Eight years ago on this day our nation was touched by the hands of evil. We banded together in our time of need to rescue the survivors and to bury the dead that we could find in the rubble and wreckage of buildings and planes that came down that day.
Today I ask that we all take a moment to remember. If you haven’t already, please go out and raise the flag in honor of those who have died in the initial attack, and in honor of those who have died in service to preserve our way of life. Raise the flag to the top of the mast- not at half-mast for this occasion. Raise it as a salute and declaration of our resolve to continue to fight against terrorism in all its forms. Raise the flag also in living tribute to the victims who survived the initial attack, and to the families of those who didn’t. 
Across the Fruited Plain: Concealed Carry Confidentiality
“…pro-gun activists across the fruited plain are finding that attitudes among the elites are much different when it comes to exercising one’s right to bear arms…”
by Chad D. Baus
As the fight to restore the right to bear arms for self-defense was waged in various states, one of the toughest opponents to attempts to reform the law was the establishment media. With rare exception, newspaper editorial boards repeatedly took the side of legislators and gun ban extremists who prefer to view citizens more as subjects.
Thanks in no small part to media meddling, many states’ laws were first passed with onerous provisions (anti-gun poison pills) that pro-gun rights activists are now methodically laboring to remove.
One of the more common items inserted as a poison pill in many states under pressure from the establishment media was a public records provision. “We have to make sure,” the editorial boards claimed, “that the ‘right’ people are getting licenses.” But in the months and years after concealed carry laws took effect, it quickly became clear the media had far less noble intentions.
Instead of reporting, each time an armed robbery, home invasion, or car-jacking occurred, that the violent attacker did NOT have a license to carry, the news media set about to publish lists containing the private, personal information of license-holders, not unlike the state publishes records about registered sex offenders.
In my home state of Ohio, the Cleveland Plain Dealer was one of many news entities to obtain and publish a list of licensees after prodding from the Ohio Newspaper Association. Just a few days after the first list was published, one of the license-holders on that list - a Cleveland store-owner - was dead, having been ambushed by violent armed robbers as he came to work one morning.[1] Many wondered why the criminals knew they needed to get the jump on the store-owner. Had they read his name in the newspaper?
Other early problems with Ohio’s concealed carry law, which was written to specifically declare the records of license-holders private, and then to allow journalists access to the “private” records, included the sheriffs in at least two counties releasing private information beyond that enumerated in the media access loophole[2]. Additionally, at least one license-holder’s guns were stolen from his home after having his status as a gun owner published in the newspaper[3], and a prison guard was tracked down by a former inmate by using a list published in the local paper.[4]
Gun rights activists fought back. In the case of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Sandusky Register, editors had their own information - truly public information - compiled and published on pro-gun websites such as BuckeyeFirearms.org. Telephone numbers, maps to their homes, deeds to houses, and even divorce records were displayed as examples of how such records could be used against individuals or family members who found themselves on lists such as the ones the newspapers were creating.[5]
In the end, two years after the media access loophole was inserted as a poison pill in Ohio’s concealed carry law, Buckeye state legislators reformed the law, making it illegal for journalists to copy the records.[6]
Battles over concealed carry confidentiality are currently ongoing in at least ten other states across the country.
Legislation seeking to close access to concealed carry records was introduced in North Carolina this spring, but has not yet received committee attention. Legislation has already moved in Tennessee and Oregon, but with disappointing results. Although it received overwhelming approval by each states’ House of Representatives (54-4 in Oregon and 83-12 in Tennessee, state senators had a different take. Tennessee senators narrowly rejected a colleague’s Senate Bill 1126 by 14-13 vote, and the Oregon Senate refused to vote on House Bill 2727.
On the other hand, in an impressive show in Alabama, both the House and Senate passed the legislation unanimously, and Gov. Bob Riley signed the bill into law on May 21. Additionally, Bills have already been passed into law in Arkansas and Virginia, but grassroots leaders there remain unsatisfied with the final outcome.
According to Phillip VanCleve, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), Virginia law changed this year to block release of concealed handgun permit (CHP) info from the State Police, which holds a central database of all CHP holders. But there’s a catch.
“There is a loophole that allows local Circuit Courts to give out their own info for that court,” VanCleve notes. “We are planning on closing that loophole next year. I think we have a 70% chance of doing so, depending on the elections later this year. It’s just not good enough and we need to fix it.”
Motivation to change the law in that state came about after the Roanoke Times published a complete database of CHP holder information on the Internet.
“The uproar was so intense that they dropped that site within a day or two and have never gone anywhere near doing such a thing again,” VanCleve noted. “The Attorney General put a block on the State Police right after it happened and that is what was formally codified this year.”
In Arkansas, where (like so many other states) motivation to reform the law came about after the irresponsible actions of a newspaper, pro-gun activists were even more dissatisfied with passage of their confidentiality bill.
John Anderson, who serves as Communications Director of the Arkansas Concealed Carry Association (ACCA), said their concealed carry privacy bill came about because a local paper, the Arkansas Times, published a list in a copy-cat move after a list ran in neighboring Tennessee.
“They thought what the Commercial Appeal did in Tennessee was funny, so they posted the Arkansas list kind of as a, ’see we can do it too’ move,” Anderson observed.
Initially, the volunteers at ACCA had every reason to be encouraged by efforts to close the lists. “The bill had great public support and passed the Arkansas House on a 98-1 vote,” Anderson said. “However, when it got to the Senate it was ground to a halt, stalled and allowed to languish.” “It was being lobbied against heavily here by the local press association. The Governor, who seems to crave positive press, but also claims to be pro-gun, managed to force a compromise on the bill by coming out against making gun permit information private.
“The ‘compromise’ was anything but,” Anderson said. “It essentially made us compromise to the point where the list of names and zip codes are still considered public. We did manage to keep all information on the forms from being able to be published, but it was a very small victory.”
Like VanCleve’s VCDL, the good people at ACCA say they’ll be back next session next session, and that the issue “will be a very high priority for us.”
In some states, privacy is not just a concern for concealed carry license-holders. After revelations that the Delaware State Police were maintaining a list of gun buyers for years (despite a state law that required the records to be destroyed after 60 days), efforts by local gun rights activists and the NRA have resulted in legislation which would provide legal purchasers of firearms a source of redress in the Delaware court system if their firearms purchase records are improperly handled or stored by the Delaware State Police. The bill has been passed in the Delaware House and Senate, and awaits the signature of Governor Jack Markell.
In Michigan, gun rights activists are working legislation to prevent firearms retailers from taking photographs of people who purchase firearms. According to an NRA-ILA legislative summary, this bill is in direct response to actions taken by some major retailers (such was WalMart) who, under threats of litigation from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have created video surveillance registries under their “Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership.” While the bill would allow stores to maintain their security surveillance, it would prevent recordings of gun and ammunition transactions for registration purposes.[8]
“There were several reports of this [video recording] happening last year,” said Brad Benzing, Legislative Liason for the (Michigan) Shooters’ Alliance for Firearms Rights (SAFR). “[The bill sponsor] was approached and introduced the same Bill in the previous Session.”
Unfortunately, SAFR’s Benzing says the bill did not move last session, and, he adds, “I suspect that the same will transpire here.”
While the “right to privacy” is spoken highly of by everyone from adulterous politicians to the ACLU, pro-gun activists across the fruited plain are finding that attitudes among the elites are much different when it comes to exercising one’s right to bear arms for self-defense without the judgmental glare of the ignorant and uninformed. It is clear that, while progress is being made, the fight for concealed carry confidentiality is far from over.
***
Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman (www.BuckeyeFirearms.org), and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
Footnotes:
[1] Days after Plain Dealer ‘outing’; CHL-holder Bill Singleton is dead, August 4, 2004, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/1667
[2] Law not followed in release of Lucas Co. CHL-holders’ private information, September 15, 2004, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/1761
[3] Did media list of gun owners put these 20 guns on the street? January 23, 2007, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/3506
[4] Senate committee hears testimony on media access loophole, November 15, 2006, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/3372
[5] What is the harm in publishing lists of concealed handgun license holders?, June 28, 2007, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/3823
[6] SIGNED: General Assembly’s first attempt at Media Access Loophole fix, December 28, 2006, http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/3468
[7] Gun purchase glitch raises questions, The News Journal, October 28, 2008, http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20081028/NEWS01/810280392
[8] Michigan: Consumer Protection Bill Assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, April 10, 2009, http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=4738
USCCA Laugh of the Week
“I only wish I had this stuff 10 years ago…”
Last month I sent you a link to a complimentary program I felt every USCCA members should own. It was created by a hand-to-hand close combat expert named Tim Larkin. The feedback on it has been phenomenal. In a phone call, one guy called it “a life changing experience.” Here’s what he wrote directly to Tim Larkin (he asked to remain anonymous and we’ve respected that wish by deleting his name).
——
“I can honestly not thank you enough for giving USCCA members the huge discount on your Human Weapons ‘package’ deal.
“I have trained most of my life to survive. I’ve taken multiple survival classes (you know, being dumped out in the desert with absolutely nothing and having to live for a week). I took firearms training classes as soon as I was old enough to own one and I’ve taken practical self defense courses, mostly emphasizing on getting it over with as quickly as possible. I’ve worked with Marines all my life so I’ve had advantages other civilians have not had. I’ve also taken medical classes, EMT certified, you name it. Being prepared is something I take seriously. The safety of my family and myself I take very seriously.
“But this mega pack of materials is amazing. The practicality, straight forwardness and focus of the material is fantastic. I have always wondered why so many instructors insist on teaching things that have absolutely no practical value in saving my life or the life of another. Why fill student’s heads with crap. We are only going to retain so much in a true life or death scenario – so give people the best possible odds of winning. The rest is fluff and gets people killed.
“Your information is just so valuable - I have already had many of my friends and co-workers purchase the set.
“As I emailed Tim Schmidt of USCCA - I can only hope that all the money, time and effort that I continue to put into this program is completely ‘wasted’ (ie, I’ll never need to use it).
“Your concept of ’break things inside people so they don’t work anymore’ honestly is so, I don’t even have words for it, unbelievably simple. For the life of me I cannot understand why that isn’t at the core of every training class I’ve ever taken. I’ve heard it said other ways with a lot of fluff around it but it is a straight up truism. All of my firearms training - that was the point of it. Just that simple. From that axiom everything can be built.
“I feel like a lot of my training has been complete crap and I also feel like it is so damn obvious I am annoyed at myself for not realizing it before. After reading your book I know why I didn’t realize it but still, it isn’t a pill that’s easy to swallow.
“A while ago I was put on the disabled list that severely limits the amount I can train. I have to take every opportunity I can to keep pushing myself but I have to do it in a way where I am not making things worse for myself. The material that is in this program is a major help to me. Some things I simply cannot do, others I can adapt to my situation. What is important is that I now have better tools to use and a better understanding of how to use them and when. I hope that I can one day attend one of your classes.
“So - thank you. I only wish I had this stuff 10 years ago and was ahead of the curve instead of catching up.”
(name withheld for confidentiality reasons)
-USCCA member
If you missed it last month, here’s the link again:
=> http://www.targetfocustraining.com/uscca <=
Coming Up On Armed American Radio
The Official Voice of the USCCA
by Mark Walters
Ok everyone. This radio program is now two relaxed hours and getting better by the week. Join me this Sunday for an unbelievable line-up! On Air this Sunday will be John Higgs, author of The Bug Out Book, Mark Craighead, founder of Crossbreed Holsters, The master of self-defense Massad Ayoob and the trio of hosts from the wildly popular Best Defense TV series on the Outdoor Channel, Michael Bane, Rob Pincus and Mike Janich. DON’T waste this unbelievable collection of knowledge! Be there with me this Sunday on Armed American Radio. Visit www.armedamericanradio.org for info on where to listen nationwide! See ya on the radio this Sunday at 8PM Eastern, 5 Pacific.
Review of Blackhawk’s Warrior Wear ZW5 Inch Side Zip Boot
USCCA Gear Review
Continuing my series on gear from Blackhawk, I definitely wanted to get in a review of a literal foundational product that is imperative for those of us who take the “self” in self-defense seriously. Everyone should know how important it is to stay on your feet in a fight. Sure, there are some great systems of ground fighting techniques and tactics, but keeping our legs under us can very well mean life or death in a fight.
There are situations that call for going prone or crouching but those happen during times where we are in control of our body position in a three-dimensional space. The scary times come when we lose that control of our body position in a three-dimensional space. My favorite, sarcastically speaking, is walking from an outside environment that is wet, onto an indoor laminate floor surface that is smooth and shiny. That first step or two inside the door with a pair of wet shoes creates more new dancers than Arthur Miller ever did!
I wanted footwear that was battle tested but also suited to civilian life. I wanted a boot since that is my favorite every-day footwear. I’m just not a dress shoe kind of guy. I stopped wearing shoes that didn’t go above the ankle after an event that occurred when I worked as a bouncer in a bar a lifetime ago. A drunk started smacking one of the managers around one night. I pulled him off of the manager and then slipped a hinged handcuff onto his right wrist. He tried to fight me until I gave a twist of that hinged cuff. Oh, they are so much more suited to control than chain cuffs!
The bad guy relented but his girlfriend didn’t. She jumped on my back and started hitting me on the head with her fists. She wasn’t much of a fighter, but whoever hit me with the beer bottle at the same time was right on target. Motivated drunks who witnessed the fight involving the manager saw it as an opportunity to get involved in a free-for-all. When I got whacked with the beer bottle, I was surprised that it didn’t break. It hit me hard enough that when I moved, I lost one of my shoes.
With my bad guy hollering about the pain in his wrist and his girlfriend taking a piggyback ride on my back, I was fortunate to have a few moments to slip my shoe back on as the attention of the other drunks were on each other instead of me and my dancing partners. I really wish I had some pictures or video of those few moments. Though potentially life threatening, it turned out more funny than dangerous, especially since I have such a hard head.
After that it was boots only. For that job, I had to dress in suit pants and a suit jacket with a clip-on tie. The only reason I was wearing shoes instead of boots was because of the boss’s meticulous rules. Though I see it all of the time now (boots being worn with dress clothes), I was one of the pioneers. In practically any profession that requires employees to play dress up, I see men wearing various styles of hiking, law enforcement, and military style boots with their dress clothes. There are even dress shoes available now with lug soles instead of the old slick leather of old, but they are still shoes and not boots.
I can’t speak for women’s footwear; for that is a foreign language that I have never learned to speak. Sorry girls, I guess this review is mainly for guys. But I do have good news. On the Blackhawk website, there is a conversion chart available on the Downloads tab of the product page for a woman to be able to order the boots in men’s sizes that will fit them. For the females reading this article, if you don’t have to wear heels with your work attire, I’d strongly suggest wearing a good pair of boots. Even if you have to wear a dress and heels, I strongly suggest wearing at a minimum a pair of running shoes that go above the ankle back and forth to the work place.
As an aside, keep a pair of sweatpants to slip on over the dress, and a jacket too for emergency situations where you might have to walk out of an area. A woman with sweatpants, boots, and a jacket attracts much less attention from predators than a woman out in a nice dress and heels. Sad that our culture is like that? Yes. True that it is? Yes.
I really like how these boots are made. And they are special in another way to me too. I’ve got peripheral neuropathy. Basically that’s just some nerve damage. It is worse in my feet. I’m at the stage where I have pain if the footwear doesn’t fit right. Actually, it used to be much worse. Some nerve damage is so severe that the person who has it doesn’t feel anything. They can get a pressure sore or puncture, and not even know it until it is seen. Footwear that has protruding bulges or seams inside the footbed could cause pain, damage, or both depending on the level of nerve damage.
The inside of these Blackhawk boots where my tootsies take up residence doesn’t have any seams poking out on the insides, nor are there any bulges or spots that protrude into the footbed or sides. There is an Ortholite insole liner that is thick, comfortable, and washable. Below the liner is a fully covered and sewn footbed. No glue residue, cardboard, nails, or fasteners as can be seen when the liner is removed from lower quality footwear. Very well made indeed.
Here are photos of the inside of the boot without the liner as well as with:
The heel is fully supported with sturdy leather. The fabric portions of the boots are Cordura, not some cheap thin stuff that will fall apart.
The soles are Vibram Lug in a design that is “toothy” to get going on uneven surfaces and various terrain types from sand to snow. The parts of the lugs that make contact with a smooth surface such as standard indoor surfaces is pliable and “grabby” enough to keep me from skating when I’m not wanting to be skating.
The sole wraps up over the front to give reinforced point for climbing steep angles or crawling, and the whole toe area is oversewn with a reinforcement. Foresight has gone into the design of these boots in order to make them tough enough to hold up through whatever the user can dish out.
I also wanted the boots to not to be too tall. These ZW5 boots are five inches high. The perfect mid-height for boots. They also have a zipper on the side that makes it easier to put them on and take them off. The zipper doesn’t mean that the owner won’t have to ever unlace the boots. The zipper is an assist that makes it much easier to get the boots on and off.
These Warrior Wear boots are also waterproof utilizing SympaTex Technology to keep water out, and Dri-Lex to get the perspiration away from your feet. The tongue gusset only goes as high as the fourth eyelet of the six on the boots. Step in water higher than the fourth eyelet, and water probably will get in. This makes them perfect for everyday wear. They’ll get you through snow and puddles that are encountered in cities and towns everywhere. They might not be all that great for slopping the hogs in a foot of mud during the rainy season, but they are sturdy enough to survive the mess.
I don’t like the laces, but that’s not really Blackhawk’s fault. I’ve never liked the stock laces on any pair of boots that I have ever owned. With jeans being worn over the boots the laces keep coming untied throughout the day when using a standard tying knot for shoes that we learn as kids. I like waxed laces much better on boots because of how well the tying knot is held in place. These laces are like paracord. The only other thing I would change about these boots is to make the tongue loop and heel loop bigger for pulling the tongue up straight and the boot on. I don’t like to have to fiddle around with an assist loop to get my finger in it.
These boots are really comfortable and that’s really saying something coming from me. My wife remembers me taking forever at the shoe store inspecting the insides of footwear for the tiniest deformity that would cause me pain due to the neuropathy. In the photo below you can see my old orthopedic style shoes for folks with nerve damage on the left with the new ZW5 boots on the right.
The orthopedic boots cost $200.00, have lousy tread and they are not waterproof, but they are very comfortable. The Blackhawk Warrior Wear ZW5 boots are $169.00, have excellent tread and they are waterproof, and they are also very comfortable. As you can see in the photo, I am a bit tough on boots since the ones on the left aren’t even a year-old yet.
As far as I’m concerned, these are the Cadillac of boots. Available in black or desert tan in medium and wide widths from size 6 to 14 including half-sizes. This is a really good boot for $169.99. Get yourself some quality footwear at www.blackhawk.com.
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== Survival Update == |
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>>Click Here To Learn More<< |
Interview with a Pro-CCW Sheriff’s Candidate for Orange County CA: Part II
by Uli Gebhard
Suarez International Staff Instructor
In last week’s newsletter, range County, CA Sheriff’s candidate Bill Hunt gave a clear testimony to his proposed pro-CCW/Pro armed citizen policy. He evaluated Appointed Sheriff Sandra Hutchens’ restrictive approach as “badly misguided policies”, “unconstitutional” and the oppressive actions of her command staff as “unconscionable”, following a “dangerous anti-American political philosophy”. Here is part two of our interview with Bill Hunt. He is answering Uli Gebhard’s questions regarding armed citizens, training and recommendations for people who consider taking up the responsibility for their own safety in form of carrying a firearm.
7. Personally, I had very positive as well as very negative experiences with LEO in regards to holding a CCW. What would be the procedures and policies under your leadership for the OCSD when it comes to working with CCW holders?
There should be no reason for a law abiding citizen to have negative experiences with a law enforcement officer whether they are CCW holders or not! Law enforcement is a service profession, we work for you. I will emphasize a culture of service when I am sheriff from the top down.
8. You are currently a regular citizen, not a member of law enforcement. What are your thoughts on armed citizens?
As a citizen, I support elected officials who understand our constitutional rights, ALL of our constitutional rights and are committed to protecting them. These rights are what distinguishes the United States from the other countries in the world. It is why people have been flocking here for centuries. James Madison, considered to be the “Father of the Constitution” because he was the principal author of the document once stated, “Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” We also are supposed to have the right to free speech, the right to peaceful assembly, protection against warrantless search, and so on. If we continue to elect or accept representatives regardless of the position, Sheriff, District Attorney, Board of Supervisors, who are ambivalent to these rights we are voluntarily surrendering them and that is a travesty.
9. How do you estimate the average level of training that armed citizens in Orange County have?
Proper training and gun safety is a very important consideration to me. Possessing firearms is a responsibility and careless or reckless handling can have serious consequences. As a boy I received much instruction from my father on weapons handling and safety. I received substantial weapons training as a soldier in the US Army and countless hours in my career in the Sheriff’s department. I have been handling weapons since I was a child and carrying weapons all of my adult life without mishap. But I have witnessed several “accidental discharges” over the last 30 years, generally due to inattention and failure to follow safety protocols when handling weapons. I think a minimum of 8 hours of instruction is necessary to familiarize a person with basic handling and safety considerations and to ensure basic competence and proficiency with the weapon. I encourage anyone who routinely handles weapons to seek additional training and practice beyond that to increase their shooting skills and decrease the likelihood of a weapons related incident.
10. What are your thoughts on force-on-force training for law enforcement as well as for armed citizens?
Anyone who carries a weapon for protection has a responsibility to be proficient with that weapon and to have adequate training to ensure it is handled responsibly. They should also have training and a plan for how to use that weapon for defense if necessary. It is my intention to offer course like this at the Sheriff’s Department public range, taught by the same staff that train our police officers in the Sheriff’s Basic Academy.
11. Do you have any recommendations for current CCW holders and for people who consider applying for a CCW?
There has never been a better time to get involved in the political process and fight for representation that reflects your values. There is a very committed conservative movement in Orange County that is fed up with politicians who fail to uphold their oath of office and restrict our liberties. This grass roots movement was absent in 2006 when I was trying to warn a lethargic electorate about a corrupt sheriff and a grossly mismanaged sheriff’s department. Now is the time for you to get involved and elect a sheriff who will uphold their oath of office and fight for your constitutional rights. It will require that you take some action, make a contribution, educate and involve your friends and family, support your candidate for sheriff and make a difference!
12. What are your thoughts on CCW reciprocity between California and other states?
I think it’s a great idea. One sheriff can’t make that happen but I am committed to working with the other pro CCW sheriff’s in the state to lobby for it.
Closing thoughts by Uli Gebhard:
The key point that came across in this segment is that Bill Hunt stands for equal application of the United States Constitution. There is no part in the Bill of Rights that is more important than another; it is not a menu that one picks from as it fits one’s particular agenda. The US Constitution is the cornerstone of our countries political system and it is a cornerstone for Bill Hunt to protect these rights.
Compare that to Appointed Sheriff Sandra Hutchens who has come up with quite creative ways to restrict these rights. Some of you may recall how she made it sound so sinister when we voiced our opinion to the board of supervisors. She and her staff were concerned back then about “first amendment activities”.
I can only speak for myself, but the positive, citizen-oriented approach that Bill Hunt is taking deserves my full support.
Working together as a CCW community, we can help him win this election.
This win will not come by itself. There is much to be done and our opposition had somewhat of a head-start.
There are many ways to support Bill Hunt’s campaign. Please check his website or the website of SafeOC who is endorsing Bill Hunt as Sheriff for Orange County.
Let’s get to work!
Uli Gebhard is a Mechanical Engineer and Firearms Instructor in Orange County, CA. You can find out more about him on his website: www.gebhardsolutions.com.
Quote of the Week
“As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow-citizens, the people are confirmed by the next article in their right to keep and bear their private arms.”
-Tench Coxe Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789
USCCA Forum Highlights
Every paying website member has complete access to the USCCA forum, which is constantly being accessed by members sharing information, knowledge, insight, and fun. With well over sixty-thousand posts and growing by the hour, this is one heck of a valuable resource!
If you have never logged in but are a member, visit THIS location to watch help videos, including how to find out your username and/or password!
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(Lots of replies to this thread originally posted on 3/19/09. Read the latest updates at the link)
I’m a life long city boy with some self protection on person and in the house. My concern is emergency items needed for a possible civil unrest that may involve the country. What are the items that I need to have in advance to survive? My initial thoughts are: 1. food (freeze dryed dinners) 2. water 3. propane stove 4. electric generator 5. ammo 6. ammo 7. water purification equipment 8. gasoline What else is needed or is my list in error?
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I had a bad experience with Wolf .45 cal 230 gr ammo on Sunday. I had recently purchased 200 rounds of it on-line from Cabelas. In my first 40 of 50 rounds fired I had 4 ejection failures! The last one locked up the slide (closed). I could not clear the weapon but was able to drop the magazine, and by counting the remaining rounds still inside the mag, I determined I did not have a hot round in the gun. So it was off to the “Smitty” on Monday.
The “Smith” was able to clear the gun and then checked for any internal damage and found none thank goodness. The problem was a failed case on the ammo. It had roughly a 1/8″ split in it. My curiosity got the best of me and when I got home today I went through the rest of the brass from my shooting day. I was able to find two other cases with splits in them! So, I am through with Wolf ammo.
For those who are sticklers for detail:
1) I was shooting a Kimber Ultra Carry II and these were the first failures I have had in the almost 8 years I have owned it.
2) This was the first time I have used Wolf ammunition (and the last).
3) The Wolf ammo has steel cases not brass. I used the word “brass” in my report as a summary because I had already fired a different brand of ammo that day as well.
4) Every time I shoot outdoors I try to collect all of my empties and bring them home.
I hope this information is useful.
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Church Security Incident-Three Men Burst Into Church and Disrupt Service
Rather interesting. Two thoughts: Note that the membership kept their heads and responded appropriately to the level of the disruption. Second thought is, it could have been worse; has been in the past. Review your positions and sight-lines, guys.
From: churchsecuritymember.com
Church Security Incident-Three men burst into two separate churches this past Sunday yelling, “God is dead!” The incident caused a disruption and they were escorted out by church members.
It was a situation that caused fear for church members.
Shreveport Police say the man first ran into the Heritage Baptist Church at Kirby Street and Creswell Avenue, yelling ‘God is dead,’ and a few other things, before getting escorted out.
“I thought it was humorous in the sense that if there’s no God why spend so much of your time trying to disprove that which doesn’t exist,” said Heritage Baptist Church Pastor Earl Blackburn.
The suspects repeated the offense again just a mile away at First Baptist Church of Shreveport.
“It was right in the middle of service. He just came in and started screaming about God isn’t real and it’s all fake, it’s all a lie,” said church member Michael Morales.
“It was just very disturbing,” said Morales wife, Elizabeth.
Morales says he and several other men watched the man go outside and get into a pick-up truck with two others passengers.
“A couple of guys called the cops as soon as he walked out and we gave them a great description of the guys and of their truck and we got their license plate number,” said Morales.
This is a church security incident that could have escalated very quickly. Notice the church members were able to keep their wits, and reported a great description, which led to the suspects being apprehended.
Due to the descriptions, police quickly found the truck and charged the driver with DWI. They believe he had just dropped off the other two men at Highland Park, where the men were eventually arrested.
A police spokesman stated, “I just checked with detectives in major crimes and we’re going to try to book them in under a hate crime. This could have gotten out of hand quick.”
Video of the Week
This incredible footage of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 is about twenty-six minutes long, but worth watching to both remember and see the events again from another perspective. This footage is not encumbered by editorial from a newscaster, or fancy graphics and editing as what most of us saw as we watched the news channels that day.
The soundtrack is the sounds of home going on in the background while the video recorder is running. The chaos can be heard when the camera operator opens a window to the outside. In the beginning moments of the footage one can hear a children’s song playing in the background. Later on a baby can be heard.
Probably most of us USCCA members would have immediately taken our family to a safer place if we could, and maybe the makers of this video could not get away. Maybe they figured they were a safe enough distance away. I don’t know. The smoke and dust of the second tower’s collapse is an ominous site as it creeps toward their open window.
Watch it and remember . . . and God bless the victims, heroes, and survivors.
USCCA Photo of the Week
All Photos of the Week are taken from Mr. Oleg Volk’s website:
http://www.a-human-right.com/.
It is a fantastic site. Please check it out!
USCCA Self Defense Story
Every day, thousands of Armed Americans use their firearms to preserve human life. Let this section of my newsletter serve as a record of this fact!
September 4, 2009
San Marcos, Texas
From: The Houston Chronicle
Two Teens Killed Trying To Break Into Home
A man shot and killed two teenagers and wounded another when they tried breaking into his home early Friday, police said.
A fourth teenager was arrested and is expected to be charged with aggravated robbery.
Three of the four male teenagers who tried breaking into the home were armed, one with a handgun and two with pellet guns that looked like more powerful weapons, San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams said.
One of the three college-aged people who lived in the rental home opened fire on the teens with a .40-caliber Glock pistol, killing two 16-year-olds and wounding another suspect. A 17-year-old suspect fled the scene but was captured and arrested after returning to the scene to check on his friends, police said. He’s expected to be charged with aggravated robbery, Williams said.
The wounded suspect was taken to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin with non-life threatening injuries, Williams said. Officials say the wounded suspect is also expected to be charged.
Police did not identify the suspects or those who lived in the home. None of the residents were injured. One was a Texas State University student.
Williams said the shooter appeared to be acting in self-defense and “there doesn’t appear to be a crime” related to the shooting.
The suspects are from Luling, about 20 miles southeast of San Marcos, Williams said. It does not appear they know those living at the home, he said.
The shooting happened shortly before 2 a.m. Friday. Police responded to a 911 call about a home invasion and shots fired.
“If you feel threatened, you certainly have a right to defend yourself,” said Williams.
San Marcos is about 30 miles south of Austin.
Closing Thoughts
Tim- This is probably not the place for this, but I found it interesting. I was in Cabela’s yesterday buying a shotgun. There were 2 couples at the counter next to me. One of the guys was getting his wife a pistol. There was a pink Lady Smith in the case. When he pointed it out she said ” I don’t have a pink hammer or a pink screwdriver and I don’t need a pink gun”. At the time I was preoccupied with my purchase so I didn’t give it much thought. On the way home however, I realized what a great line that was. Mark
Mark, that’s a great point. I have no problem with pink guns- I think it’s not much different than the Olive Drab GLOCK the Gunny carries. I think it’s all personal preference, as long as you recognize that no matter what color a gun is, it’s just as effective and dangerous as any other- whether it’s silver, gold, black, brown… or pink.
Do you have a pressing concern? Use the ‘Ask Tim’ contact form found at this page to let me hear your advice. Just use the graphic below!
Tim Schmidt
Founder - U.S. Concealed Carry
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com
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