Tuesday, October 31, 2023

CWP, 31 October MMXXIII Anno Domini

 Greetings Sheepdogs,
     My posting of the incident in the parking lot of my apartment complex was
not to indicate what a badass or dumbass I am.  The intended purpose was to
demonstrate that an immediate attack (or counter-attack, depending on your
perspective) will usually take your enemy by surprise and cause a
flinch / startle / flight / freeze reaction.  
     As Matthew S. Little says, that is sufficient to win.  
Of course, you have to press your attack.  Gouge his eyes (this should always
be your first target), bite anything that comes near your mouth (bite hard to
crush bone), stomp on the side of his knee, stomp on his foot near his ankle
(the small bones in the foot are easily broken, not the toes, he may be wearing
steel toed shoes), Karate chop or hammer fist to the side of his neck (vagas nerve),
cupped hands clap to his ears (hard enough to break his ear drums and cause loss
of balance, vertigo), knee to the testicles, palm strike to the nose, etc.  If you
can get behind the enemy, blood choke (you will only have to stop the blood
for 8 seconds, probably much less).  
Practice with a non-cooperative training partner.  At least visualize.  
     As Matt says, to the untrained, this will appear brutal or excessive.  It is not.  
Natalee Holloway kneed Joran van der Sloot in the testicles, but did not follow
up with the suggestions above.  (Because she assumed that he would stop.  BAD
assumption.)  So van der Sloot punched her in the face and then smashed her head
with a brick.  You must keep on fighting until the enemy is incapacitated (which
might mean dead).  You cannot expect the enemy to give up.  That is not reality.  
     There are idiots who will advise women to submit on the assumption that
being raped is better than being murdered.  BAD assumption.  Joran van der Sloot
was in prison in Venezuela for murder of a woman that he had raped.  So if you
submit to rape, you will be murdered.  Criminal predators don't leave witnesses.  
     I remember a lecture at Front Sight in which Dr. Ignatius Piazza said,
"No sane person takes pleasure in killing a human."  And I thought I should
believe that.  And for a long time, I tried to.  But, it's not true.  
As former SecDef James (Mad Dog) Mattis says, "Killing the enemy is fun."  
     Good guys kill out of love.  Bad guys murder (for whatever reason).  
It takes a significant amount of intellect to discern the difference.  Jury duty
is difficult and takes a lot of thinking.  A lot of persons refuse to see the difference.  
They will say and think things like, "Violence is never the answer."  Which is false.  
Because there are many persons in this world for whom violence is the only
language they understand.  
     "If violence is the local language, you need to be fluent." -- Tim Larkin
     You don't have to believe truth.  You don't have to live in reality.  
You always have a choice.  That's the beauty of free will.  
 
Table of Sections:  
     Prevention
     Intervention
     Postvention
     Education
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Prevention *****     *****     *****
All the things you can do to avoid the lethal force incident.  
 
Table of contents:  
     Mindset
     Safety
     Training
     Practice
 
*************************************************************************
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
 
Si vis pacem, para bellum.
(If you want peace, prepare for war.)
 
"Develop Your Inner Psychopath" by Jordon Peterson
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b3U11hnBDmc
 
President Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne, Paris in 1910:
     “It is not the critic who counts:  not the man who points out how the strong man
stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to
the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and
blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because
there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows,
in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at
least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and
timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”  
 
" ‘Protection’ Cited As No. 1 Reason For Gun Buys, As 911 Delays Increase "
by Guy J. Sagi
https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/protection-cited-as-no-1-reason-for-gun-buys-as-911-delays-increase/
     The police are not going to respond in time to rescue you.  
     If they do respond in time to rescue you, they won't rescue you.  They'll just set up
a perimeter outside and wait.  
     The recent Covenant school incident in Nashville, TN is not an exception.  
The 4 victims were dead when the police arrived.  
     YOU must have the will and means to stop the attack.  
 
     ‟We don’t decide what is necessary to survive a
lethal force encounter initiated by someone else.  
That person decides what’s necessary for us to survive.”  
– William Aprill
 
"Mindset vs. Hardware" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/mindset-vs-hardware
 
     ‟Fear is an instinct.  Courage is a choice.”  
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
 
     "Work for the Lord.  The pay isn't much, but His retirement plan is out of this world."  
 
     “Willingness is a state of mind.  Readiness is a statement of fact!”  
-- Lt. Gen. David M Shoup, USMC Commandant, 1960-1963
 
     Fear causes all kinds of problems.  Fear of death is a real problem.  So let
Barbara Johnson tell you a story to allay your fears.  --
     A farmer was taking his little boy to a distant place.  While walking they came
to a rickety bridge over a turbulent stream.  The little boy became apprehensive.  
"Father, do you think it is safe to cross the stream?" he asked.  
     The father answered, "Son, I'll hold your hand."  So the boy put his hand in his
father's.  With careful steps he walked by his father's side across the bridge.  They
made their way to their destination.  That was in the daylight.  
     The night shadows were falling by the time they returned.  As they walked, the
lad said, "Father, what about that stream?  What about that rickety old bridge?  
I'm frightened."  
     The big, powerful farmer reached down, took the little fellow in his arms, and
said, "Now you just stay in my arms.  You'll feel safe."  As the farmer walked
down the road with his precious burden, the little boy fell sound asleep.  
     The next morning the boy woke up, safe at home in his own bed.  The sun
was streaming through the window.  He never knew that he had been taken safely
across the bridge and over the turbulent waters.  
     That is the death of a Christian.  
-- Barbara Johnson
 
     ‷If you look at someone bigger, faster, and stronger and immediately think,
‶I'm at a disadvantage″,  
I have news for you:  you are.  
But that's only because you just put yourself there for no reason.  
     The truth is that anyone can do debilitating violence to anyone else.  
Your size, your speed, your strength, your gender --
all the factors that untrained people think make the difference when it comes to violence --
all matter far less than your mindset and your intent.‴  
-- Tim Larkin
 
"HIP GRIPS, CLIPDRAW and NPE CARRY,
WITH THE DARRYL BOLKE MOUSEGUN MINDSET"
by Sherman House
https://civiliandefender.com/2023/07/21/hip-grips-clipdraw-and-npe-carry-with-the-darryl-bolke-mousegun-mindset/
Hat tip to Docent.  
 
***** Situational Awareness *****
 
"What We Look For
Stay safe by paying attention to what you're paying attention to."
by Sheriff Jim Wilson
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/what-we-look-for/
 
     "Be childlike, not childish." -- Barbara Johnson
 
From an email from Jeff L. Gonzales --
Hello Jonathan,
     Active Shooter or Mass Casualty Events are nothing new.  While they may be
happening more frequently, the management of these events has largely stayed
the same.  
     No amount of legislation will every eradicate this or any other type of evil.  
There will always be those who believe eliminating weapons from the face of the
planet would solve this problem, yet we all know that is not only impossible,
but does not address the real issue.  Some people are evil to their core.  Instead,
our best defense is a little preparation.  Yes, carrying a firearm on your body as
often as possible is a great step in the right direction, but this is a tool to be used
after the fact.  We need to address the issues before hand, and this takes changing
our mindset from a reactionary mindset to one of pre-emptive actions.  
     Step number one is in always staying situationally aware of your surroundings,
but also anticipating bad things.  I’m not just talking about an active shooter,
anything bad.  What would you do in the case of a fire, or earthquake.  Having an
action plan or emergency plan takes nothing.  It involves not just being aware of
bad people, but the assets you have available.  Your ability to move is the most
important asset, but without good information movement could be nothing more
than following the heard off the proverbial cliff.  Instead, you want to pair up your
movement with good choices.  How do you make those good choices, by having
information in advance.  When you are forced to make choices under stress,
they are often not the best, doing a little preparation will go a long way towards
making choices that have a more positive outcome.  If you are watching a movie
in a darkened movie theater and fire breaks out, how will you find your way to
the nearest exit.  Hopefully before the lights go out, you identify not only the
closest exit, but a backup along with any obstacles along the path.  How will you
move by yourself or more importantly as a group to the exit.  
     Step number two is to have an action biased mindset.  Meaning, action generally
beats in-action in a high stress situation.  Action doesn’t always mean drawing your
firearm to engage the threat.  It could mean, moving to cover or at least concealment.  
It could mean, getting eyes on the threat to see the best direction to move if you are
given the option.  It could mean what do you have available to make your last stand
should you have no other options.  Action without solid rationale is not what I’m
talking about here.  I’m talking about action bias towards a positive outcome.  
Moving for the sake of moving is not a bad idea.  If you have no cover and the
threat is closing in and firing, then moving erratically can make you a hard target to hit.  
Our action should be goal driven. Either to improve our position or improve our
weaponry.  When I move, I want it to be for good reason.  The threat has turned his
back or turned a corner and now I can put more distance between me and the
proverbial “X”.  As a default, we should want to move off the attack site, what
makes this movement effective is if we applied logic to our choice, rather than
just make it a default action.  
     Yes, it is cliché to sit down with your back to a wall with a good view of the
entrance near an exit.  It is just not always possible, but you can still make a
quick plan, share that plan and be ready to initiate action when the time comes.  
     Ponder these tips and stay tuned for more.  
JLG [Jeff L. Gonzales]
P.S. feel free to share with other like minded folks.  
https://tridentconcepts.com/evolved-training-2/blog/daily-defense-with-jeff-gonzales/
 
     “You need to have the capacity for danger.  You need to be ‘dangerous’.  
Yet, you need to learn how to not use it except when necessary.  
And, that is not the same thing as being harmless.  . . .  
     There's nothing virtuous about harmlessness.  
Harmless just means you’re ineffectual and useless.”  
-- Jordan Peterson
 
*************************************************************************
----- Safety -----  (How to prevent the bad thing from happening in the first place.  
How to avoid shooting yourself, friendlies, and innocent bystanders.)  
 
Jeff Cooper′s Rules of Gun Safety  
RULE I:  ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.  
RULE II:  NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER
                  ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.  
RULE III:  KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER
                   UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET.  
RULE IV:  BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.  
---
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
Know what it is, what is in line with it, and what is behind it.  
Never shoot at anything you have not positively identified.  
Be aware of your surroundings, whether on the range or in a fight.  
Do not assume anything.  Know what you are doing.  
 
"The 4 Rules of Gun Safety:  
Here’s How to Apply the Most Important Firearms Principles
If you follow these key tenets, you’ll never accidentally hurt
yourself or someone else with a gun"
by Tyler Freel
https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/4-rules-of-gun-safety/
 
"Safety!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/safety-4/
     Let's stop and think about this.  Brandon is going to Israel to talk.  But the
Jordanian delegation will not be attending, neither will Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas.  Perhaps this is the U.S. Democrat Party's way of changing
their candidate in the 2024 Presidential election.  Watch what happens.  
     The 1957 version was much better than the 2007 version of "3:10 to Yuma".  
 
     ‟If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it.  
The felon does not fear the police, and he fears neither judge nor jury.  
Therefore what he must fear is his victim.”  
-- Col. Jeff Cooper, "Principles of Personal Defense"
 
"Preparation for Future “Days of Jihad” " by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/preparation-for-future-days-of-jihad
 
"Half-Truth!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/half-truth/
Excerpt:  
     "Our inherently dishonest, leftist media loves pat answers, cute sound-bites,
and encourages people to adopt a lifestyle characterized by self-deception and
willful blindness.  
     These are the same frauds who told Israelis on 5 Oct 23 that they
“don’t need guns,” and that anyone who owns guns is a “racist” and “colonizer”.  
     As it turns out, armed Israeli “colonizers” survived the Hamas attack.  
     The unarmed didn’t!"  
 
"Concealed Carry Tips: Avoiding The Stupid" by Marty Hayes
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/concealed-carry-tips
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
Excerpt:  
     ". . . juries hate drunks with guns."  
     "So, you might ask, why did he get prosecuted?  Because he sat down
with investigators and wanted to cooperate with the police, but did so
without an attorney."  
[Talking to investigating officers is stupid.  Talking to them without an
attorney is criminal stupidity.  If you want to cooperate with the police,
STOP!  You're wrong.  Keep your mouth shut! -- Jon Low]  
 
     How to be de-selected for victimization.  
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LL4Zh5gu26w
by Jacko Willnik
 
     In case you didn't notice, the media is grossly under reporting
the attacks on Jews and Jewish facilities, as well as violent crimes
in general.  It just doesn't fit their narrative.  
     And if they are forced to report it because the person is prominent
in the community, the police claim it had nothing to do with the
victim being Jewish.  The definition of propaganda.  
---
" “First Responder,” or “First Victim?” " by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/first-responder-or-first-victim/
---
“When you don’t think of yourself as your own ‘First Responder,’
you’re destiny is ‘First Victim!’ ”
-- Burris
 
     Tell those you see and shoot with that if they put their thumb behind the pistol as part
of their grip, they will eventually get cut by the slide.  And worse than that, they will
induce a malfunction.  It doesn't take much to prevent the slide from cycling.  
 
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:  
     Don’t go to stupid places.  
     Don’t associate with stupid people.  
     Don’t do stupid things.  
     Be in bed by 10:00 PM.  (Your own bed!)  
     Don’t look like a freak.  
     Don’t fail the attitude test.  
 
*************************************************************************
----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to practice) -----
 
 
     You need training because:  
You don't know what you don't know.  
Much of what you know is false.  
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.  
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
 
"Ten Major Tactical Mistakes" by Brent T. Wheat
https://www.swatmag.com/article/street-smarts-ten-major-tactical-mistakes/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
Excerpts:  
     Want a quick and easy read that doesn’t tax your brainpower with monotonous
things like storyline, plot development, and resolution?  Here’s our quick-n-dirty
guide to ten major tactical mistakes that too many people make . . . yes, maybe even you.  
     In the everlasting (paraphrased) words of the immortal Louis Awerback,
“There is no such thing as an advanced gunfight.  There is just the basics applied
under higher stress.”  Amen.  
     If you aren’t doing regular meaningful firearms practice, along with
getting occasional professional instruction, you are slowly rusting away.  
     You (should) never regret avoiding trouble.  
 
--- Start of Classes ---
 
FPF Training
https://www.fpftraining.com/fpf-calendar
 
Harris Combative Strategies
https://harriscombative.com/
     To avoid the Eventbrite.com fees, you can contact Randy directly at
andy@harriscombative.com
 
Precision Reloading class, $150
     We have a few seats available for the upcoming Precision reloading class to be
held in Chapel Hill on November 4th, 2023 A.D.
Strategic Edge Gun Range
2613 Hwy 270
Chapel Hill, TN 37034
United States of America
     This is a specialized class intended to teach precision single stage reloading from
basic to advanced level.  Students will learn about equipment selection, nomenclature,
advanced techniques, harmonic theory, and a host of other information concerning
internal ballistics.  Class length approximately 8 hours, lunch included.  Cost $150.
     Contact Dennis Dean to reserve your seat (first come first served).  
Email:  ddean2341@gmail.com
Phone:  615.390.9487.
 
--- End of Classes ---
 
"The Top 3 Firearms Training Myths: Recoil Control + Dry Fire + Live Fire"
by Chris Sajnog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofCjPTJJSVw
     Recoil, solution → learn correct grip before you live fire.  
     Flinch, solution → conditioned response.  [Well, I think the surprise trigger break
is the correct solution. -- Jon Low]  
     Dry fire will damage your gun, solution → For center fire pistols this is just false.  
For rim fire pistols, don't use a rim fire that allows the firing pin to hit the breech
face.  Instead, use a pistol with recessed chamber rims.  Or use snap-caps.  
     You need to live fire at the range, solution → Ya, but that's not realistic training
either.  What you really need to do is practice at home.  You don't need to burn up
ammo.  
 
     “Take training from different instructors.  
We are all wrong about something.”  
-- John Farnam
 
"How I Almost Got Arrested in Turkey" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/how-i-almost-got-arrested-in-turkey
     I have always found Turkish police to be reasonable and polite.  
Their view is very binary.  Either you are a good guy (even a good
guy who makes mistakes as in this case) or you are a bad guy.  
Be nice.  Be polite.  You don't want to be viewed as a bad guy.  
There are no repeat offenders in Turkey.  
     I was having a cup of coffee in a street cafe in Ankara late at night and
noticed a little girl (7 or 8 years old) walking to the grocery store by herself and
returning home by herself.  I mentioned this to a police officer standing on the
street and he told me that she would be safe.  The police take pride in permanently
removing predators from the community.  To them, it is common sense.  
     When I was there in 2003, the police with submachineguns were in the movie
theaters, grocery stores, streets, airports, and always professional.  I remember
watching them form a line in the airport to separate some Hasidic Jews from some
Wahabi Saudis who were waiting for their flights.  
     There are different realities on planet Earth.  
 
     “The secret of success is this.
Train like it means everything when it means nothing –
so you can fight like it means nothing when it means everything.”
-- Lofty Wiseman
 
     More excerpts from "The Way is in Training" by Matthew Little --
[each paragraph is an excerpt]
     You need to seek out training on your own.  [In the context of department or agency
provided training.  There will never be enough money in the budget or time in the
schedule to provide you will sufficient training.]  
     Spend some significant time learning how to address an opponent at contact distance.  
This is far too likely and dangerous a situation to be neglected.  
     [Effective use of improvised and environmental weapons] also requires the calm
awareness of your environment under stress that can only be created through intense
training.  
     Seek [performance driving] training.  It is more likely to save your life, especially
as a civilian, than your shooting, tactics, or combatives.  
     [The Ranger Handbook] is easily available online, and should be owned by everyone
with a desire to understand tactics and planning.  
     Once you've done your needs analysis, your training is easily planned.  Then every
session is easy to organize so that it advances you efficiently towards that goal.  
     Practice needs to be playful.  
     "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."  
-- Jerry Rice
     Deliberate practice is qualitative and focused, incorporating feedback to adjust
future training efforts.  It's the one thing that researchers believe separates top
performers from average ones.  
     "I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it."  
-- Pablo Picasso
     Types of drills:  Experimentation (intentionally trying different things and making
a good faith effort), Isolation (working on a specific thing to refine it), Combination
(stacking multiple skills).  
     If you are honest with yourself about what you see and feel in dry fire, those
devices [dummy magazines, laser trainers, etc.] are unnecessary.  
     "The key is not the will to win.  Everybody has that.  It is the will to prepare to
win that is important." -- Bobby Knight
     If you look at high-performing athletes, or even musicians, practice for skill
development is done in a deliberate and mindful progression towards a concrete
set of objective goals.  
     Just as martial arts styles become contrived and unrealistic without some sort of
competitive aspect to their training, without properly conducted force-on-force drills
and scenarios, our training for gunfighting will be just as artificial and ineffective.  
     "The two most important rules in a gunfight are always cheat, and always win."
-- Clint Smith
     If you can, always choose being in a shooting over participating in a gunfight.  
     . . . move just enough off line to avoid the attack, . . .
     Close range gunfights are not, in my experience, about high levels of accuracy with
acceptable speed.  They are entirely about high levels of speed with acceptable accuracy.  
[Notice that Matt says, "in my experience", as opposed to "in my opinion".  Teaching
combat from experience is very different from teaching from the many other ways
one can get information. -- Jon Low]  
     [In the context of striking with the pistol] I use the top of the slide with the same
body mechanics as a ridge hand strike from Karate.  Turn the palm down and strike
horizontally to side of the head with the arm extended, driving from the hips to generate
force.  The other technique I  prefer is to use the base of the inserted magazine and
pistol grip like a hammer fist strike.  [Matt goes on to say that muzzle strikes with
a rifle are good.  Muzzle strikes with a pistol will cause malfunctions.]  
     "Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is.  And you must bend to its
power or live a lie." -- Miyamoto Musashi
     Be "process-focused" rather than "outcome-focused".  Focus on outcome will
interfere with completing the process, which will then quite probably prevent the
desired outcome.  
     My oaths were to the constitution and the public, not to a mayor or a president.  
     [A lot of Matt's text is deep wisdom that cannot be expressed in an excerpt.  
Please read his book.  You'll be glad you did. -- Jon Low]
 
     "Those motivated by a desire to improve their
gunfighting skills as opposed to a quest for trophies,
must be willing to bleed ego on the match results
to avoid shedding blood in combat."  
-- Andy Stanford
 
     Without training, you end up thinking incorrect thoughts like,
"She ended up getting a revolver because it was a bit simpler to load
and operate than the semi-automatic pistol she was first interested in."  
Excerpted from
"Jewish Americans Arm Themselves in Wake of Israeli Horror"
by Stephen Gutowski
https://thereload.com/jewish-americans-arm-themselves-in-wake-of-horror-in-israel/
     Loading a revolver, even with a speed loader, is much more difficult and takes
more operations than loading a semi-auto.  Operating a double action trigger is more
complicated than operating a single action (which is the same as a striker action)
trigger and takes more strength and requires a longer pull.  
 
"Youtube Commandos -
Ken Hackathorn and Paul Howe discuss Internet Training Fads -
Gun Guys Ep75"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTmhYZs5yQA
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
Excerpts:  
     Don't confuse easy with efficient.  
     Some students just want to have a good weekend.  That's okay too.  
     You must learn the craft of teaching.  
     Solve the problem outside.  Don't let the problem get into the school building.  
     In the context of using a red dot sight, tilt the muzzle down and push straight out.  
     People get bored with the basics.  They want flashy.  They want to be entertained
on the range.  They don't have the discipline to train the basics.  
     You've got a generation that can't even bring a pen to class.  They leave the hand
outs on the table when they leave.  They're just here for entertainment.  
---
     In my [Jon Low's] experience --
     Some instructors only want serious students.  They don't want to waste time
with non-serious students.  And set their prices for their classes to weed out
non-serious students.  The problem is that that also weeds out those who cannot
afford such classes.  
     I am fortunate to have the luxury of not needing the income from teaching
to survive.  Which warps my motivation.  (My customer service ain't too good.  

I've never refunded tuition.)  I generally tell my students that their tuition
is a tax deductible donation to the church or gun club that is hosting the class.  
The amount of the donation is between them and God.  The assistant instructors
and I will never know the amount and don't care.  I am fortunate to have assistant
instructors who will volunteer.  I always buy them lunch.  
     I have taught a lot of little old ladies in rural Tennessee and South Carolina
who would never have been able to afford a "real" training class.  But they are
the ones who actually need the class, living alone in rural areas with a Sheriff
response time of an hour or more.  
     Like many of you training junkies, we will never recoup the cost of the
instructor certifications we have.  But that's okay.  
 
"Exorcism!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/exorcism/
     One of the nice things about going to the annual training conferences is that the
organization holding the conference has vetted the instructors at the conference.  
 
     I just finished
"Handgun 3" by Jonathan Leverette
28 October 2023
08:00 to 18:00
Strategic Edge Gun Range
Chapel Hill, TN.  
     The students consisted of 4 right handed persons with varied and fairly extensive
training.  So it wasn't a beginner's class.  Everyone was shooting accurately initially.  
The training was challenging and exhausting.  We ran.  We did jumping jacks.  To
elevate pulse, blood pressure, and respiration (I was gasping for air at many points
in the class.).  Fat bodies would have a hard time in this class.  
     As the day wore on everyone's groups were drifting off to the left.  We speculated
that the change of zero was due to changing lighting conditions, positions of the targets
causing biases, optical illusions in aiming, etc.  Leverette (I refer to him by last name,
because his first name is the same as mine and we both use the shortened, "Jon".)
explained to us that it was because we were getting tired, causing our grips to weaken.  
[My hands were cramping and sore from gripping hard.  My palms were imprinted
with the Glock textured grip pattern.]  Leverette's solution was to relax the strong-hand
grip and focus on a strong support-hand grip (which is not the same as gripping more
tightly with the support-side hand).  This worked, as everyone's groups moved back
to the point of aim.  I thought this was amazing.  
     Leverette showed us a prone technique that U.S. Army Special Forces were using
at Fort Campbell (he had been there recently teaching a class).  The standard prone
is on your belly facing toward the target with both elbows on the ground and bent to
bring the pistol sights up to your line of sight (eye to target).  This takes muscle tension.  
Relax and the pistol drops down.  The SF guys were looking for a position that would
allow them to stay in position indefinitely (and sleep in position if need be).  No the
urban prone (lying on your side) does not meet their requirements either.  So they
came up with a position where the body is angled at about 45 degrees to the target line.  
Extend the firing side arm.  Rest the head on the firing side shoulder / upper arm
(ya, it depends on your build, but remember what type of person we are talking about)
like a pillow.  You ever play golf? or baseball?  Interlock your firing side little
finger with your support side index finger.  Support side thumb is pointing up along
the grip.  Make a fist with the support side hand to elevate the pistol.  Open the
support side hand to lower the pistol.  You have to experiment because everyone's
anatomy is a little different.  Yes, you will be able to sleep in this position while
keeping your pistol on target.  
     We learned a lot of other things.  I highly recommend the class.  They don't advertise.  
They don't need to.  You can search the Strategic Edge Gun Range calendar for dates
and times of the classes.  These classes are not for pussies or newbies.  Everyone is
expected to be safe while moving and in awkward position and while falling and while
losing control of the pistol.  (Yes, as a matter of fact.)  
https://www.strategicedge.us/training-courses
     Everyone in the class was using fixed iron sights.  Red dot sights are nice in pristine
conditions.  But in rough field conditions, they break.  Hey, that was the consensus from
persons with real world experience.  You immerse the red dot sight in a conductive liquid
and it will short out the circuitry.  
     "But the Infantry had red dot sights on all of their rifles."  
     There is no recoil on M-16 type rifles.  Pistol sights get banged twice everytime
the action cycles.  So they can't have enough mass to interfere with the action cycling.  
So they cannot be over engineered for robustness and reliability.  
     "Beat someone over the head with your red dot sight.  Hard enough to kill him.  
Your sight won't work after that."  [Paraphrased so as not to offend.]  
     The shooting mat is not for your comfort.  The mat should be out in front and
under your muzzle to prevent your muzzle blast from kicking up dust in front of
you.  Because that would interfere with your view of the target, visibly give away
your position, and putting dust all over your equipment (possibly causing a
malfunction of your eyes for instance).  
     No, the sound of your shot will not necessarily give away your position.  Though
the muzzle flash could.  That's why you choose your ammunition to minimize
muzzle flash, right?  
     Yes, this does apply to pistol shooting.  
     This class was not "fun", but it was very useful and educational.  I highly recommend.  
 
     ‟Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice.”  
-- Claude Werner
 
*************************************************************************
----- Practice (how to get competent at that task) -----
 
     “Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans.”  
-- John M. Buol, Jr.
 
"Skills Check: The Zen Master Drill
Refine your shooting skills to the point of enlightenment with this exercise."  
by Tatiana Whitlock
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/skills-check-the-zen-master-drill/
 
     "Faith can move mountains, but only hard work can put a tunnel through."  
-- Barbara Johnson
[In the context of prayer and belief is fine, but you still have to do the work to
achieve your goals.  So practice.]  
 
     ‶Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.″  
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
 
     “Perfection is not attainable.  
But if we chase perfection,
we can catch excellence.”  
– Vince Lombardi
 
Why practice?  
    “To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that
which could have been their finest hour.”  
-- Winston Churchill
 
"BarrelBlok vs Dummy Ammo, Which Dry Fire Tool is Best For You?
by Matthew Maruster
https://www.concealedcarry.com/gear/barrelblok-vs-dummy-ammo/
 
Slow is smooth, because moving slowly allows you to control what you're doing.  
Smooth is efficient, because moving smoothly allows you to remove inefficiencies.  
Efficient is fast, because there is no wasted motion.  
Fast is good, because whoever hits first usually wins.  
Which is not the same as who shoots first.  
 
     ‟Be careful what you practice.  
Because you will do in combat
whatever you have practiced,
no matter how ridiculous.”  
-- ‶Shooting in Self-Defense″ by Sara Ahrens
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Intervention *****     *****     *****
     Suggestions on how to deal with the incident that you failed to avoid.  
Table of contents:  
     Strategy
     Tactics
     Techniques
 
*************************************************************************
----- Strategy (deciding on the end state and how to achieve it,
which tactics to use, which includes walking away) -----
 
     “How do you win a gunfight?  
Don't be there.”  
-- John Farnam
 
"What Should You Do if You’re Threatened by a Mass Murderer?
You need to understand that if you’re threatened by a killer,
you’re on your own, and you must take initiative to protect yourself."
by Jim Powell
https://www.cato.org/commentary/what-should-you-do-youre-threatened-mass-murderer#
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
     The police will not respond in time to rescue you.  
     If they do respond in time to rescue you, they won't rescue you.  
---
     "But what about the Covenant School incident in Nashville, TN?"  
     The police arrived after the victims were shot and dead.  The police shot the bad gal
in the back as she was firing out a window at others in the parking lot.  It was not a
gunfight.  It was a shooting (a righteous shooting).  
     As Matthew S. Little says, you want to be in a shooting, not a gunfight.  
If you set things up properly, you'll be able to stop the attack without exchanging
gun fire.  
     If you're really good, with good intel, you'll be able to prevent the attack
by shooting the bad guy at home while he's sleeping.  Global War On Terrorism.  
---
     If Mossad had killed the Hamas terrorists before the October 7th attack, there
would not have been an October 7th attack.  (Yes, as a matter of fact, the terrorist
were all known.  They wear uniforms.  They post on social media.  They proudly
proclaim their allegiance.  Just as the Covenant shooter was known.)  A lot of
people would still be alive.  Oh yes, there is always a choice.  Are we willing to
be called mass murderers for killing people in their beds as they sleep?  
(Osama bin Laden was not killed on a battlefield.)  That is the Global War On Terrorism.  
That's why we have not suffered such an attack since 9/11.  Did you think it was just
good luck?  Why have we not been called mass murderers?  We have!  
What you've heard or haven't heard depends on which media you choose to consume.  
And what information the government censors.  If you have a certain mindset,
you believe that the Israelis bombed a hospital in Gaza, killing hundreds.  
If you have a different mindset, you believe that those reports were false,
just propaganda.  
     You can figure out the truth if you choose to think.  
     "Thinking is the hardest thing a person can do.  
That's why so few people do it." -- Henry Ford
     "Many people would sooner die than think;
In fact, they do so." -- Bertrand Russell
 
"Should You Search Your House For The Bad Guy?"
by Matthew Maruster
https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/should-you-search-your-house-for-the-bad-guy/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
Excerpt:  
     "How to Search Your House for The Bad Guy?  The simple answer is – don't."  
 
     "You win gunfights by not getting shot."  
-- John Holschen
 
*************************************************************************
----- Tactics (maneuver and fire in support of your strategy) -----
 
     "Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
 
     Retreat is a maneuver.  Retreat is not surrender.  Retreat is moving to a position of
tactical advantage, such as cover or concealment or elevation.  That's why shooting
the enemy in the back is consistent with self-defense.  Of course it is ambiguous.  
Was he retreating or was he running away?  Did he turn his back to you because he
was trying to get away from you, or to attack someone else?  
     Win!  That is your job.  
     Let your attorneys worry about explaining everything.  That is their job.  
 
     “Fortuitous outcomes reinforce poor tactics.”  
-- Chuck Haggard
 
     "There's one place you can always find me . . . at the corner of here and now."  
-- Barbara Johnson
     If you're driving, DRIVE!  No texting.  No talking.  No watching movies.  
If you're fighting, FIGHT!  No strange thoughts.  No fooling around.  
If you're shooting, SHOOT!  Front sight, Press.  Process focus.  Not outcome focused.  
     "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." -- Barbara Johnson
 
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, Escape
 
     "The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
 
*************************************************************************
----- Techniques (ways to execute a given task in support of your tactics,
                             especially when disabled or under stress) -----
 
     "Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
 
"Mike Seeklander Teaches Us How To Suck Less Using Grip! (Suck Less Saturday)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh0rQyFK0fQ
 
"Empty Chamber Carry – I" by the Tactical Professor (Claude Werner)
https://thetacticalprofessor.net/2023/10/13/empty-chamber-carry-i/
"Empty Chamber Carry – II" by tacticalprofessor
https://thetacticalprofessor.net/2023/10/20/empty-chamber-carry-ii/
https://thetacticalprofessor.net/
     You're not going to have time to chamber a round in combat.  
     Even if your situational awareness has allowed you the time,
you may not be able to.  You may not have a second hand available.  
You may not have a table edge or wall corner or boot heel or holster
edge to rack your slide on with one hand.  You may be under
observation and the time to chamber a round could get you shot.  
What good is your sub-second draw to first shot? if you have to
expend time chambering a round.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  
     If you cannot safely carry your pistol with a round in the chamber,
you need to get yourself a correctly designed pistol.  Or you need
to get training to fix your thinking.  
 
"Grip Strength, Handguns, and Gender Differences" by Matthew Maruster
https://www.concealedcarry.com/training-2/grip-strength-handguns/
 
Please learn from my mistakes.  
     In my classes I teach "Hard against soft.  Never hard against hard." meaning to never
place your hard pistol against a hard surface for support and stabilization.  The shockwave
from powder ignition will cause your pistol to bounce off the hard surface, disturbing
your shot.  Always have something soft like your hand or arm or shoulder resting against
the hard supporting surface, not your pistol.  
     Forgetting all of my training and teaching, I rested the base plate of my magazine
against the table at Shooters indoor range and got initially surprising, but obvious
results.  The points of impact were scattering low and a little right.  The shockwave
was causing the base of the grip to move up, torquing the pistol around my grip,
causing the points of impact to be low.  
     It's nice to be able to immediately recognize, diagnose, and correct a problem.  
Better would be to pay attention and not cause the problem in the first place.  
Best would be to automatically brace the pistol correctly by placing my elbows
on the hard supporting surface and hold the pistol sights up to my line of sight.  
     Please learn from my mistakes.  
 
     Tuck your undershirt into your underpants and pull the undershirt down tight.  
Because a loose undershirt will eventually foul your draw.  Which could delay
you long enough to get killed.  
 
     Aggressive forward push is always a good thing.  And often necessary.  
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kip0kPNOTHI
by Budo Brothers
 
     Rather than using the tip of your thumb to press the magazine release button,
try using the side of the first joint of your thumb.  There is even less soft tissue
between the bone and the button.  And you don't have to move you hand as far
from your correct grip.  
 
"How to Rack a Semi-Auto Pistol Slide
Next in our "no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to gun safety" series,
here are the basics of racking a pistol's slide."
by George Harris
https://www.nrafamily.org/content/how-to-rack-a-semi-auto-pistol-slide/
 
"Stability: The Foundation of Accuracy
Stability leads to repeatability, which leads to hit after accurate hit."  
by Steve Tarani
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/stability-the-foundation-of-accuracy/
Excerpt:  
     Rob Leatham, defines the shooting process as
“bringing stability to alignment and breaking the shot”.  
     Max Michel states that “consistency plus repeatability equals success.”
     Back in my rock-climbing days I wanted to set as many points of positive contact
with my body on the rock as possible to ensure stability.  The same goes for your
firearm – the greater surface and points of contact the greater your control.  
Floating thumbs and / or fingers with intermittent patches of open space found
anywhere on or near the lower part of the gun will cost you significant stability.  
     Matt Pranka calls a “durable grip.”  
     [I don't agree with everything Steve says.  But that's okay.  The essay is well
reasoned. -- Jon Low]  
 
"Proper Combative Pistol Grip (And A Whole Lot More)"
by Dave Spaulding
https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/proper-combative-pistol-grip-and-a-whole-lot-more/480053
Hat tip to Docent.  
Excerpt:  
     "All too often, shooting is made into a visual exercise with instructions such as,
“Look at the front sight before pressing the trigger,” or,
“You won’t be able to see the front sight due to stress; you’ll focus on the threat.”  
The problem is that the eyes have nothing to do with shooting the gun.  
Shooting is a kinesthetic exercise and it should be thought of as such.  
When does the front sight/dot come into play when shooting a handgun?  
At the last moment before the trigger is pressed, after the gun has already
arrived between the shooter’s eye line and the target.  What got the gun to
this point in the process?  That’s right, body manipulation, thus the sights
are just an aid to alignment, not the whole process." 
 
"Under Stress" by Ken Campbell
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/under-stress/
 
"Handbook:  Using Bad Sight Pictures
A sight picture doesn’t have to be perfect,
and precise accuracy usually isn’t needed at the cost of speed."
by Steve Tarani
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/content/handbook-using-bad-sight-pictures/
 
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Postvention *****     *****     *****
Suggestions on how to treat your wounds; avoid prosecution, conviction, and prison time.  
 
Table of contents:  
     Aftermath
     Medical
     Survival
 
*************************************************************************
----- Aftermath (You must be alive to have these problems:  criminal and civil liability.) -----
 
"6 Principles For Talking to the Police After a Self-Defense Shooting"
by Matthew Maruster
https://www.concealedcarry.com/survival/questions-talk-to-police-after-shooting/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
     [If you think you will be in any condition to talk to police after a lethal force
incident, you're a damn fool. -- Jon Low]  
---
"What Do I Say After a Shooting?" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/what-do-i-say-after-a-shooting
Excerpt:  
     The crux of the issue is that our brains don’t work very well
when we are under extreme amounts of stress.  
     Don’t let threats of arrest get you to make statements . . .
 
     In the right hand column of this web page, click on "Never Talk To The Police"
or use the direct address
https://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/never-talk-to-police.html
 
     “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him,
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
 
"Right to Bear Policy Review" by Attorney Marc J. Victor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58zG8KfR2OE
 
$35/month or $357/year is a pretty cheap way to get an attorney on retainer.  
"Attorneys On Retainer"
https://attorneysonretainer.us/
     Better read the fine print.  
 
     In the right hand column, click on the link labeled "Self Defense Insurance".  
Or, the direct link is,
http://defensivepistolcraft.blogspot.com/p/self-defense-insurance.html
Read this before you buy insurance.  You need to make an informed decision.  
The various policies are drastically different.  
     "You need to read the fine print." -- Massad Ayoob  
 
     “Your understanding and consent are not required
for someone to take your life, kill your loved ones,
and destroy all you hold dear.”
-- William Aprill
 
*************************************************************************
----- Medical -----
 
     "If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House
 
     From Mountain Man Medical,
outline of what an emergency medical plan should contain.  
     Administrative
Today's date.  
Range name.  
Range address.  
Range activity.  
Instructor name(s) and contact information.  
Number of persons on the range.  
Emergency contact information collected for everyone involved.  
     Communications
Cell service available?  Yes or No
If no, what form of communication will be used?  
     Nearest medical facility
Name, address, and phone number of closest hospital emergency department.  
Hard copy map and directions to the hospital.  
     Medical equipment on site
Bleeding control (tourniquets, wound packing, pressure dressing, and chest seals)
available to each instructor and Range Safety Officer.  
Epi Pens available on site if needed.  
AED (automated external defibrillator) available, charged, and in good working order.  
Evacuation vehicle is staged in an optimal location with keys in the ignition.  
     Assignments
Primary medic, name, cell phone number.  
Secondary medic, name, cell phone number.  
Primary driver, name, cell phone number.  
Secondary driver, name, cell phone number.  
Primary communicator, name, cell phone number.  
Secondary communicator, name, cell phone number.  
     Safety brief checklist
Discuss medical plan.  
Discuss location of medical kits and defibrillators.  
Identify medics.  
Identify any students who are EMT trained who can volunteer as medics.  
Encourage rest, hydration, and safety.  
Request anyone with known medical conditions to make themselves
known to the range medic and senior range safety officer.  
 
"Treating Penetrating Chest Injuries" by Eugene Nielsen
https://spotterup.com/treating-penetrating-chest-injuries/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
 
*************************************************************************
----- Survival -----
 
     "If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit.
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained.
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
 
     I wasn't always into exercise.  I used to agree with the bumper snicker that says:  
"Every time I think about exercise, I lie down 'til the thought goes away."  
-- Barbara Johnson
 
     Two techniques for getting a person into a fireman's carry.  
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Hd7geV2GWaE
 
     I swam 10 laps
     I ran 3 miles
     I biked 7 miles. . .
     It's been a good year!  
-- Barbara Johnson
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Education *****     *****     *****
Table of contents:  
Legal
Instruction
Gear
 
*************************************************************************
 
     "You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
 
"Weekend Knowledge Dump- October 27, 2023" by Greg Ellifritz
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/weekend-knowledge-dump-october-27-2023
 
"Real World Gunfight Training" by Mike Ox, $9.95
https://checkout.dryfiretrainingcards.com/real-world-gunfight-training
 
"Optics Terms Defined: Red-Dot, Resolution & More" by NRA Staff
https://www.nrafamily.org/content/optics-terms-defined-red-dot-resolution-more/
     Previous articles in the series:  
"Optics Terms Defined: Contrast to Focal Plane" by NRA Staff
https://www.nrafamily.org/content/optics-terms-defined-contrast-to-focal-plane/
"Optics Terms Defined: Magnification to Objective Lens" by NRA Staff
https://www.nrafamily.org/content/optics-terms-defined-magnification-to-objective-lens/
"Optics Terms Defined: Ocular Lens and Parallax" by NRA Staff
https://www.nrafamily.org/content/optics-terms-defined-ocular-lens-and-parallax/
 
"17 Life-Learnings from 17 Years of The Marginalian" by Maria Popova
https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/10/22/17/
Hat tip to Greg Ellifritz.  
     Lifted straight out of the Bible with no citation thereof.  
Or perhaps she discovered these things on her own.  If so,
she is not leveraging the tool of books.  
 
     "Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
 
*************************************************************************
----- Legal -----
 
     "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
 
     Sometimes we win.  
"Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions"
by John Ross
https://reason.com/volokh/2023/10/13/short-circuit-a-roundup-of-recent-federal-court-decisions-232/
Hat tip to Stephen P. Wenger.  
Excerpt:  
     “It's not every day that a federal appellate court holds a campaign finance
disclosure law unconstitutional.  But the stars aligned for Wyoming Gun Owners,
a nonprofit gun rights advocacy group that was fined $500 for violating Wyoming's
"electioneering communications" disclosure laws after it ran provocative radio ads
in the state's 2020 primary election.  The Tenth Circuit—per Judge Tim Tymkovich,
a campaign finance expert from his days in private practice—holds that the disclosure
regime is unconstitutional as applied to the "mom-and-pop style issue advocacy outfit."  
As a bonus, the panel also reverses the district court's denial of attorneys' fees.”  
 
"Law of Self Defense" by Andrew Branca (free book, just pay shipping)
http://lawofselfdefense.com/freebook
 
Email from Firearms Policy Coalition -- Thursday, Oct 19th of 2023 at 7:21 PM
Jonathan,
     Today, Judge Benitez issued an opinion in the FPC case Miller v. Bonta,
once again holding that California's "assault weapons" ban is unconstitutional.  
     This decision follows the Ninth Circuit Court sending the case back to
the district court in light of the landmark SCOTUS Bruen Decision.  
     This important decision starts the clock ticking again, and now the burden
will be on California to prove that the ban passes constitutional muster.  
     You can expect the State to launch a full appeal, and we will keep fighting
these despots until we achieve total victory.  
     Right now, it's vital that we stop California from winning on appeal.  
But either way, this case could ultimately be bound for SCOTUS.  
     Meanwhile, tyrants in states like Massachusetts and Illinois must surely
be quaking in their jackboots over this massive FPC win.  
Stay Free,
Firearms Policy Coalition
 
"The 5 Elements of Self Defense" by Andrew Branca (free of charge)
lawofselfdefense.com/elements/
 
"MASTERFUL Take Down of Gun Controller's RIDICULOUS Arguments!"
by Andrew Branca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2auwrpXr_ZQ
     US v. Rahimi.  The meat starts at 7:35.  
Rahimi involves the question of whether a presumptively law-abiding American
citizen can be denied their Second Amendment rights when constrained by a
domestic violence restraining order, in the absence of any finding of dangerousness
on behalf of the person constrained by the order.  
 
Email from John R. Lott, Jr. --
Dear Jonathan:
     After Hamas murdered over 1,400 Israelis, Israel issued an emergency order
making it much easier for civilians to carry guns for protection.  Unfortunately,
gun control advocates made it much more difficult for civilians to have guns --
with only 3% of adult Jews being able to carry guns in public.  It is too bad that
changes didn't occur before the attack, and some civilians at the music festival
weren't carrying guns.  
. . .
John R. Lott, Jr.
President
Crime Prevention Research Center
P.O. Box 2293, 1100 W Kent Ave, Missoula, MT 59801
http://crimeresearch.org
johnrlott@crimeresearch.org
(484) 802-5373
---
"Defensive Gun Uses By People Legally Carrying Guns:  
20 Cases During June 2023"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/10/defensive-gun-uses-by-people-legally-carrying-guns-cases-during-june-2023-pending-last-check/
---
"Armed Israeli Civilians Stop Terrorist Attack at Their Kibbutz"
https://crimeresearch.org/2023/10/armed-israeli-civilians-stop-terrorist-attack-at-their-kibbutz/
     Cited article,
"British-Israeli survivor tells of horrific scenes after kibbutz attack"
by Betsy Reed
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/10/british-israeli-survivor-tells-of-horrific-scenes-hamas-kibbutz-attack
     In case you don't understand the part about "17 Thai workers killed".  Rich countries
bring in laborers from poor countries to do the manual labor.  They are referred to as
TCN's (Third Country Nationals).  Many poor countries send their people to the rich
countries to work and send money home.  
 
"Indicted & Pleaded GUILTY: Larry Vickers Faces 25 Years in Federal Prison."
by Guns & Gadgets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1zrit4D57c
 
"I Was Right (Again!)" by One America News Network
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke-CBtyv1vk
     Ya, this is important because what happened to Minneapolis police officer
Derek Chauvin (and other officers) could happen to you.  
---
"The whole George Floyd story was a lie."
by Tucker Carlson and Vince Everett Ellison
https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1715465410856841628
---
"Revisiting the George Floyd Case:  
A Fresh Perspective Based on New Court Documents"
by TheConservativeBrief.com
https://www.theconservativebrief.com/revisiting-the-george-floyd-case-a-fresh-perspective-based-on-new-court-documents/
Excerpts:  
     Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker said there were
“no medical findings that showed any injury to the vital structures of
Mr. Floyd’s neck.  There were no medical indications of asphyxia or
strangulation.”  
     Instead, the evidence suggests George Floyd died of what could be
classified as “natural causes,” exacerbated by his drug use and a fatal
concentration of fentanyl in his system.  
---
     Whether or not you believe that George Floyd was murdered is a litmus test
of your world view, in particular your political view.  
 
"SCOTUS Rules on ‘Ghost Gun’ Regulation"
by John R. Lott Jr.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2023/10/21/scotus_rules_on_ghost_gun_regulation_149929.html
Hat tip to Stephen P. Wenger.  
Excerpts:  
     "On Monday, in a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court voted without comment
to allow the Biden administration’s regulations on “ghost guns” to go into effect.  
The rules require serial numbers on gun parts."  
     "Homemade guns have been around since before the United States became a country,
and it was never terribly difficult to make a gun with simple machine tools.  But now
their production has become nearly impossible to regulate.  With 3D metal printers,
people can now make weapons that are indistinguishable from those purchased in stores.  
But, even if homemade guns had serial numbers, that still wouldn’t help law enforcement
solve crimes.  TV shows such as “Law & Order” do not reflect reality.  In theory,
if criminals leave registered guns at a crime scene, the serial numbers can be used to
trace the weapons back to the perpetrators.  But, in real life, guns are only left at the
scene of a crime when gunmen have been seriously injured or killed.  With both the
criminal and the weapon present at a scene, police can solve these crimes without
registration.  In the exceedingly unusual instances where registered guns are left at
the scene, they aren’t registered to the person who committed the crime.  Police in
Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York have had registration systems in place
for decades but can’t point to any crimes that this has helped them to solve.  Even
entire countries such as Canada haven’t had success.  New York and Maryland
spent tens of millions of dollars compiling a computer database that contained
the unique ballistic “fingerprints” of each new gun sold over a 15-year period.  
Even these states, which strongly favor gun control, eventually abolished their
systems because they never solved a single crime."  
 
"Nashville-Area School Blackmails Parents to Push Gun Legislation
This is a case study in how the radical Left operates."
by Emmy Griffin
https://patriotpost.us/articles/101602-nashville-area-school-blackmails-parents-to-push-gun-legislation-2023-10-26
     The school superintendent for Giles County, TN, Vickie Beard is a
real problem.  Identify the problem and name it.  
 
"Federal Judge Tosses Gun Charge for Drug Use, Upholds Felony Indictment Gun Ban"
by Jake Fogleman
https://thereload.com/federal-judge-tosses-gun-charge-for-drug-use-upholds-felony-indictment-gun-ban/
Hat tip to Stephen P. Wenger.  
     This is deep in that it is a divergence from other District Courts in other Circuits
which means the Supreme Court has a duty to rule on these issues.  The Supreme Court
cannot allow conflicting rulings in lower courts.  
 
"Big Update After 6–3 Supreme Court Ruling on Guns"
by Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXo_KHiJcJg
     California Court Order:  
https://saf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MIller-Decision-2023.pdf
     Bruen Decision:  
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf
     Full Analysis:  
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-district-court-judge-strikes-down-californias-gun-ban-5513771
 
"BACKFIRE:  
The Dems just helped elect the most PRO 2A
Speaker of the House in HISTORY . . . THIS IS EPIC"
by Langley Outdoors Academy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2IA6Q607aE
 
"The Huge Case That No One is Talking About" by Washington Gun Law
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrVuB77he_s
     Cited case,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CARLOS ALSTON
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.198716/gov.uscourts.nced.198716.32.0.pdf
 
    “Is there no virtue among us?  
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form, will insure liberty and happiness
for a dishonorable population represents the height of self-deception.”  
-- James Madison, 1788
 
*************************************************************************
----- Instruction -----
 
     Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:  
"We are not God's gift to our students.  
Our students are God's gift to us."  
 
----- Instructors -----
 
     "Remember,
the students who require the extra effort
are the ones who need us the most!"
-- John Farnam
 
"How to Determine Eye Dominance" by Massad Ayoob
https://www.thearmorylife.com/how-to-determine-eye-dominance/
Excerpt:  
     "If that happens, it’s our fault as instructors, and not their fault as students."  
     ". . . many people go through life not realizing that there is such a thing
as a dominant eye, . . . "
 
     "Smile!  It kills time between disasters." -- Barbara Johnson
 
     Be careful what you teach.  
Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do,
no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Andragogy -----
 
     ‟An instructor should not expect any learning to take
place the first time new information is presented.”  
-- ‶Building Shooters″ by Dustin Salomon
 
Do more than exist . . . live!  
Do more than touch . . . feel!  
Do more than look . . . see!  
Do more than hear . . . listen!  
Do more than talk . . . say something!  
-- J. H. Roades
     [The context was that Roades was encouraging the audience to say pithy
things that would be quoted because they were so meaningful.  For you
instructors, that means high information density, concise, succinct, not
verbose, not word salad.
     As John Farnam says, make your point and then shut up.
-- Jon Low]  
 
     "We must understand that it is not always necessary to understand." -- Barbara Johnson
[In the context of trying to figure out what's going on in the other person's head
so as to diagnose the problem, so as to give helpful advice to mitigate if not solve
the problem.  
     Sometimes, it's better to just deal with the symptom, rather than trying to find
the underlying cause of the problem.  Because most shooters just want to hit the
target.  They have no desire to shoot at an Olympic or World Class level.  
-- Jon Low]  
 
     "Oh, Lord, let my words be tender and sweet for tomorrow I may have to eat them!"  
-- Barbara Johnson
     If you learn that what you were teaching is not best practices, you owe it to
your students to send out an email to correct.  
Dear Student,
     I just got back from Tac Con and learned this technique from John Holschen.  
I believe it is vastly superior to what I taught you.  Allow me to explain it to you.  
. . .
     Or, you could publish the correction in your blog of continuing education for
your students.  But how many are going to read your words of wisdom?  
 
"A Simple Way to Learn Complex Skills" by Benjamin Keep, PhD, JD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI_3bQ-EWSI
     Pay attention to one aspect of the skill at a time!  
---
"What People Get Wrong About Deliberate Practice" by Benjamin Keep, PhD, JD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbUOY9ioIqw
     The quality of practice is the important thing.  
     No, the expert skills are not obvious.  You must research and experiment to find them.  
Because they are different for every person.  You may never be able to achieve a
sub-second presentation from the holster to first hit in a vital area.  That's okay, if
you figure out what you need to do to compensate for that.  And there are all kinds
of things you can do:  situational awareness, surreptitious draw, distraction, misdirection,
empty hand combat techniques to give you time to access your weapon, etc.  
     Practice-feedback cycles is important.  Time is not important.  10,000 hours
is not significant.  
 
     “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.  
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.”  
-- Robert John Meehan
 
*************************************************************************
----- Gear -----
And the safe storage thereof.  
 
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
"Fix your roof!" by John Farnam
https://defense-training.com/fix-your-roof/
---
"Shoot Yor Guns" by tacticalprofessor
https://thetacticalprofessor.net/2023/10/18/shoot-yor-guns/
Excerpt:  
     Moral of the story:  don’t assume your gun works or that it will work for you
until you’ve fired it.  
 
"Four Versatile Handgun Loads To Have" by Richard A. Mann
https://gundigest.com/gear-ammo/ammunition/versatile-handgun-loads
1.  Practice ammo (copper jacketed round nose)
2.  Self-defense ammo for predators (human)
3.  Hard cast ammo for dangerous predators (non-human)
4.  Snake defense ammo (shotshells)
 
"1911 Take Down Magic
Detail Stripping Without Tools?"
by Roy Huntington
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/1911-take-down-magic/
     Wow!  I didn't know this.  
 
     There is a used Massada semi-auto pistol in 9mm with two magazines and cut for a
red dot sight for $419 at Music City Pawn on Lebanon Road in Hermitage, TN.  
3930 Lebanon Pike
Hermitage, TN 37076
United States of America
Phone:  +1 (615) 432-2961
I like the Massada, as it has a nice trigger and is completely ambidextrous.  
Support Israel, buy Israeli.  
 
     Tom Givens advocates making your sights bright to stand out and contrast with
probable target clothing, so that you can easily find your sights against the background.  
In a previous post, I suggested Krylon (which is easily available in the U.S.),
which fluoresces in visible and ultraviolet light.  But Krylon is not as reflective
as "Safety Orange" or "Neon Yellow" made by The Army Painter, (Made in Denmark).  
TheArmyPainter.com
The Army Painter ApS
Christiansmindevej 12
Dk-8660 Skanderborg
Phone:  +45 28911656 (country code 45, eight digit phone number)
You'll find this paint at specialty stores and hobby stores.  The Army Painter
has lots of other bright highly reflective colors.  These paints are designed to
be blown out of air brushes, but work well with fine bristle brushes.  You
might have to do two coats, unless you prime with a  bright white or chrome
base.  
 
     I explain to people who buy my stuff that it is not used, it is tested.  
I would not sell it to them unless I know everything works together
correctly.  The only way I would know that would be to carry and use it
in a match or training class.  
 
     “You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol
than you are a musician because you own a guitar.”
from ‶Principles of Personal Defense″ by Col. Jeff Cooper,
USMC, (1920 – 2006 A.D.)  
 
"On the Safe Side" by Mel Dixon
https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/on-the-safe-side/
     A padlock on that plastic case that your pistol came in is not sufficient.  
 
     I got some Sig V-Crown hollow point in 45 ACP recently.  
It has 230 grain bullets, 830 fps.  (The standard military cartridge is 850 fps.)  
     I had previously purchased some of this ammo about a year ago.  
But those had 220 grain bullets, 918 fps.  
     They also have a 185 grain, 995 fps
     Point of impact is the same out to 25 yards.  I couldn't tell any difference in
recoil.  
     The SAAMI .45 ACP cartridge chamber pressure is 21,000 psi.  
The SAAMI .45 ACP +P cartridge chamber pressure is 23,000 psi.  
(Hornady Critical Duty is +P.)
The SAAMI .45 Super cartridge chamber pressure is 28,500 psi.  
Better ask the manufacturer if it's safe to use the higher pressure rounds
before using them in your pistol.  
 
"Safety Notice: Some Taurus GX4 Pistols May Discharge When Dropped"
by Todd Woodard
https://www.gun-tests.com/gun-tests-plus/safety-notice-some-taurus-gx4-pistols-may-discharge-when-dropped/
     Cited notice,
http://gx4safetynotice.com/
 
Karl Rehn published some  discount codes in his newletter.  
https://blog.krtraining.com/kr-training-october-2023-newsletter/
Here are our discount codes and affiliate links for products we recommend:
Coolfire: REHN25
SIRT (Next Level Training): KRT10
Dark Star Holsters: KRT15
JM Custom Kydex: KRT
XS Sights: KRT15
EDC Belt Company: carrytrainer
Dry Fire Mag: www.dryfiremag.com/?ref=rehn
Come train with us!
Regards,
Karl
rehn@krtraining.com
http://www.krtraining.com
512-633-8232
 
"The Largest US Civilian Ammo Producer Just Sold ALL Of Their Factories!  
Here's Why You Should Worry"
by God Family and Guns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQMcOhtjAys
 
"Types of Pistols: A Guide for Beginners
There are thousands of different pistol models,
but they all conform to a few basic types"
by Tyler Freel
https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/types-of-pistols/
 
"Cleaning guns is Generally a Waste of Time" by Ben Stoeger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voP8nk8JEmA
 
"Back to Basics with Jeff Gonzales Episode 9: Holster Selection"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VN0_ieKTTU
1.  Holster securely holds the pistol.  
2.  Holster prevents anything from getting inside the trigger guard.  
3.  Holster is secure on your body.  
4.  Holster allows you to get a proper firing grip.  
 
"Ammo Employee Comes Forward:
Companies Withholding Stockpiles Purposely?!?"
by Guns & Gadgets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVwpnERa84k
 
"HANDGUN MADE FOR FEMALES? |
Walther PDP F-Series thoughts, review and RANGE DAY!"
by She Equips Herself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcapN5XuCL0
     I found one of these in 45 ACP at Music City Pawn up the street from my
house and groped it pretty extensively.  It's a nice pistol.  The grip is small
for small hands.  The trigger pull length is short for short trigger fingers.  
Even used it was a bit pricey for me.  
 
"How to Shoot Tiny Groups" by Tom McHale
https://americanhandgunner.com/our-experts/how-to-shoot-tiny-groups/
Excerpt:  
     Want to sharpen focus and depth of field?  
Try the EyePal system when shooting over irons.  
 
     This past Saturday I attended handgun class.  I had a malfunction, pistol did not fire.  
Tap, Rack, Assess.  Slide still out of battery.  I eject the magazine.  When it hits the
ground, the cartridges spray out.  The back of the magazine is cracked.  I wrote to
ETS Group.  Awaiting reply.  
 
“Your car is not a holster.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
*************************************************************************
     *****     *****     *****  Cryptology *****     *****     *****
 
     "Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe,
and preserve order in the world as well as property.  
Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of their use."
-- Thomas Paine
[Cryptosystems are considered "arms" by federal law.  
ITAR, International Traffic in Arms Regulations]
 
     A video and text explanation of a theorem on the number of spanning trees of a graph.  
"Matrix Tree Theorem - Actually Explained" by by Tomáš Miškov
https://tomasmiskov.com/matrix-tree-theorem.html
     Do you see how this is useful for your cryptology?  
 
     "Computer science has nothing to do with computers or science."  
-- Donald Knuth
 
"Why is quantum mechanics non-local?  
(I wish someone had told me this 20 years ago.)"
by Sabine Hossenfelder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpkgPJo_z6Y&t=29s
     Do you see how you can use this in your secure communication protocols?  
Yes, this is cryptology.  But, it's not the mass media, popular culture,
quantum cryptology.  Nor is this the pop culture quantum computing.  
     ["92% of media coverage of the opioid problem, fentanyl in U.S. is false.  
Just propaganda." -- Jeremy Reese  
Similarly for quantum stuff in the news. -- Jon Low]  
 
     “Your character is what you do when no one is looking.”  
-- Thomas Jefferson
 
"The Most Important (and Surprising) Result from Information Theory"
by Mutual Information (D. J. Rich)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Bbxvxpqvw
     Prof. Dale Meyers, Math Department, University of Hawaii, told me that finding
the correct language / symbols / syntax in which to state the problem is often the most
difficult part of solving the problem.  Our thinking is formalized symbol manipulation.  
Until we can find meaningful symbols (semantics) and rules (operations) for
manipulating the symbols, we cannot model the problem to be solved.  That's why
we make the big bucks.  I'm sure you see the significance of the graph.  
     Some of DJ's papers,
https://truetheta.io/concepts/
 
     "Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.  
Life is not easy for any of us.  But what of that?  We must have
perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.  We must
believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing
must be attained."  
-- Marie Curie
 
"The OTHER Painter’s Paradox: NO CALCULUS!"
by Mathologer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-LbzWmm2zk
Excerpt:  
     "Close enough is fun enough."
     Your encryption / decryption need not be perfect.  The human is very good at fixing
imperfect text into (logically / semantically / grammatically / lexigraphically /
syntactically) correct text.  [No, I did not say plaintext.  I said text.]  And of course,
computers are very good at error correction.  ["lexigraphically" is the correct spelling 
or the word that I intended to use.  Just in case your system is flagging the word as 
incorrectly spelled.  I'm not talking about writing dictionaries.] 
 
"Dea Matrona."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ZmnclHHoE
     The artificial intelligence images are wreaking havoc in steganography.  
Best to use images of real people.  All kinds of nasty things can be designed
into AI images.  
"Orlaith and Mollie - Heart"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enEAUueKOlw
 
     If you would like to speak in person,
I frequent the Nashville Public Library at
380 Thompson Lane
Nashville, TN 37211
United States of America
+1 (615) 862-5873
You can send an email to ensure I am there when you are.  
 
Hat tip to Elliot Schneider.  
Solvay Conference of 1927.  
In case you don't recognize the persons.  

↨ ↕  Do the two up and down arrows look the same to you?  They do to me.  
But the computer knows that the first one is character U+21A8 and the
second one is character U+2195.  Do they render the same on the system
that you are using to view them?  They might not.  The second one may
have a base under it (appears to be underlined).  There are a lot of such
things in our world.  They can be used to great advantage.  
This is but one of many levels of steganography.  
     What about the character that moves the cursor back one space?
Effectively overwriting the previous character, if you type another character.  
     What about the character that does not move the cursor?  
Effectively squeezing a character between two other characters without
any indication that there is character between the two other characters.  
∙  is character U+2022
·  is character U+2219
·  is character U+00B7
Could you tell the difference?  
 
     Every Marine who ever lived was unavailable for comment.  
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159505626836464&set=pcb.10159505627351464
 
     "Premature optimization is the root of all evil."  
-- Donald Knuth
 
*************************************************************************
     *****     *****     *****  Intelligence   *****     *****     *****
 
     "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution
 
     Stop.  Take a step back.  Zoom out to take in the big picture.  
"Mia's Sickening Response Got Her FIRED [from Playboy and the Todd Shapiro podcast]"
by Brett Cooper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0rTvEdwrAo
     Mia Khalifa lives in the United States.  She is a Lebanese porn star.  
She is exiled from Lebanon because of her profession.  If she were to
return to Lebanon, she would be arrested and executed.  The only place
in the Middle East that she could practice her profession would be
in Israel.  An Imam in Saudi issued a fatwa for her death because she
wore her hajib in her porn films, basically saying, "Look at me.  I'm
Muslim and promiscuously engaging in sex with infidels."  Which of
course is haram, sinful or forbidden according to Islam.  
     Do you understand why she supports the people who would kill
her on sight?  This is not a rhetorical question.  It requires analysis.  
The answer is revealing on a psychological and geo-political level.  
[I will not do for you [in this case, give you the answer], because that
prevents you from learning.  As Prof. Lee Lady said, struggle is
necessary for learning.]  
 
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
 
     Intelligence is gathering, analyzing, and disseminating.  
"It will be a big week for the USPSA BOD" by Ben Stoeger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElEfSpgz-dU
     Ben names names.  Do you understand what Ben is saying about who is leaking?  
Do you understand the Tactics, Techniques & Procedures?  
     Intel School is in session.  
 
"Ep. 33  Looks like we’re actually going to war with Iran.  
Are we ready for this?"
by Tucker Carlson and Col. Douglas MacGregor, U.S. Army, retired
https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1716574971206500570
Excerpt:  
     Our generals have never operated under artillery fire or rocket fire.  
They haven't seen direct fire combat.  They haven't seen real war.  
     We have had open borders.  So we don't know who is in the country.  
But we know that Hamas and Hezbollah have positions in Mexico.  
[So they are obviously in the U.S.]  
     Russia is poised to enter the war on the side of Iran.  
---
     Brandon imposed woke ideology on the U.S. Armed Forces resulting in
a mass exodus from the Armed Forces.  None of the branches is capable of
filling their recruitment quotas.  So the Armed Forces are shrinking.  That
is what Col. MacGregor is referring to.  
 
"WHAT Happened to the Navy's Zumwalt Destroyer?"
by Task & Purpose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqLEnN0dVLk
---
" Puffer Fish Creates This Blue Water Art ~: } "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B91tozyQs9M
 
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm,
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
 
*************************************************************************
 
What you think, you become.  
What you feel, you attract.  
What you imagine, you create.
-- Buddah
 
     Scum bag parents produce scum bag children.  
"Suspect's family angry at Good Samaritan, police
[for shooting their son commiting an armed robbery]"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jxMljF2QPQ
     The mother of the suspect does not acknowledge the Good Samaritan's right / duty to
defend others from a lethal force attack.  She says the Good Samaritan had no right to
shoot her son, because the Good Samaritan was not being threatened with lethal force.  
So she is saying that the Good Samaritan should have left, to allow her son to continue
the armed robbery.  Because that is the world that they live in, in their heads.  They are
not civilized.  As William Aprill said, they don't think like us.  
 
     Scum bag ATF agents cover for scum bag ATF agents.  
"HUGE NEWS: ATF CAUGHT Smuggling Gun Parts Into Mexico…AGAIN!"
by Guns & Gadgets 2nd Amendment News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3qVdVDZmrQ
     The ATF agent in question worked out of the U.S. Consulate and used a van with
diplomatic license plates to transport the smuggled goods.  The agent in question
was never criminally prosecuted.  
 
     "Perhaps you know why women over fifty don't have babies?  They would put them
down somewhere and forget where they left them."  
-- Barbara Johnson
 
"The True Christian History of America,
Chris Pinto, Bill Earl, Larry Dykes, John Hedgecoth, 2020"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp2o4z1KmZM
     The English subtitles are atrocious and should be ignored, as they are full of errors.  
     c. 893 A.D., The Doom Book, Dōmbōc, Code of Alfred or Legal Code of Ælfred the Great
was the code of laws ("dooms" being laws or judgments) compiled by Alfred the Great.  
Alfred codified three prior Saxon codes – those of Æthelberht of Kent (c. 602 AD),
Ine of Wessex (c. 694 AD), and Offa of Mercia (c. 786 AD) – to which he prefixed the
Ten Commandments of Moses and incorporated rules of life from the Mosaic Code and
the Christian code of ethics.  
     1215 A.D., Magna Carta.  
     1384 A.D., John Wiclif [They use a bizarre spelling of his name in the video.  I have
no idea where they got that spelling from.  It certainly is not a Middle English spelling.]  
translates the Bible from Latin into Middle English which was against the law at the time.  
Thus breaking the clergy's strangle hold on truth.  Because now the common man could
read the Bible for himself, and thus see the abuses and corruption of the clergy.  
     18 April 1521 A.D., Martin Luther proclaims freedom of conscience [freedom of
religion, freedom of opinion, freedom of speech] at the Diet of Worms.  
     The narrator consistently mispronounces the word "Huguenot".  Such mistakes
would cause anyone to question the scholarship.  Though the interviewed scholars
of course pronounce the word correctly.  
 
     A friend at work introduced me to sorghum.  It's like miniature corn and when popped
is like miniature popcorn.  She had seasoned it with garlic and rosemary.  Great stuff!  
 
     "I'm perfectly willing to compromise,
but God wants to have everything His own way."  
-- Barbara Johnson
 
Email from Rich Archie, October 30, 2023 --
Title:  A Tennessee tradition of carrying arms for “lawful purposes”
     The tradition of Tennesseans to keep and bear arms for “lawful purposes” preexists
the founding of this state and the ratification of our Constitution and Declaration of Rights.  
This right comes from God, not from Government!  
     “Nolichucky Jack” first governor of Tennessee, known to many as John Sevier,
mortgaged his farm and property in 1780 to finance the armed excursion by an
all-volunteer militia “over the mountains” to hunt down and eliminate “Bull Dog”
Ferguson and his Loyalist troops who had intended to, if the Patriots did not
“desist from their opposition to British arms”, “march over the mountains, hang
their leaders, and lay their country to waste with fire and sword.”  Thomas Jefferson
noted that this action was “[t]he turn of the tide of success” for America in the
War for Independence.  They carried their personal firearms, the “Assault Rifle”
of the day to oppose tyranny, of their own volition, at their own costs, not
conscripted by any government, nor paid to do so.  
     In every contest in arms regarding the Liberty of the fledgling nation,
Tennesseans showed time and again their mettle by heeding the call to
battle and bringing with them the weapons most useful in war, that they
kept at their homes.  From the call to join Jackson at Horseshoe Bend to
fight the Red Sticks (Creek Indians in Alabama), the field of Chalmette
(Battle of New Orleans against the British in 1814) to the Spanish American War
when 2,500 volunteers were called for and 30,000 showed up, the Sons of this
earth we know today as Tennessee have always borne their personally owned
weapons of war to serve in the People’s Militia when it is necessary to do so.  
     Early on, our Founders understood what government can (and will) do to a
People who are not vigilant and demanding of their rights.  These men and
women who wagered their lives, fortunes and sacred honor against tyranny
understood the creeping authoritarianism that is government and bade us keep
them at arm’s length.  Patrick Henry warned us
     “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.  
Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel.  
Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force.  
Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined.”  
     Later, Daniel Webster advised
     “Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption
of authority.  It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was
made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions.  
There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean
to govern.  They promise to be good masters, but they mean to
be masters.”  
     The Declaration of Rights enumerated in the 1796 Constitution of Tennessee
etched thus on the walls of our state in Article 11, Section 26,
“That the free men of this State have a right to keep and
to bear arms for their common defence.”  
     How poorly has the Government of Tennessee in the succeeding years held
to the charge of Article 10th Section 4th in that document that says
     “The declaration of rights hereto annexed is declared to be a part of the
constitution of this State, and shall never be violated on any pretence whatever.  
And to guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated,
we declare that everything in the bill of rights contained, and every other right
not hereby delegated, is excepted out of the general powers of government,
and shall forever remain inviolate.”  
     Five short years later the General assembly made it a crime to carry a pistol
or specific types of bladed weapons for self-defense, again, in 1821 and in 1870
laws were passed by the General Assembly to deny the right to arms of Tennesseans.  
     In the Supreme Court of Tennessee in the case Andrews v. State, Justice Nelson J.
said in his concurrence
     “To “regulate” does not mean to destroy, but “to adjust by rule,”
“to put in good order,” to produce uniformity of motion or of action;
and, under this provision, there can be no question that, while the
Legislature has NO power to prohibit the wearing of arms, it has the
right to declare that, if worn upon the person, they shall be worn in
a public manner.  The Act of 1870, instead of regulating, prohibits
the wearing of arms, and is, therefore, in my opinion, unconstitutional
and void.”
     The plurality opinion of the court in that case said
     “The right to keep arms, necessarily involves the right to purchase them,
to keep them in a state of efficiency for use, and to purchase and provide
ammunition suitable for such arms, and to keep them in repair.  And clearly
for this purpose, a man would have the right to carry them to and from his home,
and no one could claim that the Legislature had the right to punish him for it,
without violating this clause of the Constitution.” . . .
     “Such, then, as are found to make up the usual arms of the citizen of the country,
and the use of which will properly train and render him efficient in defense of his
own liberties, as well as of the State.  Under this head, with a knowledge of the
habits of our people, and of the arms in the use of which a soldier should be trained,
we would hold, that the rifle of all descriptions, the shot gun, the musket, and repeater,
are such arms; and that under the Constitution the right to keep such arms,
can not be infringed or forbidden by the Legislature.”  
     And yet we sit today, with hordes flooding across our southern border, hundreds
of thousands of illegal youthful men, of military age occupying our nation with no
government stopping them.  We have recently seen what can occur when a force
desirous of larceny and murder is left unchecked.  In response our General Assembly
in Tennessee has, like Israel, made it a crime for the average law-abiding citizen of
Tennessee to carry arms that our state and federal Supreme Courts have said time
and again it IS our natural right to do.  Israel is now handing out AR 15s and
ammunition to its people, but that appears to be closing the gate after the cows are
long gone.
     We must reverse the situation where it is a crime to carry a loaded firearm
for a free People.  Our Tennessee statute 39-17-1307 (a) (1) says in fact it is just that.
C. Richard Archie
West TN Director and Board Member
Tennessee Firearms Association
 
     “You can’t truly call yourself ‘peaceful’
unless you are capable of great violence.  
If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful,
you’re harmless.  Important distinction.”  
-- Stef Starkgaryen
 
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,
     May I invite your attention to
Col. Greg Kitchens, USMC, retired
running for Sheriff of Charleston, SC?  
Reception on
Sunday, 21 January, 2024 at 15:00
aboard the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, Charleston, SC
for the formal announcement.
     I knew Greg for several years as a shooter at the Palmetto Gun Club
http://www.palmettogunclub.org/
951 Summers Dr, Ridgeville, SC 29472
before finding out that he was a Colonel (the kind with eagles, not oak leaves)
in the Marine Corps.
     I know him to be honorable.  He would be well worth supporting.
     The address for donations is at
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159494486886464&set=a.10150238638021464
     Greg on vacation,
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1126299617381946&set=p.1126299617381946
Did you notice the pistols that the police officers are carrying?  You cock the striker
by squeezing the grip.  Heckler & Koch P7, gas-delayed blowback system.  The barrel
does not tilt.  No breech locking mechanism.  Fluted chamber.  
Semper Fidelis,
Spaceman
 
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Email:  Jon_Low@yahoo.com
Radio:  KI4SDN

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