Land of The Free?

Walls of the City  reminds us (by way of Sharp As A Marble) that while we continue to speak of ourselves as the Land of the Free, we certainly are no longer:

30 years ago, you’d just assume that anything that wasn’t obviously contrary to morality was legal. That is, you’d have a built-in default setting of assuming liberty. And that assumption of liberty would then propel you to take actions.

But now, you have to assume that many things that aren’t contrary to morality are illegal anyway. And so you now have — quel coincidence! — a built-in default setting of assuming prohibition. And that assumption that many of the things you’d like to do are illegal and criminal thereby reduces your desire to take any action at all.

Can you name all of the crimes in your state that are felonies? Can you name all of the crimes in your state that are misdemeanors? Have you ever uttered the words, “Is that legal?” without actually being able to intuitively guess whether it is or not?

Welcome to the club. And the problem.

You should go and read the whole thing.  It’s well worth your time, and even has some Latin words in it!

The Country for whom I would have probably died (in Vietnam – had I not been a disabled 4-F) no longer exists.  She does on paper (The Constitution), but that was long ago, and like Benghazi, is no longer relevant.

Did you know The United States has more prisoners per capita than any other Nation?  How many of these folks zigged when they should have zagged?  Or were caught with weed.  Or carrying a gun for protection?

Lets stop electing people to legislatures to pass more incomprehensible laws.  Lets elect them to remove laws.  And hold those accountable who messed everything up.  THEY are the people who should be afraid. And incarcerated!

Smith & Wesson Military and Police Revolver

(NOT the modern AR-15 rifle clone, you ninnies!)

The classic, later known as the Model 10 .38 Special revolver.

I’ve never owned one.  I’ve shot a bazillion of ‘em, and carried some.  With the exception of those without the strength to pull the trigger, I’ve recommended these (or similar models) for self protection, CCW, and general home/business carry for years.

Why?  Not everyone likes the semiautomatic, even those with minimal levers and buttons (e.g. Glock).  And the .38 Special cartridge is street-proven, but not so full of blast and flash to scare the new shooter more than the shootee!  Good for a beginner.

Barrel length?  That’s a matter of personal choice, although a 4″ barrel is fairly ubiquitous and inexpensive (used) at gun shows and pawn shops.

And they come with a fixed sight – nothing to hang up, break or misalign  on a coat or in a purse.  One could ‘bob’ the hammer and remove the single action function if one were moved to do so.

Disadvantages?  Medium caliber and six rounds; slow to reload.  Although I’ve known a few folks who could reload from belt loops two-rounds-at-a-time faster shot-to-shot than some folks using a pistol with a magazine!

And, I’m old-school, so there!

Are You Tough, Mentally?

I used to hang with a nice married couple.  They are good friends, but they moved away.  Fortunately, this was after they became my shooting students, and went on to become teachers, themselves.

I remember them telling me back-in-the-day that years before we became acquainted, they’d gone to a gun show.  And some vendor therein had a sales technique predicting an apocalypse.  His sales spiel was:

When the s*** comes down, you will need ‘X’!

Tactical Intelligence addresses something that most who read this and similar blogs already know:

“The more you sweat in times of peace, the less you’ll bleed in times of war.”

and

If there’s one thing though that we rarely hear about in the prepper circles that I feel is equally as important, it’s building up our mental toughness.

Self-defense oriented folks already are familiar with such precepts:  Jeff Cooper’s Principles of Personal Defense is all about our attitude.

So what are some things that you can do to build mental toughness?

• If you have a flight of stairs in your home, any time you walk down them, go on all fours (great shoulder and chest workout). Or when going up, hop up each step.

• Do a number of pushups or pullups (install a pull-up bar in the doorway) before entering or leaving certain rooms of the house.

• Go without food or water for 24 hours

• When on errands, park your car further out so you have to walk farther.

• When showering, finish the last portion of it with a blast of cold water.

• When watching TV, do pushups/situps during the commercial breaks.

• Try to do as many activities as possible with your non-dominant hand.

• If you’re on the shy side, go out of your way to talk to 3 new people a day and learn something about each of them, or…

• …try singing at the top of your lungs when someone is pulled up next to you at a stop light.

• Wake up an hour earlier than you’re used to.

• When getting your mail in the middle of winter, go out in some shorts and a t-shirt.

• On those nights when you’re exhausted and just want to go to bed, force yourself to clean or do the dishes for 10 minutes.

Practicing a snap kick for 1000 repetitions, or a pistol presentation 1000 times may help you with you physical self – your muscle memory.  But, readiness is not just about the physical.

You should go and read the whole article at the link above, and remember, prepping isn’t just how many guns or rounds-of-ammo or bandages or water filters you have.  What you do with those tools is entirely dependent on your attitude.

For when the s*** comes down…

h/t Karmann & Stan

Most Martial Arts training, armed or unarmed, has one failing…

They don’t practice outside the box.

I wrote earlier this month regarding my two years of formal training in martial arts.  Not much, I know.  About 15 years later, I actively shot in I.P.S.C. – style competition for about a year.  There is a similarity in these disciplines.

Most martial arts training (I’m speaking of Asian-based) begins with a set position.  A formal stance from which one begins – either ‘sparring’ (usually play-acting as through striking one’s opponent), or kata (aka forms), going-through-the-motions as if encountering an opponent.  Shadow boxing.  Responding to an imaginary adversary.

And I.P.S.C. (and it’s later permutations) of active ‘combat’ shooting competition usual does the same thing.  One starts in a particular place, with particular equipment, in a particular position.  Then the whistle blows. (At least U.S.P.S.A. and I.D.P.A. have done some evolution!)

The problem in both these situations is muscle memory.  We revert to that which we were trained to do.  One responds to a fist to the face by an outward-extended block, trapping the arm and stepping in with a counter strike.  One sees one’s adversary present a pistol in one’s direction, and the response is immediate – Grip, Clear, Click, Smack, Sight – or some variant, as one moves into Isosceles or Weaver – feet into the ‘correct’ position to respond.

WRONG.  At least wrong in the real world.

Training is good.  Dry practice, repetitive presentations, trigger control, sight alignment, the compressed-surprise break.  Even practiced stances and grips.  All good.  Competition is good, especially active competition as opposed to just punching holes in paper, dueling-style.  But, those are not enough, and can set in some dangerous muscle-memory habits!

Remember they used to say in malfunction clearance drills Tap, Rack, Bang?  They changed it to Tap, Rack, Assess, because some folks had malfs, cleared their firearm and came out shooting.  Reflexively.

The same thing applies in our training.  If we train to respond with B follows A – bad things are happening, we must attain our proper stance and grip, and use both hands, and have our feet correct – we won’t have the time to find cover and respond appropriately.  We will be dead.

The venerable Bruce Lee called kata vertical death – because it set a pattern of muscle memory and took unneeded time.  Don’t just practice B follows A – try presenting and shooting weak handed, from prone and supine, and in a chair; and holding a heavy sack in your strong hand.  If someone send a fist to your face, don’t automatically do a ‘standard’ response.  Dodge the fist simultaneously doing a stop kick.

Think outside the box!  Armed or unarmed.

On the street, no one will announce, “Shooter ready?!”

A Long Time Ago…

…in a lifetime far, far away…

I studied kenpo karate for a couple of years.  This was after I’d done some self-teaching at home (books by Bruce Tegner and Bruce Lee, and others not Bruce).  On at least one occasion, it did keep me alive.

Guffaw in AZ:  Assault On A Veggie Cook

Due to my leg disability, I focused mainly on hand and arm techniques, sticky and trapping hands, arm bars, hand strikes and such.  I didn’t get very far belt-wise.  My focus was initially philosophical, but then evolved into basics – what I could do to stay alive.

And, over the years, I’ve informally shared some knowledge with other folks who’d expressed an interest, mostly women I’ve dated and shooting students.  More knowledge is better, right?

Now, my roommate (an ex-gf) has expressed an interest.  We’re working on breaking holds, blocks and where and how to strike.  She had been giving me grief, as we’ve known each other almost 10 years, and while I coached her on her shooting, I’ve never broached this subject.  So, we started some training.

But, neither of us is a spring chicken, which makes for amusing training sessions.  Lots of exclamations of ow from both teacher and student.

But, neither of us anticipate training to get to this level:

OW!

h/t Miss K

On NOT Preaching to the Choir…

Many bloggers have been posting of late regarding the ongoing elimination of rights by the government.  I’ve been one of the folks posting.  And, with the exception of the occasional ‘troll’, I’m pretty much preaching to the choir.

And sometimes that’s appropriate.  We need to support and reaffirm one another.

BUT, what does one do with the community outside the ‘church’?  Friends, co-workers, family who are not gun owners, who don’t participate in the gun culture, who either are neutral about firearms or just a little uneasy with them?

We need them, as well.

Those people who don’t see that when some folks rights are taken away, all rights are on the table for removal.

I’ve one friend, a libertarian, who understands The Constitution and The Bill of Rights and all that.  I’ve even taken him shooting.  Just doesn’t interest him.  He’s not anti, just not a supporter.  A close relative who knows I’d be happy to bring her into the world of guns; to train her and help her to be more self-protective.  But she fears her own temper, so she won’t consider it.

We need these folks, if not in our gun corner, in our political corner.

How do we do that?

Anybody?  Bueller?  Bueller?

But Brutus is an honorable man…

Having studied American History for some time, with certain foci (The American Revolution, progressivism, political intrigue and assassination, Constitutional government, libertarianism) something has been bothering me.

Like most civilizations, historically, we have (had) a code and at least made an effort to abide by it.  A man’s word is his bond.  A handshake means something, as does a signature.  Being a gentlemen means holding to certain standards of behavior and deportment.  Honor.

But, it appears all this is now a facade; it has all fallen away.  Especially regarding men of influence and power.  Lying, cheating, stealing, having an alternate code of whatever it takes to accomplish ‘x’, rules the day.

I remember my College Course ‘Introduction to Western Civilization’ wherein Dr. Smith taught us that The Roman Empire didn’t fall because of barbarian attack.  It fell because of a decline in morals – in short, a loss of honorable men.

I’ve been following the articles on Manly Honor, as posted in The Art of Manliness website.  I suggest we need to return to the evolution of the Code in the Twentieth Century – Personal Integrity.

As author Brett states in Manly Honor VII…

But today in this final post I want to strip away many of those layers and try to get back down to the heart of manly honor – the basics of why it’s worth preserving and how we can, and must, revive elements of it in this anti-honor-honor world.

You should go and read, not only this chapter, but the previous six.  Both men and women.  We can restore civility, integrity and a code of behavior as it once was, if we agree to take a code upon ourselves to behave and act accordingly.  And by doing so, perhaps we can reverse this trend wherein people protest by destroying and stealing property, and songs are written about killing civil authority and defiling women.  By being an example for our youth.  By doing what’s right for the American Culture and our own worth.

Clothespin for the Nose?

So, hear I am, poised over my mail-in ballot, making my choices.  (written over one week ago)  Do I hold my nose with one hand (figuratively) or make a third-party choice.  You will never know, as I believe in the Australian Secret Ballot!

For those who didn’t care for the previous administration (and those who don’t care for the current one) here’s a partial list of current administration foibles, many carry-overs from the previous administration.

SO, Tweedledum or Tweedledee?

From Libertarian Reddit.  Posted here so I can find it for later reference. 
This won’t change the mind of a single Dem voter. (The Whited Sepulchre)  (or few Republicans! – Guffaw)

Obama extends Patriot Act without reform – http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-05-27/news/29610822_1_terrorist-groups-law-enforcement-secret-intelligence-surveillance

Obama sends more troops to Afghanistan – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8389778.stm

Obama signs NDAA 2011 – http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/01/02/president-obama-signed-the-national-defense-authorization-act-now-what/

Obama appeals the Federal Court decision that “indefinite detention” is unconstitutional – http://www.businessinsider.com/unbelievable-obama-administration-has-already-appealed-ndaa-ruling-2012-9

Obama uses his Presidential Drone “Kill List” to kill American cleric without trial – http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/world/middleeast/07yemen.html?_r=2&hp&

and his 16 year old son in a separate strike – http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/anwar-al-awlakis-family-speaks-out-against-his-sons-deaths/2011/10/17/gIQA8kFssL_story.html

Continues to approve drone strikes that kill thousands of innocent civilians including women and children in Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries that do not want the US intervening – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/7361630/One-in-three-killed-by-US-drones-in-Pakistan-is-a-civilian-report-claims.html

Protects Bush’s war crimes as State Secrets – http://www.salon.com/2010/09/08/obama_138/ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/04/obama-doj-worse-than-bush http://washingtonindependent.com/33985/in-torture-cases-obama-toes-bush-line

Support for countries use of child soldiers – http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/10/26/why_is_obama_easing_restrictions_on_child_soldiers

Appointing Monsanto, GMO company with multiple unsafe practice violations, lobbyist to head the FDA – http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/monsanto-petition-tells-obama-cease-fda-ties-to-monsanto/2012/01/30/gIQAA9dZcQ_blog.html

Continuing prohibition and Federal attacks on legal marijuana dispensaries – http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=685_1342311527

Protects AG Holder from Congressional “Fast and Furious” gun walking investigations – http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/white-house-invokes-executive-privilege-on-fast-and-furious-documents/

Bringing no charges against bank executives that misused bailouts – http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/opinion/sunday/no-crime-no-punishment.html

Engaging in a war on whistleblowers – http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/31/the-obama-administrations-war-on-whistleblowers/

Quadrupling the numbers of warrantless wiretapping since Bush era – http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/09/28/ACLU-Obama-Has-Quadrupled-Warrantless-Wiretaps

Continuing military tribunals he vowed to end – http://articles.cnn.com/2011-03-07/politics/obama.guantanamo_1_guantanamo-detainees-guantanamo-bay-facility-military-commissions?_s=PM:POLITICS

Failing to close gitmo – http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/guantanamo-bay-how-the-white-house-lost-the-fight-to-close-it/2011/04/14/AFtxR5XE_story.html

Allowed innocent man to die at gitmo – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzanne-nossel/the-death-of-guantanamo_b_1878375.html

Violating the War Powers Act of 1973 – http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/opinion/21Ackerman.html

Signed Anti-protest law – http://rt.com/usa/news/trespass-bill-obama-secret-227/

Deported more immigrants than any other president – http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/10/american-principles-action/has-barack-obama-deported-more-people-any-other-pr/

Increasing Drug War budget – http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/the-national-drug-control-budget-fy-2013-funding-highlights

Defends raids on Amish raw milk farmers – http://reason.com/blog/2011/06/10/obama-food-safety-czar-defends

Granting the FBI access to private electronic communication without warrant – http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/opinion/30fri1.html?_r=3

Building an even more intrusive TSA – http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/218543.html

Says it’s legal to track individuals by pinpointing their cellphone without warrant – http://www.businessinsider.com/government-says-its-to-track-cell-phones-2012-10

Renewing FISA and NSA’s unregulated spying and banking of all wireless communication – http://truth-out.org/news/item/11540-uncle-sam-is-watching-you http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/20/whistleblower_the_nsa_is_lying_us

h/t The Whited Sepulchre

Range Emergency Medicine

Misfires And Light Strikes takes us to a place none of us want to go…

A GSW  (gunshot wound)

Presented as a pop quiz (pun intended?) the test refers to an accidental shooting injury whilst leaving the shooting range.

What do we DO NOW?

Go to the link and take the test.  It just might well save someone else’s life.  Or your own.

Thankfully, no one I know!

h/t exurbankevin

SKILLS

I’ve recently become enamored with rules from the Nation’s past.  If you recall, I posted about Gene Autry’s Rules for Cowboys the other day.

Much of the way our culture has evolved (devolved?) has been to pull us away from the values and knowledge we once held as values and knowledge FOR ALL.  Now they’re largely though of as quaint or out-dated and unnecessary.

The Art of Manliness (available through their direct link or the GBBL) seems to have much of this missing knowledge.

Their most recent essay is taken from Harper’s Magazine, 1931 !

“What the Young Man Should Know”

(Although I assume in today’s world it applies to young women, as well)

An excerpt:

he should learn how to:

• Swim
• Handle firearms
• Speak in public
• Cook
• Typewrite
• Ride a horse
• Drive a car
• Dance
• Drink
• And speak at least one foreign language well

And many other things.  Go to the link above and educate your young man.  Or woman.

Or yourself.