As much as I advocate for law enforcement, there are things that civilians must always remember. I will explain why the "protect and serve" slogan is laughable at best.
Firstly, police officers are not your friends by definition. By strict interpretation of the term, police officers have one purpose and that is to arrest you. It's as simple as that. When a police officer initiates a non-consensual (and often consensual) interaction, they are looking for a reason to take you to jail.
From Wikipedia: "Law Enforcement" broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating or punishing persons who violate the rules and norms governing that society. This is the generally accepted definition of a law enforcement. Nowhere does that definition say anything about being a nice guy, a friendly person, or even do anything for you other than take you to jail. It's no simpler than that.
Along the same lines, court case after court case has shown that police have absolutely no responsibility to protect you from anything. People have tried to sue law enforcement agencies for failing to respond and protect someone. In some cases, people have been killed because police did not respond. Again and again, the courts have said that the police have no legal obligation to protect you. You could be mugged and stabbed repeatedly in front of a cop and he will not have any legal repercussions if he does nothing to stop it.
Gasp! The Andy Griffith Show vision of a police officer isn't true? There is no Officer Friendly? The words "protect" and "serve" do not appear in any legal mandate or job description? Yes, it's all true.
But what does it matter if most cops are generally good guys? Won't they step up and do the right thing? Well, what keeps you from speeding? Is it because it increases your risk of being involved in an accident? Maybe. Is it more because you will get a hefty fine? More likely. You don't generally do illegal stuff because of the possible legal repercussions. It's why we don't rob banks, launder money, or dodge taxes. What if there were no legal repercussions? There would be a lot more illegal stuff happening whether it's morally right or not. That means that a police officer who does not respond to an assault in progress because he doesn't want his coffee to get cold can sit tight till they feel ready to go. The victim may well be dead by then.
Let me say that this "exemption" is absolutely necessary. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to come up with numerous situations in which police could be held liable for circumstances beyond their control. The issue is that it must be broad in order to be useful. Otherwise every unsatisfactory outcome in which police are involved would be subject to review.... a process that would be costly to the taxpayer and add yet another layer of bureaucracy to the legal system.
I'm not trying to bash police officers as bad guys who don't give a rip. I am just trying to explain at a base level what may and may not be expected. The simple solution for a civilian is to be fully aware of all the rules involved. Don't think that just because it seems to be common knowledge that it's true. There are many fallacies portrayed as truth by people who have ulterior agendas, just don't know any better, or cling to a fairy tale view of reality. Wake up each morning with your eyes wide open, challenge preconceived notions, and constantly strive for the truth no matter how unpleasant it might be.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
I Can't Breathe!
I can't breathe! Like the shock of lumping into ice cold water, I am having some trouble here. It is quite distressing. Yes, I am referring to the current hysteria over the death of Eric Garner but not in the way you might think.
By now, just about everyone in the United States has heard of this case from New York where Mr. Garner was being arrested. One police officer put him in a choke hold or a head lock (The masses are mostly familiar with only one choke hold: the rear naked choke. There are in fact, many different choke holds). Mr. Garner was taken to the ground and began to yell "I can't breathe" as other officers cuffed him. He lost consciousness at some point and later died. The majority of the incident was caught on multiple cell phone cameras.
The controversy stems from the fact that Mr. Garner was black and the cop who applied the choke hold was white. In addition to him yelling that he could not breathe and that the NYPD (the department involved) had barred the use of choke holds and that there will be no charges against the officer involved. Then there are several other point being brought up to add sympathy points: Mr. Garner was a father and common opinion of him was good and that he was originally being arrested for selling un-taxed cigarettes. Lust like in Ferguson, people are calling foul on the grounds of racism.
Let's take the reactionary emotion out of the picture for a moment and examine some other ideas or facts surrounding the incident.
Fact: Mr Garner was no stranger to the law and had a criminal record that included more than 30 arrests going back almost 30 years and include resisting arrest, grand larceny, and assault. At the time of the incident, he was out on probation for selling un-taxed cigarettes, driving without a license, marijuana possession, and false impersonation. I can't speak to the notion that he was a great guy and father.... he certainly may well have been but he tended to break the law.
Fact: Member of the NYPD cannot use choke holds. Plain and simple. The officer (Daniel Pantaleo) violated policy when he was attempting to subdue Mr. Garner.
Fact: Mr. Garner had heart failure, asthma, and was overweight. All factors included in the official cause of death from an autopsy. He was also 6'3" and weighed 350 lbs.
Fact: The police were contacting Mr. Garner on suspicion that he was again selling un-taxed cigarettes and he became agitated and resisted arrest when an officer tried to take a physical hold.
Fact: The death was ruled as a homicide by the New York Medical Examiner but noted that there was no damage to the windpipe or neck bones.
Fact: A grand jury was convened and after hearing evidence in the case, decided not to indict Officer Pantaleo.
Now let's have a but of discourse on the event. It is a sad day when anyone looses their life. Even sadder when that life didn't have to be lost. My condolences go out to his family and that I am sorry for their loss. I hope they can grieve and heal as best as can be expected after experiencing such devastation. The police officers claim they witnessed Mr. Garner selling cigarettes illegally and that was why there were going to arrest him. I wont argue about the decision to arrest him or whether or not it was the "right" thing to do. The fact of the matter is that they were going to arrest him and any law enforcement officer will tell you that once you have made that decision and communicated it, you must follow through.
Mr. Garner immediately resisted arrest and that was wrong. No one should resist a lawful arrest.... even an unlawful one should only be resisted under a very extreme and precise set of circumstances. Mr. Garner is a huge guy. Those familiar with combatives will attest to the fact that size makes a big difference in a physical encounter even when training and experience does not favor the bigger guy. Guys like that can be very hard to control and can inflict severe damage quickly should they decide to. Officers know that when a suspect is resisting, they must get control quickly because the longer the struggle, the more likely someone will get hurt. At the end of the day, all the officers want to do is go home alive and that thought is foremost in their minds. Grabbing the neck serves two purposes: It can be the target of submission holds and it is a point of leverage on a body. When subjects resist, officers generally take them to the ground where control is easier. If a guy is that tall, pulling him down will be hard especially if he is that heavy and doesn't want to.
I can sympathize with the officers decision to do what he did but don't let that be understood as a claim the he did the right thing. The technique was barred and he should not have done it if only for the reason that he wasn't supposed to. Applied incorrectly, holds of that type can cause internal damage to the neck. He should not have done it. Should he be reprimanded? yes. Should he be punished? Yes. Should he go down for murder? No. Murder has a definition in every state and it varies slightly in it's wording but the concept is the same: Murder is the unlawful killing of a human by another human with malice aforethought. Premeditation is the element missing here. Depending on which definitions, perhaps involuntary homicide would be an appropriate indictment.
Both men made mistakes that day and unfortunately it culminated in Mr. Garners death. If Mr. Garner hadn't resisted arrest, he would probably still be alive today. By the same token if Officer Pantaleo had not used a banned take-down Mr. Garner might still be alive. Both are, in some part, responsible for the death. How much and where is not my place to say. Neither is it the place of protesters, Jesse Jackson, or politicians. It was the place of the grand jury and even though I do not agree with their decision, it is their decision. We must move forward.
To the protesters: Get a grip! Every time someone who is not white dies during a police encounter it is clearly racism. And when the racism card can't be played, its corruption, prejudice, or a culture of violence. As if only blacks, or Latinos know what prejudice feels like. You arrogant, self-important, egotistical, victim playing jackass! Everyone knows what it feels like to be the subject of prejudice. Maybe not because of your race but maybe by your gender, religion, political beliefs, or social status. Please! You are not a member of some poor persecuted group of helplessly innocent and oppressed sufferers. You are American citizens afforded the same rights and responsibilities as anyone else. Yes, there are some bigoted people and life isn't fair; but the system is not out to get you. You should be ashamed of yourselves for making such quick judgement even while the body is still warm. It's morbid but it's the truth.
You want oppression? There are places in this world where people are being hacked apart with machetes because they live in the wrong place, associate with the wrong people, or get accused of crimes such as witchcraft. There are places in this world where children are beat to death, shot, or burned alive because someone wants revenge for perceived wrongdoing by others. There are places in this world where loved ones can be arrested and never seen or heard from again. Never knowing if they are alive or dead. There are places in this world where your genetics or family history could doom you to a life of starvation and poverty. These things are happening now in all corners of the globe.
What you see are the hysterical idiots screaming of injustice without acknowledging any responsibility on the part of the deceased. You see the activists seizing any opportunity to further their cause. You see the political figures making speeches and demands for press coverage and to further their carriers.
What you don't see are the families of officers who were killed because they hesitated, or tried to prevent a dangerous criminal from doing more harm, or by just being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. You don't see the officers that break down weeping because the victim they rendered first aid to and rode with on the ambulance died in the emergency room. You don't see the grief when responding to a fatal wreck caused by a drunk driver. You don't see the look of fear and helplessness in they eyes of a spouse when their world walks out the front door every morning and the prayer that they come back safe. You don't see hurt when officers must walk away from situations they know will turn bad but there is not enough evidence or cause to intervene.
You want to be a victim? Fine. I will not be a victim. I will not blame others for my circumstance. I will not jump to conclusions and then stick to them with the fervor of a Southern Baptist preacher even in the face of incontrovertible facts. Being a victim is the cowards way out.
On the lighter side of things: Chris Rock has a hilarious Educational Video
By now, just about everyone in the United States has heard of this case from New York where Mr. Garner was being arrested. One police officer put him in a choke hold or a head lock (The masses are mostly familiar with only one choke hold: the rear naked choke. There are in fact, many different choke holds). Mr. Garner was taken to the ground and began to yell "I can't breathe" as other officers cuffed him. He lost consciousness at some point and later died. The majority of the incident was caught on multiple cell phone cameras.
The controversy stems from the fact that Mr. Garner was black and the cop who applied the choke hold was white. In addition to him yelling that he could not breathe and that the NYPD (the department involved) had barred the use of choke holds and that there will be no charges against the officer involved. Then there are several other point being brought up to add sympathy points: Mr. Garner was a father and common opinion of him was good and that he was originally being arrested for selling un-taxed cigarettes. Lust like in Ferguson, people are calling foul on the grounds of racism.
Let's take the reactionary emotion out of the picture for a moment and examine some other ideas or facts surrounding the incident.
Fact: Mr Garner was no stranger to the law and had a criminal record that included more than 30 arrests going back almost 30 years and include resisting arrest, grand larceny, and assault. At the time of the incident, he was out on probation for selling un-taxed cigarettes, driving without a license, marijuana possession, and false impersonation. I can't speak to the notion that he was a great guy and father.... he certainly may well have been but he tended to break the law.
Fact: Member of the NYPD cannot use choke holds. Plain and simple. The officer (Daniel Pantaleo) violated policy when he was attempting to subdue Mr. Garner.
Fact: Mr. Garner had heart failure, asthma, and was overweight. All factors included in the official cause of death from an autopsy. He was also 6'3" and weighed 350 lbs.
Fact: The police were contacting Mr. Garner on suspicion that he was again selling un-taxed cigarettes and he became agitated and resisted arrest when an officer tried to take a physical hold.
Fact: The death was ruled as a homicide by the New York Medical Examiner but noted that there was no damage to the windpipe or neck bones.
Fact: A grand jury was convened and after hearing evidence in the case, decided not to indict Officer Pantaleo.
Now let's have a but of discourse on the event. It is a sad day when anyone looses their life. Even sadder when that life didn't have to be lost. My condolences go out to his family and that I am sorry for their loss. I hope they can grieve and heal as best as can be expected after experiencing such devastation. The police officers claim they witnessed Mr. Garner selling cigarettes illegally and that was why there were going to arrest him. I wont argue about the decision to arrest him or whether or not it was the "right" thing to do. The fact of the matter is that they were going to arrest him and any law enforcement officer will tell you that once you have made that decision and communicated it, you must follow through.
Mr. Garner immediately resisted arrest and that was wrong. No one should resist a lawful arrest.... even an unlawful one should only be resisted under a very extreme and precise set of circumstances. Mr. Garner is a huge guy. Those familiar with combatives will attest to the fact that size makes a big difference in a physical encounter even when training and experience does not favor the bigger guy. Guys like that can be very hard to control and can inflict severe damage quickly should they decide to. Officers know that when a suspect is resisting, they must get control quickly because the longer the struggle, the more likely someone will get hurt. At the end of the day, all the officers want to do is go home alive and that thought is foremost in their minds. Grabbing the neck serves two purposes: It can be the target of submission holds and it is a point of leverage on a body. When subjects resist, officers generally take them to the ground where control is easier. If a guy is that tall, pulling him down will be hard especially if he is that heavy and doesn't want to.
I can sympathize with the officers decision to do what he did but don't let that be understood as a claim the he did the right thing. The technique was barred and he should not have done it if only for the reason that he wasn't supposed to. Applied incorrectly, holds of that type can cause internal damage to the neck. He should not have done it. Should he be reprimanded? yes. Should he be punished? Yes. Should he go down for murder? No. Murder has a definition in every state and it varies slightly in it's wording but the concept is the same: Murder is the unlawful killing of a human by another human with malice aforethought. Premeditation is the element missing here. Depending on which definitions, perhaps involuntary homicide would be an appropriate indictment.
Both men made mistakes that day and unfortunately it culminated in Mr. Garners death. If Mr. Garner hadn't resisted arrest, he would probably still be alive today. By the same token if Officer Pantaleo had not used a banned take-down Mr. Garner might still be alive. Both are, in some part, responsible for the death. How much and where is not my place to say. Neither is it the place of protesters, Jesse Jackson, or politicians. It was the place of the grand jury and even though I do not agree with their decision, it is their decision. We must move forward.
To the protesters: Get a grip! Every time someone who is not white dies during a police encounter it is clearly racism. And when the racism card can't be played, its corruption, prejudice, or a culture of violence. As if only blacks, or Latinos know what prejudice feels like. You arrogant, self-important, egotistical, victim playing jackass! Everyone knows what it feels like to be the subject of prejudice. Maybe not because of your race but maybe by your gender, religion, political beliefs, or social status. Please! You are not a member of some poor persecuted group of helplessly innocent and oppressed sufferers. You are American citizens afforded the same rights and responsibilities as anyone else. Yes, there are some bigoted people and life isn't fair; but the system is not out to get you. You should be ashamed of yourselves for making such quick judgement even while the body is still warm. It's morbid but it's the truth.
You want oppression? There are places in this world where people are being hacked apart with machetes because they live in the wrong place, associate with the wrong people, or get accused of crimes such as witchcraft. There are places in this world where children are beat to death, shot, or burned alive because someone wants revenge for perceived wrongdoing by others. There are places in this world where loved ones can be arrested and never seen or heard from again. Never knowing if they are alive or dead. There are places in this world where your genetics or family history could doom you to a life of starvation and poverty. These things are happening now in all corners of the globe.
What you see are the hysterical idiots screaming of injustice without acknowledging any responsibility on the part of the deceased. You see the activists seizing any opportunity to further their cause. You see the political figures making speeches and demands for press coverage and to further their carriers.
What you don't see are the families of officers who were killed because they hesitated, or tried to prevent a dangerous criminal from doing more harm, or by just being in the wrong spot at the wrong time. You don't see the officers that break down weeping because the victim they rendered first aid to and rode with on the ambulance died in the emergency room. You don't see the grief when responding to a fatal wreck caused by a drunk driver. You don't see the look of fear and helplessness in they eyes of a spouse when their world walks out the front door every morning and the prayer that they come back safe. You don't see hurt when officers must walk away from situations they know will turn bad but there is not enough evidence or cause to intervene.
You want to be a victim? Fine. I will not be a victim. I will not blame others for my circumstance. I will not jump to conclusions and then stick to them with the fervor of a Southern Baptist preacher even in the face of incontrovertible facts. Being a victim is the cowards way out.
On the lighter side of things: Chris Rock has a hilarious Educational Video
Friday, December 12, 2014
Are You Kidding Me?
This is an image that has been causing some uproar. Here are the facts: Yes, that is a police officer pointing a gun at protesters in Oakland, California. Clearly he is part of a group of violent, racist, government supported, thugs..... also called Law Enforcement. One reaction on Twitter stated that this image is the perfect example of why citizens and off duty police officers should not be allowed to carry guns. Harsh words indeed. A picture may be worth a thousand words but what those words are is the question.
Allow me to enlighten on the totality of circumstance here. All of what was said above is true. But allow me to add some more detail to what is going on. Two plainclothes police officers were with a group of protesters. It's a common tactic to place plainclothes officers among protesting crowds to keep an eye on things and to get a heads up if the group decides they want to go shut down a freeway. Someone in the crowd recognized one of them as cops. In the moments that followed one of them was struck in the back of the head and began wrestling with the attacker (notice the two guys on the ground? The one on top is the cop trying to subdue the assaulter). As the crowd circles and begins to advance, the other officer produces his baton and show his badge, ordering the crowd to stop. One woman runs forward and kicks the downed officer in the head. The officer then draws his firearm and points it at the crowd and again orders them to stop. This time it works. The crowd backs up and mostly disperses. The man who hit the officer is charged with assault and the woman was not caught.
One caption accompanying this picture on Twitter was "In Oakland, cop pulls gun (not badge) on crowd after being exposed." Really? Are you kidding me? People are buying this shit? Maybe if his badge could shoot laser beams he would have pulled his badge. You can clearly see the baton he drew first in his left hand.... showing his escalation of force. This was not a case of "I don't like these people looking at me so I think I'll threaten them with my trusty, scary gun." Anyone with half a brain would tell you that he should have feared for his life or the life of his partner. The mob mentality is a very dangerous thing. They had already been attacked, the attack was continuing and if not gotten under control, they both could have ended up dead. It happens in other parts of the world on a regular basis.
It seems that there are two sins here that justify the mob: 1. they were cops (clearly not human beings only interested in doing their job and going home to their families). 2. They had guns (we know only evil people carry guns like a talisman channeling orders directly from the devil or their evil corporate masters to kill anyone they can). The only sin I see is the omission of facts by people so blinded with an agenda that every incident is support for their position. Never let facts get in the way of a good story. This sentiment should apply to your glorious college days or the one that got away, not to life and death.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Reality Based Training
When you train for something, you want your training to be as close to the real thing as possible. We can think of many occasions where people actually engage in their activity of choice for practice. People play basketball to practice basketball. Drill alone will not make them a better player. Musicians practice by actually playing their instruments... not simply reading music and imagining their movements. The same can be said for dancer, painters, carpenters, etc... just about any skill.
Then what about those of us who train to engage in deadly situations? You can't exactly practice a gunfight. Or can you? It's true that there are some amazing technologies and installations that allow great training. Kill houses and Simunition being at the top of that list. Where the threat gets as real as it can without actually throwing real ouchy, hurty, killy bullets your direction. But why is it so important? Why cant you go to the range, practice drawing, firing your rounds, and re-holstering and call it good? It's because deadly threats will never present themselves as static targets with bulls-eyes painted on their chests. You may be really good at shooting a three inch grouping at 10 yards.... but see how well you do it when there is a criminal bearing down on you with a knife intent on doing you harm.
A day at the range and a home invasion are not even close. If you think so, you are training for failure.
Let's break it down a little farther. Let's take a simple home invasion. Let's assume you have a family, they are asleep, and a bad guy forces a door open and comes in. You grab your gun and intend on ensuring your family's safety. Here are the factors you may not have considered: It's probably a low light situation. Is that a knife or gun in his hand or the steak he was planning on throwing to the family guard dog? that could be the difference between justifiable homicide and murder. You may be in an unconventional shooting position. Peering around corners with feet dodging furniture and other obstacles, it's going to be pretty hard to keep that weaver stance. You have to think about where your bullets could go if you miss... or if the bad guy misses. We all know the "Know your target, and what's behind it rule", but how often do you consciously review that before you press the trigger? I can safely say that pretty much no one at a range ever consciously thought about where the bullets go after punching a neat little hole in your paper target. Your rounds can go through walls and injure sleeping family members. And yes, I hear the cries of "That's why I use hollow point or frangible ammunition". Sure, that works for you.... but what about Mr. Badguy? I'm sure that when he got his bullets, he was thinking about shooting through walls accidentally. Are you inviting stray pullets to go past you and injure a family member? Then there is the mental and physical trauma associated with coming face to face with someone who may try to kill you. Oh and the tunnel vision that may not allow you to see Badguy's buddy.
What happens when all this is put together? The heart rate increases to levels that under any other circumstances would warrant a visit to the ER. Your thinking brain gets hijacked by your instinctive brain. Logical thinking and fine motor skills go out the window. You actually revert to a neanderthal like state of physical and mental ability. As crazy as it sounds, it's well documented. It's the reason police officers in gunfights miss 80% of the time. It's all about your body trying to preserve itself. And it does that by increasing the heart rate, releasing chemicals that cause faster blood clotting, blocking the pain senses, eliminating complex thought, tightening muscles ( your body actually hardens your muscles to create a kind of armor that harder to penetrate), and increasing cellular energy production. Put all that together, and you become a very different person. How do we overcome this to be effective in life-threatening situations?
Reality based training is the answer. You will interact with situations that artificially create those body fight responses and your thinking brain and start to adapt. Think of the first skydive with the one-thousandth. How different would they feel from a physiological perspective. You would go from being out of your mind scared to calm, cool, and collected. A place where you could deal with a chute failure or other malfunction. Something you could not have done your first time around. Don't let your first gunfight be your first gunfight.
Master the fundamentals with good practice and technique. Think beyond the tangible. You will fight how you train... so train how you want to fight. A static caveman with a bulls-eye painted on his chest? Or a mobile, thinking warrior?
Reality based training is the answer. You will interact with situations that artificially create those body fight responses and your thinking brain and start to adapt. Think of the first skydive with the one-thousandth. How different would they feel from a physiological perspective. You would go from being out of your mind scared to calm, cool, and collected. A place where you could deal with a chute failure or other malfunction. Something you could not have done your first time around. Don't let your first gunfight be your first gunfight.
Master the fundamentals with good practice and technique. Think beyond the tangible. You will fight how you train... so train how you want to fight. A static caveman with a bulls-eye painted on his chest? Or a mobile, thinking warrior?
Stay Low, Move Fast
Kill First, Die Last
One Shot, One Kill
No Luck, All Skill
Blame Game
A few days ago, another unfortunate incident happened where a 12 year old boy lost his life because he did something stupid. Tamir Rice was shot and killed by police who were responding to a 911 call about a male who appeared to be pulling a gun out of his pants. Police told the boy to raise his hands and was shot when he tried to pull the "gun" from his pants. It turned out to be an airsoft gun without the orange warning tip. Details are limited as the investigation is ongoing.
The investigation is not the point of this post. The point is about the public hysteria that is happening. People are crying racism, that police officers need to show restraint, the he WAS 12 YEARS OLD how much threat could he be, cops are nothing but power-drunk bullies. Many people are blaming everyone but the boy. Now, I don't mean to make light of the fact that he was killed and loss of life is a terrible thing. Is getting killed the appropriate punishment for a mistake like this? No. So, something is to blame. But what or who do we blame? The officers who fired the shots are the easy answer but not the right one. That's like blaming the train that smashes into a car trying to run the crossing. You cannot blame things down the line of cause and effect. Yes, the train was the one that smashed the driver into little pieces and yes, it was the responding officer who fired the fatal shots. But what happened before this incident to set things in motion? With the train, it would be someone making a foolish decision to try it in the first place, perhaps it is because of his parents who didn't properly warn about the dangers of playing chicken with a train. Did Tamir know better than to play with a realistic looking toy that way? Did he know better than to do exactly what officers tell you? If he did then it was his fault and he paid the ultimate price. If he didn't, who's to blame then? I say parents. Plain and simple, the parents are responsible and they are paying a high price as well for their lack of proper parenting.
The public must stop falling for sensationalism! Put responsibility where it is due and not on the easy scapegoat. If we do not, we are heading down a very dark road.
The investigation is not the point of this post. The point is about the public hysteria that is happening. People are crying racism, that police officers need to show restraint, the he WAS 12 YEARS OLD how much threat could he be, cops are nothing but power-drunk bullies. Many people are blaming everyone but the boy. Now, I don't mean to make light of the fact that he was killed and loss of life is a terrible thing. Is getting killed the appropriate punishment for a mistake like this? No. So, something is to blame. But what or who do we blame? The officers who fired the shots are the easy answer but not the right one. That's like blaming the train that smashes into a car trying to run the crossing. You cannot blame things down the line of cause and effect. Yes, the train was the one that smashed the driver into little pieces and yes, it was the responding officer who fired the fatal shots. But what happened before this incident to set things in motion? With the train, it would be someone making a foolish decision to try it in the first place, perhaps it is because of his parents who didn't properly warn about the dangers of playing chicken with a train. Did Tamir know better than to play with a realistic looking toy that way? Did he know better than to do exactly what officers tell you? If he did then it was his fault and he paid the ultimate price. If he didn't, who's to blame then? I say parents. Plain and simple, the parents are responsible and they are paying a high price as well for their lack of proper parenting.
The public must stop falling for sensationalism! Put responsibility where it is due and not on the easy scapegoat. If we do not, we are heading down a very dark road.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
More Intimate but Less Personal
There is no argument about the fact that the internet has revolutionized the way we interact with each other. Whether that is for better or for worse is the question.
Some would point to the fact that we can share information almost instantly from almost anywhere in the world. That ideas can flow freely from one person to others in real time. We can digitally store our photos, videos, and documents on "the cloud" where they can't be destroyed by fire, or hard drive crash.
But then there is the other side of the coin. Everything we do on the internet, everything we ever post is there forever. Nothing ever gets totally deleted. With so many young people publishing their foolish mistakes for all of Facebook, Youtube, or Twitter to see; no one can yet say for certain what ramifications that may have for the future. We can create digital copies of ourselves though our Facebook or Linkedin Profile, our Twitter, Youtube Channel, Instagram Account, Blogs, and other media sharing outlets.
Despite what you may think, interacting with others on that level isn't interaction person to person. Our digital selves are interacting with other digital selves. Recreations that may or may not actually emulate a persons character, beliefs, or mannerisms. More often than not, they are not even close to the real person. Humans are so complex that human-made digital personas could never even begin to capture the real person. In the touch of a few keys, we can find out where someone works, what high school they went to, the names of their kids, their pictures, jokes they find funny, commentaries about events, opinions on beliefs. All things that used to be reserved for your closes circle of friends. But now that old acquaintance from high school that you had one class with one year is put in the same circle as your spouse. I dare say that is too much intimacy for one and not intimate enough for the other.
The internet has created additional social scourges. The advent of slacktivism and the ability to personally attack anyone you don't see eye with has made everything less personal. Profile images and stylizes names represent the front of an interaction instead of looking someone in the eye to tell them that you are praying for them, that you support their cause, or think they are the dumbest piece of shit to ever walk the planet.
People are loosing their social skills and replacing them with social media skills. We will eventually produce a generation that does not know how to communicate face to face. The flourish of the well spoken word will disappear in the same fashion as the elegant handwriting of the greatest generation. You don't have to have special tools to look ahead and see the cliff ahead.... you just have to look up from your smartphone.
Some would point to the fact that we can share information almost instantly from almost anywhere in the world. That ideas can flow freely from one person to others in real time. We can digitally store our photos, videos, and documents on "the cloud" where they can't be destroyed by fire, or hard drive crash.
But then there is the other side of the coin. Everything we do on the internet, everything we ever post is there forever. Nothing ever gets totally deleted. With so many young people publishing their foolish mistakes for all of Facebook, Youtube, or Twitter to see; no one can yet say for certain what ramifications that may have for the future. We can create digital copies of ourselves though our Facebook or Linkedin Profile, our Twitter, Youtube Channel, Instagram Account, Blogs, and other media sharing outlets.
Despite what you may think, interacting with others on that level isn't interaction person to person. Our digital selves are interacting with other digital selves. Recreations that may or may not actually emulate a persons character, beliefs, or mannerisms. More often than not, they are not even close to the real person. Humans are so complex that human-made digital personas could never even begin to capture the real person. In the touch of a few keys, we can find out where someone works, what high school they went to, the names of their kids, their pictures, jokes they find funny, commentaries about events, opinions on beliefs. All things that used to be reserved for your closes circle of friends. But now that old acquaintance from high school that you had one class with one year is put in the same circle as your spouse. I dare say that is too much intimacy for one and not intimate enough for the other.
The internet has created additional social scourges. The advent of slacktivism and the ability to personally attack anyone you don't see eye with has made everything less personal. Profile images and stylizes names represent the front of an interaction instead of looking someone in the eye to tell them that you are praying for them, that you support their cause, or think they are the dumbest piece of shit to ever walk the planet.
People are loosing their social skills and replacing them with social media skills. We will eventually produce a generation that does not know how to communicate face to face. The flourish of the well spoken word will disappear in the same fashion as the elegant handwriting of the greatest generation. You don't have to have special tools to look ahead and see the cliff ahead.... you just have to look up from your smartphone.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Real Men
What makes a real man? Where has the art of manliness gone? I would postulate that manliness is getting lost with all the other skills that have been fading away over the past several decades. To name a few: spelling, handwriting, etiquette, respect, and many more. When did people stop caring about what was happening in places other than their own sphere of influence, which despite the internet has grown increasingly smaller. Why is manliness associated with sexism and bigotry? To embrace who you are is only okay if who you are is a gender neutral, morally flexible, doer of much, master of nothing, acutely unaware of anything beyond your Starbucks kind of person. And I use the word "person" carefully because that's probably offensive to some group that doesn't like species segregation. After all, aren't we all just blobs of biological conglomeration floating around in the good vibe ether? Like it or not, there are biological differences between species and between genders. To vilify and emasculate the male gender will break down society in a way humans cannot yet understand. There are always balances, yins and yangs, pushes and pulls. To promote one over the other without realizing their complimentary nature leads to disaster.
Men have a responsibility to rise to their gender. Nut up or shut up. Be competent at a lot of things. Be diverse in your learning. Acknowledge the beauty of both a revving engine and a flower in their own rights. Draw moral lines and dare anyone to cross them. Stand up for something even if you know you are going to get knocked down. Learn to try and fail and try again. Don't be afraid to get hit in the jaw... just make sure you have the balls to hit back just as hard.
This quote taken from a novel does a good job of summing up skills that every man should have. Think about it and if you can't do all that, maybe there are some skills to learn.
"A [man] should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
Men have a responsibility to rise to their gender. Nut up or shut up. Be competent at a lot of things. Be diverse in your learning. Acknowledge the beauty of both a revving engine and a flower in their own rights. Draw moral lines and dare anyone to cross them. Stand up for something even if you know you are going to get knocked down. Learn to try and fail and try again. Don't be afraid to get hit in the jaw... just make sure you have the balls to hit back just as hard.
This quote taken from a novel does a good job of summing up skills that every man should have. Think about it and if you can't do all that, maybe there are some skills to learn.
"A [man] should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
Baby Oil and Fame
When did we become a culture where the guy who sprays baby oil on Kim Kardashian's bare ass becomes a pseudo celebrity overnight? In case you happen to not pay much attention to any entertainment news, here's the picture that has everyone buzzing:
This picture has for some reason managed to make headlines everywhere and the "lucky" guy who got to apply the baby oil used for this shoot is also thrust into the spotlight. Why? Apparently he "has the best job in the world". I disagree. Firstly, it's Kim Kardashian; a person that has a laundry list of questionable things on her celebrity resume. A person who's only fame has been derived from doing outrageous things on camera. This will only add to that laundry list of embarrassing feats. So I don't consider being in her presence very gratifying.... even if the rest of the world is in envy of her body. Secondly, when is being the baby oil flunky anything to brag about? It's kind of like bragging about cleaning Beyonce's toilet.... not that impressive.
So what does this tell us about our current society? Not much.... other than the fact that a large portion of people consider this newsworthy. And that is sad.
So what does this tell us about our current society? Not much.... other than the fact that a large portion of people consider this newsworthy. And that is sad.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Into the Fray
If you haven't seen "The Grey" starring Liam Neeson, you should. It is story that grips the soul and refuses to let go. The Grey depicts a great struggle for survival, the human condition, existence of God, and strength of will. While there are some glaring issues involving the reality of the major plot elements, it it well done and the flaws do not detract from the message. A word of warning: It earns it's R-rating for it's language and depictions of violence. Remember, the best stories hit you in the gut and leave questions to answer.
That being said, I will not spoil the movie by quoting a poem used in the movie:
That being said, I will not spoil the movie by quoting a poem used in the movie:
Once more into the fray...
Into the last good fight I'll ever know...
To live and die on this day...
To live and die on this day...
For those who follow the path of Bushido, these words have a deep meaning. No mention of victory or defeat is made. For a warrior, the glory isn't in victory: It is in the fight itself. To truly live means to face death with a smile and an indomitable spirit. The result of the battle becomes much less significant when the battle is fought for the right reasons. Death becomes a simple consequence of doing the things that must be done. The last lines of a quote attributed to Tecumseh sums Bushido up very well:
"When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home."
For most people this sentiment may be meaningless and indecipherable and perhaps that is where it should be left.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Why I Carry A Gun....
Why do I carry a gun?
I don’t carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.
I don’t carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.
I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.
I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.
I don’t carry a gun because I hate the
government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.
I don’t carry a gun because I’m angry.
I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.
I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.
I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot
someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.
I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a
man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.
I don’t carry a gun because I feel
inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.
I don’t carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me
I carry a gun for the same reason I wear a
seat belt while driving, lock the doors and have a security system in my house,
have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in my house, wear a helmet when
riding a motorcycle, keep tools, flashlight and spare tire in my automobile,
wear insulated gloves when working with high voltage, and stock food and water
during hurricane season.
It is planning ahead of time for my safety. Hopefully I will never need to use it, but it is available should the need arise.
It is planning ahead of time for my safety. Hopefully I will never need to use it, but it is available should the need arise.
United States case law has found that Law
Enforcement Agencies are under no legal responsibility to protect you should
you call.
A person can be killed in the blink of an eye
with a gun, in minutes with a knife, in seconds with a blunt instrument.
Average police response time (in a city) is 10 minutes from the time 911 is
called.
Whether you like it or not, someone will risk
their life (and possibly give it) to protect yours. Will you let someone else
give everything, make their children orphans, make their wives widows, and
remove one more good person from this world? My life isn't worth that much.
Because I can't run with those who I am
obliged to protect on my back, and I will not leave them behind!
God isn't going to miracle my butt out of
every bad situation. He gave me a brain in the same manner you give a man a
fishing pole instead of a fish.
If you don't know now, I can't tell you.
There is evil
in this world. There are rapists, murderers, tyrants, and other butchers. In
the unfortunate event that we are confronted with such vileness, and escape is
impossible, there are two choices: submit or fight.
The sanctity of the innocent victim cannot be protected through submission. The innocence of a child, the life of a sibling, and the freedom of a nation cannot be protected through submission to intolerable acts.
I will not submit. I will not look on, as savage cruelties are inflicted upon my fellow man.
I will fight. And I will be prepared for that fight.
The sanctity of the innocent victim cannot be protected through submission. The innocence of a child, the life of a sibling, and the freedom of a nation cannot be protected through submission to intolerable acts.
I will not submit. I will not look on, as savage cruelties are inflicted upon my fellow man.
I will fight. And I will be prepared for that fight.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Accidents
This morning I heard a little blurb on the radio about a former baseball player who may loose a finger after he nearly shot it off when cleaning his gun. These stories come up from time to time: Someone put a bullet though a wall or the floor while cleaning a gun. But what I found most appalling was the way the news story made it sound like an accident. Apparently, guns can just go off! Without someone having loaded ammunition, disengaging a safety, and pulling the trigger. I never knew this could happen.
Oh wait, it can't! Just don't just go off. This was not an accident. These situations are negligence; plain and simple. An accident indicates that there is little to no fault of the person involved. Not true. Here are the series of events that had to take place for a negligent discharge (as it's called by the firearms community).
1. The gun must have had ammunition loaded into the chamber. You should not be doing this unless: a: you are in a suitable area for shooting a gun and are planning to shoot; or b: you are utilizing the weapon for a self defense purpose. Regardless of which was the case here, it was not an accidental loading.
2. The safety must be disengaged. I'll give a little leeway here since handguns have many different types of safeties or even no safety at all.
3. The trigger must have been pulled. This is the most heinous violation of the rules of firearm safety. Forgetting it was loaded, he probably needed to fall the hammer and most people just dry fire the weapon to do that. Unless you are actively engaging in dry fire drills, it's best practice to lower a hammer softly as one more layer of caution.
I won't unleash the well deserved tirade about how he should have cleared the weapon the moment he picked it up. Another best practice when receiving any firearm. Your life could be at risk if you or someone else has forgotten a round in the chamber.
The point is simply that this was not an accident. No question in my mind. And he was very lucky; as I believe his fiance was also with him. People have been shot and killed in that very same situation. I shudder to think of the guilt that would come from harming someone unintentionally like that. In addition to the likely criminal charges you would face.
The media should start to portray firearm negligence as just that. We don't say that the drunk driver accidentally ran into a telephone pole. "Accident" doesn't relieve responsibility when something happens because someone was taking risks.
Oh wait, it can't! Just don't just go off. This was not an accident. These situations are negligence; plain and simple. An accident indicates that there is little to no fault of the person involved. Not true. Here are the series of events that had to take place for a negligent discharge (as it's called by the firearms community).
1. The gun must have had ammunition loaded into the chamber. You should not be doing this unless: a: you are in a suitable area for shooting a gun and are planning to shoot; or b: you are utilizing the weapon for a self defense purpose. Regardless of which was the case here, it was not an accidental loading.
2. The safety must be disengaged. I'll give a little leeway here since handguns have many different types of safeties or even no safety at all.
3. The trigger must have been pulled. This is the most heinous violation of the rules of firearm safety. Forgetting it was loaded, he probably needed to fall the hammer and most people just dry fire the weapon to do that. Unless you are actively engaging in dry fire drills, it's best practice to lower a hammer softly as one more layer of caution.
I won't unleash the well deserved tirade about how he should have cleared the weapon the moment he picked it up. Another best practice when receiving any firearm. Your life could be at risk if you or someone else has forgotten a round in the chamber.
The point is simply that this was not an accident. No question in my mind. And he was very lucky; as I believe his fiance was also with him. People have been shot and killed in that very same situation. I shudder to think of the guilt that would come from harming someone unintentionally like that. In addition to the likely criminal charges you would face.
The media should start to portray firearm negligence as just that. We don't say that the drunk driver accidentally ran into a telephone pole. "Accident" doesn't relieve responsibility when something happens because someone was taking risks.
Education.
The lament of students around the world since school was invented has been: Why do I have to learn stuff that I will never use?
A fair question to be sure. Whom among us has ever busted out the Pythagorean Theorem (an overly used example)? A need to extract the theme of a good book? Perhaps you have at some point needed to know the preamble to the Constitution. Maybe citing sources according to MLA is an important part of your daily life. I thought not.
While there are many occupations that require the continual use of some of these skills or facts (teachers not included), the vast majority of the population never has to know or use them. And if they did, Google is just one finger tap away on our smart phones.
People cannot come up with a good answer to the question of why we all must learn the things we learned in school. The answers range from: "Well that's what I had to learn." to "You just need to know it." And it is these unfulfilling answers that young people do not like. Shooting back are: "What job requires the need to know the state capitals at a moments notice?" Perhaps you manage to list one or two where that would be required; and it is instantly countered with "I'm not interested in those jobs." Checkmate. A feeling of smug superiority makes anyone happy at wining an argument.
Let me lay out the reason I believe we all must learn uses facts and practice skills that we will never have the use for. The mind is a powerful thing. It must be developed and strengthened in order for a person to function at a level appropriately expected in adulthood. We do not do that by result of memorizing the periodic table or learning how to build a capsule that will allow you to safely drop an egg off a second story. The answer can be summed up in two words: critical thinking. Critical thinking is a building block of a successful person. Show me a job that does not require critical thinking and I will show you a job that is becoming obsolete. We can build machines that can perform tasks without critical thought.... and they will work 24 hours a day for no compensation, vacation, or benefits package.
What does all this have in common? When you memorize the state capitals, you have to think critically about how you are going to imprint those on your mind and recall them later. For some that may be flash cards and quizzing. For others, it may mean an mnemonic device or little ditty. For people like myself it meant taking the seat directly in front of the class globe and making sure North America happened to be facing my direction. When the teacher figured it might be a good idea to move the globe, it meant creating and memorizing a substitution alphabet and writing the names in a decipherable grid pattern on my arm to reference. It conveniently looked like something from math class and was therefore not an issue in a history test when questioned. I may have gone a little overboard on the critical thinking skills on that one. The point was not that I came out with a gleaming bit of factual knowledge; it was that I exercised my brain to solve a problem. Everything you learn in school can help you flex the brain muscle and make you a better thinker. This means that History, English, Literature, Geography, etc all had a point. Plus, you may now be one of the few people left in the world that can write a formal letter properly.
These concepts would not be so hard to convey if the current hip culture put value on critical thinking and problem solving skills. Instead, the answer is always: "Google it"; or even worse, "I don't care." People are impressed with your excessive hashtag usage, the number of followers you have on Instagram, or your words per minute typing on your phone. Thinking is no longer cool. Why put forth the effort when someone has already thought of it? Not giving two shits about how an ant walks may be the wrench in the gears that prevents the invention of something revolutionary.
Fortunately, there are still people that value contemplative thought that goes beyond the gossip section of the highly biased political news site you happen to come across. Culture has not completely killed critical thinking just yet. Let's try to keep it that way.
A fair question to be sure. Whom among us has ever busted out the Pythagorean Theorem (an overly used example)? A need to extract the theme of a good book? Perhaps you have at some point needed to know the preamble to the Constitution. Maybe citing sources according to MLA is an important part of your daily life. I thought not.
While there are many occupations that require the continual use of some of these skills or facts (teachers not included), the vast majority of the population never has to know or use them. And if they did, Google is just one finger tap away on our smart phones.
People cannot come up with a good answer to the question of why we all must learn the things we learned in school. The answers range from: "Well that's what I had to learn." to "You just need to know it." And it is these unfulfilling answers that young people do not like. Shooting back are: "What job requires the need to know the state capitals at a moments notice?" Perhaps you manage to list one or two where that would be required; and it is instantly countered with "I'm not interested in those jobs." Checkmate. A feeling of smug superiority makes anyone happy at wining an argument.
Let me lay out the reason I believe we all must learn uses facts and practice skills that we will never have the use for. The mind is a powerful thing. It must be developed and strengthened in order for a person to function at a level appropriately expected in adulthood. We do not do that by result of memorizing the periodic table or learning how to build a capsule that will allow you to safely drop an egg off a second story. The answer can be summed up in two words: critical thinking. Critical thinking is a building block of a successful person. Show me a job that does not require critical thinking and I will show you a job that is becoming obsolete. We can build machines that can perform tasks without critical thought.... and they will work 24 hours a day for no compensation, vacation, or benefits package.
What does all this have in common? When you memorize the state capitals, you have to think critically about how you are going to imprint those on your mind and recall them later. For some that may be flash cards and quizzing. For others, it may mean an mnemonic device or little ditty. For people like myself it meant taking the seat directly in front of the class globe and making sure North America happened to be facing my direction. When the teacher figured it might be a good idea to move the globe, it meant creating and memorizing a substitution alphabet and writing the names in a decipherable grid pattern on my arm to reference. It conveniently looked like something from math class and was therefore not an issue in a history test when questioned. I may have gone a little overboard on the critical thinking skills on that one. The point was not that I came out with a gleaming bit of factual knowledge; it was that I exercised my brain to solve a problem. Everything you learn in school can help you flex the brain muscle and make you a better thinker. This means that History, English, Literature, Geography, etc all had a point. Plus, you may now be one of the few people left in the world that can write a formal letter properly.
These concepts would not be so hard to convey if the current hip culture put value on critical thinking and problem solving skills. Instead, the answer is always: "Google it"; or even worse, "I don't care." People are impressed with your excessive hashtag usage, the number of followers you have on Instagram, or your words per minute typing on your phone. Thinking is no longer cool. Why put forth the effort when someone has already thought of it? Not giving two shits about how an ant walks may be the wrench in the gears that prevents the invention of something revolutionary.
Fortunately, there are still people that value contemplative thought that goes beyond the gossip section of the highly biased political news site you happen to come across. Culture has not completely killed critical thinking just yet. Let's try to keep it that way.
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