Situational Awareness...

I've been advocating for several years now for my fellow Patriots out there to arm themselves.  With cold steel.  Simply to even the odds between themselves and any prospective Bad Guys.   

And with the Government's obvious intent to reduce the penalties for serious crimes, thus creating a vacuum into which ever greater and more frequent crimes are being drawn (it's human nature, duh!), the need for self-protection is at an all-time high.  In short, you no longer have a choice.  It's "Dodge City" and you either protect yourselves or be complicit in your own demise.

Sorry, truth hurts.

But to take the necessary measures to prevent your own demise, you need one other arrow in your quiver to help even those substantial odds; situational awareness.

What's that you say, Mr. Chuckmeister?  I was taught the concept of "Situational Awareness" (SA) on Day One of my advanced military intelligence training.  Yes, I know, it's an oxymoron.  But SA's a valuable tool you can use.  To stay alive.  And after all, isn't that really the game we all play?  From the day we're old enough to know better but too young to resist?

Let's start with you, driving along some nice highway, just minding your own business.  And that's major; just minding your own business.  My professional training in psychology taught me that somewhere around 3% of everyone you meet or pass on the freeway of life are "clinically impaired."  That's a fancy term for "non compos mentis."  Not in normal control of their faculties.  Either stoned, or drunk, or pissed off, or a gangbanger with an appetite for your stuff, or didn't get laid last night, or certifiably nuts, they represent a potential threat.  A threat we accept when we get behind the wheel or go for a walk outdoors.  So you must assume that threat as a part of the cost of doing business and take the necessary precautions against your being harmed.  

Rule #1: is you must drive within the limits of the law.  Exception:  I would drive at the speed of traffic, even if slightly above the speed limit.  That prevents any grief from those behind you, who wish to be where you are and will ride your ass until they get there.

Look straight ahead.  Try not to make eye contact.  When you come to an intersection and there's a car ahead of you, leave at least two and preferably three car lengths between you and the car ahead.  Try to occupy either of the outside lanes.  And try to be the last car in a line.  Should anyone attempt a carjacking, you'll have room to escape by turning the wheel a quick left or right, or shifting to "R" and hitting the gas.  And hopefully running over the sumbitch.

And it goes without saying, keep your doors locked.  Should someone approach with a firearm and an order for you to get out, you now know what to do.  

Do not drive in the left lane on the highway except to pass.  When you do, return to another lane ASAP.  You'll prevent anyone from riding your butt, and thus avoid road rage by sidestepping a frequent cause. 

Do not "brake check."  You'll likely infuriate a crazy driver behind you, and you won't know whether he/she/it (California, remember) is crazy or not unless you do so.  Avoid road rage.  Don't do so.  

Rule #2:  When you get to the restaurant request a table near a marked exit.  And sit with a wall or preferably a corner behind you.  Thus eliminating an attack from a blind spot.  Sit where you have a clear sightline to the entrance.  Glance toward it every now and then to survey those who enter.  Should anyone enter and try to cause grief, like shooting up the place, you'll have have already scoped out your exit and be in a position to either run, or fight.

God imbued us with "fight or flight" sensibilities.  Put yourself in a physical position to help you make that decision before-the-face.    

Rule #3:  Which gets me back to concealed firearm carry, which gives you something to fight with.  Just sayin'  28 of our 50 States now permit concealed firearm carry.  And a Bill before the House could provide concealed firearm carriers with reciprocity across all State lines.  Even into deep-Blue states like New Yawk and Oregone and Taxifornia.  Won't that be sweet!  Since data clearly shows that a wide knowledge in an area that firearms are being carried concealed, tends to keep one from violating the law, makes one wonder why those "Blue" States want their citizens to die...

So you know that using a firearm for self-protection is a good idea, the Sheriff of Pasco County, Florida just said the other day that "...criminals better vacate the area now that nearly everyone is armed."*

Trust me, criminals will go where they expect no resistance.  Don't be that guy...

Rule #4:  At the mall or supermarket do the same as above.  Know where the exits are.  In fact, scope out the exits at every business you enter.  Always be hyper-aware of those around you.  Their demeanor.  How they're dressed.  What they're carrying.  How they might use it as a weapon.

Rule #5:  At church sit near the front door and in a pew either far to either the right or left.  Or near the front and close to the side exits.  You'll be able to see anyone entering with evil intent, and be able to attack or escape from behind their peripheral vision.  Or be as far away as possible from any gunfire and able to escape.    

Rule #6:  Double lock your outside doors at home.  Lock your first floor windows.  Remove any ladders or other items a burglar could use to reach upper floors far away from the house.  Install outside motion activated flood lights all around your house.  Install ring cameras with audio capability on your front door and with a view of your back yard. 

And be very, very sure to never answer your front door without knowing who's on the other side.  Ask for identification before you open the door.  Have a peephole installed so you can see.  Or have them call you if you aren't sure.  It's far, far better to be safe instead of sorry. 

Does all of this sound like you're in downtown Baghdad?  Yes, yes it does.  In fact, some parts of Chicago, Baltimore, Portland, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Lost Angeles have higher murder rates than Baghdad.  And you're under a very real and increasing threat.  A threat that your Government could mitigate, could bring under control, but for some strange reason, doesn't.  And it can't be to try and reduce our population because they're steadily importing millions and millions of new illegal mouths for us taxpayers to feed.  

And oh by the way, if you're among those who want to leave your safety to the local police force, be advised that the national 911 response time in our 50 largest cities has been about 14 minutes for more than two decades.  It has skyrocketed over the past couple of years to over 19 minutes today, and over 1 hour in Chicago and Portland and San Franpoopco, etc.  And there's lots of "etc.'s."  That's partly due to the large number of cops who've left the force (562 in NYC in past year!), and partly due to their lack of support from their local politicians.  Police staffing is down over 15% nationwide.  And likely to fall farther... 

And remember, you likely only have 30 seconds to a minute to take decisive, live-saving action in the event a perp makes it inside.  You're standing there with a flashlight, and he's standing there with a pistol.  A stolen pistol, most likely.  There's an old saying, "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away ."

But on my way out the digital door, there is a way to correct all of that, and here it is:

Close the border, tight; stop berating and defunding our cops; punish people for their crimes and put people in jail for the serious ones; and extoll the 2nd Amendment's virtues instead of trying to turn gun owners into Enemies of the People.  

Sorry to keep beating the quite obvious drum here, but I simply had to.  Hope some of this helps.  Take these suggestions for what they're worth.  One or two just might save your lives...