Thought for the day:
At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.”
-Aristotle
Last week, I was asked by a MT instructor to fill in for him while he was on leave for a basic MT class he had just started at the community center at the Embassy. He told me it was their third class and just work them on basic punch/ kick drills. I said I would, if I wasn’t called out for something. Anyway, arrived on location and noticed the class was made up of, (being professional here) non-tactical personnel. The class was ok, but, severely limited due to their lack of physical fitness.
As I was packing my bag and arranging my gun belt, a guy came over and said” you carry a gun everywhere, even here on the Embassy? I thought he was being a dickhead, but, I could see he was sincere. Yes, I do. This Embassy is a prime target and have you noticed the T-walls surrounding this place, they are there for a reason. Plus, by foot, I am about a half mile from my hooch, not good if the bad guys come over the wall. I could tell he didn’t believe me, but, passed it off as a typical state department employee.
Then he surprised me by saying, “I want to get a handgun and my CCW when I get back, but, my wife won’t let me”. Curious, I said, why? Oh, you know, she is afraid of guns”. Really, do you have kids? Yes, one 3 year old girl. So, who is protecting her now? Your wife? No, we have an alarm system and she can call the police. Mmmmmmmm, ok.
I point this out because, his answer to protecting his family was to lay the responsibility off on someone else. I don’t how many times I have heard similar answers as this. It seems, that self-reliance and protection are negated for relationship bliss. If you are in a relationship where your partner, no matter the arrangement, is forcing you to compromise your survival, then you have some serious thinking to do. The only one that can fight for you, is you. The parents of a child are duty bound to die for that child. Don’t let well-meaning ignorance lead to your death.
Here is Mike Pannone’s view on this issue:
What are you willing to do to protect your loved ones?
I was helping a good friend teach a group of mostly women from his prosecutor’s office and a woman who is an avid long distance runner and spends a lot of time training mentioned she carries “sometimes”. My response was “why sometimes and not all the time?” She said if she was out with her kids she would carry to protect them but didn’t carry when she was by herself. That led to a little discussion as we waited for the break to end and in a nutshell here it is.
If someone were maliciously about to do something that would grievously injure virtually everyone that you know and love especially your immediate family
…and if it that injury was painful beyond words and lasted until the day they died?
…and if nothing either doctor or hospital could do to heal them?
…what would you be willing to do to stop them?
If someone beats, rapes, or murders you, you alone feel the physical pain but the anguish is shared by everyone you love for their lifetime. If you are killed your children will always wonder what life would be like if mom were there or cry at their weddings because you were not there to share the joy. Your husband would wonder what that dream vacation with the kids would have been like or how you would have grown old together and spoiled the grandkids. Your family would mourn silently every time there was a gathering with the most obvious presence being your absence.
So if it is a way to explain to a friend or family member why you carry, why you train so much and why they should, then enlighten them. Explain to them that you carry to protect yourself and by doing so the emotions of everyone that your life touches in a significant way if you were prematurely taken. Imagine all the pain you could save by successfully fending off an attack? Remember as well the person trying to deprive you of your life and by doing so injure all those you hold dear brought it to you! Turn it around on him, turn fear into anger and fight with the savagery of a lion. He might have started the clock but you stop it! Do not be afraid to do whatever it takes to stop the attacker, to protect yourself and by default your loved ones. You owe it to your family and friends. Be loyal and steadfast and defend yourself with courage and righteous indignation just as you would them if they were there with you.
In the immediacy you will fight for your life alone but in your actions you hold the emotional weight of many potentially injured souls…those that love you. Remember, nobody is more concerned for the wellbeing of you and yours than you!! If that fateful day comes it is your responsibility to be prepared in advance physically and emotionally and be equipped and trained properly.
What am I willing to do to protect my loved ones? Whatever it takes!