This morning my heart is sad and I feel for the people who lost loved ones in Florida. Yes, we all feel sad. Any normal person has to feel something when you hear that 50 plus people have been killed and wounded.
That is not what I want to talk about. The media continues down their trail of Why… What happened… What could we have done… Why did this person do this…? What, What, What? Why did we make them so mad? How can we talk with them to see why they hate us?
As we have seen countless times, the media will cover the issue and tell you that the FBI and Homeland Security are investigating to see what exactly happened.
-They will focus on “How did the gunman get the weapons he used?
– They will explain that it was an assault rifle that was used. This will appeal to the knee-jerk reactionaries who believe that guns are evil and rifles are doubly so. For the uninformed: The AR-15 is the same gun as any other semi-automatic .223 or .556 caliber weapon. It just has a different configuration. They will make a big deal out of the weapon, but it really isn’t. Any semi-automatic rifle could have been used. Actually, Ruger and several other companies make a semi-automatic 22 cal. rifle for rabbit and squirrel hunting, and target shooting. According to the available FBI statistics, it’s arguable that more people are killed or wounded by a 22 cal. each year in the US than the .223 or the .556. I really don’t understand why no one brings up these facts, but they don’t. Well, I do know but… that is another discussion. Ignorance is bliss, AND easier to manipulate.
-Within the next few days the media will show you pictures of the memorial set up at the scene of the shooting with all of the flowers, pictures, and balloons.
-There will be candlelight vigils, maybe marches or defiant celebrations of life because this was a gay night club.
-There will be calls for more gun controls and outrage as to why this individual was not more closely watched after being questioned TWICE by the authorities as an ISIS supporter.
PLEASE know that the FBI and Homeland Security are doing their job. A quick search of the counter terrorism statistics reveals that hundreds of terrorist plots have been foiled just since 9/11. The system isn’t perfect, but it is working.
Consider this: I was at my grandson’s baseball game this afternoon. Someone who knows that I work in Security asked me why can’t we stop this killing? I decided NOT to point out the obvious that it would require ordinary people to wake up, take responsibility for their own safety, and become advocates for creating a safer lifestyle.
Instead…
I looked around. We were in the middle of 36 baseball fields. We were surrounded by kids of all ages, parents, grandparents, etc. I asked the person to point out to me the next person who was going to sneeze. The person rightly answered that it was impossible to foretell. That is exactly my point. Now multiply that situation by millions of people. THAT is what we are dealing with.
The reality is that we now live in a world full of very motivated hateful people, many of whom at any moment could choose to act out violently. We can’t know the trigger and we can’t know their level of preparation. You NEED TO UNDERSTAND, NONE OF THIS MATTERS. It is what it is.
Most importantly, we DO know that they have the one key thing that many average citizens simply don’t: these killers have the courage of their convictions. They are individually and collectively planning the slaughter of Americans every single day. Their passion for their cause drives them. The simplicity of their mission gives them a clear advantage over the masses of apathetic, ignore-it-&-it-won’t-happen-to-me people. We know even a badly prepared gunman can wreak havoc on unsuspecting people going blindly about their business. Without a mindset shift, we are indeed little more than targets.
The most frustrating part as an instructor is that it only takes minimum training to begin the shift toward increased awareness and personal safety. Like ripples in a pond, our communities become safer with each individual who hears the call to action and answers it. Simply put: we can defeat terrorism if we are just willing to become passionate guardians of ourselves and our public spaces.
If you are in a public place, YOU NEED TO MUSTER THE COURAGE OF YOUR CONVICTIONS AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER .
Terrorism is here. You need merely decide: what are you going to do about it?
Are you going to continue to believe it will never happen to you and blindly trust that the govt and police are here to take care of you?
Just listen to the news reports and the media. They say the same thing every single time. They are “shocked” and “saddened”. They perpetuate the myth that “there was nothing the victims could have done”. They focus on the evil perpetrator(s) and ignore the obvious answer: Only a vigilant citizenry with a deep conviction to situational awareness and personal responsibility can stop the menace of terrorism.
It is infuriating that no one will admit that it makes no difference who this villain was or why he was inspired to violence.
ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT HE WAS DRIVEN TO DO IT. It will take equal drive to stop it.
The news media will tell you that our government is working on tightening up security and all will be well. It will lull the viewers back to complacency like dumb children. We will be encouraged to “get back to our lives” as an act of defiance. The truth is that returning to what we have always done will keep us right where terrorists want us. We will remain distracted, unaware, and in denial. In other words: Walking Targets.
Sometimes reporters touch on the fact that terrorism is impossible to fight. They take the position that we need to get used to it as a way of life. Many people will argue with that. In our current culture of privilege and entitled denial, it’s actually truer than you will care to believe.
I have often mentioned the wars we have fought starting with Vietnam. We have learned nothing. We are fighting this the same way we fought all of the wars since Nam. Politically. Some officials go so far as to continue mincing words as if it makes some sort of difference! They argue for “ISIS” or “ISIL” as a way to deflect attention from the reality that it doesn’t really matter what you call murderers. Naming the killers what they do or don’t want to be called does nothing to protect our population from the mission to destroy us and our way of life. It does, however, give the media something “substantive” to discuss instead of the truth.
The TRUTH IS: YOU ARE THE ONE WHO MUST BE READY TO DO SOMETHING.
You must know what to do in the case you are in a place that this happens.
You must know how to save yourself and your loved ones.
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You need Medical and Tactical training. No, I don’t mean SWAT training. I mean common sense Tactical Medical and Situational Awareness training so you know what to do, without hesitation, to get to safety and potentially be a first responder. You need to know what to do for the wounded. Whether in a shooting, a natural disaster, or a simple everyday accident: it may be you or someone around you.
I’m not talking about years of training and no you do not need to be a paramedic or a Ninja warrior to do this. Situational Awareness and First Response can be learned in a few hours. For example, Dark Angel Medical gives a 2 day class that will prepare you to give aid to yourself and others in the event of accidents or disasters. Best part is, ANYONE can learn the basics.
Being aware of your own safety, your surroundings (including your neighborhood, your community, and your day-to-day activities) can be the difference maker. Knowing how to identify and respond to trouble gives you every advantage for one simple reason: bad guys want victims, they do not want a fight. Do not walk around looking like a victim and you’ve won half the battle. We teach this one thing to women in self defense and it has proven time and time again to be an easy strategy to avoid being targeted. It’s time the rest of us act accordingly.
I understand those of you who say, I’m not afraid and I will not be intimidated or change my routine. I feel the same way. BUT, there is a huge difference between you and me. I AM TRAINED. I have accepted responsibility to protect myself, my family, my community, and anyone in my vicinity by first being aware enough to avoid trouble and second, being ready to face it.
This is really the bottom line.
The esteemed Col. Grossman said it best: You are either a sheep or you are a sheep dog.
If you choose to be a sheep, I’m sorry, but no one can help you unless you change.
No one can do this for you. You must embrace the survivor’s mindset and choose to take the initiative.
If you choose to be responsible for yourself and your loved ones, then you have taken the first step against terrorism and those who believe in it’s violent means. The next step is to match their convictions toward destruction with your own drive to survive. If ever there was a time for empowerment and being our best selves, THIS IS IT.
Once again, in Orlando, we have been shown the enemy. People are mourning. The media is circling.
We can mince words, scratch our heads, and wonder why until the next attack.
Or we can choose to find a good trainer and become guardians of our loved ones and communities.
Our future, and that of our children, depends on our response.
It’s time to explore training. Sign up for the Academy for Family Safety & get updates when we launch new training! GO NOW!