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All posts by David Williams
Times a changing
The world has changed.
Starting sometime around March 16, 2020, the United States of America changed. I am writing this about six weeks later and a lot has happened.
Like everyone I know, I have experienced a huge range (and rage) of emotions. Teetering on the edge of 60 years old with health complications, I am the fresh meat this virus feeds on. I have a family that I care for that includes my wife, adult children and grandson.
Most of my friends fit into the demographic of coronavirus targets. Most of my friends, like myself, have also served our communities and countries for most of our adult lives. We Americans, We the People, look on ourselves as patriots.
This “new reality” has stretched and pulled at the definitions of words like patriot and freedom. The fictional struggle of Star Trek and Spock with the needs of the many and the needs of the few…and the one, have turned into an historic battle between THE People, THE Government and a thousand tiny fiefdoms scattered throughout the land of the quarantined and the home of the N95.
Predictions of death and suffering triggered responses from all aspects of society. We will spend the next decade debating the appropriateness of these responses. Right now, we are in the middle of the forest and cannot even see where the trees stop.
The one thing that I have seen that has troubled me is the lack of consideration for the basic rights of the People. From mass house arrests to local governments prohibiting the sale of clothing, the petty tyrant has impacted the People in ways we do not even yet comprehend. And they did it without any resistance.
John Adams spoke about this issue during the American Revolution. Read his brief speech and look at it through the prism of current events.
“Let it be known that British liberties are not the grants of princes or parliaments. That many of our rights are inherent and essential.
Agreed on as maxims and established as preliminaries even before parliament existed. We have a right to them, derived from our maker. Our forefathers have earned and bought liberty for us at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasures and their blood.
Liberty is not built on the doctrine that a few nobles have a right to inherit the earth. No! No! It stands on this principle: That the meanest and lowest of the people are, by the unalterable, indefeasible laws of God and nature, as well entitled to the benefit of the air to breathe, light to see, food to eat and clothes to wear as the nobles or the king. That is liberty… and liberty will reign in America!”
Deadly Force Decisions: The First Step
We live in a violent society.
When I first became a police officer, I carried a six-shot revolver. Portable radios were bigger and heavier than bricks. There were no cages in the patrol cars, and the patrol cars had a red light and a blue light on top. At least I had TWO lights on my car! The idea of in-car computers was science fiction.
After a little over a year on the street, I was in my first shooting with that six-shot revolver.
Technology has changed a lot of things related to police work and personal defense, but the primary weapon has never changed.
You are the weapon. The gun is a tool.
We live in a violent society. If you carry a gun for personal defense, you must be fully prepared for an armed confrontation. For most of us, that means we go out and buy a gun. We may buy some practice ammunition and go to the range. Some of us may even get good training on how to shoot the new gun. But we haven’t started our weapon training, because YOU ARE THE WEAPON. THE GUN IS A TOOL.
Like any good warrior, you need to prepare yourself mentally for battle. The first step is to ask yourself one simple question.
Am I prepared to kill another human in self-defense?
This may not be an easy question to answer at first, and that is OK, as long as your indecision occurs in the safety of your own home or in a training environment before you carry the gun. Most of us have been hardwired to be kind and gentle. That is a healthy thing in day-to-day society. The problem is, not everybody plays by those rules.
We live in a violent society.
To prove this point, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that in 2009 there were 1,318,398 victims of violent crime in the United States. That same year 15,241 of our citizens were killed by violence.
As of this writing in the fall of 2010, the U.S. Government reports that 5,721 service personnel were killed in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001 after the September 11 attacks. We can all agree that the loss of 5,721 brave American service personnel is a terrible loss.
The shocking fact is that during that same time period from 2001 to 2009, we had 146,078 people killed within our own borders! Nearly 30 times more people were killed in the U.S. than were killed in two wars.
We live in a violent society.
Are you prepared to kill another human in self-defense? It can be a scary and difficult question.
In his book On Combat, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman cuts to the heart of this question:
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? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking in the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.
Are you a sheepdog? Are you a warrior?
You may need to ask yourself some religious questions. Do your spiritual beliefs allow you to kill in self-defense? Some belief systems completely prohibit the taking of a human life. If you believe that, then follow through with your beliefs, but do not carry a gun unless you are willing to use it.
You must understand that there is a difference between killing and murder. As a legally armed citizen, you have the right to protect yourself and others from serious physical harm or death. Having killed in the line of duty as a police officer, I am grateful to know that I am not a murderer. The laws of man and my spiritual beliefs allow me to use deadly force in defense of myself and others.
As a young police officer, I asked myself how I would feel if I had to kill someone. I thought about “Thou shalt not kill.” My personal research led me to understand that the Commandment actually means “Thou shalt not commit murder.” That was my personal conclusion. If that is an issue you need to address, seek guidance from spiritual leaders you trust. Research the texts of your beliefs. Be at peace with whatever conclusion you decide upon.
Your social beliefs may prohibit you from using deadly force. Many kind-hearted people try to change the world every day but could not shoot someone to defend themselves. Unfortunately, this occurred in the police department where I worked.
The following description of the event is from the FBI Uniform Crime Report on Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted in 2002:
A Dayton police officer with nearly two years of law enforcement experience was critically wounded after responding to a domestic disturbance call at 3:30 p.m. on May 15, 2000. The 40-year-old officer and her partner were in their patrol vehicle en route to the residence where a man was reported to have shot at his girlfriend and her four-year-old son. The suspect was leaving the residence as officers arrived, and a short car chase ensued. He stopped his vehicle, exited with a .30-caliber semiautomatic rifle and aimed it at the victim officer’s partner. Both officers exited the patrol vehicle and took cover, the partner behind the vehicle and the officer behind the vehicle’s right front fender as four other officers arrived at the scene.
The first officers at the scene ordered the man to put down his weapon, but he replied that if they didn’t drop their weapons, he would shoot them. A little more than a minute later, the suspect reportedly approached the officer, who had taken cover behind the right front fender of the police car and told her to drop her gun or he would “blow her head off.” The officer, who was wearing body armor, placed her gun on the ground and raised her hands. The suspect then shot the victim officer in the neck from less than five feet away. Her partner returned fire and shot the man six times.
The 21-year-old offender, who was on conditional release pending criminal prosecution, was known to law enforcement as a drug dealer. He was treated for his wounds, then charged with three counts of Felony Assault, two counts of Aggravated Robbery, one count each of Child Endangerment, Failure to Comply, Carrying Concealed Weapon, Having Weapons Under Disability, and Unlawful Possession of Dangerous Weapons. The victim officer was left quadriplegic as a result of the shooting and died of her injuries on August 25, 2002, at the age of 43.
I knew this officer and worked with her. I knew the other officers on the scene and worked with them. I was not on the scene of that incident. I do not know why the officers did not shoot the suspect before he fired. I do know that there were some people there who were not prepared to kill someone in the line of duty. As a result, Mary died.
You must be prepared to use the gun if you carry the gun. I have heard people say that they will just “flash” the gun and that will scare the bad guys away. That is complete and utter foolishness.You have the gun to deliver deadly force under legal guidelines. Almost all states consider “flashing” the gun to be a crime. More importantly, you have just told the “wolf” that you have a gun. He may want to take it from you, and the “wolf” may just be crazy enough to try. You had better be ready to deliver accurate, lethal fire under appropriate conditions.
You must also consider how your use of deadly force will affect the people you love. They need to be a part of this discussion. You may carry the gun, but they will carry the burden with you if you ever have to kill in self-defense. Settle all the questions long before they can haunt you. Be settled in your mind that you are prepared to use deadly force as it is legally allowed where you live.
Consider these factors before you go forward with your self-defense plans. Make informed and intelligent decisions that you can live with, so if you do carry a gun, you will not hesitate. We all know that “He who hesitates is lost.” This is especially true in a gunfight.
Be mentally and spiritually prepared to protect yourself and the people you love. Then go get the gun, get good training, and always remember: You are the weapon. The gun is a tool.
The Danger of the 1911 Dogma
I recently took time off from instructing to attend a class at my favorite local range. The class was the third in a series of five, building on solid principles and foundations of defensive shooting. I have jumped in on these classes on several occasions and have always been impressed with the instructor and his students.
I had not attended any classes with this particular group of students, so I was unfamiliar with their skill level or attitudes. Students have always been very solid after the first class or two, so I expected the best.
The class formed up for the start of drills. I took my place in the end of the line. I always like to watch and learn, and I was the “new guy” to these students.
A scan of the class showed that everyone was equipped fairly well for this level of training. Like many students I have encountered, they seemed to have spent good money on a gun, less money on a holster and almost no money on a belt that was specifically designed for concealed carry. The instructor had advised them to have the proper equipment, but many skipped the advice on the REALLY good holster and REALLY good belt. The class was about to show them the error, and also how important good belts and holsters are. The class was focusing on move and shoot techniques.
The one thing that did catch my attention was two shooters with high-end 1911s. These guns easily cost over $1,000 each. Anyone that has been around guns would recognize the manufacturers. One shooter had an FN 5.7 and everyone else had safe-action pistols such as a Glock or Smith and Wesson. I used my EDC Glock 17.
Now, I can appreciate a pretty gun, and these 1911s were pretty guns. They were expensive, too. Like most of you, I have owned a lot of guns over the years. A good percentage of those have been 1911s. I have carried 1911s as a personal defense gun. I am not a 1911 basher. I am also not a member of the Temple of the Gun God John Browning, established in 1911. When it comes to personal defense, I want my students to carry a reliable gun that they can deliver quick, effective strikes on anyone that is a danger to them or their families.
One of the 1911 owners was very quiet and seemed very confident. The second 1911 owner talked a lot about his gun ad how reliable it had been for him.
The second, more talkative 1911 owner turned out to be the first shooter in one of the two lines. The first drill was introducing shooters to the methods of shooting while moving. It was a fairly simple drill, as it should be for the first time. The students started out moving toward a target that was about 30 feet away and fired a single shot on a command. The goal was to fire a round at about 20 feet and about 10-15 feet while moving. We were to stop and walk backwards, firing twice again on the command.
The talkative 1911 owner had a malfunction on the first round. It appeared to be a failure to eject. This was their third class, so the instructor had the students clear malfunctions as they had been trained previously. The 1911 guy tried to clear it and ended up with a double-feed. The 1911 guy was clearly frustrated. He talked about how reliable the 1911 was and how he could not imagine what the problem was.
I did not really see what happened to cause the original failure to eject. I went there with the intention of focusing on improving my skills and knocking off some rust, but the instructor mode kicked in pretty quickly. My first concern was that a frustrated student sometimes gets impatient with his or her gun and does some things out of frustration and anger that can be dangerous. I was going to leave the range with the same number of holes in my body that I had when I walked in. The instructors handled the situation well and made sure the situation was safe, while continuing the training on clearing a malfunction.
As an instructor, I wanted to see what was happening and learn from the situation. I was not surprised that the most talkative student in the class was having problems. We have all probably seen that before. He had a quality 1911, so I was watching for the perpetual 1911 vs. Glock debate as well.
The class moved forward and the 1911 guy had some type of malfunction at almost every drill. He voiced his frustration at the expensive gun that had never let him down before. The instructors took some time to review his techniques to ensure the shooter was not inducing the failures. They also test fired the 1911 and did not have any problems. This process continued throughout the first two hours of the class, and then we took a break.
A fly on the wall can learn a lot of interesting things, so I just hung out during the break and listened. I learned that this 1911 was the FIFTH 1911 our 1911 guy had purchased within the last two months. He had problems with ALL of them. The 1911 guy said that the 1911 was the only good defensive gun there was, so that was the gun he was going to carry. I wanted to walk up and ask how that was working out for him in this class, but I was a fly on the wall. He continued to talk about how great the 1911 was.
The class continued and the 1911 guy continued to have problems. Some problems may have been caused by the gun; others were clearly induced by the shooter. The REAL PROBLEM was that the 1911 guy could not recognize he was not capable of shooting a 1911 in a defensive situation. The class scenarios intentionally induced stress, had reloads, shooter movement, multiple targets, moving targets, “good guy” targets and all the things that induce stress and push the shooter to simulate a dynamic critical incident.
The instructors quickly recognized that this 1911 was a poor choice for a defensive hand gun for this person. They politely and skillfully pointed out what had happened in the class and how that could, and probably would, happen in a real-world confrontation. The 1911 guy continued to blame the equipment and did not take any responsibility even though it was clear a significant portion of the malfunctions had been induced by the shooter. It was clear the 1911 guy was not open to what the instructors had to say.
By the way, the other 1911 shooter never had a problem. The course of fire illustrated the disadvantage of a smaller capacity firearm when engaging multiple targets, but the quiet 1911 shooter never had a malfunction.
The problem on this day at the range was not the 1911. The quiet student completed all the training objectives without malfunction. He had a quiet confidence in HIS SKILLS and his equipment. I suspect that he could have picked up my Glock, or a Smith and Wesson and performed well. He knew the basic fundamentals.
The danger was that the 1911 guy believed that a hunk of steel was imbued with supernatural powers. He looked on this particular gun with what appeared to be a spiritual reverence. This same gun had consistently failed him throughout this class. Apparently he had purchased five other 1911s and yet he still believed that this magical talisman would keep him safe.
Dogma is dangerous. Do you have some personal defense dogma in your life that needs to be re-examined? Did you buy a holster that you thought would work, but is not really safe? Are you emotionally invested in some concept or equipment because “Dad did it that way”?
I entitled this article “The Danger of the 1911 Dogma”, because this situation was thrown in my face. I could have replaced “1911”with any number of sacred cows that are worshipped in the world of self-defense. Dogma is a dangerous thing in personal defense. Dogma, defined as a “prescribed doctrine proclaimed as unquestionably true by a particular group”, is dangerous. We should always question and review our training techniques, equipment and mentality.
Are you convinced that you will only carry a particular caliber, make or model? Take a minute to examine EVERYTHING about your personal defense. Consider the gun, caliber, cartridge manufacturer, holster, flashlight, gun storage and anything else that affects your safety and the safety of your family.
Reviews like this do two things.
1) Reviews shake out the cob webs and dust of old, outdated ideas
2) Reviews build confidence in the solid, trustworthy and proven decisions you have made
Consider these things. Change what needs to improvement. Keep what is proven and dependable. Your family deserves the effort.
It’s OK to be scared. It’s not OK to be stupid.
It’s been almost a week. Things should be starting to settle down. As adults we know this is a confusing and difficult situation.
Big people know it will take some time to get the answers. The smart thing is to wait a little bit and let the professionals gather the evidence.
Don’t be surprised by conflicting stories and differing reports. That was a mad house.
People under extreme stress may even make mistakes.
Let the professionals sift through the carnage and put the puzzle pieces together.
No matter what, this guy was a terrorist. Spreading fear and uncertainty only helps the terrorist accomplish his goal. Spreading conspiracy theories on social media only scares people.
That wouldn’t be very bright. Helping a terrorist.
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving from the staff at Liberty Lifestyle.
David Williams
www.libertylifestle.us
SHOULD YOU BE ARMED?
There are two laws of nature that apply to every living organism on this planet. These laws apply to you and your family as well.
THE FIRST LAW: SURVIVAL
We have all seen documentaries and television shows that demonstrate the struggle to survive in nature. All life struggles to survive, whether it is the gazelle fleeing the jaws of the lion on the plains of Africa or microorganisms in a life and death struggle in an unseen world.
The FIRST LAW of nature, SURVIVAL, applies to all of us as well. It may not seem as dramatic as the chase and slaughter on the African plains, but we all know that predators walk our streets and live in our neighborhoods. Unfortunately, our predators are not as easily identified as a lion or a shark.
There were over 14,000 murders in the United States in 2014 according to the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also reported over 740,000 Aggravated Assaults that resulted is serious physical harm of the victims. The 84,000 reported rapes was a marked increase over 2013. Over 325,000 violent robberies were also reported. The violent crimes that were reported over one million one hundred sixty three thousand times ( 1,163,000) clearly demonstrate there were a lot of predators stalking our streets.
I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) and currently train LEOs, civilians and security personnel. There were very few times in my career where I was able to interrupt a crime in progress. It is rare and is the dream and goal of every cop, every day they put on the badge. It was my goal every day. It is the equivalent of scoring the winning touchdown. But it hardly ever happens.
Cops usually get to the scene of a crime after it is all over. Crimes, especially violent crimes, usually happen very quickly and very violently. They are done in a matter of a few minutes or even seconds. During that fast, violent struggle we see the Second Law of Nature.
THE SECOND LAW: ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
That rapid, violent encounter is the final showdown that may well end a life. The strongest, fastest, toughest opponent will win.
Animals carry their weapons with them. The lion always has his fangs and claws. The gazelle has her agility and speed all the time. A human being has limited natural weapons. Our mind and wit are our greatest assets. Our fists and feet can be formidable if we are trained and strong. The average American, however, is not sufficiently trained for hand-to-hand combat. But apparently the average predator is able to use his hands and feet as capable weapons.
The FBI crime statistics for 2014 indicate that nearly 27% of those 741,000 Aggravated Assaults were done with hands, fists and feet alone. That means more than 200,000 Americans sustained serious injuries by someone that was completely “unarmed”. Over 780 citizens were beaten to death by someone with what the FBI euphemistically calls “personal weapons”.
Firearms were used in over 22% of Aggravated Assaults. Knives were used about 19% of the time and other items like clubs and blunt objects were used almost 32%.
We all train for the predator charging us with a gun. Close quarter weapons were used in 78% of Aggravated Assaults. Do you have a plan for dealing with the hardened criminal that will approach and attack you at a very close and very personal range?
Most of us are not mixed martial arts fighters. Many of us, like me, may be getting older; we may be injured or may be physically smaller or outnumbered by attackers. The legal concept of disparity of force works to our benefit in a court room, but what will keep us alive in the urban jungle?
“GOD MADE MAN, BUT SAMUEL COLT MADE THEM EQUAL.”
Humans learned early that we needed weapons to survive. Knives and spears kept the sabre toothed tiger at bay. Bows fed our children and we began to thrive instead of just survive. But gunpowder changed the world.
Just as those early weapons “equalized” the balance between fang and claw to frail human being, the firearm now equalizes the balance between innocent family and rampaging gang bangers. The portable, concealable handgun makes a single mother and her child defensible against the serial killer. The once helpless, victim-prey is now the legally armed citizen, free to live and work without fear. The gun is the balance of power for the average person.
Just like the gazelle grazing on the plains, you may have never been attacked before. However, both you and the gentle animal innately understand the predators are out there, waiting. Lurking. Prowling. The difference is YOU do not have the fangs, claws and speed to defend yourself. You do not have the NATURAL tools to defend yourself and your family when the predator attacks. The Laws of Nature do not change for any creature when the predator attacks. SURVIVAL becomes priority and ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE becomes vivid fact.
A reliable firearm with good ammunition in the hands of a responsible, trained, legally armed citizen is the best defense against violent assault.