As we recently observed Veterans Day in honor of those who served, the festivities often would have included various patriotic activities, one of which is rendering a 21-gun salute. But as this article from NRA-ILA entitled "Trading Freedom for Safety" points out, the very activity of rendering a 21-gun salute on Veterans Day had to be discontinued by the University of Virginia because of the disruption to classes and the "triggering" of students that this activity would cause. As stated in this article:"The same kind of overriding need to shield the sensitivities of young adults from discomfort and fear, however occasioned or poorly justified, was behind a decision to abandon an established Veterans Day observance at another institution of higher learning. University of Virginia President Jim Ryan announced that the traditional 21-gun salute used to honor veterans would be discontinued this year due to the “disruption to classes” and “concerns related to firing weapons on the Grounds in light of gun violence that has happened across our nation.”"
The article itself is a short but interesting read and has links to other articles that further explain the issue. This excerpt from the article pretty accurately sums up the gist of the issue:
"The philosophy underlying these incidents is troubling on many levels. It suggests that it is acceptable (and necessary, even) to distort honest, accurate, fair and truthful journalism to insulate others from exposure to possibly disagreeable material. It implies that America’s youth are less able than ever before to cope with emotional discomfort or distress absent a “safe space.” It relegates honoring patriotism and our nation’s veterans to something between an inconvenient, noisy “disruption” and a potentially harmful “triggering” occurrence. Perhaps worst of all, it legitimizes the notion of an entitlement to a lifetime of freedom from fear, rather than a belief in the value of freedom itself. "
This Writer's Opinion: I am sick and tired of hearing about how everything "triggers" people today. It's bad enough that the youngsters on our college campuses are being indoctrinated into the "America is bad!" mantra. But they are also being taught to hate and fear the very things around which our American heritage was built, as well as hatred toward law-abiding people who just want to enjoy their liberty. Firearms are part of our heritage, but our society is being taught that even the sound of them ALWAYS means that something tragic is happening.
Doing away with a 21-gun salute on campus because the sound of guns shooting a salute "frightens" and "triggers" people? There are a number of the things that the school could have done besides banning the 21-gun salute. Maybe announcing that the event would take place ahead of time and that the sound of gunshots at this time would most likely NOT be an active shooter situation. Or how about taking a few minutes during class to explain why the 21-gun salute is rendered and what it means to honor the veterans who protect their freedoms.
The senseless tragedies on our campuses have gone a long way toward making people feel unsafe. I get it. But people are being taught to be afraid of and hate the wrong things. People need to realize that the world is now a very dangerous place and our right to have access to the tools of self-defense is now as important as it ever has been. And these are just tools. Instead of hating tools, maybe we should be going after a solution to the evil that exists in our world. Turning our hearts to God is one way. Speaking up to our legislators and judges to admonish them to enforce the laws already on the books and deliver justice to the criminals instead of punishing the innocent is another.
I can only offer this video as an example of what is going on in America now and where we are going if we don't pay attention. I'll let the "comrades" explain it to you themselves...
Doing away with a 21-gun salute on campus because the sound of guns shooting a salute "frightens" and "triggers" people? There are a number of the things that the school could have done besides banning the 21-gun salute. Maybe announcing that the event would take place ahead of time and that the sound of gunshots at this time would most likely NOT be an active shooter situation. Or how about taking a few minutes during class to explain why the 21-gun salute is rendered and what it means to honor the veterans who protect their freedoms.
The senseless tragedies on our campuses have gone a long way toward making people feel unsafe. I get it. But people are being taught to be afraid of and hate the wrong things. People need to realize that the world is now a very dangerous place and our right to have access to the tools of self-defense is now as important as it ever has been. And these are just tools. Instead of hating tools, maybe we should be going after a solution to the evil that exists in our world. Turning our hearts to God is one way. Speaking up to our legislators and judges to admonish them to enforce the laws already on the books and deliver justice to the criminals instead of punishing the innocent is another.
I can only offer this video as an example of what is going on in America now and where we are going if we don't pay attention. I'll let the "comrades" explain it to you themselves...
Benjamin Franklin summed it up perfectly when he said:
"Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
And in Other News...
"Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
And in Other News...
Banning Everything:
Another recent tragedy. And once again, the usual actors are charging ahead with the call to ban - everything. More lectures on what types of firearms can and cannot be possessed by normal, law-abiding citizens. Criminals and evil people won't obey these bans. The same people who are surrounded by armed bodyguards are telling us what we can and cannot do to protect ourselves. Followed by lectures about firearms by people who know nothing or at least very little about them. In my opinion, as well as the opinion of very noted constitutional scholars, the Second Amendment was all about guaranteeing the right to self-defense granted to us by the Creator. And the tools used to protect that right are not specific only to certain kinds of firearms or their appearances. Possession of firearms in common use was the intent of our founding fathers. But many of our firearms in common use are the targets of the bans and severe restrictions we are seeing coming out of these same people - who, again, are surrounded by armed protection and who possess these common use tools also.
William makes a good point in this video: we all need to make sure to speak up for our rights, get active in state and local elections. Go to a City Council meeting. Write letters. Voice your opinion and let these people know that we want our rights protected. Protecting our rights is the government's job, not deciding which rights we can have or not.
You can stay up on Second Amendment news and get some great gear reviews by subscribing to The Daily Shooter Channel.
William makes a good point in this video: we all need to make sure to speak up for our rights, get active in state and local elections. Go to a City Council meeting. Write letters. Voice your opinion and let these people know that we want our rights protected. Protecting our rights is the government's job, not deciding which rights we can have or not.
You can stay up on Second Amendment news and get some great gear reviews by subscribing to The Daily Shooter Channel.
Training
Your Car is Your Limo:
Another great "Sunday Sentinel Sermon" from Pat Mac. Awareness is key, especially while driving. Maintaining a ready vehicle is of utmost importance. I personally practice these habits, especially keeping the car with no less than 3/4 of a tank full, having supplies in my vehicle, and keeping my CERT gear with me in case I roll up on an accident or other emergencies. We are in charge of our own safety, but we have a responsibility to our fellow citizens to render assistance when needed. That can be anything from helping someone jump-start their car, to airing up or changing a flat tire for them.
I will add one thing: Exiting your vehicle as Pat illustrates in the video is something that should be practiced! Undoing the seatbelt and exiting in this manner requires muscle memory. Even a step further, if you roll into a dangerous situation and your only choice is to exit the vehicle armed, that requires even further in-depth practice and training. Take a formal course in advanced gunfighting that teaches this, and then practice using your dry-fire system at home. This can be easily set up and programmed into the LASR App software as well.
Visit Pat Mac's channel for all of his excellent "Sunday Sentinel" and "Basic Dude Stuff" videos.
And "make it habitual!"
Shameless Commercial Plug:
For more information about the LASR App Training System that you can use to set up this type of training in a dry fire environment, see my LASR App page and receive a discount when using my discount code.
To receive a 10% discount on Live Fire Drill Cards, a shooter's training log and some great training ideas visit Burnett LFDC!
