I Didn’t Plan for a War

 

Police officers attacked. Molotov cocktails thrown. Buildings burned down. Statues toppled. Shots fired. Here in Florida, we had an ambush of police in Tampa:

This country has experienced its share of periods of unrest: I lived in California during the Watts riots, I watched the Vietnam War protests, I remember the shooting at Kent State.

But in the last two months, nothing has alarmed me as much as watching my country overridden by Black Lives Matter and their sycophants, guided by trained Marxists. I am making an effort through all of these activities to maintain perspective and not overreact. But I feel it’s time for me personally to take action.

A couple of statements have also reinforced my decision to act. David Marcus, a writer for the Federalist, led a protest to protect the Theodore Roosevelt statue at the Museum of Natural History in New York. On the Tucker Carlson show, Marcus made the following statement:

This is not new in history. We saw this in Russia. We saw this in China. We saw this in Venezuela. First, they topple the statues, then they start killing people, and then they take your rights away…

To provide perspective a published graph shows location of the protests as of June 2. And as of June 12, there were 1,700 protests across the U.S.

There is no sign of these activities dissipating.

* * * * *

About four years ago my husband decided to purchase a gun. With some reluctance, I learned to shoot it, eventually acquiring my own gun. We decided that if we had guns in the house, we needed to learn how to shoot them. As a result, we’ve practiced every two weeks, gone to a week-long practice workshop and received personal instruction. We were enjoying ourselves and coached each other to improve our accuracy.

A few months ago we also applied for our Concealed Carry Permits. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. Some of our gun experts on Ricochet, people I respect, discussed the value of CCW. I went through the motions of qualifying for and receiving my permit. I was still ambivalent about carrying.

Not anymore.

I dislike the idea of carrying a gun, and I don’t take it lightly. I live in a quiet gated community where I feel safe. But as soon as I step out of this community, everything changes. Along with the constant reminders of the coronavirus, its potential deadliness for people in my age group, death is not a looming specter but a shadow that seems to hover wherever I go.

I hate that these times dictate that it is wise to be vigilant, whether my health or my very life or the lives of others are involved. I hate that there are ignorant and foolish groups of people who think they can tell others what they should believe and how they should act. I hate that lawmakers are prepared to defy the laws along with the rioters and looters to make unlawful and ridiculous decisions. I hate that our leaders are discounting the value of the rule of law and the police who work to protect us. And yet at some level, I realize that my hate is unhealthy and detrimental to the way I want to live my life and how I want to relate to others.

So, I am defying those who want me to acquiesce to my own fear and those who want me to hate just as they do.

  • I will arm myself.
  • I will continue to practice so that I will be able to respond appropriately if the need arises.
  • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.
  • I will attend a workshop where I can practice in situations that are potentially life-threatening.

The paradox of taking these steps will, I think, become apparent. I will develop a realistic view of how to use a gun if I need to use it. I will be empowered to protect myself and others if the need arises. I will realize the heavy responsibility I am taking on, and practice acting in a safe and appropriate manner.

I believe my hate will dissipate and that my confidence and peace of mind will be fostered.

And if all the disruption and destruction dies down, there will be a lasting benefit.

I will have taken charge of my life.

And be ready for the next time.

Published in Guns
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  1. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    What feels different about the riots today and back in the 60s and 70s is that you knew the public was not going to accept this state of things and there would be a push back. Now, not so much. Although media always wanted a story and would heighten the drama, you did not see them as partisans actually promoting additional disruptions. That is no longer true. 

    The Democrats want to prompt President Trump to act in a way that they and their allies in the media and the tech companies can create a wedge between him and the public. He has thus far limited his response to the bully pulpit and limited federal properties. He is trying to thread the needle. It may not work. People are looking for decisive leadership in response to chaos. At some point he is going to have to do more because the Democrats will continue to promote chaos that demands a response. Failing that he will lose by inaction.

    • #1
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Susan Quinn:

    So, I am defying those who want me to acquiesce to my own fear and those who want me to hate just as they do.

    • I will arm myself.
    • I will continue to practice so that I will be able to respond appropriately, if the need arises.
    • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.
    • I will attend a workshop where I can practice in situations that are potentially life-threatening.

    Amen.

    • #2
  3. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Rodin (View Comment):
    People are looking for decisive leadership in response to chaos. At some point he is going to have to do more because the Democrats will continue to promote chaos that demands a response. Failing that he will lose by inaction.

    There has been quite a bit of talk about Trump’s needing to speak about current events and the future. What is happening today will dictate our future. Trump needs to let go of his ego wounds and be forceful about calling for law and order. And the Dems be damned.

    • #3
  4. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Percival (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn:

    So, I am defying those who want me to acquiesce to my own fear and those who want me to hate just as they do.

    • I will arm myself.
    • I will continue to practice so that I will be able to respond appropriately, if the need arises.
    • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.
    • I will attend a workshop where I can practice in situations that are potentially life-threatening.

    Amen.

    And yet there is still a part of me that cringes, @percival. But it has been shrinking in the face of current events. Thanks for your kind reinforcement.

    • #4
  5. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn:

    So, I am defying those who want me to acquiesce to my own fear and those who want me to hate just as they do.

    • I will arm myself.
    • I will continue to practice so that I will be able to respond appropriately, if the need arises.
    • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.
    • I will attend a workshop where I can practice in situations that are potentially life-threatening.

    Amen.

    And yet there is still a part of me that cringes, @percival. But it has been shrinking in the face of current events. Thanks for your kind reinforcement.

    All you can do is be ready. The two parts of being ready are being trained and being equipped. God bless you, Susan.

    • #5
  6. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Rodin (View Comment):

    What feels different about the riots today and back in the 60s and 70s is that you knew the public was not going to accept this state of things and there would be a push back. Now, not so much. Although media always wanted a story and would heighten the drama, you did not see them as partisans actually promoting additional disruptions. That is no longer true.

    The Democrats want to prompt President Trump to act in a way that they and their allies in the media and the tech companies can create a wedge between him and the public. He has thus far limited his response to the bully pulpit and limited federal properties. He is trying to thread the needle. It may not work. People are looking for decisive leadership in response to chaos. At some point he is going to have to do more because the Democrats will continue to promote chaos that demands a response. Failing that he will lose by inaction.

    It’s part of what I’d call the New York-ization of America that’s been going on for about 15 years now, in that historically over the past 100-plus years New York City voters default to progressive politicians, until things get so screwed up they can no longer deny to themselves what the consequences of voting for progressive politicians has caused. Then they vote them out and put a Republican (or independent) in City Hall for a few years to fix things, and then because they forget what got them into the mess, they vote back in the same type of pols that caused the trouble in the first place.

    The rise of satellite news channels and the Internet seems to have taken that NYC phenomenon and pushed it out to the national level, but we’ll see how November goes. It’s hard to fathom lots of voters outside of the cities looking at the far left’s violent actions and thinking the answer to this is essentially playing blackmail to the Democrats by electing Joe Biden.

    • #6
  7. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    Well stated, Susan. These sound like reasonable measures we all should take. 

    • #7
  8. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jon1979 (View Comment):
    It’s hard to fathom lots of voters outside of the cities looking at the far left’s violent actions and thinking the answer to this is essentially playing blackmail to the Democrats by electing Joe Biden.

    I hope you’re correct, @jon1979. I hope they’re in the part of the cycle where they recognize the insanity and vote them all out!

    • #8
  9. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Blondie (View Comment):

    Well stated, Susan. These sound like reasonable measures we all should take.

    Thanks, @blondie. I appreciate that a lot. I sound like a conservative radical to myself–if there can be such a thing!

    • #9
  10. DonG (skeptic) Coolidge
    DonG (skeptic)
    @DonG

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    There has been quite a bit of talk about Trump’s needing to speak about current events and the future. What is happening today will dictate our future. Trump needs to let go of his ego wounds and be forceful about calling for law and order. And the Dems be damned.

    And do what?  More calls for law and order on Twitter would seem feckless.  What should he do, when the cities and states stand idle?  So far, acting on federal property seems to me to be the right balance of action/inaction.

    • #10
  11. DonG (skeptic) Coolidge
    DonG (skeptic)
    @DonG

    Susan Quinn:

    • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.

    Remember, there is no reasoning with a mob, there is only escape.

    • #11
  12. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    I was impressed by the Chief of Police in the video.  I’m hoping that he largely has Tampa’s support, which would speak well for the city.

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    DonG (skeptic) (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn:

    • I am viewing videos that explain how to handle dangerous situations in a way that is as safe as possible.

    Remember, there is no reasoning with a mob, there is only escape.

    I agree. I have no intention of taking on a mob, @dong. That would be stupid. But if I am in a room where someone begins to fire, I expect to know the best way to respond. I don’t know that yet, and thus the training.

    • #13
  14. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    I was impressed by the Chief of Police in the video. I’m hoping that he largely has Tampa’s support, which would speak well for the city.

    I haven’t seen follow-up, @hoyacon. Naturally their local newspaper is blatantly liberal. But they may not speak for the people. And the Chief said those kinds of actions won’t be tolerated, but I haven’t heard what he plans to do to stop them.

    • #14
  15. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Just found this:

    More than three dozen people came before the Tampa City Council on Thursday, calling on them to abolish the Tampa Police Department and reallocate financial resources from the police back into the Black community.



    Many also called for the firing of Police Chief Brian Dugan, who has come under fire over the past month for his handling of the confrontations between the police and protesters which have taken place during demonstrations against racism and police accountability.

    Mayor Jane Castor and the council also received biting criticism at times during the meeting, with citizens saying that they have done nothing over the years to hold the police department accountable. They listed several controversial police shootings that they say had gone unaddressed, as well an as incident that made national headlines this week.

    • #15
  16. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Rodin (View Comment):
    What feels different about the riots today and back in the 60s and 70s is that you knew the public was not going to accept this state of things and there would be a push back. Now, not so much.

    We cannot discount the tremendous changes in education in the last 50 years. 

    • #16
  17. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Just found this:

    More than three dozen people came before the Tampa City Council on Thursday, calling on them to abolish the Tampa Police Department and reallocate financial resources from the police back into the Black community.


     


    Many also called for the firing of Police Chief Brian Dugan, who has come under fire over the past month for his handling of the confrontations between the police and protesters which have taken place during demonstrations against racism and police accountability.

    Mayor Jane Castor and the council also received biting criticism at times during the meeting, with citizens saying that they have done nothing over the years to hold the police department accountable. They listed several controversial police shootings that they say had gone unaddressed, as well an as incident that made national headlines this week.

    Well, that figures.  Duggan comes across as firm and competent, so . . . fire him.

    • #17
  18. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    When I see the many calls for abolishing the police departments and diverting the funds to “community organizations,” I have visions of hundreds of Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons with their hands outstretched. And a good part of the money will be sticking to their fingers before it gets to the “community.”

    • #18
  19. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Has there ever been a revolution in which all major cities and many states were governed by revolution allies against the federal government?  

    The longer this rioting, vandalism, and censorship continues, the more likely it will spin into open revolution. Republicans are right to think it’s a political trap, but elections won’t matter if they don’t do their jobs and crush this lawlessness now. 

    • #19
  20. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    Has there ever been a revolution in which all major cities and many states were governed by revolution allies against the federal government?

    The longer this rioting, vandalism, and censorship continues, the more likely it will spin into open revolution. Republicans are right to think it’s a political trap, but elections won’t matter if they don’t do their jobs and crush this lawlessness now.

    Hear! Hear!

    • #20
  21. philo Member
    philo
    @philo

    Aaron Miller (View Comment): Has there ever been a revolution in which all major cities and many states were governed by revolution allies against the federal government?

    I don’t see that they are revolting against the federal government. Just playing politics against Trump. I’d like to know who these mayors and governors are communicating with and how many of them are less then three degrees of separation from the Speakers office and/or the DNC.

    Aaron Miller (View Comment): …but elections won’t matter if they don’t do their jobs and crush this lawlessness now

    Why “now”? (Today? This week? This month?) Why the urgency?

    • #21
  22. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Thanks, Susan for the idea for my summer project. Shooting lessons, after which I can apply for my own concealed carry permit and buy a gun. I have already seen the BLM protesters a short distance from our neighborhood. 

    • #22
  23. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Thanks, Susan for the idea for my summer project. Shooting lessons, after which I can apply for my own concealed carry permit and buy a gun. I have already seen the BLM protesters a short distance from our neighborhood.

    Following up with regular practice is so important, too, @rushbabe49. I’m so sorry about the protestors nearby. Not good at all.

    • #23
  24. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Thanks, Susan for the idea for my summer project. Shooting lessons, after which I can apply for my own concealed carry permit and buy a gun. I have already seen the BLM protesters a short distance from our neighborhood.

    Following up with regular practice is so important, too, @rushbabe49. I’m so sorry about the protestors nearby. Not good at all.

    Just another reason to go to Hillsdale for shooting camp, too!

    • #24
  25. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Jim McConnell (View Comment):

    When I see the many calls for abolishing the police departments and diverting the funds to “community organizations,” I have visions of hundreds of Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons with their hands outstretched. And a good part of the money will be sticking to their fingers before it gets to the “community.”

    If Trump wins in November, I really expect to see op-eds in the weeks after that saying the secret ballot is racist and we need to think about abolishing it for future elections.

    • #25
  26. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Thanks, Susan for the idea for my summer project. Shooting lessons, after which I can apply for my own concealed carry permit and buy a gun. I have already seen the BLM protesters a short distance from our neighborhood.

    Following up with regular practice is so important, too, @rushbabe49. I’m so sorry about the protestors nearby. Not good at all.

    Just another reason to go to Hillsdale for shooting camp, too!

    I think those are on hold for now, but hopefully they’ll start up again!

    • #26
  27. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Susan, I appreciate your desire to help, but I do not think that a posse of armed grandmas is an effective way to control crime.  I’m probably slightly better suited to taking up arms, but a posse of armed middle-aged lawyers is not likely to help, either.

    The way to control crime is to back up the cops.  In the video, “The police, we always have everybody’s back.  Nobody has ours right now.”  He doesn’t know about me, apparently.  I believe that I have been uniformly supportive of the cops.

    I think that the fundamental problem is that most of the Left, and what appears to me to be about half of the Right, have completely unrealistic expectations of what police can accomplish, and saddle the cops with unworkable rules of engagement.  Vigorous force needs to be used against wanton lawlessness, and especially against resisting arrest.

    I do not think that even 20% of my friends here at Ricochet agree with this.

    The Tampa cops appear to be in an impossible position.  I knew nothing of Tampa politics, but was not surprised to discover that the mayor, and all 7 members of the city council, are Democrats.

    • #27
  28. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    philo (View Comment):

    Aaron Miller (View Comment): …but elections won’t matter if they don’t do their jobs and crush this lawlessness now

    Why “now”? (Today? This week? This month?) Why the urgency?

    Because it gets worse with each week. The riots spread to other cities. The destruction of statues and vandalism has spread even beyond the largest cities. BLM gains ever more attention and donations with help from major corporations. The actions of some state legislatures and city councils are in response to continued and mounting enthusiasm for radical changes. 

    Momentum matters. The more widespread pressure on companies and individuals to be silent or pay lip service to leftist memes, the more leftists are encouraged to make demands, the bolder actions they believe are possible, and the more courage becomes necessary for sensible dissidents to resist the zeitgeist. 

    The situation is escalating. This is an election year, so media will push hard to maintain the fury. Plus, we have all the economic and political troubles related to the coronavirus. Republicans cannot assume this all will peter out soon. They hoped it would fade away weeks ago. 

    philo (View Comment):

    Aaron Miller (View Comment): Has there ever been a revolution in which all major cities and many states were governed by revolution allies against the federal government?

    I don’t see that they are revolting against the federal government

    They are revolting against republicanism — rule of law. They are playing partisan politics in a way far more extreme than usual, by not policing their own cities in order to empower partisan mobs. They are working against Trump and Republicans in a way that threatens to stability of America generally. In essence, they are letting America come apart so that they can blame the Right, win the elections, and further their dream of unrestricted, whimsical power in the hands of Democrats. 

    • #28
  29. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Si vis pacem para bellum.

    • #29
  30. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… (View Comment):
    Susan, I appreciate your desire to help, but I do not think that a posse of armed grandmas is an effective way to control crime. I’m probably slightly better suited to taking up arms, but a posse of armed middle-aged lawyers is not likely to help, either.

    What in the world are you talking about, Jerry? Have you made one of your infamous leaps again? If you are referring to me as an “armed grandma,” you are a fool; I’m probably in lots better shape than you are, for starters. I have no intention of being part of a posse or joining others to fight the bad guys. I’m simply talking about carrying, and when I’m in a position where I have no choices for protecting myself, I want protection. 

    • #30
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