[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Gordon, my friend, don't presume to tell me what to do on my own site. I'm calling things as I see them. Period.

Man, I don't know where to go with this.
Frankly, I've never seen/heard this side of you

Part of me say's to ignore it, consider the reason for it, and move on.
The other says, we have an open enough site that I can respond without retribution.
I guess we'll see?

I'm responding as an individual, and a former member of the class you seem to have so much disdain toward lately.

Now...first, I realize whose site it is. I don't need reminding, thanks.
However, that door swings both ways.

I'm saying (IMO) that your perception is skewed, slanted due to recent events.
But you're right.

And aside from it being "your site", as a citizen you still have the right to continually voice your opposition or disdain for law enforcement in general, without fear of sanctions or retribution.
It's one of those neat little constitutional protections we have goin' on

At the same time, many of us have the right to disagree and in some cases, be offended.

To me, this wide brush approach is equivalent to me saying (IMO), "all snake breeders are irresponsible", simply because "some" didn't have the decency not to turn loose certain breeds into the wilds of the Everglades, or failed to provide adequate caging for a breed that ultimately killed a small child.

You don't see me jumping up and down demanding that they outlaw private breeders do you?
I'm not even a big fan of them outlawing possession of certain species.
I don't want to be around them, but I don't think we should outlaw it for the responsible breeders.

Instead, we need to make sure we enforce the criteria set upon them and that they do what is expected of them.
And if they don't, deal with it as it should be dealt with.
Overall, a pretty simple concept.

Actually, most of the breeders and handlers I've known or met over the years, just as yourself, are far more responsible than that.

I'm just not willing to paint everyone with the same wide brush.

Even in my own occasional "Anti-Government/Anti-Law enforcement rants, I try to be specific as to the agency, or the event.

And you have no idea of the layout of my house, or what is best for ME and CONNIE, HERE in THIS situation. This house was designed to be open, allow us to view the outside and attendant nature from most rooms. Single ground floor, windows all around with no curtains. We like watching birds at the feeders while laying in bed in the morning. Certainly not built as a fortress with a "safe" room anywhere. Quite simply, anyone casing our house for 2 minutes would know where we were located simply by looking in the windows. To remain in ANY room waiting for the calvary, hoping the bad guys wouldn't "find" us, is ludicrous. If there is an intruder in my house, I am not even going to take my attention off of my surroundings for an instant to reach for the phone. That might be a couple of seconds that I just can't waste in that manner.

I understand what you're saying.
Please re-read the post.
Instead of taking the offensive and thinking anyone is "telling you how to do things", look at the meat and potatoes.
The scenario is a generalization based on the "average" home.

If the comments are not pertinent tp your situation, just ignore them.

I really do put a lot ot thought into these posts, and generally rewrite them several times, trying never to respond in angst or anger.

If you do re-read the post, you'll catch this part you may have missed:
(which may have prompted your initial reaponse about your place?)

If I'm doing 1 on 1 training at your place, then we can be more gender and location specific.

One on one training gets very specific.
We always find things never work as well in "real life" as they do in training.

The idea behind training, is to instill confidence in the trainee, get them thinking about thier surroundings, thier options and thier survival.
That's all.
It's not meant to be the end all to end all.
As I mentioned earlier, if my grandaughter is home, I'll violate my own suggestions to attempt to safeguard her.

As we all realize, modern construction doesn't provide ballistic protection.
I don't consider anything structurally other than a purpose built door or wall to be cover.

And if you live in a glass house, then pretty much any expectation of safety or privacy is nullified by anything other than the property location.

For the rest of the world, that locked door may provide a modicum of safety, as does the bed or dresser you're barricaded (not cowering) behind inside.

Moreso, it provides TIME!

Time for help to arrive.
Time for you to prepare.
Time for you to escape.

Even moreso, it sets the intent of the intruder from one bent on committing a property crime, to one focused on personal violence.

Then again, that's probably just another waste of time.

Quite honestly, probably the only reason that no one has ever really bothered us here is because EVERYONE knows we have snakes and we have guns. And I'm not telling them we don't have the snakes any longer.... And you can bet people seeing us drive up and down our road in Corvettes will get ideas.... However, anyone passing by our driveway and seeing me likely notices that I am ALWAYS carrying a gun.

I guess...

Originally Posted by Rich Z

I don't care what my friends do for a living. But I will call a "spade" as a "spade". They can either deal with it or not. I'm sure a lot of my friends didn't care for the fact that I bred snakes for a living, and will kill a snake when ever they had a chance, regardless. Should I hold that against them and drop them as friends?

I'm going to go out on a limb here.
I know I've made my share of comments here on this board regarding my dislike of snakes.
I don't "like" snakes.

And I've made my share of comments about boots, belts, and handbags.
Most people recognize this as banter, joking, sarcasm, and NONE of it that I can recall, has ever been focused on the breeder.
...Just the snake.
(I try not to insult large groups of people and thier occupations all at one time.)

Unlike the generalizations you've made regarding law enforcement and it's officers, I've never said "all snake handlers are creepy" or "they're all nuts."
I wouldn't do it, but that's me, and I don't understand snake breeding.
But I'm not ready to lump them all into the same cage

For the record, between law enforcement and private life, I'ver removed many snakes from various locations without killing them.
I didn't realize I needed to keep score?

I even had a "pet" garter snake that used to hang out in the Sago Palm at my front door.
1st time I saw him he scared the chit out of me!I'm sticking the key in the lock and the little SOB sticks his head out right at my hand!
Don't do that!

Kill him?
Nope, I named him "sneaky snake"...have no idea where he went, but we actually missed him (or her?) when it was gone

And as mentioned in my previous post, my house would be a death trap to simply sit in place and wait if someone had designs of bodily injury. I am just not willing to give a bad guy any advantage whatsoever. And I certainly am not going to cower in a corner hoping they will just take what they want and not hurt me, neither.

I guess it's all a matter of perception.
You consider it "cowering" and give the impression of some pansy, knees shaking, wetting himself, waiting for the "cavalry" to arrive and save him

I consider it tactical preparedness!
Let's make the bad guy come to me, and we'll fight on my turf under my rules.

Once again, if you've read anything I've said, I've NEVER mentioned not capping some azzwipe that enters your house!

I simply propse letting them come to you if you can, rather than blundering around in the dark

I really don't consider sitting and waiting for someone to enter my field of fire "cowering."
Apparently neither does the U.S. Military
(we called them snipers and "cowering' security stations )

And last time I looked, if we'd done a little more of what you consider "cowering" and little less gung ho-balls to the wall, we may have a few more live officers today

"Cover and Concealment"....a long way from "Cowering!"

JMHO....I'm not going to argue with you about it.
Take it as you may.