On Mr. Jake Mace — Kung Fu and Tai Chi Master, and Idiot

Anybody out there ever hear of a Mr. Jake Mace, of Phoenix Longevity Arts?

I recently ran across his YouTube channel, and as a practitioner of martial arts I found myself enjoying his take on techniques I know (usually by a different name) and learning a few new things, too.

Unfortunately, he has an "opinion about guns", too.

No, he's not strictly "anti-gun", per se. He's... well...

I'll just let him say it:


My attempt at a transcript (bold emphasis in original)*:

Hey, everybody, it's Jake Mace, with JakeMace.com.

During meditation, my unconscious mind and the universe send me thoughts sometimes, and I wanted to share with you guys one of these thoughts today.

I live in the U.S.A. and a lot of people around me — friends, and family members — they own guns, and they use guns. A lot of them have guns, but they don't use guns; they just feel safe having a gun in the house protecting them — "protecting them".

And the way that I've always thought about guns, comes from the path of a martial artist, Chinese kung fu and tai chi guy, who thinks about guns like he thinks about any other weapon in the martial arts.

And so when I have brand new students join my program, they first learn empty-hand skills, of some grappling and some striking, some fitness, conditioning, breathing, meditation, and stance work.

And then once they have that down they go on to the bo staff. The bo staff is the first weapon that they learn how to use, and you guys have been getting our bo staff DVD and bo staff from JakeMace.com.

Once they learn the bo staff they go on to many other weapons in a proper order: nunchucks, short stick, then they go on to the broad sword, sometimes they go on to daggers, chain whip, and the highest state of weapon is the straight sword, called the jian. The Chinese martial artist values the straight sword as the elite of the elite in terms of weapons.

And in my opinion the reason why this is is because back in ancient China, of all the modern-day weapons that were available to the ancient warrior, the straight sword was the most advanced form of weaponry of the time.

I've been to the Bing Ma Yong, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, China, and you can see that China was the first ones to bronze and chrome out their weapons, so that when they would go against an opposing army it was no contest! The chromed out steel weapon or bronze weapon is infinitely stronger and more modern, and therefore better at killing, than a futile weapon of the other countries at that time.

But China has a tumultuous past, and many of those ancient warriors died out through the ages, through the millennia. And so in today's world, guns and bombs are the most advanced form of human weaponry.

And so it blows my mind when a lot of human beings, especially in my social circle in America here, have guns, because guns should be valued as a weapon that is more advanced than even straight sword. And so I feel that if you're going to own a gun, and use a gun in life, you should have to earn your keep by learning bo staff, nunchucks, stick, dagger, broad sword, chain whip, sai, etc., etc., on up the chain, and prove your worth to get to the gun level.

And the reason why this is important is because when you are able to buy the most elite weapon just because you give somebody money, and you now own a killing tool right in front of you, you don't have any of the discipline, and the focus, and the training, that goes behind the responsibility of owning a killing tool of that magnitude.

So I'm curious right now, what do you guys think? In the comments down below, tell me your thoughts. Do you think that anybody should be able to get a gun, the "most modern form of killing" in today's age? Or should a gun owner have to prove themselves with horse stance, empty-hand fighting, grappling, stick fighting, bo staff fighting, chain whip, dagger, and on up the chain, and then, when they're a 5th Black Master of whatever style that they're studying, they have a ceremony, bow to the teacher, and the teacher presents them a certificate of mastery, with a gun on top. Because now you have the focus, training, determination, and responsibility that goes behind owning the gun.

Because if you guys are like me, the more skillful the martial artist that you meet, the better the fighter that you meet, the martial artist with more deadliness in their hands and more training in their experience, is usually the most responsible with that training possible.

I can't tell you how many gun owners are so proud of their guns, they want to show them off to all their friends all the time. Well, I'll tell you what: a martial arts master doesn't go into their friend's situation, into a social situation, and show of all their punches and kicks and throws and grappling, OK? They're humble about it, and they keep their killing abilities safe and humble on the inside. I think gun owners should do the same thing.

So tell me in the comments down below what you guys think. I really want to know what you guys think. Hit 'Like', subscribe to my channel, and get yourself the training, because as martial artists, we have to prove ourselves on up the chain, from empty-hand, weapon, to ultimate killing tool, because if we don't train, we won't have the responsibility and the focus needed to handle a weapon of that magnitude.

Thanks for watching guys. I can't wait to see you back here for our next video, and also on any of my social media, like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

In short, he's OK with you having a gun for self-defense, but only after you've also trained for a couple decades in empty-handed defense and a plethora of traditional martial arts weapons (bo staff, nunchaku, three-section staff, butterfly sword, broadsword, chain whip, straight sword) to develop your focus, discipline, and humility** the exact same way he has. Then, and only then, would he "allow" you to own a gun.

Needless to say, anyone older or more frail, or who doesn't have time or money to devote several hours of every day — for several years — to training (read: anyone with school, a job, life, or family), need not even apply. The Carol Bownes of the world, who need a means of self-defense right now, are equally on their own.

In his mind, the prerequisites of gun ownership — focus, discipline, and humility — can only be learned via martial arts. So if you instead chose to spend your child- and young-adulthood in school and college and earned an advanced degree in a STEM discipline, learning skills like logic, advanced mathematics, critical thinking, analytics, etc., you still don't have the focus or discipline to own a gun. Nope, you don't know kung fu, so even though your life's work keeps his lights on, keeps his car running, and — oh, yeah — keeps the spectacle of the Internet alive so that he can continue posting videos ... you aren't worthy of owning a tool to defend your life.

There's a word for this mindset: elitist.

It's a basic "might makes right" mentality. If you don't already have the might, you never will.

What's interesting to me is not only how devoted he is to elitism and "might makes right", but also how far off he is from the very principles of kung fu he professes to teach. Taking kung fu as a tangible skill, it is very much like a gun: a smaller, less-physically-strong defender can prevail over a larger attacker, or even several attackers. Often, just the difference in carriage — the confidence and posture with which the intended victim moves — is enough to deter an attack even before it starts. The defender doesn't even need to be a "master"; in many cases, mere proficiency is good enough.

I did leave a comment or two on that video (hey, he asked for it, didn't he?). However, YouTube's comment filter being what it is — a giant ball of mystery fail to anyone outside YouTube Corporate HQ — you cannot view my comments unless you are logged into YouTube or Google as me. Therefore, here are the screenshots for posterity (click to embiggen):

If you feel like leaving your own, maybe you'll have better luck getting through YouTube's insanely stupid filter.

Or, you can not feed the troll. That's OK, too. :)

Stay safe, and don't give your money to charlatans pretending to be experts.
------------
* - Wow. Writing out that transcript and putting [strong] tags on his emphasized points makes him sound even more off-base than I originally thought, and that's saying something.
** - We won't even get into how "humble" a person could be, when they make their living showing off on YouTube.

Suspected Serial Killer Gets Ultimate Reward from Potential Victim

Saw this on one of the local news broadcasts last night:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Police are investigating whether there are other victims of an Oregon man killed after he attacked a woman in West Virginia.

The attacker met the woman online on the website Backpage.com. Police say he beat and choked her on Saturday at a home in Charleston. She grabbed his handgun after he laid the weapon down and shot him once, killing him.

Huh. I guess nobody told her to "Just give them what they want and they'll let you go", or that "A gun will just be taken from you and used against you".

Moving on in the same story:

Police say investigators found several axes, a shovel, bleach, handcuffs, knives, a machete and other items in [**SUSPECT**]'s vehicle.

Well, now… It would seem that "just give them what they want" doesn't work out so well when "what they want" is to kill you and remove all evidence.

But, it gets better:

LAS VEGAS -- An Oregon man shot to death while he was attacking a woman last week is now being investigated for several murders in Nevada, according to a Huffington Post report.

Investigators are also working to find out whether he is linked to other unsolved crimes, including four recent murders and two disappearances in Chillicothe, Ohio.

[…]

In an interview exclusive to Huffington Post crime reporter David Lohr, a Charleston police lieutenant says [**SUSPECT**] could be connected to unsolved murders in the Las Vegas area, including those of three women who were found dismembered. [links in original]

And the best part:

His killing has been ruled justifiable homicide.

In a perfect world, based on the information available, his killing would have been ruled a public service. But I suppose this will suffice.

Stay safe.

Quote of the Day — Lynne Russell (July 6, 2015)

Lynne Russell (right) and husband Chuck de Caro.
[source: Mediaite]

Former CNN anchor Lynne Russell, as quoted at Mediaite:

If you don't want to carry, please don't. Then, shut the f—k up about it. Make your own decisions.

Background at the link.

I have nothing else to add.

Stay safe.

[Hat tip: Ilana Mercer, writing at The Zelman Partisans, updating her original coverage of this story here.]

Defending the Home On the Range

"For the female of the species is more deadly than the male."

                          Rudyard Kipling

     Brigid, of the Home on the Range blog, is a renaissance woman. Her curriculum vitae includes wife, mother, military officer, jet pilot, dog lover, hunter, best selling author, shooter, Gumby fan, real science Doctor, Secret Squirrel, home renovator, gourmet cook, bacon aficionada, and... redhead. <shudder> 

     She can go from waxing eloquently about hand soap scented with <two seconds of guy static> to discussing handguns suitable for shooting off an attacker in contact. All with thoughtful reasoning, intelligence, experience, veracity and clarity. 

     So, when she writes about Self Defense in the Home, it's something that needs to be read Right Damn Now. Go there. Now.

     Highly Recommended.  

The New Tactical Reality - Michael Bane

Michael Bane has long been a noted thinker, nae - a philosopher, in the field of self-defense. He stands out in an discipline dominated by the "Shoot 'em - with cool moves and cool stuff" crowd." When he opines about a new form of terrorism and it's impact on an individual's self-protection needs, you best listen - hard.  

Michael Bane
(Outdoor Channel)

The Paris jihadi attacks illustrate a new phase in the war against Western Civilization. The extremists have learned to democratize terror: now, anyone can be a terrorist, and everyone can be a victim. As those at the French magazine, supermarket and print shop found, the new face of terrorism can appear at any place, at any moment, in any guise. You best be ready. A damn good first step would be to read Bane's blogpost: 

The New Tactical Reality

Then, hit the Stratfor, Rand and Gabe Suarez links he provides. 
 
You should note the resemblance of the new jihadi tactics to the Alinsky-tinged ones being employed by the Hands Up - Don't Shoot activists. Food for thought - and worry.  

HT: saysuncle.com

Storm Signs: Ferguson

(flicker.com)

I’ve done some blue water sailing. Years ago, I was off Baja California savoring my morning instant coffee, when I noted a long, oily swell hiding beneath the calm Pacific. It was coming from the NNW, down from the Arctic seas, running crosswise to the normal westerly wind chop. Throughout the beautiful Mexican day that swell built. The next day, the blue sky above was filled with wispy white cirrostratus, bent and torn by the winds clashing miles overhead. By nightfall, the intruding swell was quite apparent. The third day dawned an angry, sullen red.

(theatlantic.com)

The crew had been pushing the boat hard for several days, heeding the storm signs. Late on the third day, our boat blew into San Diego Harbor, just hours ahead of the wicked, fast moving Alaskan storm. We hung off the quarantine buoy, safe and warm and dry; as gale force winds thundered and that now mountainous swell pounded the California coast.

I fear that experience is a good analogy for Ferguson.

This last week was a pivotal one for Ferguson. The leaked official autopsy report largely supported Officer Darren Wilson’s version of what happened that August afternoon. Seven or eight independent witnesses are also said to have agreed with the policeman. It now appears that Michael Brown was first shot within the police car, ran away, turned, then was shot again and killed rushing Wilson. It was found Brown had consumed a significant amount of marijuana in the hour before his death, likely to the detriment of his judgement. From a neutral perspective, it now looks like Michael Brown was the aggressor and Officer Wilson acted in lawful self-defense.

Al Sharpton
(Business Insider)

Tensions have not diminished; the new facts seem to have only escalated them. Unfortunately, Ferguson hasn’t been about Michael Brown for a long time, if ever. This situation is in the hands of activists and the agitators, anarchists, angry, disaffected, bored, violent, or just plain crazy. Add to the mix the professional racialists in their five thousand dollar suits, other looters and opportunists, pandering politicians, and the media, greedy for controversy, eyeballs and ad revenue.  All these have created a situation primed to explode. Any opportunity could serve, or it could be the expected mid-November release of the Grand Jury findings.    

(slate.com)

There are far too many desiring the burning, the violence, and the destruction of order. The racialist, politicians and media continue to agitate. My wife tells me of the brittle peace holding the various St Louis factions apart. The hunger for destruction is not limited to the St Louis area, nor to any race. Strata of disaffection exist throughout the United States. I feel the same tensions here in Los Angeles/ Long Beach: the posturing on the street corners, the micro-aggressions on the roadway, the aggressive surliness of some in the stores. There seems to be a swell of discontent everywhere.

(girlsjustwannahaveguns.com)

There are storm signs aplenty. We have been warned.

It’s time to prepare, to look to you and your’s safety. I’ll readily acknowledge that things are not perfect and there are many areas still to be improved. However, if someone expects me to pay with my life or the lives of my loved ones for their perceived slights, for something I have not done -- we will have words.  

I’m imploring our readers to:

•  Lock your car and home doors
•  Keep a full tank of gas in all your vehicles
•  Avoid areas or events where large groups of youths gather 
• Pay attention: to news radio, social media, sirens, helicopters, smoke
•  Keep your head on a swivel
•  Have three days’ worth of supplies on hand. Once you have that, add four more days. When you have a week’s worth of supplies where you can live without going outside your locked doors, add another week. Then another.
•  And look to your personal protection. The 2^nd Amendment was written with these times in mind. Fortunately ammo, magazines, and training are currently readily available and for a good price. I can personally attest to the calming influence of a full magazine as the world burns around you.

(usbacklash.org)

Best of luck – I fear we will all need it.

Other links of interest:

http://www.prageruniversity.com/Political-Science/Who-Are-the-Racists-Conservatives-or-Liberals.html#.VEVIyPl4qUQ

http://chrishernandezauthor.com/2014/08/24/a-dose-of-reality-for-ferguson-missouri/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-kass-met-0822-20140822-column.html

A Monster Fisking

You keep using the term, but last time I checked “wishful thinking” and “emotionally laden nonsense” weren’t synonyms with “common sense”.
        Larry Correia, Fascist Cisgender Normative Male and Author

 

Larry Correia
International Lord of Hate
and Combat Accountant

Larry Correia writes some of the most violent, blood-soaked, bullet and explosive laden, misogynistic, unapologeticly cisnormative, non-vegan, best selling and downright fun fantasies around. You'll find his Grimnoir, Monster Hunter International and Dead Six series perennially perched in the best seller lists. They're diverting, oft bloody romps, with encompassing world builds, surprising characters, and fast paced plots. The author is known for his creativity, wicked sense of humor, weapons-grade sarcasm, sheer inability to suffer fools gladly, and what is assumed to be an epochal case of the 'roids.

Some paper's Social Justice Warriors got all butthurt when a feminist cancelled her appearance because the Utah State University couldn't cancel the audience's 2nd Amendment Rights. The Deseret News editorial staff saw fit to publish an emotional, cliche riddled, bitterly anti-CCW editorial. Unfortunately for them, they happened to be Larry Correia's local paper. This caused Larry to put down his side of beef, gird up his keyboard, and carpet bomb some logic and facts all over their sloping foreheads. In a deliberate, brutal, line by line Fisking, Correia knifes through the feldercarb to cut away the misrepresentations and unicorn-based assumptions of the unsigned editorial.

Fisk me, baby!

The Deseret News' own summary of the editorial: "It’s time Utah law stood up for safety, not the empowerment of bullies" gives just a hint at the over-emotional fear and fuzzy thinking it contained. Larry not only makes short work of the editorial's overheated verbiage, but he provides a damn good basis for the necessity of concealed carry. He also provides a link to his seminal work supporting gun rights that he wrote shortly after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Both of his posts are HIGHLY recommended.

It should be noted that Correia writes fantasies that some see as excessively violent. In reality, they're simply entertainment. The blood splattered across his books is ephemeral, existing only in the imagination. On the gripping hand, the editorialists advocate for laws that disarm the law-abiding populace, leaving them helpless before the true threat.

The blood that can flow then is very, very real.

HT: Miggy of GunFreeZone.com

Shoot the Heaviest Rifle Round… and Then Shoot It Again

Always good to get first-hand reports and get back to first principles. An EMT, trauma tech and combat medic who's seen hundreds of gunshot wounds (371) passes on his observations. To wit, there's no such thing as a Hollywood one-shot pistol stop. And bigger IS better. 

Combat Medic’s Advice: “Shoot the heaviest rifle round…shoot at what (you) can hit, and then shoot it again”

Fascinating and sobering reading. Recommended for those that might have to employ a firearm in defense of loved ones or themselves.

Wisdom attributed to Clint Smith: "All Handguns Suck - Some Suck Less Than Others."

HT: The Truth About Guns

Massad Ayoob's 10 Must Read CCW Articles

Seems like there's been a recent spate of news articles pointing out why concealed carry is a damn good idea - and is becoming an even better one all the time. Thanks to Gun Digest, 10 of Massad Ayoob's best, most informative concealed carry articles have been collected in one place:

10 Concealed Carry Articles by Massad Ayoob You MUST Read

Massad Ayoob by Tamara Keel
(All Rights Reserved or She'll Keel You)

Home Invader Forces Woman Onto Her Roof

Woman Escapes to Roof Fleeing Home Invader
(Alexandria Thompson - Venice311@twitter.com)

In a situation that could have very quickly gotten much worse, actress Melora Rivera retreated onto to the roof of her Venice Beach, CA home to avoid an intruder. Holding only a cell phone, Ms Rivera's last refuge was a gable's slight overhang. She was fleeing from Christian Hicks, who broke down a door and pursued her through the house to the roof. At one point, Hicks got within 10 to 15 feet of the terrified woman. Hicks is known to area residents and the police, and is thought to be a mentally ill transient.

Woman Evades Mentally Ill Home Intruder By Hiding Half-Naked On Roof

Hicks was detained earlier in the day for breaking into a yard, but was released by the cops. It was fortunately for Rivera that the police were able to respond in only about 2 minutes to the trendy Venice Beach address. Hicks was in custody approximately 30 minutes after the incident's start. From photos, Hicks is a large, athletically built man, and even unarmed, certainly posed a serious threat to the petite Rivera.   

A question to the Mad Moms: do you still demand that this woman, and millions like her, be disarmed in the face of an immediate, overwhelming threat? Ms Rivera is lucky to live in a well-to-do, well policed area like Venice Beach and to have survived this assault. 

Many women aren't that lucky.  

HT: Fox News

Cold Cuts: Meat Market Robber Stopped Cold

Gotta love Bob Owens: sometimes his stuff causes you to think "Did I really read that?"

Houston Meat Market Robbery Thwarted By Global Warming, Bullets, But Mostly Bullets

"When the teen-aged clerk didn’t move fast enough for the criminal and the robber fired at her, manager J.L. Nickel gave the robber several reasons to reconsider his profession, including one to the back of the head."

"Surprisingly, the robber not only fled the restaurant after being shot, but successfully escaped."
       Bob Owens, bearingarms.com

The market hadn't been robbed in 60 years - then it was. There's an important lesson there... somewhere... I suspect ol' J.L. learned it long ago. 

J.L. Nickel, Manager (Houston Channel 2)

ISIS Plot to Behead Unarmed Australians

Australian counterterrorism forces detained 15 people Thursday in a series of suburban raids after receiving intelligence that the Islamic State militant group was planning public beheadings in two Australian cities to demonstrate its reach.
   Fox News

Australia raids foil reported ISIS beheading plots

With ISIS arrests, Australians wishing they had guns

Australia, ISIS And The Role Of Guns

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
(gunsnfreedom.com)

A not so gentle reminded that civilian arms have a place in every society. You cannot know when or where the threats will come from. Or from whom: many of those accused in the beheading plot were fellow Australian citizens, radicalized by the ISIS cause.   

Legal Question: Shooting in Defense of Pets?

There's some interesting discussion going on over at Gun Nuts Media, on the topic of whether armed deadly force is appropriate in defense of pets, specifically dogs. Caleb posits a hypothetical:

Source: Gun Nuts Media

[L]et’s say you’re out walking your dog. Someone shouts "if you bring that pit bull* near me I’m going to stab it." You, being a smart person, move in the opposite direction of the shouter. Then you come round a corner, and there he is. He attacks your dog with a knife, stabbing it.... Could you in that situation reasonably articulate that you were in fear for your life?

I know my blog-partner Charlie Foxtrot keeps German Shepard Dogs, and my family will likely also adopt a dog (probably a GSD as well) by the end of the year. As such, I would really like to get a legal opinion on this.

Any attorneys in the audience, please sound off in the comments (non-attorneys are welcome to chime in, too). As a disclaimer: I'm only asking for an off-the-cuff opinion, not "legal advice"; I promise I won't hold you to it.

(Hat tip: Sebastian at Shall Not Be Questioned)

------------
* - As an aside, this isn't just about pit bulls; you'd be surprised how many normal people wouldn't recognize a pit bull breed if it bit them on the @$$, literally.**
** - On that note, would it be fair to say that pit bulls are the "assault weapons" of the dog world? I mean, why does anybody need such a "dangerous" dog breed, with "no legitimate companionship purpose"? Just sayin'.

Mob Attacks 3 in Kroger Parking Lot

A  mob of 20-50 youths (reported elsewhere as upwards of 100-120) randomly attacked a Kroger shopper and two Kroger employees who came to his aid. Cell phone video showed one employee being repeatedly kicked the head. The mob was shouting "Fam Mob" (a local street gang) and apparently chose their victims based on race. One witness described the attack as being a game; the "Point 'em out - Knock 'em out" game. A felonious "game" that has already turned deadly. 

There have been no arrests to date. Fortunately, the three victims are recovering. Given the number of assailants and the viciousness of the attacks, it could have been much, much worse. However, there is absolutely no guarantee the next "game" won't result in a greater tragedy.

Update: A 15 year old thought to be the assailant in bright green stomping and kicking the store employee's head has been arrested.


Mad  Moms, tell us again why we should be disarmed while shopping at Kroger.

A little advice: you need to avoid urban malls, parks, concerts, sporting events and other places large groups of youths gather. Keep your head on a swivel -- It's getting more dangerous out there.

HT: WREG News Channel 3 and WMC-TV 5

Note: YouTube has removed the original unedited video of the attack first used in this post.  A screen explains the "The video has been removed as a violation of YouTube's policy of prohibiting content designed to harass, bully, or threaten." This is a highly questionable excuse, as the video only shows the actual attack with unrestrained comments from the cell phone operator. Why this censorship? One is left wondering if this video is too revealing for YouTube and their owner Google's political sensitivities. 

I've replaced the original clip with another one. However, given Google/YouTube's past actions, it might also disappear. 

BREAKING: Dangerous Decision from the California Supreme Court

This appeared in my e-mail. From the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, "Disturbing California Supreme Court Decision":



(source)

Just last month, the California Supreme Court issued an opinion that could cause serious problems for anyone who might find themselves involved in an incident where criminal charges are a possibility. [...]  

This particular case revolved around a negligent vehicular homicide charge. However, the ruling has serious implications for every citizen, especially those of us who carry, because in “California v. Richard Tom” (08/14/2014), the court has essentially turned the Fifth Amendment on its head.

The full decision document can be found here (PDF warning).

IANAL, but scanning through the decision, it quotes heavily from prior cases (not surprising in itself), but one U.S. Supreme Court case in particular stands out: Salinas v. Texas (2013), which found that before the reading of Miranda rights, if the person being questioned wants to invoke his/her Fifth Amendment rights, he/she must clearly and unambiguously say so. Simply "clamming up" can and will be used against him/her, sometimes just as effectively as saying too much.

Now, given the extent that this case relies on U.S. Supreme Court precedent, I think it's highly unlikely it will prevail on appeal, if it even is appealed, but that's pure speculation on my part.

Where the rubber meets the road, though, is this: "Sure, it's a crappy decision, but so was Salinas. What's it mean for us in the real world?"

Here's my take (worth every penny you're paying for it): In "Verdict in Detroit 'Front Porch' Shooting", I gave four pieces of personal advice (not to be confused with "legal advice"; consult a qualified defense attorney for that) if you're involved in a lethal-force encounter, including this:

Don't talk to the police. At least, don't talk to the responding police until after you've had a chance to talk with your attorney. Be polite, cooperate, but don't make statements; they can and will be used against you -- just like the Miranda rights say, whether or not the police have read them to you -- so don't give them an opening. Just say, "I will cooperate, and I'm more than willing to provide a statement, but I'm still frazzled and I'd like to wait until I can calm down and consult with my attorney." They'll want an immediate statement, but there's no law compelling you to provide one. Better to wait until you've had a chance to process the events, to compose yourself, and to discuss with competent defense counsel what you should say.

With this new decision in California v. Richard Tom, plus the previous one in Salinas v. Texas, the act of clearly and unambiguously stating that you're invoking your right to remain silent (for now) is more important than ever. They're going by a "reasonable police officer" test (from Davis v. United States [1994], if you're interested) -- presumably sort of a "reasonable man" test, applicable to police officers -- so make sure your statement to remain silent until counsel is present would be clear to a "reasonable cop".

Also, because the case rose out of the fact that Richard Tom didn't ask about the condition of the people in the other car, which became part of the prosecution's "consciousness of guilt" argument, it wouldn't hurt to follow up your statement by asking how the other party is doing.

Michael Brown/ Ferguson MO Riot 2.0

Instructive dynamic: MO State Police adopt a nonconfrontational stance to great media and political acclaim, ...aaaaand, wait for it...  After day's calm, a storm erupts overnight in Ferguson

StL Post-Dispatch

'There are no police': Ferguson store owners guard businesses; cite lack of police response

Police presence in question during overnight looting in Ferguson

Ferguson police stand down; Looters run wild again; Local store owners plead for help: ‘Where the cops at?'

Weak police response in Ferguson confirms necessity of self-defense, gun ownership

Armed citizens defend Sam’s Meat Market in Ferguson

StL Post-Dispatch

HT: Fox News, StL Post Dispatch, Twitchy.com

This is an object lesson: law-abiding citizens can and will be sold down the river for political correctness and the politicians' personal gain. You have to be strong, capable and take responsibility for your own safety at all times.   

Ruminations on Riots

I’ve lived through two - two and a half riots. I was just a spud during LA’s Watts Riots. I barely remember my grandparents suddenly appearing in our backyard and everyone staring at a thick tree-trunk of smoke in the sky. I wondered why my Grandmother sobbed, not understanding that their house was only a few miles from the flames. I also remember my Father putting a target pistol in the car on our way to church. 

Twenty seven years later, I stood in my own yard, staring at three solid walls of smoke surrounding my newly purchased house. I had helped guide some company employees out of downtown Long Beach, pulled my girlfriend out of her trendy, but sketchy, apartment, then came home to stare at the encroaching smoke with an equally black pit in my stomach. 

I remember it was eerily quiet – no one was on the road. Civilization had abandoned us; most everyone, including the cops, crouched inside their stucco huts. The only sounds were occasional sirens – and gunshots. Lots of gunshots.

I had never felt so alone, so utterly exposed. Fires raged less than a city block away, but there were no firemen, no cops, no National Guard. Just me. Stupid me. I didn’t know any neighbors; but I did have a few firearms. However, they were better suited for busting clays or bunny-rats. I didn’t even have enough ammo to fill the few magazines of my wildly inaccurate Mini-14. If push came to shove, I was going to get it sideways. 

Fortunately, the Rodney King Riots ended after three - four days; too late for 53 people. The cops reappeared in a rush when a copter’s searchlight pinned a car to the curb near the head of our street. Cruisers and HMVs came out of nowhere and the six young male occupants were quickly cuffed and stuffed. The cops took at least two long guns into evidence and then vanished again. However, the smoke walls were losing their solidity and eventually vanished, too. The smell of smoke took a very long time go away.   

Now, twenty-two years later, I’m living through another riot – virtually. The GF – 'scuse me, The wife – is in St Louis, while I’m in LA. Thankfully, so far at least, the Michael Brown Riot isn’t anywhere near as vicious as the Watts or Rodney King riots. However, the locals are very aware of the tensions that course beneath the city. 

Again, I’m helpless – unable to protect the one I love. However, she lives in a neighborhood of deer hunters, has her Cowboy Action Shooting guns, and we moved some of my mil-surps with her. (Parlez-vous Mosin? SKS? Sardine cans?) The neighbors have organized for protection and truly appreciate my wife’s contributions (not without a raised eyebrow or two.) She's as safe as anyone can be in St Louis.  

I’m left 2600 miles away to ruminate on riots.

It can get ugly when civilization’s leash is slipped. No one is truly safe; cars can deliver the insanity anywhere. TV, Twitter, Facebook, whatever, can excite the unstable far away. Your putative protectors may go missing; overwhelmed or simply busy defending their own. And it can all happen in a heartbeat: you’re there with yourself and what you’ve got. Ready?

When the smoke suddenly engulfs you, you might have to fight very hard to stay alive. A mob is a heartless, cruel beast. One of the firearms that our Dear Leader is so desperately trying to eliminate is uniquely suited for self-defense in a riot. Light, handy, capable, accurate, easy to shoot, limited penetration, with a large magazine capacity: carbines like the AR-15 just might be the best choice available. Our readers need to have something to resist the anarchy.

Although mindless, the mob can be reasoned with. Pointing intimidating pieces of hardware at it seems particularly effective. Stories abound of home and shop owners facing down rioters with their SKS, AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. Often, the mob turns tail without the need to fire a shot: a Win-Win. Some of their neighbors, without such communication tools, died.

There are predictions of increasing social disruptions and riots, with all the ongoing demographic shifts, racialist expectations, employment participation rates, and the overarching economic problems. The possibility of a political shift with the Nov 14 elections is upsetting to some elements. It seems prudent to look at your particular situation and prepare. 

Several interesting webpages:

Social Unrest
Prepare for a Riot
Preparing & Reacting To Riots 

Best advice: Don't Be There. If You Are, Be Strong.  
 
The possibility of having to face rioters alone, however remote (if you are lucky) is just one of a host of excellent reason to fight for all of your Second Amendment rights - without compromise.      

Verdict in Detroit "Front Porch" Shooting

Gun news has been fairly slow this week, so I've been following the Israel/Gaza conflict and the trial of Theodore Wafer, a Detroit homeowner charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Renisha McBride.

Andrew Branca, a Massachusetts defense attorney who runs the Law of Self Defense blog, has been providing coverage as best he can (the judge forbid live streaming of the trial, so news has been coming out via Twitter) in his column over at Legal Insurrection.

Well, yesterday, the jury returned a verdict:

Defendant Theodore Wafer

Theodore Wafer has been found guilty of Second Degree Murder/Voluntary Manslaughter and weapons charges 

The jury has returned a verdict of guilty of second degree murder/voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges in the trial of Detroit homeowner Theodore Wafer for the front porch shooting death of Renisha McBride in the early morning hours of November 2, 2013.  Trial Judge Hathaway has ordered Wafer imprisoned immediately, pending sentencing.

(You can see the day-to-day coverage/commentary here, if you're interested, but it's quite a bit of reading.)

There are a number of take-away lessons from this, but here are the big ones that stick in my mind:

1. Obey the rules of gun safety.  This should really go without saying, but Wafer's initial statements to the police indicated he had shot McBride by "accident."  This damaged his claim of self-defense because self-defense is an inherently deliberate act.  His defense team -- led by Cheryl Carpenter -- tried to portray the statement as the layman's use of the word "accident" (i.e. unintentional, reflexive) -- as opposed to the legal definition (e.g. unforeseeable, unpreventable) -- but if his finger hadn't been on the trigger, it's highly unlikely the gun would have "gone off" in the first place.
2. Know the condition of your defensive firearms at all times.  Related to the first (and yes, "all guns are loaded," and all that), if you're keeping firearms for self-defense, it would greatly benefit you to know for certain whether or not it's loaded, whether or not there's a round in the chamber, and whether any safeties are on or off.  Another statement he made was that he didn't know there was a round in the chamber (he did know it was loaded), which further damaged his self-defense credibility.
3. Don't open the door.  Another weakness in his self-defense claim was that, when he heard McBride pounding on the locked screen door at ~4:30 a.m., he went to investigate, but made the mistake of opening the steel front door.  Michigan law includes the front porch as part of the home for self-defense purposes, but if you're afraid for your life in the event of a home invasion, why would you open the door?  Haven't we seen enough crime and horror movies to know that never ends well?  (OK, that last was tongue-in-cheek, but still....)
4. Don't talk to the police.  At least, don't talk to the responding police until after you've had a chance to talk with your attorney.  Be polite, cooperate, but don't make statements; they can and will be used against you -- just like the Miranda rights say, whether or not the police have read them to you -- so don't give them an opening.  Just say, "I will cooperate, and I'm more than willing to provide a statement, but I'm still frazzled and I'd like to wait until I can calm down and consult with my attorney."  They'll want an immediate statement, but there's no law compelling you to provide one.  Better to wait until you've had a chance to process the events, to compose yourself, and to discuss with competent defense counsel what you should say.

Now, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, so this list should not be considered legal advice.  However, most of these are offered elsewhere, consistently, by professional self-defense instructors and attorneys, and when you think about it, they're pretty reasonable and (dare I say it?) "common-sense."  It's also a good idea to understand the laws of your state regarding self- and home-defense, but that, along with item #1 above, should go without saying.

Benjamin Franklin. Smart guy.
(image source: Wikipedia)

The long and short is, if you're going to keep firearms for self- or home-defense, it's beneficial to have a plan for using them ahead of time, before they're needed.  Cover all your bases, and revise it as you learn more.  What will you do?  What will you say to responding police?  Any plan will likely go right out the window if/when the unthinkable happens, but it's better to have a plan -- any plan -- than to try to wing it in a life-or-death situation.  Start thinking about that now.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." -- Benjamin Franklin

So, what will you do?