The Right To Bear Arms

     I never intended Jack of All Spades to become a gun-centric organization. I feel that the firearm is merely a tool with a purpose similar to my flint and steel or my emergency water. I don’t see them as harmful or inherently dangerous but I do treat them the same way I would my axe or hatchet. I believe that most people agree that any weapons can be dangerous in the wrong hands. The reason that I write this article though is not to persuade you to be a 2nd amendment supporter or to go out and buy a gun. I merely want to express my deepest concern for what the government is doing to stop the violence in America; they’re doing nothing. 

     For as long as I can remember, the political officers of the United States have regularly misused tragedy for their own causes. This is in reality just human nature to make the best of a situation but the real issue arises when that person takes a very serious situation and pushes through an agenda on the backs of small children. I deeply regret the tragic events involving recent active shooters and wish a speedy recovery to all involved. I wish that the communities worst hit by these events can move past these events with strength. Life gives us lemons every day; I just don’t expect them to come in the form of an active shooter. What I do expect is that no matter the lemon, we can find a way to make lemonade. 

     The patriotic duty of every citizen of this great nation is to be somewhat if not very active in the political structure around them. Politicians and government officials will tell their constituents, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it for you, Just relax.” When in reality you should never trust them to take care of anything without your monitoring. Being from Oregon I try my best to keep in the loop with state politics. I know that although Senator Ron Wyden (D) has many different political viewpoints than mine he has regularly shown that he cares for the people of Oregon and operated accordingly. That being said, I still watch to make sure he’s doing his job. I regularly write him and other political leaders about concerns I might have. 

Anti-gun protest in 2012 following the massacre at Sandy Hook

     This “anti-gun” craze that follows every active shooting event is misdirected anger. There is no real connection to your average gun owner and the mentally disturbed with a gun. They might both have purchased the gun legally but take away the weapon and you will more clearly see the difference. You will see that there are two serious issues at hand, and neither of those are the firearms. These issues are clearly are our harboring a culture of violence and a lack of awareness. 

     I don’t know of anyone who would disagree that Americans are naturally more outspoken than many other cultures. We honk our horns, flip people the bird, yell at each other and most even curse worse than sailors (I should know, I am a sailor). I enjoy my violent video games like most and even enjoy a great boxing match or MMA fight. The United States of America, the greatest country in the world is inundated daily with television, video games, movies, friends and other sources of violence. The worst culprit however are not these I’ve just listed but one that most people don’t think of; parents.  

     A child can learn so much of his identity from his parents. In the end, don’t we all end up just like them? I’m not a parent and even if I was one I would never see it as my job to tell you how to raise your child. What I do see as a problem though is children picking up on how their parents treat everyone. Does the father drive angry, yelling and honking his horn? Does the mother curse at all the stress in her life from house or professional work? Children pick up on this and they will exhibit so much of those traits over time. These habits can lead to more violent outbursts and even result in violence against others. 

     When I speak of awareness I speak of being aware of those around you. Not in a physical security sense like we speak of often here at Jack of All Spades but in more of a mental sense. Do you notice when your friend is showing signs of hurting himself? Does the father of a disturbed child notice that he is depressed? Does a mother recognize the starting signs of a more serious mental issue? Paying close attention to those we care about could give us ample time to help each other in the exact same way catching cancer early can save a life. Finding help for those who might need it is the first step in preventing them from hurting themselves and others. 

     I don’t claim to know the psychological reasons behind active shooters however I suspect that they are depressed enough to not care if they live or die and they’re angry enough to not care if others die. Whatever the cause for it all these things issues must be addressed before moving on to the tool used. There is no shame in seeking help for a loved one and no shame at all in reporting a possible threat to the proper people. There are hundreds of clinics and organizations to help you out. I am a very big fan of the Mayo Clinc’s website. They offer tons of info on everything from basic first aid to mental help. This link here is only a preliminary overview of more serious issues but it’s at least a start. 

     The very least you can do is help to identify the signs. If these signs are present then notify someone. Do it before they purchase a gun or find a weapon. This is the approach we desperately need in this country and even though I understand that you may never see it coming you can at least try. I think that there are more signs available to signal that there is a problem with someone. As medical professionals often say, “we need to treat the sickness no the symptom”. The symptom is gun control whereas the sickness is psychological. The second amendment was designed to protect ourselves in the event that we needed to. I recognize that there is less a need to defend ourselves physically from the government but there is still a very real need to defend ourselves against evil. 

     Shortly we will see a wave of government officers proposing gun bans and firearm restriction laws. I urge everyone to write and protest the bills so that we can move on to the real issue. Suggest that more action be taken to kill this sickness and not worry about the symptom. Let us kill this apathy within us and encourage others to focus on those around them. Look for opportunities to support one another. Together we can take back America from our self-serving politicians and enjoy the freedoms of a less violent United States!

Active Shooter

     So much can be said following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut and I speak for all of us at Jack of All Spades when I say we’re deeply saddened by the loss of so many innocent and perfect children. We sincerely send our deepest sympathies to the families who lost so much. I had another article I was working on but due to the recent shooting in Clackamas, Oregon and at Sandy Hook I felt it important to address this subject now. In fact it was this very subject that was the final straw that led me to create Jack of All Spades. The first school shooting I remember was in 1998 at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. That feeling I had when I saw the news reports has compounded with every subsequent active shooter event to the point that I will not stand back and watch this happen and that’s why we created Jack of All Spades. 

     Too often in our age we see devastating events of this magnitude and I hate to think of the emotional and mental consequences that it is having on our youth. This ever present acceptance of violence is out of control and I will be honest when I say that I’m not sure what to do about it. I don’t feel that Jack of All Spades is here to fix the social viruses of our day but what we can do is be ready for these events so that we can survive them in more than just a physical capacity. It is inherent in the Human system to respond to these events as “fight or flight” and that is a perfectly acceptable way to look at these situations. Jack of All Spades are trained to fight and we’re the first to run towards the shooting but for those that are unable to or unwilling to fight we have a few steps to follow. We also understand every situation is different and so some modification might be needed for your situation but there are some important basics to remember. 

     OBSERVATION - There is no excuse for not being observant. This step applies to both fight and flight aspects of these situations. Seeing the deranged individual pull his gun gives you more time to run or fire back. Even catching him acting strangely, dressing strangely or speaking strangely can give you time to report it or get out of there. Being observant is the first step to protecting yourself and your family in any situation. 

     COMPOSURE - Staying calm during these events allows you to think clearly and make life saving decisions. For many like me we can attribute our ability to stay calm to years of training in military or law enforcement. For those who never had the privilege of serving can still find solace in preparing prior to these events. Teaching your children of the threat and helping them understand it before it happens will not only give you peace of mind but will allow you and them to react more securely during these events. 

     COVER - Finding cover to protect you is priority Jack of All Spades are always observing their surroundings and mentally logging where they would hide if needed. Remember that there is a difference behind cover and concealment. Concealment is something that only blocks the shooters view while cover will protect you from a shooter. Although cover is preferred, concealment can be just as good in these situations. If the shooter is unaware of your presence then you’re no longer a target. Choose cover wisely though because you’ll need this to prepare for the next step. 

US Army Soldiers taking cover in Iraq.

     ESCAPE - Timing your escape can be just as important as finding your cover. If you’re able to you should escape before taking cover but only if you can safely make it away from the shooter. If you’re unable to make it out without falling into harm’s way then find cover. From cover you might have a sheltered view of what is going on and if so you can start to make a plan of escape. You can wait till the shooter passes giving you enough space or concealment to make it to an exit. Waiting for him to reload is always a great option because this will increase the time you have to escape. Most importantly is to wait until the timing is right, choose the exit that is nearest you and utilize as much concealment and cover as possible on your way out. 

     If by some chance the shooter is headed your way then you must act. This is the hardest part of any active shooter event because it’ll require you have no other options. Finding a weapon nearby might be difficult but if you can find one and get ready to use it. This is something I hope that no one has to go through, especially for those without training but I see no shame is saying that if it comes down to it you must fight tooth and nail against the shooter. Bite, kick, scream and do whatever it takes to stop the shooter at this point. 

     RECOUPING - There is no shame in coming out of these events in utter shock and devastation. To many times we try to be tough and struggle through it on our own. These events need to be shared and worked through with friends and family. Seek out councilors if needed but understand above all that you did everything you could have done because you were prepared. 

     For us at Jack of All Spades we recoup in the same manner we always do following these shootings; we train harder. That’s what we’ve done, that’s what we’ll always do when trouble knocks at our door. With talk stirring of gun control and more legislation I worry for a possible future where the only people that have guns are the criminals. I fear that the government will submit to the anti-gun protests and pass greater restrictions. I never wanted Jack of All Spades to become political and I never intend to but what is extremely important for all of us to do is to not create panic laws following these events. We don’t need to jump into more guns laws, or school security, or even personality screenings and such. We need to approach this with a clear mind. 

     Jack of All Spades believes that the gun is a tool in the same way that a hammer or a car is a tool. Each item can be used in various ways to assist the user and make simple jobs easier but in the wrong hands these tools can become deadly. We support weapon regulation as long as it doesn’t infringe on the right for legal citizens to own and operate them. Following these events there are always cries to tighten the ability to buy weapons; specifically guns. 

     To think that regulating guns is sufficient to stop such evil is like believing that by removing the gun, you’re also removing the “crazy” from the shooter. A person intent on harming others is going to find a way to harm whether he has a gun or not. What is necessary to understand is that no matter what we do, no matter how much we regulate, legislate or control we cannot prevent these tragic events from happening; these people will always find a way. Jack of All Spades was designed to prevent these events, not through legislation or regulations but through control of the situation as it happens. Imagine a world where people stand up for themselves and they stop these sorts of things from happening. How many lives could we save if even one person stood up and fired back? I don’t expect the world to carry guns and shoot blindly at the attacker but I do expect people to be prepared to fight or fly if necessary. 

     Most importantly is to be prepared at all times. We live by Exercito ab Ara which is Latin for “train hard to protect/shield”. That is what the Jack of All Spades stands for and that’s what we intend to do. Join us in our fight against evil in our day and act so you’re not acted upon!