By John Farnam : Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- “A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance, when the need for illusion is deep.” ~ Saul Bellow
It represents enormous conceit to believe that police can do anything to stop crime, particularly violent crime. What we do is deter/displace it. We discourage it at a particular moment, and thus move it to other places.
That’s about it!
There is nothing we can do to “make people obey the law.” All we can do is make them wish they had. In most of Western Civilization, our tools for accomplishing the latter are extremely limited and largely ineffective, and becoming less effective all the time!
As individual Operators, we can make ourselves, our routine, and our personal environment, as invisible and unattractive as we are able, to both conventional criminals and violent leftist political ideologues. There is little we can do to influence world events, which are currently more than a little frightening and ominous.
Something every Infantry Officer learns early in his career:
“Any position can be taken, when the attacker is willing to pay the price”
Thus, sufficient determination and commitment will overcome all “access controls.” When VCAs (violent criminal actors) must be physically stopped, you will have no choice but to personally, decisively effect the “stopping” You’ll get dirty, maybe wet!
“Proactive security” is mostly myth. Some still insist that people with evil, violent intent can somehow be “detected” shortly before they carry out their terrible crimes. Mostly wishful thinking, and “false positives” create all kinds of civil-rights issues!
The only reliable predictor of individual future behavior is individual past behavior. Best advice is to have nothing to do with people who have displayed toxic behavior in the past. Get away from them, and get them out of your life!
To reiterate:
1) The only authentic “first responders” to precipitous, violent criminal acts, are prospective victims directly at the scene, at the critical moment. Even then, they are effective in preventing/limiting carnage only when armed, trained, alert, and pivotally decisive.
2) Imagining that it is possible to predict/prevent spasmodic, violent criminal acts through “scientific preemptive measures” represents a fatal fantasy. Don’t bet you life on it!
3) Imagining that “access control,” no matter how sophisticated nor formidable, will suffice to protect you from harm, represents another fatal fantasy.
4) Imagining that police/security personnel will arrive “in the nick of time” represents yet another fatal fantasy!
5) Imagining that is somehow “immoral” to effectively defend oneself, including the precise application of deadly force, is a foolish concession to naive liberals/leftists. Liberals are only too anxious to “sacrifice” the lives of others (but never their own), in order to “preserve their sensibilities”
6) Only the well-armed, well-trained, aware, and otherwise well-prepared have any chance of living through a violent attack by traditional VCAs, or as we’re seeing in increasing numbers, violent leftist ideologues.
“There are only two kinds of men in this world: Honest men and dishonest men. Any man who says the world owes him a living is dishonest. The same God who made you and me made this Earth. And, He planned it so that it would yield every single thing that people on it need. But, He was careful to plan it so that it would yield up its wealth only in exchange for honest labor. Who insist on sharing that wealth, while contributing nothing, are dishonest.” ~ Ralph Moody
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent and unlawful lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance, if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or inactions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
Sounds like a lot of bull, Wild Bill – OK, I just couldn’t resist it – you set yourself up perfectly!!!
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke
Indeed fantasy where you fantasize about a violent criminal bursting into your home where you only recourse was to shoot him dead. Hence “The Simpsons” got it right again.
Birch Barlow: Mayor Quimby, you are well known for your lenient stance on crime, but suppose for a second that your house was ransacked by thugs, your family was tied up in the basement with socks in their mouths, you try to open the door but there’s too much blood on the knob….
Mayor Quimby: What is your, ah, question? Birch
Barlow: My question is about the budget, sir.
I really can not add to Farnams comments, nor detract from them. I would like to share one (I think unique) security device that I utilize. Without giving away too much op. sec. My first responders are canine and bovine. I recently installed a remote opening farm gate on the Brangus bull’s paddock. I keep the remote in a sandwich bag in my shirt pocket so that I will not accidentally press the switch. Should any opposing forces actually find the entrance to the ranch, and be foolish enough to enter the farmstead, all I need do is fire the… Read more »