The Duty to Not Make S**t Worse
Doctors have a guiding principle: “First, do no harm.” Their most important job is to not cause more damage. “Given an existing problem, it may be better not to do something, or even to do nothing, than to risk causing more harm than good.” This is a good life principle. If I don’t know how to change a timing belt, I probably shouldn’t take my engine apart and just hope I can figure it out. If I don’t know electrical wiring, it’s probably a bad idea to rewire my house on my own. Because if I do those things, I’ll cause more harm than good.
Simple enough, right? Apparently not. Far too many of my fellow gun rights supporters don’t understand this principle. One particular type likes to dress in garish clothing, grab a weapon and run toward the nearest camera whenever they see an opportunity to “support gun rights”. These gun owners don’t help the situation; instead, they only manage to show the entire world they’re nothing more than poorly or completely untrained attention whores.
The gun rights version of “First, do no harm” is “Don’t make shit worse.” These particular gun rights supporters are making shit worse.
Recently several “Oath Keepers” decided to make shit worse in Ferguson, Missouri. Their arrival generated a flood of negative publicity, reinforced the widespread perception that we gun owners are unstable lunatics looking for a fight, and heightened already sky-high tensions between police and protestors. According to the Washington Post, the Oath Keepers said they were in Ferguson to “protect someone who worked for the Web site Infowars.com.” Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that adding heavily-armed conspiracy theorists into a volatile near-riot doesn’t exactly help.
These Oath Keepers are worried about the militarization of police. The rest of us are worried about the militarization of conspiracy theorist morons.
The Oath Keepers, fortunately, did nothing more than attract tons of negative media attention and anger protestors (although some of them apparently told protestors they were there to protect protestors from police). But their presence dramatically escalated the likelihood of violence, in a town already racked by it. The police didn’t want them there. The protestors didn’t want them there. They showed up anyway, and made shit worse.
After the Chattanooga terrorist attacks, dozens of armed citizens arrived at recruiting centers to stand guard. The desire to defend our military from attack is laudable. The way in which some of those armed citizens defended our military was laughable. Many armed citizens, especially those who seemed to want nothing more than attention, simply made shit worse.
Nothing says “I’m a highly trained gunfighter” like a tactical kilt or ‘Murica onesy.
At least one man claimed online that he parked outside a recruiting center with a weapon concealed in the vehicle, watched from a distance and didn’t make his presence known. That makes sense, and I admire him for doing that. I also believe some armed citizens who stood guard displayed proper weapon-handling skills and didn’t dress like Call of Duty characters. That’s admirable as well.
Unfortunately, there were many others who were not only inept, but dangerous. Their presence didn’t make our military safer. Those armed citizens saw a problem, grabbed their guns, headed to recruiting centers and made shit worse.
This sailor looks a bit apprehensive about having a rifle pointed at his head. He must hate the Constitution.
If you’re going to defend a recruiting center from terrorists, it’s imperative that you don’t put sights on your weapon or carry extra ammo. Because you want terrorists to have a sporting chance.
Nothing says “I’m a highly-trained gunfighter” like a flimsy, open top, non-retention, cross draw holster.
Don’t get me wrong; armed citizens can do great things. When a hurricane hit Texas several years ago, my neighborhood lost power for weeks. Local police were overwhelmed and couldn’t respond to many crimes. A neighbor handed out rifles to people he trusted, and they set a roadblock at the neighborhood’s only entrance to keep looters out. The entire time they operated the roadblock, they saw one police officer, one time; he drove up, said “looks like you guys got this under control”, and drove away. Those neighbors took up arms for the right reasons, and did the right things with those arms. They didn’t make shit worse.
The Oath Keepers in Ferguson made shit worse. Many of the armed citizens who stood in front of recruiting centers made shit worse. Ridiculous open carry activists who dress like fools and do stupid things designed to piss off the public make shit worse. Dumbasses who carry AR-15s into airports, just because they can, make shit worse. The lunatic who opened carried a shotgun into Wal-Mart, bought ammo and loaded the shotgun inside the store made shit worse.
The gun owners making shit worse aren’t fighting terror or tyranny, and they aren’t advancing the cause of gun rights. They’re just making themselves look stupid, and helping the anti-gun side paint us all as moronic extremists. The rest of us 2nd Amendment advocates are letting the crazies drive the gun rights bus. And we need to stop letting them represent us.
Airports are dens of crime and you need an AR-15 to defend yourself inside them. Which is why it totally makes sense that you’d drop off your teenage daughter at one of these highly dangerous places.
Gun rights extremists like those I just described will now scream, rant and have a seizure while invoking their holy mantra: “But I’m legally exercising my rights so you can’t criticize me!”
No, dumbass. There are lots of things you have the right to do, but if you do them you’re just stupid. You have the right to nail your penis to your bedroom wall. If you do it, you’re stupid. You have the right to cover your face in gang tattoos. If you do it, you’re stupid. You have the right to carry a confederate flag through Watts at 3 a.m. while yelling “Bring back slavery!” If you do it, you’re stupid. And you have a right to put on your best goth clothes or favorite gas mask, grab the nearest antique rifle and beg for attention… I mean, “rally for freedom” at a state capitol. But if you do it, you’re just stupid.
Engaging in the above actions doesn’t make you a patriotic hero of the Constitution. It just makes you non-criminally stupid.
I believe in the 2nd Amendment. It is a necessary tool to prevent this nation from falling to the tyranny so common throughout human history. Our founding fathers understood human nature and knew governments always seek more power for themselves, at the expense of the governed. The architects of our Constitution forever granted us the power to prevent our government from stripping inalienable rights. But it’s safe to say they didn’t write the 2nd Amendment because they wanted us to dress like clowns, inject ourselves into tense situations, display gross incompetence with our weapons, and make shit worse. If some fool had wrapped himself in the first U.S. flag and accidentally pointed his musket at Thomas Jefferson’s head during the Constitutional Convention, I’m sure even George Washington would have told him, “Please take leave of this hall, sir. For ye be worsening the defecation.”
This freedom-lover wanted to open carry two pistols into the St. Louis zoo, because zoo patrons are in constant danger of being massacred. Freedom-haters wouldn’t let him. You know who else didn’t allow dual open carry in zoos? Adolf Hitler, that’s who!
A critical incident of any type requires dedicated, trained, intelligent people to successfully resolve it. Medical emergencies are resolved by people who perform lifesaving tasks when required. Fires are brought under control by people who conduct necessary tasks to both fight the fire and prevent its spread. Resolution of a crisis relies upon people not just showing up, but doing the right thing when they show up.
But gun rights extremists keep showing up and doing the wrong thing. Oath Keepers in Ferguson injected themselves into a highly volatile situation that required only a spark to spiral out of control. Had they engaged in a shootout with cops, protestors or criminals, the glut of media and protestors surrounding them would have virtually ensured unintended casualties. Some armed citizens showed up at recruiting centers and put more people in danger because of their ridiculously poor weapon-handling skills. We’re lucky only one accidentally fired his weapon while showing it off. Open carry extremists keep doing stupid things like walking into buildings with weapons in combat-ready holds. They’ve gotten weapons banned from several places.
None of these actions help. They just make shit worse.
This is a totally non-threatening way for this gun rights supporter to carry a weapon into a public building. Just as non-threatening as carrying an axe over his head, ready to swing.
We on the pro-2nd Amendment side have enough problems to deal with already. If you’re a gun rights supporter, and feel you must carry your weapon into the public eye, do it for the right reasons. Do it the right way. A firearm is a tremendously powerful tool and its use demands the utmost respect; don’t treat it as a theatrical prop. Show the world that there are good people with guns, who have proper training, and aren’t looking for opportunities to scare their fellow citizens.
But don’t do stupid things that make shit worse.
Chris Hernandez is a 20 year police officer, former Marine and currently serving National Guard soldier with over 25 years of military service. He is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and also served 18 months as a United Nations police officer in Kosovo. He writes for BreachBangClear.com and Iron Mike magazine and has published two military fiction novels, Proof of Our Resolve and Line in the Valley, through Tactical16 Publishing. He can be reached at chris_hernandez_author@yahoo.com or on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ProofofOurResolve).
Filed under: 2nd Amendment | 78 Comments
Tags: 2nd amendment, armed citizens, conspiracy, ferguson missouri, open carry
chrishernandezauthor 
Thanks, Chris. I’m not interested in abrogating anybody’s rights, and I favor open carry. However, we slid down that slip some time back and climbing up again requires some care. Alienating the undecided is not the way to go about it.
You make so damm much sense Chris, you ought to run for President. Stupid carry drives me just nuts. LEO’s have so much to do and add to it the fact that stupid carry activists cause the LEO’s to take a closer look away from the bad guys (and everyone else) every single time one of these stupid carry activists walk into a heavily occupied scenario (pick one) of citizens and kids having a good time and all of sudden out of the shadows appears 2 stupids carrying AK47’s or other long guns. If they need this kind of juicy attention, I would suggest viagra or cialis as they can get the same effect in their own home without having to cause so much short term terror in the hearts and minds of other law abiding citizens. Just sayin
Mark, I hear you. To me it’s not so much about causing problems for LE, but that it’s creating more opposition to gun rights.
Agreed. Stupid-Carry is a good term.
Fashion is a tricky subject. Get it right and you can have a significant impact; get it wrong, you will also have a significant impact.
If it’s a 4th of July parade then it would be great for some people to march in 18th century costumes. Or Memorial Day in WW-I costumes.
What sense does it make to ware cammo in Ferguson? Why do you want to dress-up as something you aren’t now? You were a soldier; but, you aren’t a soldier today. Ware your VFW hat; that’s fine. If you need a vest to carry ammo; then a hunting vest would be better. How about carrying a shotgun in lieu of a rifle in an urban riot-potential environment.
I don’t care one whit if you want to dress like a slob; I do and I don’t care. However, if I’m representing a cause then I want to make a positive impression. Dressing like a slob and waring a T-shirt promoting the 2A or Defense of Israel or Relief for Palestinians would do a disservice to the cause I claim to support.
Any violation of the safety rules in public is horrible. If you can’t observe the safety rules while on-stage, then please shoot alone or with your closest friends with no one else around.
Of the thousands of images recorded, the MSM will carefully screen for the most objectionable frame; that is the one image that will appear above-the-fold.
I don’t oppose OC in principle, I just oppose doing it in a stupid way for stupid reasons. The same way I support freedom of speech but think people like the Westboro Baptist Church are douches in the way they use it. OC shouldn’t be illegal, but if it does become illegal it’ll be because of extremists using it to prove a point.
On the topic of dumb things, the guy in the day-glo green shirt has a VFG on his sightless pistol. I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that he doesn’t have that registered as an AOW. Since that is not legally a pistol, hope he is in a state that allows carry of firearms that aren’t pistols so he is only committing the one felony at a time.
There has been a recent announcement supposedly by the Oath-Keepers in MO that they are planning to get 50 black guys with ARs to go on a march with them soon. Not helping at all, but it will be fun to watch the idiots on the news continue to try to call them racists if they pull it off.
I’ve heard a few comments about that guy’s weapon. I’m not a SBR guy, so not up on the laws regarding SBRs and such. I hope he wasn’t doing anything illegal, and I figure we’ll find out if he gets arrested. Because it’ll be reported as “patriot arrested by Obama administration for defending the military!”
I hadn’t heard about the black OC plan. You’re right, not helping. I guess that’s supposed to show the OKers aren’t racist, which I didn’t accuse them of. They can still be stupid and not be racist.
I agree with you Chris, people need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem and above all else don’t make shit worse. What I see overall is that there appears to be so much injustice and over-reacting whenever something comes up in the media, and people on all sides of an issue are left with a feeling of dissatisfaction and the need to do “something”. Politics have failed us and are ruining our country, it’s time for actions, but what do we do?
Jose,
I’d say “it’s time for actions” is pretty broad. Each specific problem requires a specific response. One thing I see happening, on both sides, is an amalgamation of everything people think is a problem into one gigantic problem that we must “fix”. That’s why I’ve had debates about one issue (for example, gun control) suddenly switch to “and Obama’s trying to bring in more illegals!” Those two subjects are different and lumping them together doesn’t help. I think we need to keep in mind that we can’t fix everything; if we can help with a specific issue personally, we should do so. If we can’t, then we should research the candidates to see which one can help fix it in our name.
Once again Chris, excellent post!
Thanks Lynn, I appreciate that.
What a wonderful brew. Start with some decent people, stir in some loons on both sides, mix in a whole raft of clueless and poseurs, add provocateurs for spice, and voila!
Somebody said there is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come. That does not imply that the manifestation of that idea is always going to be discrete and sensible and perfect.
One can reasonably hope to channel things in a non-destructive way. Sort of like standing in front of a flash flood in the desert.
The OKers definitely have energy and passion. Maybe they’ll find a way to actually do something productive with it.
I’m in 99% agreement with this article. Minor disagreement with:
A critical incident of any type requires dedicated, trained, intelligent people to successfully resolve it.
If you are going to inject yourself into a situation, yes. If an unexpected incident happens, something reasonably intelligent done right now by an untrained person is often more effective than waiting for trained experts. I wouldn’t bring it up, except that anti-gun people are likely to latch on to “only trained experts should carry” even if that’s not what you said.
…and to be clear, I don’t consider “volunteer guards” as something reasonably intelligent.
Sevesteen,
Good point. I agree that people on the scene when the crisis begins are often the right people to handle it, which is why I’m such a huge advocate of concealed carry. As a former active shooter instructor, I know that the situation will most likely be over by the time we get there; those in the shooter’s presence are the best ones to stop him. However, those concealed carriers (in Texas anyway) would still have some training. They wouldn’t be Delta Force, but they also wouldn’t be people who just took their pistols out of the box and don’t know how to use them.
I guess the best way to put it is that an armed civilian can be just as intelligent and dedicated as a professional, even if they don ‘t have as much training, and I believe those armed civilians should act when needed. Hope that clears it up.
Great post, as usual! Thanks! B.regards from Brittany.
Envoyé de mon iPhone
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Merci!
Don’t know anybody involved in any of this so can’t really add anything to the discussion. Did read an article earlier, though, from Red Dirt News, August 14, 2015:
Oath Keepers plan unique demonstration with assault rifles in Ferguson
Forgot link: http://www.reddirtreport.com/red-dirt-news/oath-keepers-plan-unique-demonstration-assault-rifles-ferguson
Holy shit.
“’It will be an iconic event,’ he said, comparing it to the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima or the Martin Luther King, Jr.-led March on Washington, D.C.”
Man, these guys sure are convinced of the holiness of their cause.
Total BS. Shame on you, you POS ANTI-AMERICAN
Yes, I’m anti-American for suggesting people not act like clowns with their guns.
Here’s a thought: how about you actually challenge the points I made? If I’m wrong on something, I’ll admit it. So go ahead. Tell me why dressing like a moron and handling weapons unsafely in public is “pro-American”. I’m all ears.
We all have a personal perspective. If by standing up and opposing a mob of protesters while legally open carry is in some way making things worse. I respect your opinion. That’s all it is. You’re opinion. Evil wins when weak men do nothing. As I understand what you are suggesting is that We the people do nothing? Allow law enforcement to handle things. We the people can protest the protester.
We the people can also ARM ourselves. Do what the police obviously can no longer preform. A duty for our People. Our legally show of force certainly did send a message. We the people who stand for something do not use tactics like Mob Action to prove a point. You sound more like a Cop, than an American. As such you’re opinion is more in line with those whom believe the only course of action is that only Law Enforcement can only enforce the Law. It seems to me when cowardly people are faced with opposition they tend to dissolve into what they really were to begin with. I myself am going to join, that is if they would have me. Yes, join the Oath Keeper’s. Because I would rather live one day on my feet, than a life time on my knees. I respect you’re opinion. You can live anyway you want. You can protest for the safety of these Mob Action types. Sure, as a policeman that’s job security. As an American, enough of this flag burning, rebel rousing, fear mongering ANTI AMERICAN people. They have a right to live wherever they want. They do not have to live in America. They certainly DO NOT have the right to change America with strong arm tactics. As for you, everyone has an opinion, you’re free to believe whatever you want. Just remember we all ain’t as weak as you would like U.S. to believe. Good day.
Number One. Because you are emotional right now.
Number Two. They dress like Morons?
Number Three. Act like clowns?
Number Four. Handling weapon’s unsafe?
You don’t need to admit to anything. You spoke you’re point. We The People disagree. Not all the people. Just the ones that are willing to stand up. You are pandering a worthless point. One can not argue with a fool. Because then there would be two fools. You have a nice day.
1) Yes, I was so emotional I fell asleep.
2) Yes. Wearing a kilt or Captain America outfit in public while carrying a weapon is just stupid.
3/4) Yes. Handling weapons in a dangerous manner while begging for attention is clownish. Perhaps you missed the picture of the man about to flag the sailor’s head, or the guy with the non-retention cross draw holster.
You probably don’t believe this, but there are plenty of non-Oath Keepers who are willing to “stand up”. I’d also say that if you OKers want combat so badly, there are organizations you can join and countries you can go to.
1) “We all have a personal perspective. If by standing up and opposing a mob of protesters while legally open carry is in some way making things worse. I respect your opinion. That’s all it is. You’re opinion. Evil wins when weak men do nothing. As I understand what you are suggesting is that We the people do nothing? Allow law enforcement to handle things. We the people can protest the protester.”
You created a false choice: “either do something stupid or do nothing”. That’s not what I wrote. There are numerous good things you can do to help in Ferguson. Walking around in front of cameras with rifles isn’t one of them.
1) “We the people can also ARM ourselves. Do what the police obviously can no longer preform. A duty for our People. Our legally show of force certainly did send a message. We the people who stand for something do not use tactics like Mob Action to prove a point.”
I’m all for citizens arming themselves, and for doing the right things with those arms. Your legal show of force did send a message, no question. However, since the OKers’ stated intent was to protect conspiracy-theorist reporters and the protestors, I’m not exactly impressed with your sudden claim it was all about defending America.
3) “You sound more like a Cop, than an American. As such you’re opinion is more in line with those whom believe the only course of action is that only Law Enforcement can only enforce the Law.”
I’m proud to be a cop. I’ve seen many non-cops enforce the law. I’m all for public involvement when necessary. Parading around a riot in combat gear with rifles wasn’t the way to do it.
4) “It seems to me when cowardly people are faced with opposition they tend to dissolve into what they really were to begin with. I myself am going to join, that is if they would have me. Yes, join the Oath Keeper’s. Because I would rather live one day on my feet, than a life time on my knees.”
If you want combat so bad and really believe in “living on your feet”, there’s this other organization called “the military” that you could join. If you join the military you might really go somewhere and fight in a real war. Too scared to do that? Then join the Oath Keepers. You’ll get to dress up on a soldier costume and threaten your fellow citizens, which people like you consider much more fun and a lot less dangerous than actually fighting America’s enemies.
5) “I respect you’re opinion. You can live anyway you want. You can protest for the safety of these Mob Action types. Sure, as a policeman that’s job security. As an American, enough of this flag burning, rebel rousing, fear mongering ANTI AMERICAN people. They have a right to live wherever they want. They do not have to live in America. They certainly DO NOT have the right to change America with strong arm tactics. As for you, everyone has an opinion, you’re free to believe whatever you want. Just remember we all ain’t as weak as you would like U.S. to believe. Good day.”
I’m sure you’re very powerful. And I like that you admitted the “rebel rousers” shouldn’t live in America. Tell me again how you so respect freedom.
this guy probably has a YouTube video of the police “harassing” him for open carrying an assault rifle. Douche
O’Neil, from my perspective you didn’t understood what Chris said.
Sure those OCers want to protect, the citizens and that’s a great thing. however, what is the purpose of the combat ready stance? Somepeople don’t like firearms and want to remove the 2A, you disapprove them and I do aswell,but scaring them with bad safety measures or inappropriate stance, will just make them more and more angry about the 2A.
When i want to convince my spouse that having a firearms is a good thing I choose nice videos of guys handling firearms, not just some Call of Duty wanabee who enters a store in a combat ready position.
Thoses guys, are playing for their opponents team.
From my point of view they just add tensions, in a very stressfull place, i’m pretty sure they could bring more protection by being more discrete
Thanks for writing this article.
excellent post as always,
I’m just wondering, how these guys would react if another open carrier who would like to help them, came in front of them in combat ready fully dressed in “a muslim way” ad why not saying “allahu akbar”….
It will be fully legal as well, but i’m pretty sure it won’t end well.
Best case scenario, they should learn this lesson
I wonder how many of these “patriots” will still be out there guarding recruiting centers once fall comes and the weather gets scrappy ?
Mike,
If I’m not mistaken, they’re all gone already. In some places they were told to go away, in others the recruiters received authority to carry weapons or had security assigned.
On a positive note, I will note that most of the photos we see of OC people tend to show younger people. As a rule, younger people tend to be, ah… kind of stupid, and prone to over-exuberance in pursuit of political goals. One hopes that time will bring maturity and wisdom (and few fatal ND’s).
But this does go right against the anti gunner’s soundbite that the population of American gun owners is aging and shrinking. That the record gun sales over the past few years is only to that shrinking pool of owners, (or so the polls indicate.)
Interesting observation. I’m happy to see the younger generation getting into firearms and shooting, but I hate to see them being indoctrinated with the “you must be prepared to wage war on your fellow citizens” nonsense.
Wait wait, wait! Is that blond girl in the tan Carhartt-like coat really carrying a rifle sans bolt? Wow, talk about an empty chamber indicator.
I know national level trainers who advocate carrying two gun, concealed. I carry, sometimes, two guns but both are concealed and one is for my highly trained wife. But I’ll tell you even on the range, seeing someone with two sidearms makes everyone wonder what they are getting into. It’s like wearing an ankle holster with walking shorts and black socks. Creepy.
Do I think armed civilians “guarding” recruiting stations are the answer? No. Arming and training the recruiters seems a better solution. I don’t think we can prevent these tragedies, but we can certainly make them more expensive to executive and minimize the harm.
Liberty requires us to utilize all our rights, from writing a letter to the newspaper to insisting the federal government does not preempt our rights. But it doesn’t mean we have to be window licking stupid about it.
Frank
I checked-the full moon is still over a week away, so it must be something in the water. Thanks for the article.
Chris, in the first paragraph of your article you advocate “it may be better not to do something, or even to do nothing”. I am reminded of a quote by Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Greg,
That quote was about the medical profession. I understood it to mean “don’t do something you don’t know how to do, or something likely to make the situation worse”. Because I know a little about the medical profession (I took an EMT course a few years back) I know the literal expectation isn’t to do nothing, it’s to not cause more harm. For example, if I encounter an accident and a person involved has signs of internal bleeding, I shouldn’t attempt surgery to find the source of the bleeding because I don ‘t know how. I should do whatever I can proficiently do to help, but not do anything likely to cause more harm.
In a tactical situation, let’s say I’m in a crowded bank and two heavily armed robbers come in (imagine the North Hollywood robbery and shootout, where both robbers had neck-to-ankle body armor and automatic rifles). I have a lot of pistol training and always carry, and I have a choice: draw and attempt to engage both robbers in a crowded bank, or keep my weapon concealed, feign compliance while being a good witness and prepare to engage if the situation demands it. I’d hold my fire and be a good witness. The prudent action during a robbery isn’t to engage in a shootout with multiple suspects around numerous civilians; by choosing not to engage I’m not “doing nothing”, I’m just not taking an action likely to worsen the situation. If the robbers become murderers and start shooting people, now it’s time to engage.
Thanks for your comment, and hope that clarifies the quote.
Chris,
Thanks for the reply.
I do not disagree with the premise of your article and I don’t begrudge anyone for taking issue with these people. I too believe that these misguided citizens are not helping the pro-2nd Amendment side.
Where I differ from your conclusion of “do nothing” is I would suggest that we of the pro-2nd Amendment community advocate “do something different”.
The pro-2nd Amendment community should also be proactive in offering constructive solutions to this type of destructive behavior.
I have a crude analogy:
If your dog keeps shitting on the kitchen floor where everyone can see it and all you ever do is yell at the dog, then nothing changes.
If you teach your dog to hold it then go outside in the yard, then your dog isn’t shitting where people can see it.
Respectfully
I see the point of your analogy, but in this case the dog thinks he’s supposed to shit on the floor, he’s helping by shitting on the floor, every dog should shit on the floor, and anyone who thinks dogs shouldn’t shit on the floor is a traitor.
You have a valid point there and well stated.
Some dogs are just harder to train than others…
Thanks brother. Cheers and take care.
Speaking of conspiracy, what is your opinion on this page ?:http://ronbosoldier.blogspot.mx/
I looked at that page for ten seconds and my IQ dropped 75 points. Excuse me while I open carry an AR-15 into a day care, because FREEEDOMMMM!
I’m sorry I wasted your IQ hahaha, well reviewing the “blog” this person I’m surprised the amount of nonsense that makes and also in Twitter account puts it:”I’ve come to believe this country needs a Second American Revolution to re-establish the republic to its former grandeur.” Really that drugs do much damage to the brain.
Cocaine is a helluva drug! 🙂
The problem is, a “Second American Revolution” WILL “make s**t worse”.
Most of our well known 20th century tyrannies did not spring forth from old, established governments. Instead, they overthrew the sorry lot of losers that overthrew the old, established governments.
The American Revolution of 1776 was a fluke that we can’t ever reproduce. A second attempt would wind up looking more like the French Revolution.
Mr. Hernandez, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to read one of your posts, and I must say, I quite enjoyed it.
For the record, I am not an American – I am Canadian, and a strong supporter of gun control. Of course, that means something much different than it does in the US, as our constitution does not enshrine gun ownership as a right.
That being said, I believe your points have a lot of merit. I suspect that the majority of gun owners (and many non-gun owners) would agree with you that problem is not gun ownership per se, but irresponsible gun ownership and (especially) use.
it is unfortunate, then, that this potential voice of reason is so often drowned out by the strident polemics of the lunatic fringes on both sides of the issue.
Keep up the good work – it was nice to read a more nuanced position on the issue.
Thanks Robert. I have several friends who are Canadian Army, and one is a gun collector and shooter. I’ve heard from him how ridiculously difficult it is to get or shoot a weapon in Canada. He even owns one weapon which the law says he can possess, but can’t take out of his house.
I agree that even most non-gun owners don’t have a problem with responsible (and I should add “non-threatening”) gun ownership or use. The issue, aside from crime, is when gun owners adopt confrontational tactics or just do stupid things because they can. I don’t see how any gun owners think this works for us, especially when we see evidence of these tactics pushing the undecided onto the anti-gun side (for example, the many businesses which now ban weapons because OC extremists decided to carry into their stores or restaurants).
Gun rights zealots have a confrontational attitude, don’t care that they’re turning people against us all, and in too many cases literally want violence and revolution. One one gun forum I had a moderator say I should be hanged as a traitor, and several others agreed with him. He also said he wants the government overthrown. For guys like that, fighting in the next American Civil War is a fantasy they desperately hope comes to pass. I’ve seen civilians caught in war, and I say any American who wants other Americans to suffer through a civil war is a traitor to the entire country.
Thanks again for your comment, and I hope to see you here again.
Your comment about some wanting a civil war or some type of other Apocalypse is what I believe many think about. They have self masturbatory fantasies that they will be the ones who survive when things SHTF and that they will be kicking ass and taking names. Yea if the apocalypse has plenty of beer, pork rinds and plenty of time for a nap. I have seen civil war and what that type of hatred looks like and I by no means want that for myself or my 7yo child. Anyone who does is a fucking fool and needs to be culled from the herd!
“It’s empowering to know that you can protect yourself in a situation. A lot of people will take that as, ‘What are you trying to say, that they should shoot cops if they get stopped?’ But that’s not the point. I think that if an officer walks up to a young black man, and the young man understands the laws, and he knows that he has the right to concealed-carry or open-carry, then that officer is more reluctant to try to push the boundaries. There are officers who are like, ‘I know the law, and this person doesn’t, and I can get away with a little more than I normally can.’ [Carrying a weapon] is a sign that that young man is educating himself on what his rights are.”
—Larry A. Kirk, Oath Keeper, chief of police department in Old Monroe, Missouri
http://gawker.com/whose-side-are-the-oath-keepers-in-ferguson-on-1723917237
Ok, my first thought is that I would not trust these people with my car let alone a firearm and why is that? Because I believe it is all about training and understanding what you are doing and many of these people have not taken the time to even learn safe weapon handling skills. They are so worried about making a show or a statement that they do not seem to realize that they look like fools. I believe their goal is one of wanting people to be kinda afraid of them and that they are somehow bad asses. You know, little man sysndrome! You do not have to spend thousands on classes etc but you can buy a video or read or just use common sense and that costs little but obviously not readily available to some (common sense that is)! lol
I know I sound like a dick but I am so very very tired of people who exercise their rights at the expense of mine. You cannot tell me that these individuals are making things better for people who enjoy firearms and make the general public say “hey these gun people are ok”! No, they see them as whack jobs who love their guns and are willing to put the rest of us in danger. LOL I joined a private range because of what I saw at public ranges by these “patriots” and it frightened me.
I think what sums it up is what my wife who is not a gun person said “yup those are your fellow gun people” and these people are not going to make anyone feel gun people are not crazy conspiracy nuts. I strongly believe in the 2nd amendment but I have a hard time with open carry by fools. Yes I know that is harsh but seriously a gas mask or being in Ferguson? What would happen if there was a fire fight with the oath keepers? There would have been such bad publicity that they may actually have been able to get firearms banned and i do not feel I am exagerating.
I know I will catch some shit for what I have said but hey what are ya gonna do? Like my grandpa used say “not everyone is gonna like ya kid so just accept the fact”!
Get off my side. These are the same people who put tactical stocks on Moisins, or buy the IWB/OWB nylon holsters at the gun shows with the spare magazine pouch on one side for their Hi Points. Go home to mom’s basement and get back on reddit to chat with your OK bros. Turn on Call of Duty 8 and use those mad skills and training you have to save the free world in there. We’ll call if we need you out here.
Now Matt that’s some funny shit right there and it is nice to see I am not alone in how I view those who are just helping to ensure my 2nd amendment rights.
Tactical stock on a Mosin! Lol
You forgot to mention the Hi-Point carbine carried in a combat ready hold.
Hey Chris, this off topic for this post but you did another one on micro agression and I saw this so take a look.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/
My wife is a professor and it is amazing to me how much of a sense of entitlment the students have and how everything and I mean everything has to be looked through the prism of will this offend anyone. I went to college after the military so things were the way they were and I would never approach a professor with some of the shit these kids do.
Sorry for off topic post!
No problem Mike, and I read that article a few days back. This article and several I read previously remind me of a quote a read about Hitler (and no, this isn’t a Godwin’s Law comparison). Hitler supposedly believed that the “soft, spoiled children of democracy” could never defeat his Aryan supermen. I’m starting to think he was actually right, but his timing was off. The microaggression/trigger warning culture is producing soft, spoiled children who can’t even handle disagreement, much less hatred and violence. The fact that those people are becoming educated and will likely seek jobs in academia means they’ll poison many minds, for many years to come, and those poisoned minds will eventually reach positions of authority and responsibility. And they’ll fail under stress, because they’ve lived their entire lives avoiding anything that makes them “anxious”.
I’m not perfect and I haven’t made all perfect decisions, but at least I’ve mixed it up in real world, highly stressful situations. The kind of students the article describes would fall apart at the mere thought of facing some of the things regular people face on a daily basis.
Good luck to your wife, she’ll need it.
The thing is that at universities there are decreasing number of jobs as professors and they are very hard to get. What is happening is that colleges and universities are moving away from the tenure system where it was difficult to fire a professor to a system of more or less lecturers so they can be paid less and do not have the same freedom to say uncomfortable things or bring up topics that might be controversial. I fully understand that there are tenured professors that spout some crazy left wing or right wing shit but there are also many who do research or bring up important but controversial topics. Things will be sanitized and made to offend no one!
Remember though the parents helped make them this way and universities just reinforce it.
How does it feel to be a Leftist traitor, Chrisie? …and just for your information we have an oppressive black racist socialist Regime in power determined to enact Communism – and we have millions of fellow traveler traitors like you running around free range…Damn right we Patriots are locked, loaded and ready to open fire to defend ourselves and our families! …in defense from white communists, violent black racists. and Muslim terrorists!
LOL! I’m terrified!
I’ll write more later, but thanks for the comic relief.
@Ronbo One tip: stop drugs that harm the rest of your brain.
Chris, thanks for being a voice of reason. I think Tam at VFTP summed it up well when she said “There’s a difference between carrying a gun and carrying a gun at people.” These OC activists are the very definition of carrying a gun at people. It is bad enough that very few gun people are willing to admit (even to themselves) that they are not experts are combat and tactics but these people take it to an extreme. While I have run into a few who seem sincere but misguided, too many are attention whores who only know how to make shit worse.
I am a strong supporter of gun rights and making concealed carry legal in as many places as possible, but these idiots embarrass me and make me doubt my beliefs. None of this is new however, 20 years ago I worked at a high speed shooting school that had a number of police and military contracts. My brother was visiting and we got talking about some of the things I had seen there. At a certain point I told him, “I’m getting to the point where I think the only people who should be allowed to have guns are you and me, and I’m not 100% sure about you.” I hate that these people are making me feel that way again.
Thanks, you have summed it up perfectly!
It would be great if our politicians learned your “do no harm” philosophy as well.
Chris- Well said! I am wondering who that Wonder Woman looking chick is outside the recruiting station! One of my viewers sent me here in response to my video on the Oath Keepers in Ferguson (Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vN4ougdiSA). I think that Oath Keepers is a great organization, and needs to be kept unsullied, without controversy, pristine, until such time as they are needed to counter those forces directed to enforce the demise of our Constitution. As far as the 2nd Amendment Activists; PLEASE use some common sense!!! Keep up the good work & Semper Fi….
Well Chris continuing with groups called “patriots” I found this page on Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/BradleeDeanSOL?ref=hl, and catches the attention being is this:https://www.facebook.com/BradleeDeanSOL/photos/pb.289189664545158.-2207520000.1441424709./697050990425688/?type=1, sometimes I think these people were inspired by a character from the 1930s.
Being here in Texas, with the Open Carry Texas members staging several “public” demonstrations, I can see both sides of the issue. The OCT people received much bad press based on a few “outliers” that you talk about. They also brought an important topic to the forefront and got handgun open carry (licensed) passed. Now, it is doubtful if OC would have passed this year without their “activities”.
Also, when you investigate, many of the negative pictures and articles attributed to them were actually staged by anti-gun groups like Moms Demand Action.
I do agree that we need to “police ourselves” and keep the public displays limited to kinds and places where we can present a positive image. If you go to just about any gun function (e.g. gun shows, ranges, NRA meetings,,,) you will find the vast majority of gun owners to be well educated and very polite. That is the image we need.
I bear arms for my self protection and that of innocents around me.
“But don’t do stupid things that make shit worse.”
Where to begin. Perhaps by suggesting that step be applied to one’s own actions and counsel.
If I want guarantees in a world where they rarely exist following the advice of experts is a guarantee- of disaster. You counsel they remain sheep.
The article is comprehensive condescension. One may think one has earned it after 20+ professional years of service, I have over 10 myself. We have the right to express ourselves that they’re “stupid”. On the other hand our opinions thankfully do not compel them to be disarmed. Or silent. Or sheep.
Yes the guns carried openly are a political statement. This is what relying on the Professionals has taken the country, relying on the experts, relying on the condescending technocrats – in this case the experts in being armed.
They are indeed making a political statement, and the purpose of the 2d amendment is that as necessary it be more than talk.
To lambaste the brave civilians willing to guard the military at the recruiting centers – in particular as they *don’t* have special training is not only ungrateful and beyond bad manners but bad judgment.
Experts should be more mindful of our shortcomings and utter public catastrophes, as well as the political and elite masters we serve [however much we grumble we obey]. Today is 9/11/15. Experts should be humble today.
We should also thank God that the people have still the spirit of resistance to tyranny. They may have admired the serviceman’s and policeman’s sacrifice but they certainly can’t take lessons in Liberty- or for that matter Victory and resolution of problems from either.
The Experts have had their chance. The Veterans have had their chance.
We have no right at all to deny the people their chance, in particular in light of the last 50 years of expertise across the board, including all the military professionals. I have 12+ years and 4 deployments including 2 to Iraq. We have no right to look at the people and say surrender, obey orders or to listen to experts. Including combat and police veterans. We did not win Victory oversees and at home the lesson coming from some quarters [most regrettably] is obey experts who betray you, who farm out their officers like safari animals for the hunt.
Humility before the people is my non-expert counsel. We’re going to need them on our side more than they need us.
Except that nobody is saying “be sheep”. I’m saying, “don’t do stupid things with guns.”
These stupid things include:
Carrying a carbine with no sights.
Carrying an AR pistol into a public building around civilians in a combat-ready hold.
Carrying a pistol in a manner which facilitates disarming the carrier (open-top, non-retention, cross draw holster).
Putting on a kilt, America onesy, or goth tights and makeup and presenting an image of gun owners as morons.
Having no muzzle discipline and pointing your weapon at the military personnel you’re allegedly protecting.
I’m all for carrying a weapon. I’m all against carrying a weapon in a stupid manner and displaying incompetence with that weapon. Do you support being stupid with a weapon? If so, stay mad at me. Because I will never support anyone’s “right” to be an idiot with a gun.
Not mad at you Sir. You’re simply wrong.
For the first time in our lives they’re not being sheep. They’re not being passive victims. That’s a tectonic shift.
As for them not being professional – they’re not professionals.
The Professionals failed. In doing so the professionals lost their veto*.
*which in America the professionals never had.
The objections seem to focus on training deficiencies – so gently correct on the spot. Gently. They’re not sworn to obey us – so gently, politely.
Respectfully – which was lacking in the post.
I notice you’ve been to Iraq and the Balkans as have I.
So the bottom line is: this form of politics – what it is – is what Americans are left with and is best accepted, channeled and in the small but not unimportant details respectfully corrected.
As far as the duty to not make it worse – it’s worse and getting worse daily, but this should seem like a rerun. It is. This is what The People are left with and thankfully they’ve accepted it on 2 legs instead of 4.
Have a good day.
So pointing a weapon at an American sailor’s head is some kind of clarion call of freedom, and we should be proud of it?
Noted.
Don’t make the Trivial the Enemy of the Vital.
Muzzle safety is trivial in war, in particular Civil War.
Have a good weekend.
“Muzzle safety is trivial in war”?
You’ve just lost me.
Sloppy weapons handling gets people on your side killed by other people on your side. That affects morale, reduces the number of effective fighters, adds more stress to medical staff, and indicates poor training. None of that is trivial.
You’ve just made me doubt your claim about being a combat veteran.
Here is an odd conundrum: These clowns are not breaking the law and have the right to be clowns. I on the other hand would be a criminal if I carry concealed as an otherwise law abiding citizen of California without a permission slip because my Good Cause of self and family defense is not good enough.
Some tragic facts that force me to consider not following the law:
Wife assaulted while I was deployed to Honduras.
Brother’s wife carjacked and murdered.
What would you do Chris? I am a well trained combat vet that has never broken the law, yet I am forbidden from carrying. As stated in other comments, I can neither confirm nor deny that i am still a defenseless law abiding citizen.