Barrel:                  4.02 inches
Overall length:    6.85 inches
Weight:                 20.99 ounces empty
Grip:                      polymer
Action:                  Glock Safe Action
Capacity:              15+1
Price:                     $599-$699

Trustworthiness and Reliability

As I mentioned, I did plenty of research before I decided on a Glock 19.  What I found was that Glock is the most commonly issued pistol in law enforcement (most law enforcement carry a .40 rather than the 9mm Glock 19).  I also found that the Glock 19 is used by Israeli special forces.  Glock, in general, and the Glock 19 specifically, is used by countless police and security organizations around the world.  These agencies have strict standards and put potential firearms through stress tests. Knowing this and knowing that they use Glock speaks volumes to me.  In the complete Book of Autopistols, August 2010 edition, the author called the Glock 19 the “Quintessential combat handgun”.  James Yeager, the CEO of Tactical Response, a firearm training company that provides tactical training worldwide, has a saying that goes something like; “All handguns should be Glocks, all Glocks should be 9mm and all 9mm should be Glock 19’s.”  I do understand that some of the above is due to personal preference, but that preference is developed from shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds.

 

Concealment

I carry concealed for a reason; I don’t want anyone to know I am carrying, especially Joe Dirtbag.  For this reason, I chose the compact Glock 19.   With the polymer GLOCK Sport Combat Holster you cannot easily tell I’m carrying.  Depending on what I am wearing you might be able to tell from behind me, but you would have to be looking for it.

 

Stopping Power

Some might say a 9mm doesn’t have enough stopping power.  If you are trained and can hit what your aiming at, and are using self-defense loads that dump their kinetic energy into the target so the round does maximum damage and stays in the target, then a 9mm has plenty of stopping power.

 

Maintenance

The Glock is, by far, the easiest handgun I have disassembled, cleaned and reassembled.  We own a Walther .22 handgun and, while it’s a decent gun to shoot, it requires a special tool to disassemble.  Once you learn how to take the Glock apart, you can do so in seconds.  Once apart cleaning and greasing it are also very easy.

 

My Take:

I really like this firearm.  I have put thousands of rounds down range and have not had a single failure.  My wife also has a Glock 19 and has only had one failure.  Liking them is one thing, but we and so many others trust them with our lives.  That might sound a little dramatic, but I mean it.  If I am ever in a situation where I need to use a firearm to defend myself, I will be glad that I have my Glock 19.

If you don’t like the feel of the polymer grip, you can fix that with a bicycle inner-tube placed over it.  I was shown this by a firearms instructor and have since done it to all my handguns as it really helps.

 

I happily give the Glock 19 four stars.

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Rising Crime and Limited Law Enforcement

October 22, 2012 by

A note before today’s article: Camping Survival has really stepped up to the plate and given me 3 1000’ spools of paracord to give away. I will be picking the second random winner this afternoon and the last none Monday October 29th. If you want to enter the drawing you have until then. If you have already entered that entry will just be carried over for the new giveaway’s so no need to reenter. If you didn’t enter then send one in for the new drawings.
My email is: chris (at) preparedchristian.net

Again, my many thanks to Camping Survival for supporting the Prepared Christian community!


 

 

Rising Crime and Limited Law Enforcement

 

Mike from Mass sent me an email with a very interesting article.  This is a subject I have touched on before but I want to take a deeper look at it with you today.  The article entitled Armed posse patrols timber land in sheriff’s place is about a rural county in Oregon that has had its Sheriff’s Department shrunken to 3 deputies who patrol for eight hours a day, five days a week due to budget cuts.  Because of this and rising crime, some residents have taken to different forms of assisting the Sheriff.  One of these forms, as the title explains, has been forming armed posse’s to patrol the county.

The reason I want to take a deeper look at this is because I think many of us can relate to a statement made by Sam Nichols in the article, which states:

“I believe in standing up for myself rather than waiting for the government to do something for me,”

I think this is something we will see more of for a variety of reasons.  For instance, in Oakland California, police will no longer respond to certain crimes, which is similar to the circumstances that are in the article; because of cuts, police and sheriff departments are limited in their patrols.  I also think that because of impending economic slowness we will see a rise in crime, as can be seen in this story from USA Today; Violent crime rises sharply, reversing trend.  I think we will see an uptick in crime from people who’re hungry and looking for ways to make ends meet.  I’m not justifying it, just explaining that we will see a different percentage of the population committing crime.

 

Formation of a Posse

A posse is essentially made up of unpaid civilians who assist local law enforcement.  I think there are two ways to go about forming one.  The first is what the Citizens Against Crime did in the story from Oregon that is mentioned above.  From the sounds of the story, they patrol armed with little or no formal training and report crimes to the Sheriff’s Department.

Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson is quoted saying:

“They need to really understand there are consequences that can be very costly, physically as well as legally,” he said, explaining that volunteers could get sued or shot if they pull a gun on someone or make a false arrest.

“Most of them haven’t had what I feel is an adequate level of training to do that they do,” he said. “But if they serve as eyes and ears and only report what they see to law enforcement, I think they can keep themselves at a safe level.”

The Sheriff brings up some excellent points, but we shouldn’t necessarily let that keep citizens from forming a posse in times when, for whatever reason, local law enforcement is unable to meet the needs of the community.

An approach that I think is better is one that the Pinal County Sheriff from Arizona did by forming armed anti-smuggling volunteer posse.  The county has a large problem with Mexican cartels trafficking in drugs and humans, so the Sheriff formed a posse to help “bring the heavy hand of enforcement to those who think they can smuggle drugs or humans”.

From the article:

“According to a news release from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the ASP will provide “surveillance and intelligence support to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Regional SWAT during tactical operations they perform against the Mexican Drug Cartels in western Pinal County.”…

“ASP members are required to pass a full background investigation, and will be trained on Pinal Sheriff’s Office Policy and Procedures, the news release stated. The armed posse members will be required to take quarterly training and qualifications. The members will receive tactical training before any operations.”

This Sheriff saw a need and a potential resource and took the time to make sure he was using people without a criminal record (that is not to say that the men from Oregon might have a criminal background).  He trained them and they undergo quarterly training which is as much as some police departments require.

A posse is usually formed for a short time and with a specific task.  I think an ongoing force is more in line with what the original militia was created to do; to augment local law enforcement with armed, trained civilians who have their own rank and command structure.

 

While We Have the Rule of Law

In this time while we still have the rule of law, we are not the sole means of law enforcement.  You may decide to join a posse or militia to assist local law enforcement.  The following are some things to keep in mind.

 

Citizen’s Arrest

I’m sure everyone reading this has heard of making a citizen’s arrest, but do you know what making one entails?  I am not a lawyer or giving legal advice.  These comments should be viewed as information, not law.  Many states allow a citizen to make an arrest for felonies committed in their presence.  You are allowed the use of reasonable force to subdue the felon until the police arrive.  You do not need to read them their rights.  That’s the job of the police officers who will file the police report.  If you are mistaken and the suspected felon did not, in fact, commit a felon, or you used too much force, you may open yourself up to a lawsuit or to facing charges and jail time yourself.   Here is an article from the Art of Manliness called How to Make a Citizens Arrest that goes deeper into the subject.

 

Buddy System

The buddy system is something I learned of in the Navy.  It means that you never go anywhere alone; always go with at least one buddy.  I can tell you from personal experience that using the buddy system saved me a few times.  There really is safety in numbers.

 

Communication

Being able to provide accurate, minute by minute information with instant and reliable communication is vital.  If you’re a part of a Sheriff sponsored posse, you will most likely be given a radio and trained in how to use it.  If you form a posse or militia with some other concerned citizens, one of the first things you should look into is communication.

 

Know Your Role

I honestly don’t know if a posse formed by a sheriff would provide the same umbrella of protection to its members that the sheriff and deputies would have.  If you form a posse with other citizens you are just that, a citizen.  You might be well advised to take the advice of the sheriff from Oregon :

“If they serve as eyes and ears and only report what they see to law enforcement, I think they can keep themselves at a safe level.”

 

Being Armed

If you have been a reader of this site for a while, you know I am a strong supporter of the second amendment.  I believe it is the responsibility of each citizen to be able to protect themselves.  With that being said, you need to think long and hard and pray about taking a firearm with you if you are going to put yourself in a situation where you’re essentially looking for trouble for the purpose of reporting it.

If George Zimmerman from Florida wouldn’t have had his firearm with him when he saw Trayvon Martin, he may have been less likely to follow and confront him and may have just called police.  Now, I am not saying you shouldn’t.  I’m saying you need to understand the ramifications of your decision.  If you are looking for criminals for the purpose of reporting them to police and are armed, there is the potential for gunplay because you brought a firearm.

Carrying a gun may also give a little extra courage to some, but just because you put on a cape doesn’t mean you can fly.  If you are level headed, can legally own and carry a firearm and are trained in its use, then move forward with caution.

I also think that if you carry a firearm, whether it is just for conceal and carry, or as an armed member of a posse, you should have other means to defend yourself.  When I carry, I have pepper spray, a flashlight that can be used as a striking implement and am trained in an Israeli based form of Real World Self-Defense called Haganah.  If I was patrolling, I would also carry either a larger flashlight or an asp to use for striking.  If you only have a hammer in the tool box, you see every problem as a nail.  I like to have as many options as I can legally.

 

Without the Rule of Law

I really hope and pray we never see a time when we no longer have the rule of law.  I think it would take an unlikely event such as an EMP or other far-reaching event to remove the rule of law.  Even though I believe it is unlikely we will see a time when there is no law enforcement to enforce the rule of law, I still think we have to be aware of it.  How will it affect us in the area we live?  How will we respond?

All of the things listed in the section “While We Have the Rule of Law” will still apply, with the exception of maybe citizen’s arrest.  If there is no law enforcement to retrieve the felon from you, you must think now about what you might do if you witness a felony.

There have been many of these types of situations discussed in several survival fiction books such as Lights Out or One Second After.  These and others have helped me think through some of the possible situations we may face without the rule of law.

 

What Will You Do?

Have you thought about whether or not you would ever join a posse to help enforce the law?  Would it matter if it was created and trained by the sheriff?  Have you thought about how life may be different without the rule of law and what you might do?

 

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Filed Under: Security, What Would You Do? Tagged With: , ,

What Does Civil Unrest Look Like and How Can You Stay Safe Near It?

October 17, 2012 by

There have been a lot of rumors of possible or expected civil unrest, which I mentioned in What We May See at the End of 2012 that is not related to the Mayans and such as this recent article from Infowars.com, entitled Will The Election Results Cause Massive Riots To Erupt All Over America?.  This could range from small peaceful protests to large violent riots.  In light of this, I thought I would look back at civil unrest in our history and from around the world to see if there is anything to be learned that could help if we’re ever caught near civil unrest.

 

Mob Mentality

Mob mentality means a group that acts together without a previous plan.  Mob mentality can turn dangerous if there are negative or hostile emotions being expressed.   People often feed off one another’s anger.  If one person acts out in violence, others may quickly follow.  People soon think as a group and continue to feed off each other’s hostility.

There are a certain percentage of people who will act with honor in any situation.  There is another percentage that will act with dishonor and take advantage of people in any situation.  There is yet another group of people who will usually act with honor except when presented with the opportunity to “get away with it”.  In a group of people, all it takes is for a small percentage of dishonorable people to influence the opportunists and chaos ensues.

Examples where this has happened would be riots after sporting events, flash mobs with malicious intent and, to some extent, the riots seen with “Occupy Wall Street”.

If you are facing a group where mob mentality is present, the best advice I can give is to leave the area immediately and call the police from a safe distance.  Flash mobs are a bit different; they are usually made up of teenagers who text their friends and the group quickly builds because so many have been texting.  They often then target a specific location, streaming in and either burglarizing the location or, in some instances, assaulting patrons or employees.

If you are faced with a flash mob, I would advise you to forget what you were there to purchase and leave immediately.  You do not know what the intent is or how long it will remain peaceful.  Retreat to a safe distance that the mob cannot quickly get to and call police.

 

Extended Lawlessness

I can only think of one case of extended lawlessness in recent American history.  That would be the LA riot in 1992, which lasted six days.  There were 53 people killed and over 2,000 injured.  Rioting was sparked in a few other places across the country but the majority of it was seen in LA.

Looting and violence was rampant.  I had a friend in the Navy who lived in South Central LA during the time of the riots.  He said his mother made him and his brother stay lying on the floor almost the entire time because of random gunfire.  I have read reports that police were so overwhelmed in parts of the city that some business owner took up arms and defended their businesses.

Looking abroad, we see similar traits.  When Saddam fell and his police went into hiding, Iraq was full of looting and rioting that carried on for many days.  I remember reading reports from Tunisia and Egypt soon after the civil unrest started there.  There were reports of small convenience stores running out of supplies, cash machines running dry and neighbors banding together to defend their neighborhood from the rioting thugs.

There have been many anti-austerity protests and riots in Spain, Greece, the United Kingdom and some other European countries as well, many of which have turned violent.  I remember reading one report of sporting goods stores in the UK running out of baseball bats because people were buying them for protection (see what happens when you don’t have the right to bear arms?).

If you live near a city that is in the midst of extended lawlessness you will have to make a decision.  Will you be safer if you bug out or batten down?  If you chose to batten down, here are some things to keep in mind; 1.) Make sure you have food and water available so that you do not have to risk leaving the house.  2.) Keep some emergency cash at home just in case you must leave for emergency supplies.

If you have to go out on foot, always be looking for cover and concealment, even if you don’t have to use it in the moment, you should always know where the nearest is at any given moment.  Avoid large groups of people; you have no way of knowing what they may be up to or when mob mentality may take hold.  If you see violence taking place, whether it is a fistfight or any other type of violence, it can shock your system to see it “in real life”.  Do not fixate on it, push it from your mind and focus on putting distance between you and it, you can process what you saw when your safely back home.  Keep your head on a swivel as they say in the Navy and keep looking around you to make sure you know who is nearby.

If you go out near civil unrest in a vehicle, keep as much distance as you can or you may be faced with the decision to use your vehicle to “make some room” to push through a crowd or to simply flee.  That is why I suggest you keep moving.  Do not stop and watch.  Keep as much distance as you can. Almost every time I see footage from riots, there are cars that are vandalized, flipped over or burned.

You cannot depend on 911 or expect the police to show up quickly.  It might be wise to take a page from the neighbors in Egypt who banded together to protect their neighborhood or from the business owners in LA that defended their businesses because the police were so overwhelmed.

 

Restoring Order

Police and possibly the National Guard have the difficult task of stopping the lawlessness and restoring order.  This job could be made increasingly difficult because in many cases the dishonorable people will try to blend in with citizens who’re nearby.  This is used to great effect in Iraq and Afghanistan where someone will shot at our forces and then drop their gun and hide amongst the civilians standing nearby, or will run into a hospital mosque.

As I wrote in What We May See at the End of 2012 that is not related to the Mayans, local law enforcement agencies have trained with the military in urban operations.  Also Local Cops Ready for War With Homeland Security-Funded Military Weapons and the Air National Guard ordering several LRAD (Long Range Acoustical Devices).  The article also states:

“With this order, LRAD systems will be in use by every major force of the Department of Defense,”

There are two dangers.  One is the rioters and the other is the response to them.  You would be well advised to keep your distance from both.

 

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Filed Under: Signs of the Times Tagged With: , , ,
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