In 2008, after a conversation on the subject of self defense I wrote this down. This guy was basically clueless about self defense. He thanked me later for helping him to see the light.
I haven't seen this for a while but I was diggin' around in my folders and ran across it. It pretty well sums up my thoughts on the subject
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I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the concept of carrying a handgun for protection. There has been a tremendous increase lately where I live, of citizens taking the lives of bad guys in the attempt to do them harm. I have been carrying legally for about 15 years now. I was trained initially by the Navy and the Marine Corps, and since then I have trained and practiced on my own. I shoot often and carry every time I leave home. I am one of the prepared ones. I don't only mean that I'm capable of handling my fire arm and myself but also prepared to make the mental commitment to follow through if the situation should ever call for it.
I know that carrying a gun is not the best option for a lot of people and for them I definitely recommend they apply other means of self defense. It is time for everyone to think about "what if...." and have a plan. Be prepared. There are active and passive means available that most everyone can come up with some form of protection. Even if it's only a raised state of awareness.
Yesterday: In 1850 there was a scarcity of law in the western regions of this country which made it a great idea for everyone to carry a gun. Individuals were largely responsible for protecting their own lives and property. Even where some laws existed there was little, if any, enforcement around unless you were sitting on the steps of the local sheriff's office. In fact, the way this country evolved it was inevitable that the practice of carrying a gun would be so common. More ancient civilizations might well have done the same if there had been the technology available. The timing was just right here when America was in it's embryonic stages. Guns were available to any and all that chose to have one. Primitive by today's standards but available and effective none the less.
Let's look at today: The situation is vastly different. Whereas before the population was sparse in the western regions. You could travel for days in any direction and not encounter another living soul. Today, however we are shoulder to shoulder in the same amount of space. People are everywhere. We have also legislated ourselves into near paralysis as regards the justice system. We have too many laws. We have too many bad laws. We long ago lost the abillity to enforce many of the laws on the books. Instead of doing away with bad laws and focusing on enforcing newer better laws we just keep piling on to the heap of stupid and unenforceable laws.
The law enforcement agencies in this country are undermanned, under budgeted, and overwhelmed by the rapidly spiraling out of control of crimes, criminals, and the technology employed by criminals. And if that weren't enough we must now worry about political correctness. I know that crime prevention is high on the list of every agency but realistically they are loosing ground, basically for the three reasons just mentioned. Budgetary restraints and politics severly hamstring the ability of LEOs on the street to protect people as they go about their business, or try to. Mr. bad guy pops up without warning from unpredictable places and circumstances and times and John Q. Citizen is largely unprepared to protect them selves. The hard reality here is that the police can not be every where. They can try to solve crimes after the fact but actually preventing an armed robbery or assault is, sadly, once again, largely left in the hands of the citizen himself.
Today, it seems, that for exactly the opposite reasons of 1850, it is once again necessary for citizens to arm themselves against those who would do them harm. As I stated earlier, I know that this is not the best choice for everyone. But it's a great time in history to start giving it some thought. We all need to be prepared, in what ever way best meets out abilities and lifestyles.
It bothers me when I see so many that feel like carrying a gun is a symptom of paranoia. That can be a dangerous attittude and it can keep you from being able to defend yourself and your home and family. Think about it. Does anyone really believe that the rates for violent crimes is going down? Is there anyone that can't see that it increases more and more every year? As the number of desperate, disenfranchised, hopeless people increase that violent crime will increase proportionally?
The future: Right now, as I see it, America is in a struggle. There are two camps in this war and the longevity and direction we all take in the future will be determined by the outcome of this struggle. But things are coming to a head quickly now and we as a people are going to have to take action and regain control of out streets or we are going to become a nation of victims. If the anti gun camp should eventually prevail then I believe that the onset of rampant vigilantism is inevitable.
If however, we avail ourselves of the powers given us by the 2nd ammendment and by common sense, and if we start electing public officials, at every level, that aren't walking around with blinders on, we can get contol of crime. It won't be fun, it won't be easy, it won't be cheap, and it won't be quick. But if we ponder the alternative, what possible difference can it make how much we save on the cost of running government or how much trouble it is to make the committment to change and then see it through.
The future is not yet set. What will we be like in a hundred years? Will it be like it is on some of the futuristic movies where we are a land of the lawless in which only the violent and aggressive survive. Or will we be an enlightened society well protected by our constitution and our individual determination to maintain a decent society in which we may raise our children and persue our work and pleasure without fear of the criminal element.
I am the last one on earth to advocate vigilantism. It would be a devastating mistake from which we might not be able to survive. Once down that path of destruction it's hard to turn things around once you pass that point of no return. Still we need to wake up and start looking at the big picture...the long term big picture. This country was born of revolution and has been shaped by it through out its evolution. I refuse to believe that we have lost that quality which spawned us and sustained us all these years. Surely characteristics like honor, tradition, courage and farsightedness still reside here. Let not our future be shaped by complacency and blindness to the fact that we must continue to struggle to maintain that which our forefathers established. If we let the lazy and foolish elements win then every American that ever shed a drop of blood for this county and the freedom of her people did so for nothing. We might just as well have let the British have their way.
I haven't seen this for a while but I was diggin' around in my folders and ran across it. It pretty well sums up my thoughts on the subject
***************************************************
I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the concept of carrying a handgun for protection. There has been a tremendous increase lately where I live, of citizens taking the lives of bad guys in the attempt to do them harm. I have been carrying legally for about 15 years now. I was trained initially by the Navy and the Marine Corps, and since then I have trained and practiced on my own. I shoot often and carry every time I leave home. I am one of the prepared ones. I don't only mean that I'm capable of handling my fire arm and myself but also prepared to make the mental commitment to follow through if the situation should ever call for it.
I know that carrying a gun is not the best option for a lot of people and for them I definitely recommend they apply other means of self defense. It is time for everyone to think about "what if...." and have a plan. Be prepared. There are active and passive means available that most everyone can come up with some form of protection. Even if it's only a raised state of awareness.
Yesterday: In 1850 there was a scarcity of law in the western regions of this country which made it a great idea for everyone to carry a gun. Individuals were largely responsible for protecting their own lives and property. Even where some laws existed there was little, if any, enforcement around unless you were sitting on the steps of the local sheriff's office. In fact, the way this country evolved it was inevitable that the practice of carrying a gun would be so common. More ancient civilizations might well have done the same if there had been the technology available. The timing was just right here when America was in it's embryonic stages. Guns were available to any and all that chose to have one. Primitive by today's standards but available and effective none the less.
Let's look at today: The situation is vastly different. Whereas before the population was sparse in the western regions. You could travel for days in any direction and not encounter another living soul. Today, however we are shoulder to shoulder in the same amount of space. People are everywhere. We have also legislated ourselves into near paralysis as regards the justice system. We have too many laws. We have too many bad laws. We long ago lost the abillity to enforce many of the laws on the books. Instead of doing away with bad laws and focusing on enforcing newer better laws we just keep piling on to the heap of stupid and unenforceable laws.
The law enforcement agencies in this country are undermanned, under budgeted, and overwhelmed by the rapidly spiraling out of control of crimes, criminals, and the technology employed by criminals. And if that weren't enough we must now worry about political correctness. I know that crime prevention is high on the list of every agency but realistically they are loosing ground, basically for the three reasons just mentioned. Budgetary restraints and politics severly hamstring the ability of LEOs on the street to protect people as they go about their business, or try to. Mr. bad guy pops up without warning from unpredictable places and circumstances and times and John Q. Citizen is largely unprepared to protect them selves. The hard reality here is that the police can not be every where. They can try to solve crimes after the fact but actually preventing an armed robbery or assault is, sadly, once again, largely left in the hands of the citizen himself.
Today, it seems, that for exactly the opposite reasons of 1850, it is once again necessary for citizens to arm themselves against those who would do them harm. As I stated earlier, I know that this is not the best choice for everyone. But it's a great time in history to start giving it some thought. We all need to be prepared, in what ever way best meets out abilities and lifestyles.
It bothers me when I see so many that feel like carrying a gun is a symptom of paranoia. That can be a dangerous attittude and it can keep you from being able to defend yourself and your home and family. Think about it. Does anyone really believe that the rates for violent crimes is going down? Is there anyone that can't see that it increases more and more every year? As the number of desperate, disenfranchised, hopeless people increase that violent crime will increase proportionally?
The future: Right now, as I see it, America is in a struggle. There are two camps in this war and the longevity and direction we all take in the future will be determined by the outcome of this struggle. But things are coming to a head quickly now and we as a people are going to have to take action and regain control of out streets or we are going to become a nation of victims. If the anti gun camp should eventually prevail then I believe that the onset of rampant vigilantism is inevitable.
If however, we avail ourselves of the powers given us by the 2nd ammendment and by common sense, and if we start electing public officials, at every level, that aren't walking around with blinders on, we can get contol of crime. It won't be fun, it won't be easy, it won't be cheap, and it won't be quick. But if we ponder the alternative, what possible difference can it make how much we save on the cost of running government or how much trouble it is to make the committment to change and then see it through.
The future is not yet set. What will we be like in a hundred years? Will it be like it is on some of the futuristic movies where we are a land of the lawless in which only the violent and aggressive survive. Or will we be an enlightened society well protected by our constitution and our individual determination to maintain a decent society in which we may raise our children and persue our work and pleasure without fear of the criminal element.
I am the last one on earth to advocate vigilantism. It would be a devastating mistake from which we might not be able to survive. Once down that path of destruction it's hard to turn things around once you pass that point of no return. Still we need to wake up and start looking at the big picture...the long term big picture. This country was born of revolution and has been shaped by it through out its evolution. I refuse to believe that we have lost that quality which spawned us and sustained us all these years. Surely characteristics like honor, tradition, courage and farsightedness still reside here. Let not our future be shaped by complacency and blindness to the fact that we must continue to struggle to maintain that which our forefathers established. If we let the lazy and foolish elements win then every American that ever shed a drop of blood for this county and the freedom of her people did so for nothing. We might just as well have let the British have their way.
) Great read too.
