I have carried a handgun every day since Virginia Tech (the first one). The point was driven home even further by the fact that I had been within a few hundred yards of a school shooting several years before. To me, the danger was not abstract.
Of course, I carried rifles, light machine guns, and pistols in Iraq before that, but this was different. It wasn’t legal for me to carry at the time I was under 21, and I was also in school. The university prohibited weapons on campus, but I didn’t care. My 1911 the only handgun I owned became a constant companion. I had just returned from Iraq, and I was not about to die at home.
I wasn’t carrying a gun to stop a school shooter and become some sort of hero. I was carrying a gun to preserve my own life. Just as I always carried a loaded Beretta 9 mm tucked inside my uniform when with Iraqi policemen inside their “station,” I didn’t trust that anyone else would be looking out for me first. It’s not that I didn’t think that the University of Arizona Police Department wouldn’t do their very best to stop any potential shooting as soon as possible. I simply knew all too well how quickly such situations could play out, and how help nearby could be no help at all.
My carry philosophy has not changed much since that first day. My parents taught me to be responsible for myself. Scouting taught me to be prepared. Combat taught me to be aware.
Avoiding the Situation
Beyond not walking out of my house every day looking for an excuse to shoot the next Jared Loughner, there are a number of reasons why I might avoid intervening in such a situation. I have listed them in a roughly “most important to least important” order.
#1 – I don’t know what’s going on. Unless the actual shooting unfolds before me, I would simply be running toward the sound of gunfire. As romantic as that may sound, it is rarely a good tactical decision. I will be facing a threat I cannot quantify, in a location that I may not be intimately familiar with, filled with people that will be reacting panicking in a number of ways. This is a recipe for disaster.
#2 – I am most likely going to be alone. If the shooter is simply looking to kill as many people as he possibly can, and I intervene, I have effectively become the protector of dozens or hundreds of people. When I was on a PSD detail in Iraq, it was rare for our dismounts to be outnumbered by the people we were escorting (although it did happen too often). In addition, there were almost 2 dozen Marines in gun trucks nearby. Although the threat level was higher in Iraq, the math is the same: it is impossible for one person to protect dozens. Yes, it is possible that one person might be able to limit innocent deaths. That is one possible outcome.
#3 – If I am not alone, I am probably not with people that are carrying. I will be looking out for their safety as well as my own, and this will keep me very busy. Unless the threat is very obviously nearby, I will be abandoning my companions if I rush toward the sound of gunfire. See the above point.
#4 – My concealed carry permit is not a badge, and I have not been charged with looking out for the safety of others. When you become an adult, you become responsible for yourself. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, the world is a dangerous place, and you pays your money and you takes your chances. Some people choose to never wear a helmet when riding. The vast majority of them never die in a motorcycle accident. Hindsight is 20/20.
What I Don’t Think About
There are a few things that do not affect my decision making process when it comes to intervening in such a situation.
#1 – Training. I shoot a lot. I am not the best shot in the world, the country, the state, the county, or perhaps even my neighborhood. But I’m proficient with firearms, as I think everyone who carries one should be, public or private. I once met a police officer who was exceedingly proud of the fact that he only fired his weapon once a year, because his department required only an annual proficiency test. Non-gun people, not knowing this, would rely on him to perform miracles that he could simply not perform. I have also met police officers who shoot more than I do. There is no guaranteeing which type of officer will be nearby when I desperately need help, so I train and live as if police officers will never be there for me, or if they are, that they will be completely ineffective.
#2 – Being mistaken as the shooter and subsequently killed by police. Although the situation itself is highly unlikely, either a police officer will be close enough to intervene immediately, or they will only arrive after many are dead. If I have decided to intervene, it is because I think I can end it now, and there are no other options (such as nearby police who are already in the process of intervening). In making that decision, I am already at great personal risk. Should astronomical odds be stacked against me, and a police officer arrives just in time to shoot me – well, that is a risk I take, but it is not a likely outcome. Similarly, the likelihood of a second concealed carrier being close enough to arrive and shoot me after I have presented my own handgun, but not close enough to identify me as a “good guy” before doing so, is also extremely low.
#3 – Legal ramifications. I sometimes carry in places where I am not allowed to. While I have little desire to be arrested for violating state or federal laws, I have even less desire for myself, my family, or my friends to be dead.
#4 – Arming the shooter. Mass shooters almost always carry multiple firearms and extreme amounts of ammunition. One more handgun possibly with little or no ammunition inside is unlikely to affect the outcome. If I have done nothing but die in front of the shooter, I will at least have given other people a chance to get away in the meantime.
So I’m Definitely Not a Sheepdog, But Am I a Heartless Jerk?
Some things would cause me to make decisions that I otherwise would not. I don’t want people to think that I would simply stand by and watch as little children were being massacred. However, in most cases, I would be left with no good choice but to not run to the sound of gunfire – and I believe that any concealed carrier who takes the time to truly think about the way these things work will come to the same conclusion.
Just sounds like you’re a regular guy who thinks a bit before he opens his gob. I wonder what breakfast cereal all these would-be heros had while growing up, my parents fed me a diet of “Be a good guy and don’t get killed”-brand cornflakes. Running towards gunfire in civilian life is not a good way of conducting business – it’s a good way to make your mother very sad and your wife a widow.
Out of uniform I don’t run towards the sound of gunfire and I don’t run into burning buildings in case there might be a baby on the third floor. If someone’d shoot at me or if it’s my own house I might do something about it, but that’s very much a different scenario.
Oh yeah, I’ve always wondered about the word “sheepdog”. In my neck of the woods a sheepdog is what the farmer uses to herd his sheep in for slaughter after which said dog gets a cut. It is not an animal that is there primarily to protect sheep but rather there to protect future meat production.
You just described the government – LE relationship to a tee.
I’ve spent my money and time to become proficient with firearms. Nothing is precluding others from doing the same.
I carry for me and mine as well.
Andrew – as always a very insightful commentary. Unfortunately there is a lot of “chest thumping” associated with concealed carry, resulting in a lot of rhetoric but very little tactical thought. The term “sheepdog” and “sheep” are overused these days, and far too often feeds into a person’s sense of ego rather than fostering a tactical mindset.
Strapping on a gun does not automatically make you a warrior, a gunfighter or a cop. Far to many people think that a gun alone makes up for their personal deficiencies, be it size, training or ability. How many people that carry and proclaim themselves to be “sheepdogs” have force-on-force training? What about in retention techniques? What about building clearing or felony car stops? What about unarmed combative training? A gun is a good tool for specific scenarios, but it is not a guarantee – god help you if you don’t have the strength and stamina to wrestle on the gravel with a 250 pound ex-felon who has just spent the last 20 years working out at club fed… Life isn’t a 25 yard lane in a shooting range.
A man who was legally open carrying was disarmed and killed in Richmond last week, likely with his own gun. As tragic as it is, it shows that a gun in of itself does not guarantee your safety.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/news/2011/dec/03/1/teen-homicide-suspects-had-felony-convictions-ar-1510369/
“Tyler, 48, had a concealed-carry permit, but his handgun was plainly visible that night in his holster, Johnson said. The suspects walk in and one immediately reached for Mr. Tyler’s gun,” Johnson said. Tyler did not draw his weapon. According to court papers, Smith took Tyler’s gun during a struggle and shot Tyler in the chest…”
I should probably make a video about situational awareness.
That would be great. I’d be interested to hear what you have to say about it.
Not to mention retention holsters if you already haven’t.
Great posting and food for thought.
I always think about how I might not only be mistaken by police but by someone who makes the mistake of thinking I’m a bad guy. It’s important to bring to the table the fact some places could be, “filled with people that will be reacting” I always think of how I personally would distinguish between friend and foe in a fast situation like that. I guess the best thing to do is stay as calm.
There is a lot I could say. Much I agree with but I ask the question, if it’s come down to where it’s every man woman child for themselves, I think were done for and I think we will deserve it when we fall. While I think extreme discretion is always prudent, there are also times to step up. Yes, I know why not. I won’t be trying to be a rescuer super hero but I think there are times you can act and stop evil. If I have to slink around in fear as others are being slaughtered, I would just as soon pass from this earth. I do know by experience, thoughtlessly getting involved in other peoples problems is a sure way to walk into trouble you don’t need. It’s rarely a good idea. But there are times and places that it is. In my opinion. It’s a question every person must answer for themselves.
As a former soldier, LEO and corrections officer I know what sheepdog means. It’s not rational at all; it’s an impulse to run towards a fire, or a fight, or a wreck. It is totally irrational, and it doesn’t pencil out if we were doing a cost/benefit analysis.
It makes sense that people have a protection instinct hard coded into their brains (think mama bear) and statistical variation being what it is, some have more than others. When some people hear shots fired, they run the wrong way. I know it’s stupid. I know this. It’s an insane urge that says “I can do handle this”.
That said I don’t like the sheepdog label for reasons that Lew laid out; it also implies that the world has only dogs wolves and sheep, and those are all shitty labels for humans.
Thank god someone with a blog has an ounce of sense! I am really tired of quietly rolling my eyes and moving on when I get to the “sheepdog” post. I am not here to your hero. The whole point is that I have learned that I can’t trust him, her, or you to watch out for me, so I do it myself. I have a wife, she is my priority, not making the paper, not saving you, whoever you are and whatever office you hold. Those people are called “cops” anyways, not “sheepdogs”.
Well done Andrew.
as far as the Tyler guy in Richmond getting shot with his own gun….well…concealed means concealed, right?
as far as every man, woman, and child out for themselves…you’ve seen this video, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe83xksEao4
if the realization that you are on your own doesn’t sink in after that video, I don’t know what will do it for you.
I find it appealing that there are at least six grown men that would just stand and watch the guy get attacked and beat down, then like Diane of the bible a woman is the one that finally bends down to check on the guy. The assailant even took the guys phone ,
This mentality is exactly why we are deteriorating into the abyss….
Whether I get hit or not , I’m not just standing there without actin, or even at least yelling to lay off the cops are there…..
Absolutely the saddest testament to our humanity …
As disgusting as the actors were here, the bystanders “waiting for their pizzas” are way more disgusting, probably never missed a beat in picking up there pizzas and heading home to get fatter…. They guy the got beat likely just raised issue with the woman cutting in line….
Animals!!!
I advise my NRA/CCW students in Ohio that the two best things they can carry with them besides their firearm are common sense and a cell phone… In Ohio, you sign an affidavit that attests you are carrying a gun for the protection of you or your family…
I’m not saying I wouldn’t step in a assist someone else, but you may not know the full story of what is occurring and it’s best to use your common sense and cell phone rather than insert yourself into an unknown situation… besides, often those you would help have chosen not to help themselves by not exercising the same right you would help them with…
In Ohio, if you come upon a 6’2″ 260lb guy in an alley beating a 108lb gal to death with a crow bar and shoot him with your “heater”… and it turns out that he was beating her after she stabbed him twice with a knife after a bar room dispute she began over another gal… your family will be visiting you for a long time in jail as they starve without your income or leadership… because in Ohio, you can’t defend anyone with deadly force who initiated the altercation… but you didn’t know she initiated the altercation because all you saw was the guy beating her with the crowbar in the alley when you arrived…
Tough decisions in this day and age… CD/PD… Carry Daily/Prepare Daily…
Dann in Ohio
If you’re not a sheepdog, Andrew, then you’re something wiser and more responsible. A dog may rush into a fight without regard for himself, or whether his actions make the situation worse. You’re a human, not a dog, and you have a pretty good outlook as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for the blog too, by the way.
You are not a sheepdog. You are a guard dog, protecting your own flock and yourself. Nothing wrong with that. Every adults should be responsible for themselves. If that defies one’s logic, think of it this way: Why aren’t they all carrying to protect me?
Once again you hit the nail on the head. I never understood how some firearms owners fill that because one carries a gun they have a duty to always intervene and save the day. I carry to protect myself and my family. Going to the gunfire defeats the whole reason why I carry. If at work you have a duty to go to the gunfire than thatâs another story, itâs your job. Having been in the military for eight years and having done three trips to Iraq I have. When walking around town with my family I have no other duty then to provide for my family. Even if Iâm by myself, I have to be alive the next day in order to support them. In the military what I do in the line of duty has immunity because Iâm acting on behave of the government. Under a fast and high stress moment, I may make a mistake or have to take extreme measures. I, and by default my family, cannot be sued. If something happens to me on duty I will be taken care of medically both short and long term. In the worst case my family will be taken care of. If I do the same thing out in town I have none of that. If I were to run to the gunfire and even survive what would happen. Iâll, and by default my family, will get sued even if I donât get put in to jail. Remember even if youâre innocent the lawyer fees a loan will bankrupt you. Youâre looking at a few thousand in lawyer fees just to get out on bail. My family could be put in the poorhouse for years and I could be put in jail. If I got hurt the military will most likely charge will damaging of government property, maybe not, but they do it for sunburn. Iâm not say that I will stand by and watch people get kill, but those entire thing will be factored into my decision. Itâs not that hard to get a CCW in my state. If you can buy a handgun then you qualify for CCW. In fact thereâs less paperwork in getting your CCW. That been said I do not fill a duty to protect people who are too lazy to protect themselves. not to sound cold, but i have responsibility. if someone wants to be a hero that much then go be one, join the military, become a volunteer firefighter, or a EMT.
Well put. You have covered all the points with a mindset that is aimed at doing what is possible without rushing into harms way. Lets hope we all grow old never having to put into action what we practise as responsible citizens. Great blog Stu
Everyone carrying isn’t a situation where we’ve failed – just taken personal responsibility to protect ourselves from those who would take advantage. Our forefathers may have carried their firearms to church in need, the point wasn’t always protection against indigenous peoples. Our fellow travelers on the boat to the Americas were often thieves and brigands in daily life, or resorted to it when crops failed or personal circumstances were dire. On the invention of the bicycle, even a neighbors mastiff became a serious problem.
We’ve historically carried swords, canes, and small guns because of other citizens depradations in peacetime, in our own villages and towns. Nothing has changed other than now, the policeman’s whistle to summon aid from responsible citizens is now a siren to warn them to get out of the way. They don’t expect any help at all, and enter into the situation with exactly that in mind – the man with a gun is suspect.
Rushing into that scene, will we actually confront the shooter, or the “hero” who got there first? Are they waving a bright shiny CCW badge? Even cops have taken fire in that situation, from other cops.
This is a great analysis, I recommend it to anyone who chooses to carry. Unfortunately, those who need it most are least likely to understand, even after a week of study.
I think that the small percentage of people that would call themselves a sheep dog would be the first to cower or run in front of any sort of danger. They may not have the logical ability to avoid the idea of half-assed heroism, but instincts would likely trump their entertainment with power, should they be confronted with real danger.
like yourself; the soldier, marine, or any other person that knows what it is to be threatened, likely does not fool himself into making a mission out of a concealed carry license. They know that protection of ones self comes from a desire to live (call it fear) and an applied strategic mindset.
I would very much like to see a production on self awareness.
You know, I believe in personal responsibility. I chose to train for CC, and also for personal combat. Yeah, I’m in my 50s and while it’s been difficult, it’s something that I enjoy doing. I dress for concealed carry, I watch my surroundings and I’m always trying to stay in Condition Yellow while in public. I would venture to guess that less than 1% of the public does this. Everybody chooses the level of preparedness they are comfortable with – if it’s too low and you suffer from a bad outcome and survive, then your eyes open and you adjust. If you don’t survive, hopefully others will learn from your mistakes. This means I move away from gunshots, I avoid conflict and I don’t hang out with stupid people in stupid places and do stupid things. If someone labels me a coward, I can live with that. Emphasis on live.
Having a piece of paper authorizing me to exercise my natural rights in only approved places is absurd. But the state backs their laws with the threat of force, so I abide by those laws.
I never carried on campus. I didn’t want to die in a school shooting, but I was more concerned about being caught. Going to prison didn’t seem to be a much better plan than getting shot.
The rest of the article is great, and thank you for running this blog, Andrew.
Whenever possible, I wear comfortable shoes. Shoes that I would not dashing for 1/4 mile or the length of a large building while wearing.
I have served in 4 different campaigns. If the shooting begins in front of me, obviously I am going to act. If not, I am going to exercise my right to exercise. Running gets the blood flowing to the brain in a way that must be experienced and not described.
You’re a sheep with teeth.
Sheepdogs wear badges and get paid far too little.
I’ve given a lot of thought to these same topics since I started carrying (open or concealed) several years ago, and am not surprised to see that our opinions match, point for point.
I will always take my own safety as paramount; everyone else is secondary. After all, if I can’t defend myself, how can I possibly defend anyone else circumstances permitting? Can’t do any of that if I’m foolishly heroic.
He who runs away, lives to fight another day.
I have been having this eat at me since I read and responded. Many of the commenters are proud of themselves for turning their backs on others being slain by evil men or women. Had you all been standing next to the congresswoman in Arizona, I suppose your response would be to run? Really? Or you see a woman being attacked in a parking lot, maybe even being dragged to a car for an abduction and I guess you will just dial 911? Really? I don’t think anyone expects anyone to start acting like the Cops but there are clearly times when you could save a life. If it was your daughter or wife you would certainly wish someone had intervened. Part of this is the ethos that comes with living in a large urban area where a persons sense of community is rather weak where those who live in small towns and rural areas have stronger ties with neighbors and routinely act on behalf of them.
The situation you present is unlike the thought process I described in the article. If you witness what is going on from the beginning and are in fact a possible target, the logical reaction is to respond by defending yourself, and therefore everyone else. It is important to note that in the case of Congresswoman Giffords’ tragic shooting, a concealed carrier was in a nearby store, and came out to investigate, but did not shoot anyone. The situation had already changed in the time it took him to move towards it.
Respectfully, I suggest that you reread the entire article and consider the implications of what I wrote under “avoiding the situation.” In your examples, there is a clear aggressor and a clear victim, and therefore what could be construed as a clear duty to act. In real life, these situations are so chaotic as to most often preclude such an easy understanding of what is truly going on.
I have been having this eat at me since I read and responded. Many of the commenters are proud of themselves for turning their backs on others being slain by evil men or women. Had you all been standing next to the congresswoman in Arizona, I suppose your response would be to run? Really? Or you see a woman being attacked in a parking lot, maybe even being dragged to a car for an abduction and I guess you will just dial 911? Really? I don’t think anyone expects anyone to start acting like the Cops but there are clearly times when you could save a life. If it was your daughter or wife you would certainly wish someone had intervened. Part of this is the ethos that comes with living in a large urban area where a persons sense of community is rather weak where those who live in small towns and rural areas have stronger ties with neighbors and routinely act on behalf of them.
I think the term sheepdog is slightly mislabeled here, the concept isn’t necessarily about someone carrying a gun. In my town recently a confused young man entered an outpatient surgery center wielding a hunting knife and mumbling ” you’re not gonna kill my momma” . He made it all the way to the back, where he fatally stabbed a nurse and four others before leaving the building and later being apprehended by police blocks away. A second victim later succumbed to his wounds.
He walked past more than 30 people in the waiting area unconfronted. If one person with the wherewithal and foresight to arm themselves with a simple fire extinguisher ( available in all public settings, multitudes in a healthcare setting) they could have disoriented him with the chemical powder or freezing CO2. Then disarmed and disabled him by beating him with the canister.
The same for the shooter in LAX recently, walked past literally hundreds of people , in close proximity, without confrontation… Assailants do so because historically no one resists them.
… The teacher in Newtown, rather than just hiding the children in a closet and standing defenseless before her eventual killer, could likewise have armed herself with a fire extinguisher ( don’t know if one was in her room, we had one in every room in my schools) and as well could have attempted to stop the carnage as well as her own death….
Teachers by default are shepherds of there students, how many shepherds in history have gone it alone in the wild ( and our schools unfortunately are where wolves roam) , yet we put them there without sheepdog training… They must be willing and able to exact violence if the situation arises…
I see nothing wrong with teacher teachers and others even how to improvise in a violent situation. All too often , too many are lost as a result of that failure…
This is truly the sheepdog mentality , not the concealed carrier. And sheepdog do not run blindly into a situation, if you’ve ever been around them and watched them watch their environment you’d know that.. So while I agree somewhat with your hypothesis , it’s really not proper application of sheepdog..
And yes I am prior service, mustang army officer, from artillery, then mech inf, armor and finally attack helicopter pilot.. Was on terrorist reaction force in the early 80s… So I’m not talking out of my butt , LOL
Just wanted to try and shed light on a dim subject.
But absolutely agree with the situations you posed
And everyone should think through clearly before taking on the task of sheepdog, in whatever situation.
Interesting and well-written post. However, this part puzzles me:
…” Should astronomical odds be stacked against me, and a police officer arrives just in time to shoot me – well, that is a risk I take, but it is not a likely outcome. Similarly, the odds of a second concealed carrier being close enough to arrive and shoot me after I have presented my own handgun, but not close enough to identify me as a “good guy” before doing so, are also extremely high.”
Did you mean extremely low, as you note it is ‘similarly’ and therefore unlikely, as the first scenario? Your sentence would seem to indicate this, but personally I often wonder if I would be mistaken by a sheepdog for a ne’er-do-well if I was in the midst of a shooting. I also live in Arizona, and have been far too close to shots fired by our militaristic Phoenix PD, so your post is timely food for thought.
thanks for pointing that out. That was a mistake on my part.
As a police officer, I have given this topic much thought. I personally strongly dislike the term “sheepdog” I think it implies that you are in charge of the public and have the right to tell them what to do, just because you have “teeth”. I do not agree with this. Even on duty, I know that im not the top dog. I am simply there to do a job and sometimes that means telling people what to do, but I also realize that they have rights and those are not to be infringed by me. On duty I have a responsibility to protect the public and am the thin blue line between them and violence and I have sworn an oath to run to the sound of gunfire. It is my job.
Off duty, my priorities are completely different. My family’s safety is paramount. There is nothing that comes before that, if my family is safe then my secondary responsibility is the responsibility that any responsible citizen would have to act if they had the knowledge, mindset and tools to react and protect the public provided there is the ability to do so. I have been in situations off duty in which I, as an on duty officer, would have definitely intervened, but my family was present and I didn’t feel that if I didn’t act someone would die. I fortunately have never been in a situation in which I felt someone would die if I didn’t act, so I cant say if I would intervene, family or no, I guess it would depend on the situation.
I am a strong believer in being a good witness regardless of what the situation is. Off duty, the best thing you can do as an armed citizen is be a good witness. Contact the police, give descriptions and directions of travel, If you don’t feel that someone will immediately die if you do not employ your weapon then don’t employ it! Off duty, or as a civilian you are carrying solely for protection from death or serious bodily harm. You are not a “sheepdog” you are an armed citizen, please do not pull your gun out and be an idiot. If you are an armed citizen, you do not have the capabilities that a police officer would have, IE radios, to call dispatch, a uniform positively identifying you as an officer, handcuffs, intermediate weapons etc etc. You should not be drawing down on people and arresting them. If they are about to kill you or someone else, kill them, make sure there are no further threats, then contact the police immediately. Tell them what has happened and stay there! Advise the dispatcher of what you are wearing and try to not have your handgun out and or pointing anywhere near the direction of officers when they show up. Be prepared to have a gun stuck in your ear and handcuffed. Cooperate and don’t be an idiot. You must do what the police tell you and do it quick.
The main thing to remember as an armed citizen, when you strap on your iron, you have a responsibility to not act like an idiot and do your best to avoid situations in which you would need to use your weapon. Situational awareness is far more important than carrying a firearm.
great article and wonderful insight.
i hate to get you in a box of worms but i’ve been discussing with friends the different outlooks that people have with dealing with a “without the rule of law situation”…some think it would be load up your flak jacket and head to the hills with 3,000 rounds of ammo for your various weapons and living off the land…some think its going to be a matter of just being aware and avoiding inflammatory areas and situations.
what do you think?
I go with the latter – without writing another blog article in response, I have never found having a high profile to be an asset.
Thank you for the link, by the way. I had never seen your site before, and it looks very interesting.
The term I heard that describes people like us, is that we are Rams. Sheep with horns.
In my humble opinion, a gun is a tool. The more proficiency the wielder of the tool has, the more likely it is that the outcome is the desired result. That’s why I train every week at the range. In my country, The Netherlands we are under no circumstance allowed to carry concealed weapons.
Where I live guns are not allowed as a rule, an exception is made, on a individual basis just for sport. The result is that most shootings are done by criminals. Every once in a while someone with a permit goes on a shooting spree. (comparison to high school shooting) (use google translate) http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2011/04/09/meerdere-doden-bij-schietpartij-alphen-aan-de-rijn/
I cannot tell you how I would react in such a situation, I think only combat veterans know how they react when under fire. With the current laws in the Netherlands the chances are pretty slim to non-existent that I would find myself in a situation like a school shooting with a loaded weapon. I honestly don’t know if I even would carry concealed if that was ever allowed over here.
You and I are on a lot of the same pages on this issue, I have personally come up with my own self described philosophy of “the Ram” to describe this same situation, wanted to share some of my postings with you on it… Not trying to jump on your blog..feel free to remove the links but I wanted you to have the opportunity to read them…
http://hueysgunsight.blogspot.com/2011/02/which-are-you-sheep-wolf-sheepdogor-ram.html
http://hueysgunsight.blogspot.com/2011/02/active-shooters-and-individual.html
In certain circles its still en vogue to put LTC Grossman’s sheepdog thesis on a pedastal, and for police, military and others it does make sense…however, there are times and places as a civilian when a sheep needs to make a stand for themselves and that does not make them a sheepdog….
I think that if I heard the sound of gunfire from somewhere, I would identify those around me and attempt to get them to a safer place than in the open.
If you’re ever in the DC/VA area, I want to buy you a beer. Well said my friend. I’m re-posting this everywhere. Huge thanks to Ando for showing me.