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When you are suddenly surrounded by violence and killing, it’s too late to train.
My prayers and thoughts this morning are with the families of those that were killed or injured by the psychopath in Colorado, and also with my own family that attended a movie last weekend and shall do so again many times in the future.
Below, I have re-posted an email sent out this morning from Brian Hoffner in response to the Batman shooting. Brian is a Houston Police Department officer that trains other law enforcement officers at the academy. He also conducts courses for private citizens. At this time, in most of our nation's cities, one can find instructors like Brian that are ready, willing, and able to teach others how to not become a victim.
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7-20-12
This morning’s BATMAN SHOOTING, I wish I could have been there to stop this killer but I wasn’t. That’s the way it is...The sheepdogs wish they could have been there, the sheep are thankful that they weren’t.
This killer was prepared and calculating as he slowly made his way up the stairs and firing - picking random people. For years I have been lecturing about and preparing police and my students to defend against this kind of shooting including what to do in a movie theater because I know that it’s coming.
Responsible Americans must enjoy life while being prepared for the kooks. There are screwed up people in this world and they can appear anywhere at any moment. Be prepared for your immediate defense and the protection of their family. It is an obligation. It the reason I train Police and Responsible Citizens, but it takes more than skills and mindset,,, it also takes equipment and you have to have it with you. That’s why I have made holsters for the last quarter century and invented American Tactical Apparel Pants.
If you leave the house without your head screwed on right and without the equipment to win the sudden violent situation,,, you are a sheep, period. Unfortunately there are so many people out there that will not do what they need to do to be prepared, and I know many of them. They talk about it, procrastinate; find something other than the welfare of their family to spend their money and time on. I know because I don't see them in training. They train a little than they stop. They may carry their gun but will be unable to respond appropriately in the blink of an eye.
I canceled this weekend’s Tactical shotgun class, why? No one signed up for the best shotgun training in the world. No one signed up to retake at half price so they could work on getting their 5 shot time below two seconds.
So I will scratch my head, like I do when only a handful show up for SoSu on Saturday mornings, and I wonder why I am failing to motivate those who should not need to be motivated. For those of you attending day 2 of Tactical Pistol Sunday, congratulations, but like I told you in class, many of you will go no further.
We have the opportunity under our Constitution to ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for ourselves and for our families. The future will hold many challenges to our constitution and to us as individuals.
When your test comes suddenly and violently you will know who, and what, you are at that millisecond. You will understand what is happening is real and you will be glad that you are there to protect your family and save others and gloriously you will act with skill, ability, and confidence. Or you will doubt your ability, be overcome by fear, of no help to yourself or others...a sheep.
Sheep Dog Warriors are not apathetic and putting things off. They are tired because they are driven, always working, and training regardless. Get it together people, don't be sheep!
When you are suddenly surrounded by violence and killing, it’s too late to train, your skills toolbox must already be in order. You have to believe in what you can do and gloriously get it done, confidently, reactively, effectively. You know what is happening is real and you are glad to be there. This is why you train, this is why you prepare, this is why you spend so much time, money, and energy on all of it...because you are Sheepdog.
Wishing you safety through will, determination, and training,
Brian Hoffner
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I hope many of you have read my article:
Fear we are returning to a time in history where it is a common occurrence to fight for one's life?
Please allow me to remind you of Item 7
Complete the following courses in this order:
1. One half-day tactical folding knife class; $150.
2. 2-3 weekends of Tactical Pistol Courses; $1,000.
3. 2-3 weekends of Tactical Rifle Courses; $1,000.
4. One day of Self and Family Emergency Medical Aid/Trauma Kit Course; $150.
5. A series of several two-hour self-defense classes (not martial arts classes); $200.
6. Fulfillment of requirements for concealed handgun permit; $250.
You should learn in these classes how to safely conduct dry-fire training with your firearms and a dummy knife. Do this on a regular basis, such as once per week for at least 5 minutes.
Peace be with you,
h_h
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"For years I have been lecturing about and preparing police and my students to defend against this kind of shooting including what to do in a movie theater because I know that it’s coming."
He's not surprised and I'm not surpised but that is actually surprising in itself. How do you try to convince someone this is coming when it is totally senseless. What human motive drives this behavior? What did this shooter get out of his actions beyond stress relief and the short lived sense of control that comes from temporarily putting others under your control? People can't relate to those motivations so they can't see the reality. I don't relate but it's clear this insanity is becoming more common, like a 'crazy virus' is spreading or someone forgot to latch the gates of hell and the demons are getting loose. Think of how crazy sounding this is: "You have to be prepared because people can suddenly go berserk around you for no reason and and any random time" Of course no one listens yet it seems to be true. What causes this?
The good news is that this guy didn't try to eat anybody.
"What causes this?"...
Are you a retard or something?
You think it might have something to do with our despotic government stealing from us 24/7/365 for four fucking decades?
DUH!
Wondering was he on any shit.
The shit is called money. He was paid handsomely in advance by our innocent government, that would love nothing more than to take our guns away from us.
FIGURE IT OUT.
He was paid in advance by the government? LOL...how exactly did THAT deal go down? "Hey, check it out--we'll give you a million dollars if you commit a mass shooting in which you're guaranteed to be immediately arrested and sentenced to prison forever or be executed. What a deal, huh? Just think how many packs of cigarettes you can buy at the prison commissary with a million dollars! Whaddya say?"
I can imagine a problem if everyone in the theatre was armed - namely that in the confusion there's every chance that people would be shooting each other. If everyone has a gun drawn, who is the correct target to shoot at?
Doesn't matter--in the world of Zero Hedge, EVERYONE is a bad guy. So in the situation you described, you would be well within your rights to just randomly fire your weapon at everyone in the theater. Problem solved!
I can imagine a problem if everyone in the theatre was armed - namely that in the confusion there's every chance that people would be shooting each other. If everyone has a gun drawn, who is the correct target to shoot at?
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Try to think of the situation the US citizen way.
Is it not a formidable opportunity to settle quarrels, resentment you have been hosting and prevented from expressing by coercing laws?
Stray bullets exist and in the confusion of a gun fight, a dark place, tear gas, smoke, you have plenty of opportunities to do what you would want to.
No longer forced to join the US military to be allowed in a fun park to kill people here and there...
Ummmm ... let me think ... ummmm ... possibly the gibbering lunatic in the flak jacket and gas mask, holding a teargas canister in one hand and a rifle in the other, with everyone near him looking in the direction of the sound of the first shot?
Nahhh ... could be anyone....
I can see a career opening for you in the MSM. Or do you have some recent examples of this happening?
Hey, no need for insult - I wasn't stating what would or would not happen - just discussing a possible issue. I have no opinion one way or the other about whether it would be better if everyone carried. I despise the MSM.
The guy in the theatre would be correctly identified - but not all shooters dress like that. Also, people would only identify him if they saw him. They might first see someone else with a weapon drawn and assume they werre the shooter.
I was just pointing out that everyone carrying a weapon is not necessarily a better situation - but the only way to find out would be to try it and see if there were more deaths or fewer deaths. I stress that I do not have an opinion one way or the other. I have no idea whether things would be better or worse if more people carried.
If everyone in the theater was armed, would the odds of an attack such as this increase or decrease?
Impossible to say.
Counter measures exist. This guy used some. He could have used more. Benefit of initiative exists.
Etc
In the Old West, the majority of men went about their daily business armed with a sidearm. There was, in many places, no law except that which was enforced by the local citizenry. Yet there were far fewer killings than popular opinion would have one believe. It was an automatic death sentence to shoot an unarmed man or to shoot a man in the back. Even today's "castle doctrines" do not allow one to shoot someone whose back is turned. Doesn't matter how many laws you have on the books - if you can't enforce the law, it may as well not exist. As cited elsewhere, violent crime has risen in places where the citizens were disarmed.
I live in a very rural area. The other night, I was on the back deck smoking a cigarette when I saw a flashlight playing around my neighbor's backyard. I grabbed my flashlight and shotgun and went to investigate. It turned out to be my neighbor chasing off a 'possum - but he came by the next day with some fresh produce from his garden and thanked me for watching his back. If you choose to be unarmed, you'd better pray that you have a neighbor like me.
Now see, if you were a true Zero Hedge warrior, you would have just opened fire on the guy from your deck, preferably with an armor-piercing rocket launcher. "Chasing off a possum"? Sounds more like "signaling to al Qaeda" to me, wouldn't you agree?
Yup..i leave my house locked and loaded and end up locked up for the carry.
Why is it, when someone goes berserk in a car, and mows down scores of people, the car is never blamed?
beacuse they car has other uses. Transportation is it main use. Gun has one use.
Ignorant troll.
http://civilliberty.about.com/od/profiles/a/Gary-Kleck-Biography.htm
Among Kleck’s findings:
Sorta like hitchhikers...horror stories have been concocted about evil hitchhikers, but the hitchhiker is five times more likely to be the victim than the attacker...and, having hitchhiked thousands of miles in my youth, I can attest to the truth of those findings.
I seem to remember a line something like, " a Democrat is a Republican who hasn't been mugged yet".
Even the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize recipient is a big believer in the use of force...
Conceal and carry, know how to use it and hit what you aim at, quickly. I shoot three shot bursts from my Browning BDM 9mm, and as I would prefer more firepower in a .45, this is what I've got and I'm very good with it. If you get the basics all you need to do is practice shooting in different positions under different conditions. It's not that hard and doesn't require the expense that this bill board Tyler put up here. I live in the final vestige of the denial of our constitutional right to conceal and carry, Illinois... but I try not to let that bother me. If I'm in a theater and this occurs, the gunman better find me first,... for his own safety of course. Serfs Up America! www.electanewcongress.com
analysis is the key to success.
http://expose2.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/a-voice-from-the-dark/
I can't believe someone would have the gall to try and market weapons training on top of the bodies produced by this latest incident! That's same asshole mentality that allows leftists to legislate gun control on those same corpses!
"When your test comes suddenly and violently you will know who, and what, you are at that millisecond. You will understand that is happening is real and you will be glad that you are there to protect your family and save others and gloriously you will act with skill, ability, and confidence. "
Give me a freaking break with this crap! Gloriously? When there's a plane crash, we don't recommend everyone run out and get pilot training or parachute lessons.
1.59 people die every second on this planet. Do you bemoan them all?
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.
How did he ever get anything done?
It was easy for him. He was born Donne.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donne
<taps out>
So, in your mind, we should hear about it, talk about it, read about it, write about it, and think about it, but should not do anything about it?
I agree with you... but the moment I saw the price list I too thought its bad taste.
Why not just put a statement there and maybe a link... but dont wave the price list in our faces please...
You can't help them all HH. All the warnings, reason, best intentions in the world won't stop sheep from being sheep. The idea of such responsibility throws their fantasy football league mojo off.
You did a good job with this article.
Agree - this is an extremely tasteless post. Anyone fit to carry knows where and how to get suitable training locally and nationally these days. Such piss poor timing takes talking one's book to a new post-crisis low.
It's about as tasteless as those shameless folks trying to push people into gold on the heels of a financial crisis. Horrible, just horrible, using teachable moments to ... teach.
Context makes a big difference my friend. You can teach without having it appear to be a commercial at a time when many have lost loved ones. That is what makes this much more tasteless than your example.
Right. It'd be the same bad taste as trying to tell people how to take care of themselves in the case of a natural disaster, or worse! Basic first aid! Horrors!
This is the BEST TIME to get the word out, dont you think, when there is a tiny window of opportunity of wakefulness?
If it was a volunteer/non-profit education program or a general piece about the importance of firearms training I would have said nothing here. The appearance of trying to make a buck at a time of others' misfortune is just flat wrong. A little more respect for the grieving would be in order at this time.
BTW, check this link for the fate of someone innocent who took their legally permitted concealed firearm into a guns prohibited facility with a reportedly uncooperative attitude:
http://pjmedia.com/blog/gunned-down-in-vegas-what-really-happened-to-eri...
What a tragedy. Same thing could happen in any other weapons-prohibited facility in the US in the fog of conflict. So on these grounds as well, the advice is ever so slightly off-kilter.
Personally, I'm all for gun rights. At the same time, establishments have the right to ban guns on the premises and folks who carry (or worry) can opt to avoid such places.
Most preachers will tell you that the best time to talk with people about eternal life is at a funeral. God becomes someone to be desired when you're facing death.
This was not a commercial. It was a wakeup call.
God doesn't work through a price list. A closer analogy would be a drug company placing advertising for anti-depessants at the memorial sevice for a suicide victim. If a price list is posted, it is a commercial.
Right. Individuals should refrain from offering valuable services when people feel the need for them most. It's the fair and honest thing to do.
You can't legislate predators or crazy people away, and you can't wish them away. Guns, knifes, clubs, poison gas, rocks, or releaseing rattlesnakes....there is always an option for violence. Being prepared is the only reliable answer
Our first line of defence is to take their printing press away from them, and go back to the Gold Standard so that common folk will actually be able to afford to live.
I live in a state were you cannot get CC permit. this state has a very high murder rate Maryland.
the gangs and thugs have no problem here with obtaining guns.
I rely on situational awareness and past military exp. at some point I may have to break a law and as the murder rate goes up in my small town here, and certain streets here are no go, that time is rapidly comming.
In my home the guns are ready and my family has been shown how to shoot .. I pray they never need to.
I left that state forever some time ago.
My state still struggles with a VERY powerful entrenched Left equal to Bloomberg and little by little we are taking care to finally put the old laws to rest and training dozens of new shooters for Concealed Carry at many locations each week.
Freedom is great Even if we have to pay a tax to get a permit.
Baltimore is the worst. Heroin galore, violent junkies everywhere. When I lived in Cecil County, Md. for a couple of years, I kept a loaded .357 Mag. next to my bed at night.
My childhood years were spent in the Edmondson Heights/Woodlawn area in West Baltimore. I left years ago, and if I never see that shithole of a city again I am quite OK with that though I do occasionally return to vist relatives. Maryland is doomed once the vast portion of its population depending on Federal paychecks in one form or another gets the money spigot turned off.
It was bad enough politically years ago, but after central and southern MD were overrun by a vast wave of scum from New England coming down for Federal jobs it passed beyond all redemption.
Hell, compared to the city itself Cecil is like a boy scout camp of shiny happy people holding hands. :-)
The eastern shore and far western panhandle portion of the state are still not too bad though.
Baltimore.
The song "Maryland my Maryland" comes to mind in it's original form. Not the Politically correct lyrics of today.
Baltimore, the father of the Trauma system that gets a workout every day and especially night.
We used to have a knife so we can cut em low and not kill. Make em wear a shitting bag for the rest of life is far better and colder served than death.
Today's Generation growing up in Baltimore are... quite frankly dangerous.
You have to be alert, aware with 360 and know where not to go day or night.
It's funny... I spent some time on "The Block" having paid two people to watch my vehicle for the night. Secure and safe....
As long you were careful and minded the colors...
Brutha, I feel ya. We're dicked the same way here in Illinois. At some point you have to take care of your own and piss on the state's feelings.
1) This society happily cedes the power over life and death to its government, whether that be the courts, the military or the police.
2) We begrudgingly acknowledge that the power can appear out of nowhere, so we fall back to faith in #1.
What happens if the individual takes responsibility for their own defence, in the manner that this piece prescribes? I should say, certain individuals, because not everyone will be physically or mentally capable of the training requirements. Personal responsibility then extends to others, those weaker, those helpless. Does chaos ensue, or is it the very ground of Liberty upon which we should walk?
It has always been shocking to me that those who refuse to take responsibility for themselves, are the first to try and claim responsibility over others, and thereby do injury to the very notion of freedom itself, and its moral / ethical ground.
It is the very basis for liberty we defend upon the ground we walk on.
I suggest you listen to Lincoln's "Ghettysburg Address" one more time...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Bojjx_Dew&feature=related
Listen? Is it on youtube?