Truth crushed to the earth is truth still . . .: Go Armed . . . All the Time . . . Everywhere!

I shoot competitively in two or three matches every week. They’re just club matches; nothing close to a professional level. And even at the club level, I’m usually only a middle of the pack shooter. In any case, at a recent match I was reminded why I go armed . . . all the time . . . and everywhere.

One of my fellow competitors, a gentleman I suppose to be few years younger than me, lives in a small unincorporated community here in North Central Florida. One evening he left his home to buy some groceries at a local market.

I don’t know all the details, but someone was evidently unhappy with the manner of his driving and followed him home. As my friend was exiting his vehicle, a significantly bigger and significantly younger man exited his own vehicle and said: “Old man, you’re about to get a beat down.” In the ensuing struggle my acquaintance was picked up and thrown head first onto the ground, significantly injuring his shoulder.

As you might expect, my fellow-shooter has a concealed carry permit and is proficient in the use of firearms, however, he was not carrying a gun at the time of this incident. Perhaps he figured he did not need one for a quick trip to the local grocery store.

Consider a few observations on this incident:

1. The assailant was younger and bigger than my friend. The established principle of “Disparity of Force” would have almost certainly justified the use of a firearm in this case. (NOTE: “Disparity of Force is defined as a situation that any reasonable person would conclude places you at an overwhelming disadvantage in your effort to protect yourself against immediate and serious bodily injury.” – Ben Findley, USA Carry)

2. My friend was in his own driveway. As I understand Florida law, he had no duty to retreat, and given the disparity of force, would probably have been unable to do so. Florida has a “Stand Your Ground” Law, which would have further justified his use of a firearm.

3. Simply presenting a firearm would probably have ended the confrontation. It would have gone something like this:

Assailant: “Old man, you’re about to get a beat down.”

Intended victim: “Not tonight, I’m not.” (As he draws his weapon).

(Assailant retreats)

4. Some might say, well, your friend was just roughed up a bit and only suffered an injured shoulder. That does not justify shooting someone. However, it could have turned out much worse for my friend. He could have been paralyzed for life or killed outright. When someone younger and stronger than you threatens to attack you, and then commences to do so, it is impossible to know where it might end. You have every right to end it as quickly as possible.

My practice is to go armed . . . all the time . . . and everywhere. I live out in the boonies, in the middle of a fenced-in 5.4 acres. I have entry gates at the front and the back of my property; both are padlocked. I have an intimidating looking dog in my yard and entry alarms on my driveways. Still I go armed all the time . . . even at home. (Some of you may remember the “Going Armed Fashion Show” in my blog from a bit over a year ago: http://truthcrushedtoearth.blogspot.com/2016/01/going-armed-fashion-show.html)

Here are some simple questions you might ask yourself to determine if I am armed:

1. Do you see me? If the answer is “yes” proceed to question 2.

2. Did you pass through a metal detector to get here? If the answer is “no”, then I AM ARMED.

You will almost never find me in a place where I have to pass through a metal detector. It is only in the most imperative and extreme situations that I will go unarmed. For instance, I don’t believe that I’ve flown on a commercial airplane since sometime in the early 1980s -- and I don’t plan to ever do so again, to the best of my ability.

We live in an increasingly dangerous world. It is imperative to be able to defend yourself. The prospect of Islamic terrorism is real. Common street criminals still abound. Increasingly, the radical left seems to think that it is perfectly legitimate to physically attack anyone who disagrees with them. If these leftist thugs consider the Trumpsters to be “deplorables”, what must they think of me? Of recent days I have received not so subtle threats from some of those same Trumpsters for the “crime” of pointing out that their new emperor has no clothes. (http://truthcrushedtoearth.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-new-emperor-has-no-clothes_10.html)

Unless I’m going to be in a situation that demands deep concealment (i.e., a “non-permissive environment”), I usually leave the house with 18 rounds in my carry pistol and two extra magazines of 17 rounds each (for a total of 52 rounds). I do not consider that to be unreasonable at all in the environment in which we all now live.

The bottom line is simply this: Go Armed . . . All the Time . . . Everywhere!