" Cultivate a Warrior Mindset "

[JHC]

Last point, before heading off to Ellijay.

Why the focus on "the men." I know a number of families, where it is the female that has that spark, and the male is indifferent. You know, that mama grizzly thing. While ideally mom and dad would get with the plan, I would take just a mom any day, especially since they are often with the family members that need protecting most.

Absolutely. I have a co-worker who is the momma grizzly in her family. Helped her buy and get set up with a 4" Model 10 a few years ago and she is the fam's security plan. Gets the call when there's a snake found etc.

[SamAdams]

@GJM - its interesting that you bring up terminology, particularly the word 'warrior'.
Back in the 1980s when Japan was kicking butt economically, there was a heightened interest in their history & culture. All sorts of books, articles, movies etc were out there that featured seemingly everything from 'Warrior Execs' to 'Samurai Moms'. It went a bit overboard.

I was in the military, but have been out for years. I don't get a paycheck for taking on people physically. In the context we are talking about here, IMO the elements include situational awareness & thinking tactically and strategically ( Examples: "If this happened now in this particular setting, how would I respond ?" and " In general, how would I respond to an active shooting in a public space ? How could this impact me & my family physically, emotionally, financially, etc ?) There's also elements of acting decisively and with full commitment, of taking the fight to them rather than just semi-passively reacting to their initiatives.
'Warrior' is just a word - a short hand for wrapping many concepts - but people can have all sorts of emotional reactions to it. That includes me. Actually, I don't recall using the term in this sense at any time except in this thread. Hmmmmm

And just to give a little more background on the initial post, over 10 years I think I have probably not passed on more than three articles detailing violent crimes. The other couple of articles were of the type "Old Lady Scares Off Home Invaders with Her Shotgun". Bombarding people with gory stories isnt my style or very productive. People have made very good points regarding this on the thread.

[Shumba]

I had the opprutonity to go to quite a few speeches from people like Col Grossman

The Corps made great strides on the warrior mindset under General Chuck Krulak and it continues today with General Dunford.
Army General McMaster's works are on the current USMC leadership reading list.

[HCountyGuy]

I agree 100%. It's also worth mentioning that, as much as we gun people ignore it, violence is a thoroughly toxic and corrosive influence on the human psyche. PTSD is a real thing. People who are exposed to violence - and especially people who live lives of violence - are usually not changed for the better. I carry a pistol and am willing to use it in self defense, but only because I have been, in some sense, traumatized by some of the things I have experienced in my life. I would undoubtedly be much happier - and certainly would sleep more than my usual 5-6 hours a night - if my life had simply gone in a different direction a long time ago. Put simply, violence is something that should be avoided if at all possible.

I think it's totally unsurprising that these people reacted aversely to a news story about 2 innocent people being kidnapped and murdered. Statistically the odds of that happening to them (or to anyone they know) are very, very low. We don't live in the Ukraine or Caracas or Helmand. Violence is, for the vast majority of Americans, not the currency of daily life. This is a luxury we enjoy as Americans and one should enjoy. It should never be forgotten that we as gun people are a minority and shouldn't expect others to immediately understand our perspective on the world. It is also not a perspective we should let dominate our every thought and action. It's okay to go out and not carry sometimes.... odds are pretty damn good you'll get home in one piece.

I honestly feel like I just read some anti-gunner propaganda. Your line of reasoning is the exact same they use to question why we need guns in the first place.

Most of us who carry fully acknowledge the fact it is unlikely we will ever come in to a situation requiring us to defend ourselves in any manner. But is there such harm coming from the acknowledgement of the fact such evil exists, and taking measures to prepare?
Though our response to incoming violence is a retaliation of violence, you make it seem as though (or I interpret it as) our preparation is going to result in us becoming unstable perpetrators of violence ourselves.

Yes, we could leave our carry piece at the house periodically, and some of us do and never come to harm. Should we also leave our homes unlocked or drive without seatbelts on? It's unlikely our homes will be broken in to or that we'll be in an auto accident.

Slippery slope right there sir.

[GardoneVT]

I honestly feel like I just read some anti-gunner propaganda. Your line of reasoning is the exact same they use to question why we need guns in the first place.

Most of us who carry fully acknowledge the fact it is unlikely we will ever come in to a situation requiring us to defend ourselves in any manner. But is there such harm coming from the acknowledgement of the fact such evil exists, and taking measures to prepare?

As far as society is concerned, yes.Part of the reason -despite the signifigant drawbacks- im interested in a LE career is because I look at my generation, and what I see frightens me.

My generation is what happens when society pretends on an institutional level that evil doesnt exist. Im reminded of something Col. Jeff Cooper said during an interview in the 70's. The reporter asked him ,pejoratively, if violence only begat more violence.Cooper's answer?

"I would hope so!"

The meaning of that phrase is lost on my generation. Which is a problem, because evil people still exist and will continue to exist no matter what illusions society decides to believe in. Anton Chirgurh may be a fictional character, but people like that really do walk among us. Society says Chirgurh can be tamed with wise talk,an intervention counselor, and a well timed 911 call at the worst. A few of us know better, and that puts us off the social mainstream of "courageous restraint".

[SamAdams]

I don't want to take the thread too far off course, but just want to make a couple of points. IMO this is at the level of overall, strategic thinking required for a pro-active mindset. - - There is a difference between 'violence' and 'force'. 'Violence' is the initiation of physical power to coerce, compel, or restrain. Violence is coercive action which violates anothers natural rights. 'Force' is in harmony with Natural Law because it does not violate another's rights. One always has the right to use the force necessary to defend themselves from violence. No one has the right to commit violence against another person, even if some have called that action 'legal'. (Example - The Gestapo rounded up various groups in Germany and sent them to concentration camps under various Nazi 'laws'.)

While the odds of one particular person being a victim of violence is small, the odds are high that someone in a community will be so victimized. In communities with more concealed carry holders, there is less such violent crime. The sum is greater than the parts.

[JHC]

violence is a thoroughly toxic and corrosive influence on the human psyche. .

No big deal, not that it matters but this cannot be universally stated as a fact. Too many variables. It's more of a quasi-theological position. One has to have a certain belief about what the human psyche is supposed to be to like, in order to categorically dislike the influence violence has on it.

[breakingtime91]

As far as society is concerned, yes.Part of the reason -despite the signifigant drawbacks- im interested in a LE career is because I look at my generation, and what I see frightens me.

My generation is what happens when society pretends on an institutional level that evil doesnt exist. Im reminded of something Col. Jeff Cooper said during an interview in the 70's. The reporter asked him ,pejoratively, if violence only begat more violence.Cooper's answer?

"I would hope so!"

The meaning of that phrase is lost on my generation. Which is a problem, because evil people still exist and will continue to exist no matter what illusions society decides to believe in. Anton Chirgurh may be a fictional character, but people like that really do walk among us. Society says Chirgurh can be tamed with wise talk,an intervention counselor, and a well timed 911 call at the worst. A few of us know better, and that puts us off the social mainstream of "courageous restraint".

Who is your generation?

[GardoneVT]

Who is your generation?

Im 28.Hopefully that answers the inquiry.