Now I know the sheepdog analogy is wearing thin for some folks, but Grossman uses it to make many of his points and while he was mostly preachin' to the choir... it was a dynamic presentation with good data, practical information, and food for thought. There are still a lot of folks in the denial stage, living out their Pleasant Valley Sunday's until the day a bad or evil person up-ends their life.
I won't attempt to summarize or overview the entire seminar here, but Grossman is a dynamic speaker who believes in what he's doing. I heard him speak several years ago and have picked up and read most of his books over the years including On Combat, On Killing, Warrior Mindset, and he signed a copy of Stop Teaching Our Children to Kill for my school teacher wife. While he's provided more depth in other books and talks, this would be a terrific seminar for those who are new to concealed carry, or a sheepdog, or an aware and alert mindset.
The bottom line for my gals and I is that it reinforces our lifestyle. We don't live in a state of paranoia... we live with awareness and knowledge to determine when a state of alert or alarm is required. Grossman would say that we live in condition yellow, not white. Parents, you can train this into your children with simple games... Who sees a woman with a blue purse? How many license plates have the letter "A" or the number "6"? How many "EXIT" signs can you see? How many happy people can you see - why do you think they look happy? How many unhappy people can you see - why do you think they are unhappy? Play the games... teach your kids and family to observe and be aware of their surroundings.
The Buckeye Firearms Association reminded everyone about how important Ohio is in this election. Even local races matter as many of those local folks go on to seek bigger and better elected offices down the road. I don't speak a lot about politics on this blog, but for me and my gal... who picks the next couple of United States Supreme Court justices are one of our biggest concerns. Taxes and politicians come and go... the economy goes up and goes down... but the supreme court has, and will have, a greater affect on my family's rights and daily lives as Christians and Gun Owners than almost any other governmental entity.
Speaking of those rights and daily lives, my main gal went out back on the range with me last night to do some shooting like we often do. She had some new range "bling" in the form of a Ruger Single-Ten single-action revolver I bought her. Not the best choice for self-defense, but a great choice for a heck of a lot of cheap .22 fun. She's the best gal ever and she did a great job of taking care of me and lot of the work around here this past summer after my two surgeries and I try to treat her like the terrific gal she is. She's facing a bit of a health scare right now and that's more than she'd like me to say, but you might keep her in your thoughts and prayers if you think about it.
So be aware, be prepared, and be an example for your kids and others... and even if you don't like the term... be a sheepdog and remember the lesson for today... Sheepdog 101: Bulletproof your Mind
Preach it!!!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
We got yer six, bro! You and yours are in our prayers! Nobody here needs to know details, cuz God already does.
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks for the book links, my Amazon shopping cart just keeps getting bigger! Need to schedule another trip to the used bookstore...must lock up credit card before going...
Through prayers and your own dedication, the health scare will be nothing else but a scare.
ReplyDeleteNow, I did get slightly riled on your second image, but then again, I can see where it's coming from. Video games does overdo the violence and whatnot, movies desensitize with the latest offerings of blood and gore shocker films (what happened to actual horror films ala Hitchcock?), and the over-popularization of shows and music that aren't exactly fitting the lifestyle I grew up with are bad influences on the young, but that's the main thing. I'm an example of actual parenting.
My parents taught me what is right and wrong, what is fiction and reality, and the line between it. I find the killing of real human beings and animals in anything but self defense as wrong in of itself, yet I can pick up a controller or move my fingers over the keyboard to kill things in video games.
Might also be the fact my generation and those following mine does not know the word moderation. Even before I became busy as all hell with three jobs trying to support myself, I didn't spend my entire waking moment on video games, violent or not.
I went outside, I exercised, was in my university's Army ROTC program, had friends and hung out with them rather than chat. But I do see where he was going with that.
While Hollywood and Game companies provide a convenient scapegoat, especially in light of the school shootings in which the first thing blamed is Video Games and movies, I honestly think a bigger issue is that parents do not do parenting anymore, and that moral compasses aren't calibrated correctly by the right attitudes and influences and thus are easily swayed by outside forces.
Sorry, I understand where the second image came from, but I can't help but feel slighted and grouped into something I certainly not. My hobbies are hobbies, and I understand reality from fiction.
Great lesson Dann and please let your Main Gal know that Lu and I will keep her (and you) in our prayers.
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