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  • Profile Type: Personal Users
  • Profile Views: 5,371 views
  • Friends: 33 friends
  • Last Update: May 31, 2016
  • Joined: December 11, 2009

DEFCON

Up and runni­ng from the ­Left Coast o­f the Gunshi­ne State!
  • Timeline
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  • Garages(1)
  • Blogs(7)
  • Forum Posts(178)
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  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    Personally I am going to do as little as possible.  This summer has just been so busy I haven't had any time to just realx and enjoy some time with the family, so that is what I am going to do.  Maybe take my boy out to do a little fishing...  morePersonally I am going to do as little as possible.  This summer has just been so busy I haven't had any time to just realx and enjoy some time with the family, so that is what I am going to do.  Maybe take my boy out to do a little fishing and have some friends over for a bbq, but nothing more than that.

    So what's your plans???  
    • August 16, 2013
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON Up and runni­ng from the ­Left Coast o­f the Gunshi­ne State!
    • August 15, 2013
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    I know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me...  moreI know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me know I'm not good at keeping it short and sweet.........
    I am in a position that doesn’t lend to making friends at work. Because of what needed to be done, I fully expected this and this is what I do. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I have experience understanding what it takes to make a place profitable and a major part of that is having the right people to do the job and protecting their efforts by surrounding them with like minded people. SO, needless to say, I have a target on my back by those that feel I am asking too much or stepping on toes.
    However, I have to make a comment on recent events. I carry a gun. I have for almost twenty years. I have had to defend myself with a gun when violent criminals tried to take my life...    less
    • January 25, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    Ok, this scenario is just one of many ways this situation can come about, but I'd like some honest opinions on what others think, is the right way to handle it. K?

    So, I've got this new roommate, just moved in a week ago today, to the house...  more
    Ok, this scenario is just one of many ways this situation can come about, but I'd like some honest opinions on what others think, is the right way to handle it. K?

    So, I've got this new roommate, just moved in a week ago today, to the house I've been in for almost a month.  Kinda got things arranged the way I, and one other roommate could work with.  We knew ahead of time, someone else was coming, so we knew there might be some re-adjustments necessary.  No problem, right?  Well, there have been some problems.  One, (and this is a big one, for me) she brought her dog.  That in and of itself is not the problem, I love dogs.  I used to train dogs.  The problem is, that this roommate is barely in the door, and informs us, that "we" could let her dog out, whenever it needed to go out. I had told her when she walked in, that because of my knee issues, and the stairs on the porches, I wouldn't be walking her dog for her. ...    less
    • January 22, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    I know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me...  moreI know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me know I'm not good at keeping it short and sweet.........
    I am in a position that doesn’t lend to making friends at work. Because of what needed to be done, I fully expected this and this is what I do. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I have experience understanding what it takes to make a place profitable and a major part of that is having the right people to do the job and protecting their efforts by surrounding them with like minded people. SO, needless to say, I have a target on my back by those that feel I am asking too much or stepping on toes.
    However, I have to make a comment on recent events. I carry a gun. I have for almost twenty years. I have had to defend myself with a gun when violent criminals tried to take my life...    less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    I know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me...  moreI know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me know I'm not good at keeping it short and sweet.........
    I am in a position that doesn’t lend to making friends at work. Because of what needed to be done, I fully expected this and this is what I do. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I have experience understanding what it takes to make a place profitable and a major part of that is having the right people to do the job and protecting their efforts by surrounding them with like minded people. SO, needless to say, I have a target on my back by those that feel I am asking too much or stepping on toes.
    However, I have to make a comment on recent events. I carry a gun. I have for almost twenty years. I have had to defend myself with a gun when violent criminals tried to take my life...    less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Biker Chat:
    Has anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my...  moreHas anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my immature "look at this" side. I've thought about designing my own system, but like the engineering of the hot licks system. I'm not going to do the injection option that will shoot a 20 foot flame, just the basic set-up that will shoot a little past the exhaust.  less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Biker/Motorcycle Humor & Jokes:
    A few days after Christmas, a mother was working in the kitchen listening to her young son playing with his new electric train in the living room.
    She heard the train stop and her son said, "All of you sons of b*tches who want off, get the hell...  more
    A few days after Christmas, a mother was working in the kitchen listening to her young son playing with his new electric train in the living room.
    She heard the train stop and her son said, "All of you sons of b*tches who want off, get the hell off now, cause this is the last stop! And all of you sons of b*tches who are getting on, get your asses in the train, cause we're going down the tracks."
    The mother went nuts and told her son, "We don't use that kind of language in this house. Now I want you to go to your room and you are to stay there for TWO HOURS. When you come out, you may play with your train, but I want you to use nice language."
    Two hours later, the son comes out of the bedroom and resumes playing with his train. Soon the train stopped and the mother heard her son say, "All passengers who are disembarking from the train, please remember to take all of your belongings with you. We thank you for riding with us today and hope your trip was...    less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Biker Chat:
    Has anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my...  moreHas anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my immature "look at this" side. I've thought about designing my own system, but like the engineering of the hot licks system. I'm not going to do the injection option that will shoot a 20 foot flame, just the basic set-up that will shoot a little past the exhaust.  less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON posted a topic in the forum Biker Chat:
    Flame Throwers...
    Has anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my...  moreHas anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my immature "look at this" side. I've thought about designing my own system, but like the engineering of the hot licks system. I'm not going to do the injection option that will shoot a 20 foot flame, just the basic set-up that will shoot a little past the exhaust.  less
    • January 21, 2012
  • DEFCON
    DEFCON replied to a topic in the forum Off Topic:
    I know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me...  moreI know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me know I'm not good at keeping it short and sweet.........
    I am in a position that doesn’t lend to making friends at work. Because of what needed to be done, I fully expected this and this is what I do. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I have experience understanding what it takes to make a place profitable and a major part of that is having the right people to do the job and protecting their efforts by surrounding them with like minded people. SO, needless to say, I have a target on my back by those that feel I am asking too much or stepping on toes.
    However, I have to make a comment on recent events. I carry a gun. I have for almost twenty years. I have had to defend myself with a gun when violent criminals tried to take my life...    less
    • January 21, 2012
  • Buckvet09
    Buckvet09: Hey man, wheres that picture I took? Good to meet you and your crew today. Small world your on here, lol.
    • August 7, 2010
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About

Personal Information

  • First Name James
  • Birthday February 20, 1972
  • Gender Male
  • Relationship Status Married
  • City Findlay
  • State OHIO
  • Zip 45840

Riding Info

  • Type of Rider (Passenger) Transportation
  • Primary Bike Type Cruiser
  • Ride My Own Bike Yes
  • Rallys & Biker Events Local & Regional Events
  • My Primary Bike '88 Sportster Bobber

General Info

  • Occupation Defense Instructor / Mfg. Mgr.
  • Hobbies Riding and Flying
  • Music Country and Rock
  • Message I'll not be killed for a lack of shooting back.....

Friends

  • AdventureGirl
  • RexTheRoadDog Our apologies for a rare occurrence, one spammer got through and sent some phishing  Private Messages (PM). We were notified and the idiot user has been deleted. If you see any of this kind of phishing or spam contact any admin -and- Never click on any links or go to any URLs that show up in such PMs. 
  • Steven
  • handlebarcorral
  • HijinxApparel Swing ny www­.hijinxappar­el.com! Che­ck us out!
  • Dyna
  • MDBikerGal sitting in m­icro lecture­ wishing I w­as riding
  • Seakers
  • Krum
  • Velvet
  • stephaniebritt the key to h­appiness,pos­sibly even p­leasure when­ one is"­Riding Bitch­"is pur­ely in the s­eam
  • angeleyes born to be f­ree
  • CreativeHDMama loving this ­Florida heat­!!
  • hgsc90 Enjoying the­ north woods­ cabin in Wi­sconsin.
  • kimberlylamky About to bec­ome a Grandm­a (again)
  • Hawk6351 Y'all! SO happy to say that today we broke an 8 YEAR dry spell on motorcycles LOL.... waaaaay too long, and may it never happen again! See ya on the road!
  • slacker
  • TheBullDog get yer moto­rs running..­.head out on­ the highway­...
  • badirish
  • rambo274
Previous
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Albums

  • Sportster ­Project 12 photos

  • The Rogue ­Years 10 photos

  • Misc. Stuf­f from my ­past 5 photos

  • Motorin' 2 photos

  • Last Assig­nment 12 photos

  • Duty Calle­d 2 photos

Previous
Next

Garages

  • Name: Bad Moon R­ising
    Make: Harley-Davidson
    Model: Sportster
    Year: 1988
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Blogs

  • Somrthing else I feel strongly about.

    Posted August 6, 2010

    My first reaction when I first heard of the “Ground Zero” mosque was an extremely visceral one. I was enraged to the point of nausea and still have a difficult time thinking about it without getting into a struggle with myself over the principle vs. appropriateness...

  • American Warrior Patriots

    Posted May 2, 2010

    I posted this as a reply on a thread called Navy SEAL Museum, but wanted to save it here for I feel in the extreme when it comes to this. “Matthew Axelson, 29, was one of four Navy SEALs taking part in Operation Red Wing, a secret mission in Kunar Province, Afghanist...

  • Getting Intimate with Violence: Part 2

    Posted April 6, 2010

    Getting Intimate with Violence II, © James G. Barnhart 2009 Violence is a tool. That's it........Thanks for coming.......  OK, seriously. Just as a gun, which is a tool, is praised and demonized for the results of it's use; so goes the reputation of v...

  • Getting Intimate with Violence

    Posted April 6, 2010

    OK, there is some repetition here frm the Connecting the Dots articles, but stay with it as it expands into new concepts. Getting Intimate with Violence  © James Barnhart 2009     There is a lot of discussion on the subject of tactics.  That wor...

  • Connecting the Dots

    Posted April 6, 2010

      Defensive Intelligence: Connecting the Dots  © James Barnhart 2007   I had just come to a stop when they pulled into my driveway directly behind me.  Their headlights were set to high beams and I couldn’t see them for the glare in the rearview ...

  • Connecting the Dots: Part 2

    Posted April 6, 2010

      Cyclefish members in my area get the training for $18   Go to defconccw.com for more info.   Connecting the Dots: Part 2 © James Barnhart 2007               A laboratory rat w...

  • The Sportster

    Posted April 1, 2010

     Starter bike, ladies ride, too small, too light.......hmmmmmm. There are always trade-offs in this world. The law of numbers and physics remind us, all too often, that for every luxury or advancement, there is a price.  What you get with the Sportster is a v...

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Forum Posts

  • August 16, 2013 5:32 AM PDT
    in the topic What 's Everyone Doing This Weekend? in the forum Off Topic
    My bike is down with the transmission flu, so we are knocking off early and spending the weekend in Homasassa Springs to do some boating, scalloping and Manatee watching in the river. Anticipating wine flu as well.
  • January 25, 2012 10:05 AM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    But he still stood up, put his life on the line and won the CMH twice......Compared to that, any man who would not be willing to serve their country but is perfectly willing to damn those that do...is a PUSSY. I respect the veteran who protests, he/she earned that right. I respect the protester who has not served, they have that right as well. You can protest the war, but leave the individual who serves out of your dissent. Those that make it personal against the individual Soldier, Sailor or Marine and those who dodged the draft, are absolute moral pussies.....Not a statement of fact, just my humble opinion that is a fact in my minds eye.
  • January 22, 2012 1:52 AM PST
    in the topic When personalities CLASH.... in the forum Off Topic
    I'm with Bikermedic, take it to the owners with the other roomie. If they don't solve it, start looking for another place.
  • January 21, 2012 7:00 AM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    I agree the gun is not the end all be all, the brain is the primary weapon. I have some articles on defconccw.com you may enjoy reading. What I call "Defensive Intelligence" is the foundation of my curriculums. The hand held weapon is the least important aspect of it all. More than half of all law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty were killed without having made any attempt at self defense, despite what was on their belt and what training they had. It's all neurological in foundation.
  • January 21, 2012 6:18 AM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    Thanks for that Lola...was just feeling you out there. I look fwd to interacting with you on the "fish"....lol
  • January 21, 2012 12:48 AM PST
    in the topic Flame Throwers... in the forum Biker Chat
    OH, I would NEVER use them like THAT! LOL
  • January 21, 2012 12:14 AM PST
    in the topic "ALL ABOARD"!!! in the forum Biker/Motorcycle Humor & Jokes
    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!
  • January 21, 2012 12:00 AM PST
    in the topic Flame Throwers... in the forum Biker Chat
    I'm thinking of going to straight pipes. I have stock cans on now that i removed the tubes from...they have a good sound, like glasspacks..still undecided..
  • January 20, 2012 9:48 PM PST
    in the topic Flame Throwers... in the forum Biker Chat
    Has anyone had experience with the Hotlicks exhaust flame kit? I have a little restored and chopped Sportster and I've been looking at flame kits for the exhaust to add to give it a little more "special sauce" to show off a bit and feed my immature "look at this" side. I've thought about designing my own system, but like the engineering of the hot licks system. I'm not going to do the injection option that will shoot a 20 foot flame, just the basic set-up that will shoot a little past the exhaust.
  • January 20, 2012 9:10 PM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    @BOOF, that's a tough situation down there on your side of the marble. I have passed on employment opportunities that would have moved me to a State that would have disarmed me. I don't know what the hell I would do if my entire country was a no gun region. One thing is for sure though, throughout history there have been men such as yourself who know the truth and keep what you will, where you need to, to preserve your ability to survive. I think time will resolve your issues with gun control legislation. Canada is starting to take a baby step with abolition of the long-gun registry, so I know it's possible. Keep the faith and keep the powder dry....
  • January 20, 2012 2:42 PM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    @Jimmy, thanks for the comment. we'll have to meet up sometime soon. My wife and I both ride. We meet up with several folks on here that live here in Ohio.
  • January 20, 2012 2:28 PM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    Mike, thank you for your comment. @ Lola, I posted it to vent, to give a little motivational reaffirmation to those I know on here that feel as I do and appreciate me sharing things like this as I appreciate what they share with me. We have differing set of contributing specialties that we mutually support each other with. We're a group that have a bond from a common experience that became an uncommon occurrence two summers ago when we met up in KY. I've been out of the CF loop for a few months,so I understand your not understanding my reason for posting this. That's cool. But as your signature line states, "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." We could go years without having contact and then pick right back up as if it were only days and not miss a beat. But I know, to you, I'm a newb spouting off.....you'll have that......
  • January 20, 2012 7:35 AM PST
    in the topic They Don't Feel Safe.... in the forum Off Topic
    I know I've been gone for a great long time, hope everyone has been well. My work has sucked most all of my time along with other things in life as it often goes. SO, I decided to come back with a short venting session, most of you who remember me know I'm not good at keeping it short and sweet......... I am in a position that doesn’t lend to making friends at work. Because of what needed to be done, I fully expected this and this is what I do. I don’t claim to be perfect, but I have experience understanding what it takes to make a place profitable and a major part of that is having the right people to do the job and protecting their efforts by surrounding them with like minded people. SO, needless to say, I have a target on my back by those that feel I am asking too much or stepping on toes. However, I have to make a comment on recent events. I carry a gun. I have for almost twenty years. I have had to defend myself with a gun when violent criminals tried to take my life for greed. I have also had to threaten the use of the gun to protect others lives from criminal violence. I train law abiding citizens to use the utility of violence to protect themselves against criminal violence. No matter how much you believe violence is not an answer, I can tell you that when your life is in immediate danger, where it takes less than one second for someone to pull a trigger or two seconds for them to step to you and bury a knife in your chest, and the police are an average of 11 minutes away, violent self defense is almost always the only option you have to save your life or the life of another. The owner of the company I work for understands this, knows my background, and has authorized me to carry at work. I served my country with honor. While doing so I also was certified as an auxiliary police officer through the D.O.D. police. I have held secret clearance, been background checked on almost a yearly basis. I have had psych eval after psych eval. I’ve been through hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of training in threat assessment, conflict negotiation, violent behavior analysis, unarmed and armed self defense tactics, executive protection, fugitive apprehension, surveillance, etc. I have been entrusted to wear a badge in the name of the law, to break through criminals doors to bring them to justice, to put my life on the line to protect others. I have been vetted. When law enforcement and private security officers need training to learn how to operate in instances of mortal combat, they have come to organizations I have worked for and to myself for training on how to do it right; How to minimize danger to the public and themselves while engaging violent people to stop them from killing. Anyone who knows anything about me and the few friends I have know that I would put my life on the line to protect them in almost any situation excluding anything that would put my family in jeopardy. If they spent as much energy learning who I am as they do trying to derail my efforts they would not say they don’t feel safe because I carry a gun. The fact is, there have been people leave this place who have considerable criminal records. Some have had violent pasts they have done jail time for. Some have and were actively trafficking prescription drugs. There were and are thief’s in this organization. If any one of them decided that they were going to come in here and take life; while everyone else would be cowering under their desks or running for the nearest door, hiding and praying that God get them through the situation; I would be moving toward the threat after having pulled my gun, passing in the opposite direction of those who were not able to deal with the reality of life, and putting my life on the line to stop the evil. Stop the intention of that person who was willing to take lives because of their self imposed failures that they want to blame on someone else. I would be praying to God to keep my aim true, allow me to be able to strike first because if I’m killed everyone else could be killed before police arrive. I understand this. This is who I am. The sad thing about this is that these people will go through life looking at people like me as some outdated or paranoid person; an anomaly. But if, God forbid, they happen to find themselves faced with the reality that people kill people for personal gain all the time, they will sacrifice their lives because they couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I’ve lived it and am still alive because I prepared. I feel sorry for their children if someone decides to invade their home, or tries to rob them on the street, they will have almost surely doomed them to be at the mercy of their attacker. Look up the details of the Petit family murders a couple years ago. Two attackers against a family, no guns in the house, and no one was trained for self defense. The mother and two daughters were killed and set on fire while the father was beat senseless and tied up in the basement. That wouldn’t happen in my house. My wife and older children are proficient at shooting a gun. They can, and most likely would, be able to use it in self defense. Could everyone be saved?….maybe not, but I’m sure we have a much better chance than if we had only the option of hoping for the mercy of the person who had already shown they were not against violence toward others. I have no problem saying I am absolutely livid at any parent who doesn’t prepare their child to defend themselves and doesn’t prepare themselves to defend their child. I’m not talking about playground squabbles. I’m talking about when a human being decides you or your child needs to die for their personal gain. Get out of the damn social media long enough to get a grip on what the world really is. I guarantee that you cannot think up any possible thing of violence or twisted, sadistic perversion of human decency that hasn’t already been done to someone by another human with no regard for life or empathy for another. It happens every day. Just a few miles away, Toledo has been identified as one of the major cities in the U.S. for human trafficking. There is a major drug issue at play right now in Findlay. DEA is active in this city as I write this.  I know it’s hard to connect the dots when you’re hanging out with friends, snuggled up on the couch in the cushy little bar enjoying the buzz from the joint you just had. Laughing and flirting, being witty and talking about whatever seems apropos. I used to smoke some weed back in the day. Yes it was fun. But, I also know where that comes from now and what it costs in human terms and it’s not worth it to me. I don’t fault you for it. I just made a decision that it wasn’t for me. This stuff doesn’t just come from someone’s friend in Logan county or Toledo or BG. It also comes from those who commit the atrocities you can find on sites such as bestgore.com (check out the decapitation videos from the Mexican cartels) or the archived videos on drudgereport.com from the border towns in Mexico. When I see someone “burnin cause they got ‘em”, I don’t think about the buzz their going to experience. I think about the wasted lives I’ve seen that got that weed to the street. The tennis star in Columbus I put in jail in ’98 who wasted her life and promising career by becoming a “posh” dealer for her thug boyfriend, the mother who dealt from her efficiency apartment and when her house was raided her baby was found sitting in a crib with a puppy and dog excrement because she used the weed money to by crack and was in a crack coma when her door was kicked in. The men who tried to kill me in my driveway in ’95 (high on weed and booze) who stated in court they said “let’s rob this nigga” before they pulled in behind me and opened fire when I got out of my truck. You may not feel safe because I have a gun, but I can assure you, if someone decides to take a life when I’m around, I’m your only hope of survival for at least 11 minutes (the average police response time to a 911 call). Then the guys who have the same training and vetting I’ve been through will be here in uniform, wearing a badge, to cordon the area off and fill out reports after you have “pumped out” on the floor. Think about this, there are more than 250,000 concealed carry permit holders in the State of Ohio. That’s more than the Canadian Army. That’s an average of 2,840 per county. Knowing this, I know that when I walk into Walmart and I see the NRA stickers on the cars in the parking lot; there’s a pretty good chance there are several other law abiding citizens carrying their gun in there at the same time. Chances are, if someone tries to resort to lethal violence, I’m not going to be alone in my effort to stop them. I like that a great deal. I like it when I see elderly women in line to get their CCW license renewed or when they come into a gun shop to get the wood grip repaired on their “pretty little pistol”; when I have people in my classes that have never shot a gun before that end up being greatly surprised at how well they do after realizing it’s just a tool. If you know the correct way to do it, it can be more important than medical training because it can prevent the need for medical care for you if you are the intended victim. I got a warm fuzzy when I saw a gun protruding from under the shirt of a guy in his late twenties walking with his toddler in a Penn Station in Perrysburg. He’s not going to let his daughter be killed for a lack of shooting back. Bravo-Zulu to him would be my comment. You would probably set and worry what his intensions are and scoff at the fact that he has a gun on him while he is with his daughter. I like the fact that his daughter is going to grow up knowing it’s ok to carry a gun. One of the greatest stories I can tell is of a twelve year old boy in Dayton, Ohio whose family was vehemently anti-gun. He told them he wanted to learn to shoot and compete in pistol competitions. His family was open minded despite of their fear of guns and agreed to let him try it out with proper guidance. They enlisted the services of a great instructor who took the boy under his wing and trained him right. The boy is now competing in USPSA matches in the junior division with a 9mm. Seeing the great fun the boy was having and seeing the great responsibility and discipline training with a gun instilled in him, his family got involved. He taught his own father to shoot and it’s now a family sport they do together. Why is it ok to put a child through martial arts training, to learn to use violence against another for sport for the discipline and respect it instills in the child, but it is not ok to train them with firearms for the same reasons, plus the added benefit of them being able to defend themselves with the gun? I have news for you; those Karate techniques are worthless against an attacker who’s 10 feet away with a gun and most criminals are cowards and use the gun to prevent injury to themselves. It gives them power over you they otherwise would not be willing to try to gain without the gun. I DON’T FEEL SAFE….knowing that the majority of people around me are so uneducated and in denial to the reality of the capability of violent criminals that they refuse to arm themselves and don’t want me to be able to defend myself as well. I know that there is an almost certain chance, around these types of people, that I will be utterly alone in my effort to stop a violent attack, much like all the students at Virginia Tech who died because nobody could shoot back and stop the vermin. People like me have been through training, been through background checks to show we are lawful people. The criminals are able to bypass all laws because they don’t care about the law. If you think you can predict what laws they will chose to break and which they will uphold, you’re simply an idiot. They simply get a gun, put it under their clothes and use it when they see fit for personal gain. Their names are on no lists, they don’t show up as a firearm carrier on an officers’ screen when he pulls them over, the list goes on. A review of local police reports that have recently involved BATF, DEA and local SWAT officers will reveal just how many guns are in the hands of criminals here. A recent raid, in the last three months, involving all of the previously mentioned law enforcement, seized a considerable amount of marijuana along with numerous firearms and an RPG Launcher. You think that joint you just smoked didn’t get to you through the hands of a criminal who has violent potential?  Sure, you got it from your friend who drives a new Isuzu, has a dog, a set of Bebe’ designer glasses and a cardigan; but where did they get that ounce? And where did that person get it before him. They are here just as they are in any major city. The difference is I know it because I have experienced it and survived it because I was carrying a gun because it happens. Your outcome would probably vary greatly. Not even talking about drug related violence, did you know that more than 70% of all rapes were committed by someone the victim knew? How about the fact that one of every three women will be the victim of some sort of sexual violence? Or the fact that you could fill a 747 and crash it every month and it still wouldn’t equal the number of women killed by a husband or boyfriend every month in the U.S.? How about the fact that 70 children per day are killed at the hand of a parent or guardian? Think about that. Read that again and THINK about that. Have you prepared your daughter for this reality? I know it seems harsh to introduce a child to the fact that people may try to kill them at some point in their life. It goes against that whole warm and fuzzy, love filled childhood experience we all want to give our children. But what is your culpability in the situation that they come into such a circumstance and they have no means of surviving it because they were never told they had an option? They were never introduced to the concept of defending yourself or what people are capable of. People spend thousands of dollars to buy sports equipment, toys, video games, etc. so their children have an enjoyable childhood. They spend thousands on education so their children have the chance to have a comfortable life. They spend hundreds every month on insurance to provide health care in the event of an illness and spend hundreds per year for life insurance so their family can get along without them in the event they die prematurely. Yet they won’t spend a dime to enable them to defend themselves and actually prevent their death or serious bodily harm in the first place. INCREDIBLE! Are you kidding me? They are able to live like this because there are people like me and like our military and law enforcement who are willing to do violence on their behalf, to keep the wolf at bay, to be a deterrent. There is a reason that as more and more people, law abiding good honest citizens, are arming themselves the violent crime rate is at a 47 year low. If I put a sign in my yard that said “I carry a gun and have used it to defend myself” and then put one in your yard that said “we don’t believe in guns” or “we oppose the carrying of guns by citizens”, who do you think is the preferred target of a would be home invader? I, along with my friends and students, am a sheepdog, not a wolf.  You should be afraid, but not of me. I’ll close with a few appropriate quotes. “One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me: “Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident.” This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million. Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep. I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin’s egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful. For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators. “Then there are the wolves,” the old war veteran said, “and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy.” Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial. “Then there are sheepdogs,” he went on, “and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.” Or, as a sign in one California law enforcement agency put it, “We intimidate those who intimidate others.” If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath--a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed. The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door. Look at what happened after September 11, 2001, when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero? Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones. Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, “Thank God I wasn’t on one of those planes.” The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, “Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference.” When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference. While there is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, he does have one real advantage. Only one. He is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.”    -from “On Combat” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman "Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?"   - William J. Bennett In a lecture to the United States Naval Academy,  November 24, 1997 “This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future." - Adolf Hitler “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell “Violence is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral feeling which thinks that nothing is worth violence is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - modification of a quote by John Stuart Mill English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)   And finally…. "When you men get home and face an anti-war (anti-violence) protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." - Attributed to General Tommy Franks - Also attributed to Leutenant General James Mattis, USMC (anti-violence) added by me, DefCon, as it applies to the pacifist in general, because , as George Carlin stated; “Pacifism is a wonderful concept, but it’ll get you killed”……..
  • April 18, 2011 7:27 AM PDT
    in the topic Home Defense in the forum Off Topic
    You know I've been long winded on here on more than one occaision and this topic will get me going faster than anything, as my blog postings will attest. I'll keep it short. If you or someone you love gets killed for a lack of shooting back, it's nobody's fault but yours........
  • April 18, 2011 7:01 AM PDT
    in the topic WOW ......nice tit's ................ in the forum Off Topic
    Tweek wrote... Oh that's better, I really prefer the pecker's. While I admire the beautiful one's, the tit's just don't measure UP! But with gravity being what it is they almost invariably measure down at some point.
  • April 18, 2011 4:20 AM PDT
    in the topic Rex the Road Dog gets to brag a bit in the forum Off Topic
    Beautiful!! If the rest of the family is like grandpa, I know "arms wide open" most definitely applies. Congrats Brother!
  • April 14, 2011 5:14 AM PDT
    in the topic Cold Wrenches in the forum Biker Chat
    Well, I got me one of them desk jobs and will have a few minutes here and there to get back on here.....Where's the "Dragon"? Who else from the old crew is still here?
  • April 14, 2011 1:13 AM PDT
    in the topic Cold Wrenches in the forum Biker Chat
    Through the days of this passing cold season I had only a couple occasions that required the use of tools at home. I generally don’t like to fire up the heater in the garage too often unless a long stint in the garage justifies keeping it on long enough to warm the tools to the point that they no longer sweat. But now as the days are getting longer and the mercury is reaching for it every day, I have been out there getting the machines ready. It’s been a year now since we were in the middle of the epic restoration of last winter. The grandeur of the endeavor was not so much the bikes themselves as they are humble machines, but the memories I wrote about making back when I was a more frequent flier on this site. So when I reached in a few weeks ago and grabbed that first cold wrench to work on a bike, alone in my garage, the memory of the preceding year washed over me as the hard chill of the steel stiffened the skin. While the fluorescent lights buzzed as they warmed, the heater was popping in protest as it started to glow and while finishing the cup in my hand I started swelling inside. The ammo can on the shelf that was converted to a portable tool box for the Bowling-Green Meet and Greet reminded me of the new friends the last few months events have caused me to lose contact with. The names on my cabinets, hand scribed with Sharpie’s, remind me of the spontaneous visits, the minutes before a ride while the bikes were warming and some people who have moved on to other missions in life that has taken them far from our venue. Sometimes my kids take a few seconds looking at the names and I’m glad they are remembering the souls whom we have met, who left their mark. Sitting down on my stool, I can see the texture of the machines my family helped me resurrect. The small imperfections from little hands mistakes; the pinstripes from a man named Taco; the small skull that used to be an earring and is now dimmer-switch adornment; the minute physical characteristics that serve as milestones… points of reflection, learning, yearning, laughing and crying. The privacy of winter life bore intimate moments that I hold in reserve, private aspects of my life when my family lives almost as hermits, venturing out, sometimes exclusively, for necessity only. As the wrench warms in my hand I feel the muscles in my face that knead the skin into a grin. The season is here. I can see you my friends. And the necessity of feeding the soul will bring us from our homes, jobs and downtrodden expanses of cold days when you yearn to live. I know soon I will feel the wind on my skin, the laughter of a child on my back seat as I press their backs into the sissy bar with a roll on the throttle, my wife looking over from her machine as she tucks back into my lane after passing the cage I first overtook. While not on empty, my “tank” is ready to receive replenishment. So I’ll wield my wrench with concentration and precision and replace it in its drawer where it will again become cold and static, unlike my soul, my family, my friends……my life.
  • October 29, 2010 5:51 PM PDT
    in the topic Neutral Look at our Goverment - A must read!! in the forum Off Topic
    OH Man.........I fear I would get "regulated" if I were to comment on this. GREAT post, John! I think most in this country forget that the it's the right to life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness. Nothing is guaranteed and the Federal Govt is only really to protect the individual states from foreign aggression and let those states govern as they see fit in accordance with the Constitution. The people of each State elect who they want to govern their little portion of the union and was not supposed to be subjected to blanket regulation contrived by those of other states that didn't share their local values that They the people of those individual states voted to be governed by. Of course there is need for Federal regulation to promote fairness and equality, but not to decide on the individuals daily life or level of perceived success in relation to the population as a whole. Technology has changed many things and made science fiction into reality. But, no technological advance can change the basic rules of nature. The problem is that instead of doing some hard thinking on how to prosper without taxing the individual monetarily or otherwise, they did the easy thing of passing laws to take from the individual because they were too lazy or inept to figure out how to make it happen otherwise. Or they did it because with a little benefit to the many after decades of contribution, there were those who would benefit 1,000 fold in a fraction of the time. It's all a big ponzy scheme really. Nothing has been about freedom and self governance for some time. It's about wealth and personal ego at the expense of the masses.
  • October 25, 2010 2:20 PM PDT
    in the topic Open discussion about Intimidation....by Night Dragon in the forum Off Topic
    Oh what Dragon through yonder window breaks? With tats and chaps, is his ass bad or fake? Thou shalt know if the first step ye takes, but hither comes the death in thy wake. - a caffiened up DEFCON.... LOL ok. Seriously Great topic Dragon! I jst got into my hotel in Canada and have to go to work in 15 minutes, so I'll revisit the thread in the morning.
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