Better Information Than Available Online or From Government, February 12, 2008
Alan Korwin and Steve Maniscalco
Edit of 13 Feb 08 to add “rush & crush” comment, and links including those recommended by Mr. D. in comment.
For those of us that believe in the Constitutional right of all citizens to own and bear arms (the National Guard is NOT a militia–individuals, not groups, have this inalienable Constitutional right), and who feel that the combination of random fatal violoence is accelerating, along with fatal crime, carrying a side arm makes sense. Carrying it concealed makes even more sense, to avoid attention or upsetting the soccer moms (plus weapons cannot be on school grounds except in the car).
I picked this book up today while on a trip, and finally sat down with it tonight. Here are highlights:
1) Opens with a tremendous single-page list of 13 kinds of pending laws intended to restrict citizen rights AND a great list of the harder to do more sensible things, 15 in all, that government *should* be doing. Being made aware of this pending legislation is important. The NRA does not do this good a job.
2) Landlords cannot limit rights.
3) Right to transport (unloaded in container, to include in locked baggage on airlines) is very broad, while right to carry, loaded, is very narrow.
4) Concealed or open carry cannot come within 100 fett of any site serving alcohol.
5) For natural reasons, 98% of those who own and carry a handgun are reluctant to register that fact with the government at any level.
6) Deadly Force section is the most important part of the book and essential reading for anyone unfamiliar with the term. I taught deadly force to Battlaion Landing Team 3/4 in the Fleet Marine Force, but learned even more from my Chief of Station in El Salvador. He handed me my Browning 9mm and said “Use this when you absolutely don't give a damn about being fired.” Lovely. This book sets out the three principals: Retreat, Attempt Peace, draw and fire only if lethal force against you is imminent. It emphasizes that you can protect a third person but only if they face lethal force.
7) Excellent sections on related laws (e.g. do NOT “brandish” a weapon) and federal laws.
8) Covers gun safety and child safety.
9) Ends with a list and discussion of 19 noble uses of firearms.
Lots of appendices.
A righteous worthy book, very glad to have it.
TEACHING OUR CHILDREN
After the Virginia Tech mass murder, I realized we have become a nation of sheep. Not only do our children need to become fit, they need to learn the modern day equivalent of “duck & cover,” which I call “rush & crush.” From 6th grade on, children should have a bi-annual drill and be taught two things:
1) See a gun sound the alarm with “GUN GUN GUN”
2) Without further prompting, all those closest to the person with the “gun” should throw books chairs and then “rush and crush” while the teacher sounds the school alarm and other kids use their hidden cell phones to call 911. This will invariably limit the dead to 1 at most and wounded to 2-4 at most. This is a proven “swarm” defense across the animal kingdom, and now that we are back closer to animals than civilized human beings, our children need to learn this.
Two afterthoughts:
1) In this era of idiot lawyers where border patrolmen go to jail for shooting a drug dealer entering the country illegally, it makes sense to wipe down your rounds and police up your expended cartriges. I personally do not like the illegal “shock” rounds” because I worry about them jamming. I am very accurate and the limited edition Walther PPK is a glorious piece of engineering.
2) Situational awareness and avoidance combined with use of the cell phone to call police remains the single best defense for any citizen, armed or unarmed. If you get drunk (in which case you should not be in carrying) and get mugged, great, its Darwinian culling of the herd. Ninety nine out of one hundred times, the cell phone and retreat are the best answer.
Links:
Rage of the Random Actor: Disarming Catastrophic Acts And Restoring Lives
The Truth About Self Protection
On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace
