Category: Personal Defense

Over the weekend a man took hostages at a Dallas synagogue. According to the article:

An armed suspect claiming to have bombs in unknown locations took a rabbi and three others hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville before noon Saturday, a source familiar with the situation told ABC News. One hostage was released uninjured at about 5 p.m. local time, Colleyville police said.

The FBI’s Hostage Rescue team did their thing. Rescued hostages and killed the bad guy. So, why did this happen?

While authorities would also not confirm the demands made by the hostage-taker, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News he was demanding the release of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui. DeSarno said the hostage negotiation team was in contact with the suspect throughout the day.

If you are going to a place of worship, there are people who want to kill you. Because they hate your religion, because they hate the people in your church, synagogue, or mosque. Because they want to make a political statement. Because they just want to kill a bunch of people in a group.

Does your place of worship have a security plan and/or team? Are you carrying your weapon if your state allows it? Are you talking with your family and friends about what to do if the fecal matter impacts the turbine?

Don’t know where to start? Contact Ben over at Modern Self Protection. He has materials and done courses on protecting places of worship.

Two recent court cases highlight situations that terrify me.

Let’s start with Kyle Rittenhouse’s case. His was in all respects a clear-cut case of self-defense. I’m not going to debate his decision to be in Kenosha that night. That’s a whole ‘nuther can o’ worms. Suffice to say, it would have taken a lot more to put myself in that area. Here’s the two parts that terrify me: 1) being cut off and surrounded by angry people, and 2) then having my story rocketed to the front of national news because of the media climate at the time. The former because of the tactical situation. The latter because of its downstream impact on my life.

Then let’s take a look at the case of Andrew Coffee IV. This highlights that my fear of the police fucking up and deciding to no-knock my house. Because there have been too many episodes of police mistakes and swatting for me to consider it outside the realm of possibility. As for Mr. Coffee’s particular case, I think McThag summed it up quite well.

Whatever your feelings of how they got into their situations, both of these young men had the right of self-defense. They used that right of self-defense appropriately. And they will pay a price for it.

These are the extremes. You have been warned.

As the Rittenhouse trial goes into jury deliberations, Sean Sorrentino (host of the defunct Gun Blog Variety Cast), posted this question on FB:

One of my friends left a very good comment elsewhere…

“If he had stayed home, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Minding your own business is a critical self-defense skill, yet no one teaches it.”

My question is: “This is good advice for the individual, but is it good advice for society?

I think this is a ramifications of some trends in America:
1. The transition from a high-trust society to a low-trust society
2. The increasing Balkanization among certain segments of the society, particularly the political extremes
3. The loss of influence of traditional institutions that promote mutual aid
4. The muddled definitions of what is expected among upstanding citizens – especially among the men

When we can’t trust strangers because they are outside of our tribe, when we consider those outside the tribe to be dangerous, when we no longer participate in organizations that foster goodwill and charity, and when we don’t have common principles to guide us through demanding times, is it any wonder that it may be preferable to just mind one’s own business?

Instead of with it. John Hurley stepped up and stopped a madman bent on killing police. Unfortunately, he was killed by responding officers who mistook him for the madman. First, let me offer my condolences to his family and friends. Mr. Hurley did a courageous thing, and I hope that offers them some comfort in their grief.

Yet, like many tragedies, this is a good incident to examine for lessons. J. KB over at Gunfreezone has a good examination of the event. I agree that Mr. Hurley should not have picked up the madman’s rifle. Also, making yourself as much a non-threat when the cops roll up is also a good lesson to take to heart.

However, you can still do everything right and end up shot by the cops. You may not know the danger is over and are still scanning for threats. They are rolling into an extreme situation. Adrenaline is pumping on all sides.

Understand that. You can do everything right and still end up dead. That’s another lesson that needs to be learned.

Another in my series of seeing how things change year over year. I tend to carry a lot of stuff. It helps that I wear cargo pants pretty much every day. Here are my previous posts:

2018 post.

2019 post.

2020 post.

Wallet

I use a Saddleback Large Leather wallet.. I keep a Tool Logic Credit Card inside it. It’s not that I use it that much. Mostly, it’s because I’ve had the damn thing for probably twenty-five years, and my wallet feels empty without it.

Keys

My brother picked me up a Lifelong Ring 300 key ring system. I mainly use the main big ring and have all of my keys on the wire key rings. In addition to my keys, I have:

• Kingston 32GB Flash Drive – Because you never know when someone has a file they want to give you
• Gerber Artifact – I’m not sure if Gerber is still selling these, but their Shard would be a good substitute
• Surefire Sidekick – This flashlight is often the most convenient and gets the most work

“Urban Kit”

This is one of a Maxpedition pocket pouch that I stash useful stuff. I keep the following:

• First aid kit – Coleman Mini First Aid Kit– This handles handles minor emergencies, and I like the tin as a container.
• Scissors and tweezers – Because sometimes a knife isn’t the tool for every situation
• Bic disposal lighter – Must Have Fire
• Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter – in case I need to use wired headphones
• Anker lipstick battery – useful recharge for all of my little electronics
• Short lightning cable for phone – Three foot or less, just long enough to use the lipstick battery
• 2 Spare CR123 batteries – Mainly for my flashlights
• Reusable twist ties
• Lightning to micro USB adapter – So I can recharge my lipstick battery and not have to carry a second cable
• Emergency cash – No, I’m not going to say how much

Pocketknife

Most of the time, I carry a Kershaw-Emerson CQC-10 along with a Gerber Dime multi-tool.

For the rare times I’ve had to go into the office, I’m carrying a Leatherman Skeletool. It’s a bit “friendlier” when dealing with coworkers.

Flashlight

Lately, I’ve been carrying the bigger Sreamlight ProTac 750 lumen flashlight. It’s too big to really be a pocket flashlight, so I carry it in the spare magazine holder.

If I have to go into the office, I carry an older Streamlight ProTac.

Pepper Spray

I carry a small Sabre Pepper Spray for when I need something between strong words and deadly force.

Earbuds

Currently, I’m using a pair of Apple AirPods Pro. Expensive, but worth the cost IMHO. I particularly like the “transparent” mode which allows more of the outside sound through.

Phone

I’m using an iPhone XR. I have the 256 GB model because I cram it with audiobooks. Lots of audiobooks. I use a simple case that has the texture of a MagPul P-MAG.

Watch

I’m using a 44mm Series 5 Apple Watch. I like the always on feature.

Pen

For the day job, I carry a Smith and Wesson M&P tactical pen.

Otherwise, I carry a CRKT tactical pen.

Sidearm

Unless I’m going to someplace I’m not legally allowed to carry, I generally have my Smith and Wesson M&P9 (First Gen) equipped with a Streamlight TLR-1 and Trijicon night sights. I keep it and the spare magazine loaded with 124-grain Speer Gold Dots (since that’s what the local cops use). I’ve switched to using a Bravo Concealment kydex IWB holster after the leather on my hybrid started folding over and preventing good holstering. I’m using a BladeTech kydex magazine holder for the spare magazine and the flashlight.