FINAL WORD

Valhalla

As I sit here today, thinking about all that is going on in the world, the Corona Virus, Protests & Riots, I cannot help but be sad about the current state of affairs. I feel like this is not the planet any greater being would have intended. People are so wrapped up in themselves, their opinions and agendas, many humans do not really care about “Lives That Matter”, they only care about themselves. Why are you wasting one valuable second of any day that you are gifted being angry and hateful? The value of every day should be evident. Today is the two-year Anniversary of the loss of one of our Young and Bright Club Brothers. His name is Hick. I wish you all would have had the opportunity to share a moment in life with this young man. I was extremely fortunate to have spent some time in his company. I clearly remember the night I met him. He was not a member at the time. He was the Son of a Lifetime Member of our Club. He was spending time with his Dad, and with his Dad’s Club Family. It was apparent immediately that he held the highest regard and respect for our Family as he did his own. Through the course of time, and his own choice, he chose us. I do not know if you all realize how valuable a person is when they Choose to be your Brother. It is the highest Gift and respect anyone can give you. It is the Purest form of Love.

He was not the most outspoken of young men, but he was resolute. He listened more than he spoke. Constantly processing what he was learning. He loved Indian Larry. He loved emulating Indian Larry. He was not reckless. He was Young, Brave and Thoughtful. He Loved Riding his motorcycle. He loved the Wind in his Face. He was not judgmental. His smile was infectious. You know the kind of smile that made you happy that he was happy. He loved his Family, and he loved his Brotherhood. He had more in his young life than men I have know twice his age. And he Valued and Appreciated every minute of it. He was a gift to our Nation, and to this Planet. We are all less without him. We should all learn from him that Life is about the sun in your eyes and the wind in your face. His Life Mattered. Value every second of yours, because Life is Fleeting. It is over before any of us know it. Stop wasting a second of it.

Today I will smile. Today I will take a moment to appreciate my Club Family.

Today I choose to be more like Hick than I was yesterday. Every day is a battle to shed the negativity life can offer so smile and appreciate the ride. Hick was a Hero, and a Warrior.

Valhalla

1 : the great hall in Norse mythology where heroes slain in battle are received. 2 : a place of honor, glory, or happiness : heaven an academic's Valhalla.

Until we meet again my Brother Hick. I will see you in Valhalla.

My Road Name is Tabasco, Keep it real. Tabasco.tro@gmail.com

The Concealed Carry Trap

by Gary Evens, BuckeyeFirearms.org

If you think your basic concealed carry class has adequately prepared yourself to defend yourself or someone else, you are seriously mistaken. Sure, people with little or no training have won in gunfights against criminals, but that was more a matter of luck than it was of skill. Criminals don’t expect their victims to resist and are often caught by surprise when one of them does. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the victim will come out on top and indeed many of them have failed to prevail, ending up dead or seriously injured. The basic training requirements that many states impose are primarily designed to ensure individuals that it grants permission to carry a concealed handgun to are able to safely handle it, not win a gunfight with it. They are more concerned about their liability than they are about your real ability to defend yourself. Some states do not require any training at all in some cases. For instance, those states that have instituted “constitutional carry” grant everyone that meet the legal requirements (usually based on age, mental health, and the lack of a criminal record) permission to carry a concealed weapon without receiving any training at all—after all, carrying a firearm is a right guaranteed to all citizens by the U.S. Constitution. Other states, like Ohio, have no training requirements for individuals that wish to openly carry a firearm. But just because the government says you don’t need to have any specific training does not mean that you know everything you need to know to prevail should you need to use a firearm to protect yourself or someone else. Mike Seeklander recently wrote an article that contains a series of questions that every person that carries a concealed firearm should be able to answer. These include: 1.

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8. Do you know how to select and utilize gear that will ensure your survival versus allow you to lose your gun during a dynamic situation? When dealing with a potential threat more than three yards away can you access and draw your firearm efficiently and quickly (under 2 seconds), and do you practice those techniques weekly (at a minimum)? If you were forced to deal with that same threat and they were less than three yards away, do you know what to do in that close proximity? What if that same threat was so close they could grab or punch you (less than a yard)? Would you know how to handle that situation (could you protect yourself against the punch)? If you were seated in your vehicle, seatbelted in, would you know how to handle that? If during your critical incident, you drew and shot the threatening person, yet they failed to be affected, would you know how to handle that or what caused it? What if during your critical incident you were injured or had one of your hands occupied. Could you still draw, reload, or clear malfunctions in your handgun with one hand only? What if you had something that provided cover, could you use that cover efficiently and still return fire?

Our family of highly effective pro-gun organizations includes Buckeye Firearms Association, Buckeye Firearms Foundation, and Buckeye Firearms Association PAC. Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that serves as the flagship of our grassroots efforts to defend and advance the right of citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities, including self-defense, hunting, competition, and recreation. BFA works to pass pro-gun legislation, educate the public through ongoing media relations, provide high-quality firearm classes, and make available a wide variety of resources for gun owners. While anti-gun groups get their funding and support from wealthy activists or big corporations, BFA gets its funding and support from citizens like you who value their Constitutional rights.

buckeyefirearms.org

9. During your incident, you might experience some physiological and psychological effects that if misunderstood could easily rattle you. Do you know what to expect?

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Lastly, have you ever exposed yourself to simulated stress that simulates the real fight, and if not, do you know what it will be like? If you cannot answer every one of these questions with a firm “Yes”, then you are not prepared to defend yourself from a violent attack. Of course, your skills with a firearm are not all that you need. The basic requirement to use lethal force is that you can only do it if someone is using lethal force against you. What if they are just punching you with their fists? Unless they are significantly stronger or bigger than you are, you are not justified in using your firearm to defend yourself from someone that is just hitting you. Do you have the skills and abilities to fight back without using a gun? Is your physical fitness level enough to allow you to fight back — or perhaps even more importantly, to run away? If not, get to the gym and work out! Because I recognized that the basic concealed carry course is not adequate, I have created a series of advanced concealed carry courses that do provide you with the needed skills. The first one, Advanced Concealed Carry I, is designed so you can see for yourself if your concealed carry skills are up to “snuff” and to point out the things you should focus on first. The subsequent courses in the series expand on the necessary skills. I recognized that as I got older, I had some holes in my self defense skills. That was why I began getting some martial arts training several years ago. I never did this while I was growing up, so getting into martial arts after I had turned 60 years old took some doing, but I did it. Earlier this year, I recognized that my strength and stamina needed to be improved, so I got a gym membership and I go work out three times each week. In addition to improving my handguns skills, over the last several years I also took classes in the defensive use of the shotgun and the carbine. I took a defensive knife fighting class. I learned how to use Pepper Spray. I took some first aid classes to enable me to care for myself or someone else that might be injured as a result of a violent encounter with someone that is using a gun or a knife. Yes, all these classes took time and cost money, but I decided that my life (and the lives of others) are worth my investments. Is yours?

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