A GUN IS NOT A BADGE...
The details surrounding the tragedy that played out in New York City recently where an off-duty BATFE agent was killed are coming to light. He was killed, not by the bad guy, but by a late-arriving-on-the-scene former, and now retired, Nassau County police lieutenant who owns and operates a nearby delicatessen.
Two men were struggling outside on the sidewalk after a pharmacy robbery three doors away. Screams of alarm were followed by plenty of verbal commands to let go of the gun, shouted announcements of "Police" being repeated over and over, but still one guy was physically starting to gain control over the disputed firearm. The retired police lieutenant fearing that individual was the bad guy, put his own legally licensed handgun in the guy's ribs and fired once.
He shot and killed an off-duty federal agent trying to do the same thing he was, which was STOP an armed robbery!
I think it's safe to say that anyone, anywhere who has a legally licensed permit to carry a concealed firearm has at some point in time imagined themselves being in this same type of situation and they would rise to the occasion to help justice prevail by intervening to stop such a crime.
I WON'T!
I'm old enough and I've seen enough to know that even in the best of circumstances it never works the way we imagine, with the usual result being endless grief (in this case literally), if not a never ending series of court appearances and/or legal proceedings.
I know this is going to sound extremely COLD, but if you aren't my wife, my son or one of my 3 friends and something violent happens to you in my presence, but it doesn't involve or threaten me,..........you are on your own! Don't look to me to get involved or to even save your life.
My view is each of us is responsible for solely for ourselves and maybe our family members. (I added my 3 friends because people I consider 'friends' do not comprise a large group, nor do they take up a lot of space.) I don't carry a badge any more so my obligations to the surrounding community, its society or even the local county government is below, or right at, the bare minimum required for responsible adult behavior.
In short, my concealed carry permit and my carrying of a self-defense firearm is NOT a badge. Therefore I have no legal responsibility, or even 'standing', to get involved. (I'm sure the previously mentioned retired officer from Nassau County in his most private moments is probably thinking the same thing, but in his defense, he reacted the way he was trained. Yet, those days are in the past and he is now a civilian.)
Yeah, if something bad happens I might get my cell phone out and take some pictures. I will try to make note the individual in question had a purple skin color with pink polka-dots. He stood 4 feet 18 inches high, probably weighed around 300 pounds and drove away in a black on orange 1999 Packard with wide white sidewall tires. The license plate tag spelled "B-A-D G-U-Y" and issued by the nearby state of 'Anxiety'.
If someone is injured I will do what I can to render assistance, but considering my level of emergency medical training and recent recertification training that ain't going to be much. The main rule in all of this behavior is DO NO HARM! I might even call "911", but considering my recent experiences with that, I may well leave that job to others.
My view is that as long as no one points a gun at me or mine, nor threatens to harm me or mine, the surrounding citizenry will never know I even have a gun. It's there solely to protect ME and no one else.
If you have a problem with that and feel that I'm being a coward then I suggest you go get your own and learn how to use it.
Cowardice comes into play when you, yourself or your loved ones, are threatened, not when the general public (who mostly relies on others to protect them any way) is threatened, but you should also remember A GUN IS NOT A BADGE! and act accordingly....
All The Best,
Frank W. James
Two men were struggling outside on the sidewalk after a pharmacy robbery three doors away. Screams of alarm were followed by plenty of verbal commands to let go of the gun, shouted announcements of "Police" being repeated over and over, but still one guy was physically starting to gain control over the disputed firearm. The retired police lieutenant fearing that individual was the bad guy, put his own legally licensed handgun in the guy's ribs and fired once.
He shot and killed an off-duty federal agent trying to do the same thing he was, which was STOP an armed robbery!
I think it's safe to say that anyone, anywhere who has a legally licensed permit to carry a concealed firearm has at some point in time imagined themselves being in this same type of situation and they would rise to the occasion to help justice prevail by intervening to stop such a crime.
I WON'T!
I'm old enough and I've seen enough to know that even in the best of circumstances it never works the way we imagine, with the usual result being endless grief (in this case literally), if not a never ending series of court appearances and/or legal proceedings.
I know this is going to sound extremely COLD, but if you aren't my wife, my son or one of my 3 friends and something violent happens to you in my presence, but it doesn't involve or threaten me,..........you are on your own! Don't look to me to get involved or to even save your life.
My view is each of us is responsible for solely for ourselves and maybe our family members. (I added my 3 friends because people I consider 'friends' do not comprise a large group, nor do they take up a lot of space.) I don't carry a badge any more so my obligations to the surrounding community, its society or even the local county government is below, or right at, the bare minimum required for responsible adult behavior.
In short, my concealed carry permit and my carrying of a self-defense firearm is NOT a badge. Therefore I have no legal responsibility, or even 'standing', to get involved. (I'm sure the previously mentioned retired officer from Nassau County in his most private moments is probably thinking the same thing, but in his defense, he reacted the way he was trained. Yet, those days are in the past and he is now a civilian.)
Yeah, if something bad happens I might get my cell phone out and take some pictures. I will try to make note the individual in question had a purple skin color with pink polka-dots. He stood 4 feet 18 inches high, probably weighed around 300 pounds and drove away in a black on orange 1999 Packard with wide white sidewall tires. The license plate tag spelled "B-A-D G-U-Y" and issued by the nearby state of 'Anxiety'.
If someone is injured I will do what I can to render assistance, but considering my level of emergency medical training and recent recertification training that ain't going to be much. The main rule in all of this behavior is DO NO HARM! I might even call "911", but considering my recent experiences with that, I may well leave that job to others.
My view is that as long as no one points a gun at me or mine, nor threatens to harm me or mine, the surrounding citizenry will never know I even have a gun. It's there solely to protect ME and no one else.
If you have a problem with that and feel that I'm being a coward then I suggest you go get your own and learn how to use it.
Cowardice comes into play when you, yourself or your loved ones, are threatened, not when the general public (who mostly relies on others to protect them any way) is threatened, but you should also remember A GUN IS NOT A BADGE! and act accordingly....
All The Best,
Frank W. James
Labels: Cowardice, Current Events, Dangerous Stuff, Guns
10 Comments:
Agreed. And in a fluid situation, it may not be obvious who the bad guy is. For a non-sworn civilian, intervening on the wrong side is a fast ticket to the Big House.
A good reminder. I have a CCW and carry because I have the right to "self-defense". If some stranger needs defending they should exercise their right.
Excellent points Frank, and worth remembering...
I agree without reservation.
Something to really think about.
Ok -- I get it and am with you on it.
However (devil's advocate here) comes to mind something I read recently about roots of our county and police traditions. Constables were unarmed. The citizenry was assumed to be armed. A constable was to call on any nearby armed citizen to intervene with force when needed.
Maybe that wasn't all bad. There's a reason the wild west wasn't really that wild. Maybe it relates to this part of the social contract that we've lost sight of?
Don't have the cite but reminds me to go looking for it again..
be603: I'm talking about WHAT my policy is!
If yours is different....it's fine with me.
But remember the standard is "DO NO HARM".
As for history, Well, we live in a completely different era in so many ways...
All The Best,
Frank W. James
Let alone "a gun is not a badge" (which sentiment I agree with), this sounds like a straightforward violation of Rule 4 to me. If you don't know who the bad guy is, then by definition you don't know your target.
Nathan:
Yep. If it all goes in the crapper WHILE you are on scene, then odds are you know who the players are. If you arrive after the starting bell, turn around and LEAVE, because you may end up working on assumptions.
There are exceptions to the rule, as is normal.
One, for me, would be if it appears to be an active mass shooter scenario.
In Ohio, when you sign the affadavit that is the Application for an Ohio License to Carry a Concealed Handgun... you signing that it is for the defense of you and/pr a family member...
My family and I live far form the city... and we are our first own responders... we are well prepared for trouble... but we still avoid it like the plaque... and would prefer to retreat than engage if the option is safely available...
Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six is a cliche'... Zimmerman has been already judged by the media and millions of others.. and will likely be judged by twelve (crminal), then by twelve again (civil), then by any future employer, neighbor, or entity... his family will be broke and he will probably never have ample employment again...
The best weapon is not in your hand, but between your ears...
Dann in Ohio
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