This essay took many days to research and write. You need 10 minutes to read it and 7 minutes to listen.
And each man stands with his face in the light. Of his own drawn sword, ready to do what a hero can.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Only three types of people live in our world—the knights, the sheep, and the wolves. The knights, such as the police, defend us. The wolves are thieves, armed robbers, violent offenders, and now government agencies. Sheep are preyed upon by wolves and need knights to protect them.
Social unrest is inevitable when fixed incomes meet hyperinflation If you close your eyes to this, your behavior and beliefs make you a victim and embolden wolves.
You can learn a lot about violent crime from surveillance videos. YouTube’s Active Self Protection (ASP) is a channel with footage from police, bystanders, and building security systems. John Correia, the host, supplies analysis. He will show you that law enforcement has a nearly impossible job and that they occasionally make mistakes. But when criminals threaten lives, the only solution may be to shoot them.
Correia has evaluated tens of thousands of videos from all over the world. Although some people with guns make mistakes and harm others, his numbers prove that civilian firearm possession results in better overall outcomes. Compliance with an armed robber gets you shot 25 percent of the time without a weapon, but if you have a gun, this drops to 10 percent.
ASP is part violence porn, but the channel offers many lessons and is addictive. Titles include “Defender uses roast chicken to stop a robber:”
Others are “Elderly store owner fights off armed robbers” and “Family survives ambush machete attack.” More samples are HERE, HERE, and HERE. Warning—you will see people who die a few moments after you meet them. Armed robbers threatening others with death deserve this.
The channel has many videos of gun carriers preventing crime. Some of these knights are off-duty police officers. Many retired police and military also carry firearms. Their background is comprehensive, and they afford us another layer of protection against criminals. If you think you have what it takes to be a defender, ASP is your first step. You must be a sane, sober, ethical person who gets training and studies local firearm laws.
The US Constitution requires all jurisdictions to allow concealed carry, and even Los Angeles County is being forced to become more permissive by a recent Supreme Court case. Certain other states are “Constitutional carry” or “open carry,” which require less training and paperwork.
BASICS for beginners
Gun geeks quibble over advice like this, and in their defense, the issues are complex.
Handgun carry has been simplified by Kydex plastic holsters that fit the gun on a heavy, stiff belt. This combination holds the weapon securely, but it can still be rapidly drawn. It snaps into the holster with a click, and as long as it is there, firing the gun is impossible. The holster shields the trigger so you can safely carry the gun with a bullet in the chamber. Leather holsters are less safe.
The right gun, holster, and belt combination is surprisingly comfortable. Nexbelt is an incredible synthetic belt that, along with a holster, costs about $150.
Because violent situations develop rapidly, the most effective strategy is to have the firearm on your person at all times for quick access. “Appendix carry” of the weapon on the front of the belt on the dominant-hand side is popular. Your body type and needs dictate your choice, so study this issue.
Glocks are the most popular handgun because of their reliability, simplicity, and ease of operation. Smaller ones are less than two pounds. They have no safety, but authorities consider this an advantage. The Kydex holsters are a reliable safety by themselves.
Glock 26 with grip extension magazine and Kydex holster that covers the trigger.
Never point a firearm at anyone unless you mean to shoot! And never point it at yourself. Be especially careful when replacing the gun in the holster. If you get your clothing entangled, it could pull the trigger and shoot you in an embarrassing place.
Keep your finger high and off the trigger unless you mean to shoot. This requires training.
More than 80 percent of gun carriers, including police, use 9-millimeter ammunition. Several types of expanding bullets make this relatively small caliber powerful enough. Some defenders prefer a bigger round, such as a .40 or a .45. These kick more, but if the target is struck, a single bullet may stop the threat.
Non-lethal weapons such as pepper spray are essential, inexpensive tools, but firearms are the best option when criminals have potentially lethal methods.
Tasers get the target under control only half the time. When they fail, it pisses off the person getting tased, which frequently worsens a bad situation. These weapons require training and are only reasonable for police.
Some places allow open carry, but except for police, this is a mistake because it telegraphs the gun’s location. The weapon can potentially be stolen and used against the owner.
Training, study, and practice on the range are necessary to make you safe and effective.
Never fire warning shots, and always shoot at the center of mass.
Semi-automatics are modern weapons that automatically load another bullet when fired. Quality brands seldom jam. Revolvers or “wheel guns” are older, bulkier designs. Contrary to street mythology, extensive shooting range experience proves these are less reliable.
The police cannot show up immediately. You need to be able to take care of yourself.
Calling the police is usually the last resort. Law enforcement cannot read minds and must rely on their immediate perceptions of what they see and hear. For example, if you have a relative or friend who always acts crazy but never hurts anyone, they might get shot if you dial 911.
It is generally defensible to shoot someone threatening others with guns or other deadly force such as knives. But in some situations, showing others that you have a firearm is a crime called “brandishing.”
If you fire a gun, you will face legal consequences regardless of the circumstances.
If you are involved in a shooting, and the police come, keep your hands in the air and tell them the location of any weapons.
Never, ever make a detailed statement to police at the scene. Wait until later when you have an attorney present.
Hardening your home’s doors by beefing up the locks and installing long screws on the hinges discourages many robbers. Your local Home Depot or Lowe’s can guide you. They have steel doors that practically require a tractor to open if locked. The nice ones are ornamental or look like ordinary screen doors. These are easily installed, and the cheapest ones only cost a few hundred dollars.
CRITICAL
You will have a better chance of protecting yourself and the people around you if you are knowledgeable and carry a weapon.
If you get into trouble with strangers, remember that 20 percent of the US populace is taking psych drugs. They may be unpredictable and are occasionally homicidal.
Always be prepared to apologize to drunken fools or those who lose their tempers in traffic. Never be concerned about whether you are right. Use the phrase I call the magic three: “You are right, I am wrong, and I am sorry.” This also works wonderfully with spouses, even when you do not mean it—and sometimes when they know you do not mean it.
Self-protection is primarily about staying alert, being polite, avoiding trouble, and having the right attitude. And as John Correia says, “Don’t go to stupid places, do stupid things, with stupid people, at stupid times of the night.”
If you doubt that guns might someday be needed to defend our Constitutional freedoms, study the Warsaw Ghetto liquidation during World War II. Since the residents there had only a few firearms, they could only offer token resistance before they were packed off to extermination camps. In America, about 400 million guns are in the hands of 80 million armed citizens. Let us pray that we will never be called on to defend ourselves against our government with them.well.
124: ARE YOU A SHEEP, A WOLF, OR A KNIGHT?