“Seek Yahweh while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to Yahweh, and He will have compassion on him. Turn to our Elohim, for He will abundantly pardon.”

Isaiah 55: 6-7

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Thinking about Increasing Gun Violence in the U.S.

We are experiencing a rapid increase in gun violence across the U.S. The only explanation for it that makes sense to me is that our citizens are becoming increasingly calloused and evil.

People who take another human’s life or try to take another human’s life except in the case of self-defense seem to have no self-control, no morals, no conscience, no remorse, no decency, and no common sense. To me, they are the epitome of evil. They are one of the best reasons for capital punishment that I can think of. I know that Yahweh can change anyone’s heart, but that does not preclude capital punishment.

I have owned at least one gun since I was 8-years-old, but I have never used a gun for anything except hunting and shooting for pleasure. Anti-gun people can’t imagine that shooting a gun is a lot of fun, but it is. It’s not a macho thing at all. Shooting is a precision sport, and like any other sport, learning to do it well is exhilarating. Until she met me, my wife had never been around guns. I taught her how to shoot, and she’s good at it. Now, she enjoys going to the range with me. It’s like going on a date. And now, she knows how to use a gun in self-defense with confidence. In our day and time, that’s a real advantage for anyone, especially women.

The increase in gun violence in our nation has caused me to be more protective of my 2^nd Amendment rights than I have ever been, and I am not alone. There are more than 100 million Americans like me. Even so, after each new headline-grabbing shooting incident, politicians take to the microphones and demand even more restrictive gun laws. They fail to mention the fact that virtually all of the gun violence is taking place in our cities where very restrictive gun laws are in place already. It’s obvious that far too many politicians have an agenda that has nothing to do with reducing gun violence, and they have no idea what effect the increase in gun violence is having on law-abiding people like me.

Sensible, law-abiding citizens won’t willingly surrender their 2^nd Amendment rights while criminals are on the rampage and law enforcement officers are increasingly under attack for enforcing the law. Our political leaders, particularly political leaders in our cities, are responsible for creating the conditions that gave birth to this madness, and Hollywood hotshots and others in the entertainment industry helped them a lot. Those are facts.

As things stand now, we can’t depend on anyone to protect us. Police protection has never been a good substitute for self-protection. Today, self-protection is a must. In a critical defense situation, police protection is backup protection. As they say, “When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.” That’s not a cliché. It’s the truth, and it has always been the truth.

Either I carry a gun or I have a gun close by almost all the time, and most of my guns are loaded. In a critical defense situation, there is no time to load a weapon. Therefore, I have an obligation to do everything that is humanly possible to avoid having to use a gun in self-defense. Since most shootings occur in our cities, I live in the country. The nearest town to me is about 15 miles away. I grew up in rural South Georgia. I prefer country living, so I’m not making a sacrifice. I don’t escape to the country on weekends to enjoy nature. That’s what city folks do.

This may come as a surprise, but Jerusalem is a safer place to live than any major city in the U.S. There is something going on in U.S. cities that defies human logic. It’s a spiritual problem that only Yahweh can solve. The people in charge of most of our cities have lost their minds. Law-abiding citizens won’t give in to their insane demands. In fact, we won’t even compromise with them. The pushback is just beginning.

As a rule, I try to avoid places where gun violence is likely to occur. Common sense tells you where most of those places are, places like bars for instance, especially honky tonk bars and sleezy night clubs. There is no reason to take unnecessary risks. I don’t enjoy those places anyway, so for me, staying away from them is not a problem or a sacrifice.

Road rage is responsible for a lot of violent altercations. I don’t compete with other drivers on the highway, and I don’t pretend that I am a NASCAR driver trying to win a race while I’m driving down the interstate. If someone wants to get in front of me, that’s fine. I’ll let him in.

As I said, I try to avoid potential violent confrontations. To me, that’s just common sense. If I am ever engaged in a violent confrontation, you can rest assured that I did not seek it out. It had to come to me. Under that circumstance, I am comfortable with the notion that I might have to use a gun in self-defense and that I might have to kill someone.

If a criminal attacks me or a member of my family, I will use a gun in self-defense. I made that decision a long time ago. There is no time to make that kind of decision during a violent attack. I won’t pull out a gun for show or to threaten anyone. If a criminal sees my gun, the next thing he will see is a muzzle flash, and it won’t be a warning shot. My goal will be to eliminate the threat quickly.

I got my critical defense training from people in law enforcement. Initially, they taught me to fire three shots, rapid fire, center mass. If the criminal is wearing a bulletproof vest, that won’t always eliminate the threat. The criminal may be stunned, but he can still attack. Later, another law enforcement officer told me that I should fire a 4^th shot at the criminal’s head. A headshot will eliminate the threat. A military veteran told me that 2 shots center mass, 2 shots to the groin, and 2 shots to the head in that order is more effective. Every person I have consulted with has said, “Once the threat is eliminated, stop shooting.” That’s correct.

I urge you to talk with law enforcement officials in your community about whatever you plan to do in a critical defense situation. I also urge you to practice your plan. As they say, practice makes perfect, and as I used to tell my strategy students, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

A lot is at stake in a critical defense situation. PLAN and PRACTICE.

If you are forced to defend yourself with a gun, call the police as quickly as the threat is eliminated. Next, call your lawyer. When the police arrive, don’t answer questions. Simply tell them the basics. For instance, you should say, “The criminal broke into my home and attacked me. I fired in self-defense.” That’s it. Stop talking. Anything else that law enforcement people want to know should come from your lawyer.

I can’t overemphasize this point: STOP TALKING. People who have encountered a critical defense situation have a tendency talk too much. That’s understandable. They have experienced a harrowing situation, and their adrenalin is pumping. However, every word they say is being recorded in some way. Some of the things you might say inadvertently could be used against you in court, so again, STOP TALKING.

If I am not in my home and I can safely avoid an attack, I will beat a hasty retreat and call the police. If I am attacked while I am in my home, there will be no retreat and no hesitation. All of these things must be thought through completely before they happen. Again, when they happen, there is no time to think.

I am not a callous person. I don’t want to hurt anyone much less kill someone. Even so, I will do what is necessary to protect me and my family, because I would rather suffer the consequences of taking another person’s life in self-defense than to suffer the consequences of allowing a criminal to take the life of a member of my family. That’s just common sense, too, and it’s my duty.

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“I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me — just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father — and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd. The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”

John 10: 14-18