Over-The-Top ParaMilitary MindSet?

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MaxHeadSpace

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Seriously, I'm not trolling. Or maybe I am . . .

First words to the class from our CCW instructor:

"The CCW DOES NOT make you some sort of 'Law Enforcement' anything in any sense whatever. Get that notion out of your head, right here, right now."

Realizing that there are in this forum a number of LEO and active military duty types, and that there's an "in group" jargon which is intrinsic to those cultural contingents, I see/read a lot of para-military, Walter Mitty -- esque, "tactical operations" narrative in here. It's over the top.

It's a "firearm." Yeah, yeah, the military taught us not to call it a "gun" and to instead refer to it as a "weapon." That distinction resulted in a lot of push-ups, and laps around the drill-field.

A "weapon" is what you have when YOUR "primary mission" (e.g. you're on the payroll or active duty) is strategic defense of the nation or the protection, service, and preservation of law and order in the community.

The CCW doesn't put you on any of those payrolls or duty rosters.

The "tactical tool belt" . . . what do you carry? C'mon here. I don't need a shelter-half, poncho, mess kit, entrenching tool, and Alice pack to get into the Subaru and run down to the corner grocery for a short-case and chips. We're NOT living in a war zone, and running to the store is NOT a tactical manoeuvre.

I don't sleep with my "weapon" under my pillow. I didn't sleep with my weapon under my pillow when I was on active duty and in a war zone. I did park my weapon outside the showers while I was in the same war zone. It was within arm's reach while sitting on the commode.

But we're not in a war zone now. This is civilization, and you're probably not going to run over an IED while on your way to the grocery in your Subaru to get chips and a brewski.

It's 1:00 PM. It's not 1300 HRS.

It's December 18, 2008, not 18 Dec. '08.

Bug Out Bags are for bugs. Tinfoil hats are for wannabees with bug out bags.

I don't carry a "back-up weapon." Hell, I don't think I've carried a primary CCW in the past six months, despite having permits in two states. Six decades and I've never been mugged, hijacked, robbed, burgled . . . I've never found myself in a situation where I was wanting for "enough gun."

Eight rounds IS enough. If it's not, you're someplace you have no business being. I'm fine with five rounds.

I don't "secure the perimter" or "shut down" before I head off to bed. And it's a "bed" -- not a "rack."

OK, yes . . . When I'm out "in the field" . . . camping, kayaking, hiking or whatever, I carry a defensive firearm. I generally have a long-gun for backup in the car. (And it's a "car" . . . not a "vehicle" or "POV.") If I have a knife, it's designed to cut and carve, not stab and slash.

Bottom line here, LEO and active duty excepted: You're NOT in the military. You're not "on the force." And this ain't no war zone. Stand down for gawd's sake!

:eek:
 
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I don't carry a "back-up weapon." Hell, I don't think I've carried a primary CCW in the past six months, despite having permits in two states. Six decades and I've never been mugged, hijacked, robbed, burgled . . . I've never found myself in a situation where I was wanting for "enough gun."

Eight rounds IS enough. If it's not, you're someplace you have no business being. I'm fine with five rounds.
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Based on the experience you've set out, you have no need for a weapon, let alone five rounds. So, carrying one is itself a Walter Mitty excercise, right?

I'm not trying to be snippy, but the logic we apply to others needs to be applied to ourselves. We tend to be less judgmental when we do that self-analysis first.
 
Do not feed the troll.

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Interesting commentary MaxHeadSpace.
You've hit on a subject where the reasons and rationale for the behavior discribed could fill several books, and no doubt has.

I was watching Regis & Kelly on the tube a few days ago. They had that Olympic swimmer that won the 8 gold medals on as a guest.
Kelly was talking about how after you watch the Olympics for a few days, you morph into some sort of pseudo expert on the events... and you think you actually have enough knowledge on the sports to make performance judgments.
Funny stuff, quite true... and kind of relevant.

IMO... Same thing tends to happen with people when they watch combat type movies or play FPS video games... some may start getting a little (a lot?) delusional, thinking that what they see on the screen, they can do.
Of course, they need the tools and equipment they see on the screen to complete the "transformation".

When we were little kids, we played "army" and "cowboys", "Superman" and "Man from U.N.C.L.E." (oops... dated myself)... role-playing to test our boundaries and to escape our otherwise dull existences. Give me a beach towel for a "cape"... and it's up, up and away!
Most of us grew out of this basic form of role-play as we became adults, but I think some still need to play "Super stealth, Ninja Navy Seal, Commando Killer".

There are the weekend warriors who are, by and large, well aware of their shortcomings in the real world and don't think they're something they're not... they go back to their regular lives during the week and carry no illusions that they are "dangerous men".
And then there are the guys that, by virtue of playing video games for 10,000 hours, somehow think that they are combat ready.

It's a funny world we live in. Some live to support an irrational, complicated and sometimes dangerous illusion... while the more rational among us realize that the most effective weapon we possess is between our ears.

C
 
There is an excessive amount of "war zone" like discussion, ie the bug out bag business and "is 8 shot enough" sort of thing but beyond that I see it as a choice of vocabulary.

For instance, I almost exclusively use the word "handgun" instead of pistol. Why? Pistol sounds "wrong" to me somehow, I don't even know why, it just does. Some people might think the opposite.

I generally refer to things that go "Bang!" as weapons and not guns. I was never in the military. What I do know is a funny story from a guy who was. He told me that they were taught this little jingle (and a "dance" that goes with it)

"This is my weapon (holding up appropriate firearm), this is my gun (Pointing to appropriate body part).... This ones for killin' (holding up appropriate firearm), this ones for fun." (Pointing to appropriate body part)

So... ever since then I've referred to firearms as weapons and not guns. Why? I guess just because I laugh when I don't because I remember his "song".

So, anyway, yeah you're right. Some people here are a little over the top. What I find MUCH MORE annoying are the people that insist on personal attacks and unnecessarily nasty arguments. Those types of people are equally prevalent and much more distracting and detracting from the board as a whole.
 
So youre saying that taking pictures of myself in my tactial gear (helmet included) holding my black rifle and a sidearm is out of line?

Did I waste my money on the nightvision goggles?...

What about tactical entry when my girlfriend thinks somebody may have gotten into her house?

I'm so confused now... :D

Seriously though, while I agree with 90% of your post... Why wouldnt you use your CCW more often? You gotta justify the expense somehow, might as well be armed. Better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it!
 
So much to say, I dont really even know where to start...

I see/read a lot of para-military, Walter Mitty -- esque, "tactical operations" narrative in here. It's over the top.
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I dont... i find most threads here thought provoking at the least. Informative at best. If this place was that full of mall ninjas to warrant this tirade, i doubt i'd be here still...

I don't sleep with my "weapon" under my pillow. I didn't sleep with my weapon under my pillow when I was on active duty and in a war zone. I did park my weapon outside the showers while I was in the same war zone. It was within arm's reach while sitting on the commode.
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Sleeping with a gun "under your pillow" (aka by the bed stand) doesnt make you a military/cop wanabee... its a very convient place for storage in the (not so) off chance someone breaks into your house... you rather it be where? in a safe? in the closet? Is that really any different?

It's a "firearm." Yeah, yeah, the military taught us not to call it a "gun" and to instead refer to it as a "weapon." That distinction resulted in a lot of push-ups, and laps around the drill-field.

A "weapon" is what you have when YOUR "primary mission" (e.g. you're on the payroll or active duty) is strategic defense of the nation or the protection, service, and preservation of law and order in the community.
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way to argue semantics there chief... i think i'll call it whatever i want, thank you very much... a rose by any other name smells just as sweet... weapon, gun, tool, piece, gat, block-o-metal... :rolleyes:

I don't carry a "back-up weapon." Hell, I don't think I've carried a primary CCW in the past six months, despite having permits in two states. Six decades and I've never been mugged, hijacked, robbed, burgled . . . I've never found myself in a situation where I was wanting for "enough gun."
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personal choice. doesnt make you a military/leo wanabe if you do... dont be so condescending..

Eight rounds IS enough. If it's not, you're someplace you have no business being. I'm fine with five rounds.
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again, personal choice.

Bottom line here, LEO and active duty excepted: You're NOT in the military. You're not "on the force." And this ain't no war zone. Stand down for gawd's sake!
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Glad you got that off your chest (I do agree with it).. but can we go back to being reasonable people now?
 
Good post! On one topic in particular...
Eight rounds IS enough. If it's not, you're someplace you have no business being. I'm fine with five rounds.
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FWIW my usual carry piece is a .38Spl S&W J frame that holds 5 rounds and I never bother carrying any reloads. My reason is this: I don't look for trouble, it's just not my personality, so I figure that if I'm in a situation that may require more than 5 rounds to resolve, my tactic should be "Run Like Hell" rather than "Stand & Fight". ;)

(One disclaimer: this goes for situations away from my home. I keep extra ammo and extra guns in my home. :) )
 
Well . . .

One reason I don't carry a lot of the time, besides the basically non-existent threat level, is because I have ID and go onto military posts a fair amount, also military medical facilities, courthouses, post offices, state and federal parks (new rules on that one), college campuses, state office buildings . . .

I have a revolver in the night stand. But I don't take it into the bathroom while I shower, brush my teeth, etc.
 
I have a revolver in the night stand. But I don't take it into the bathroom while I shower, brush my teeth, etc.
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I do sometimes when my roommates aren't home, because there have been many break-ins in my area as of late...
does that make me a military/leo wannabe? :cool:
 
I use both the words "gun" and "weapon" depending on who I am talking to and the where I am at.

Being in the military when talking about M-16's, M-9's etc.. they are weapons.

However when talking about my personal collection they are guns. They can also be firearms, pistols, rifles, revolvers, shotguns etc...

My wife, whose only experience with firearms before we got together was in the military, constantly calls everthing we own a weapon. I tried explaining the difference but to her they are weapons.

A weapon to me is an instrument of war. While the guns I own could be weapons if used in that manner I certainly don't plan to use them in that manner, especially the muzzleloader. (Is it legal to call a timeout to facilitate a reload?:D)
 
While the guns I own could be weapons if used in that manner I certainly don't plan to use them in that manner, especially the muzzleloader.
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Wait... so if you are carrying and end up in a SD situation, your description would be like this?:


I was carrying my gun in the holster as I turned down the alley. I was attacked by that guy there and forced to draw my weapon. I fired 2 shots and he fell down. I reholstered my gun and called 911. I always hoped I'd never have to use my gun as a weapon.
:D:D:D

Hm, now that I read that, it almost makes sense.:eek::)
 
You realize that sounds like "Pizza Killer" ???
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Oddly, that was the intent. I own a pizzeria and I can eat ALOT of pizza. So... PizzaKiller. I went with the "ghetto" spelling of Peetza because the naming system machine thingy of TFL wouldn't let me use "killer" so I had to use "killa" and it seemed appropriate to "ghetto-ize" both names.

The unexpected side effect was that most people think my name is Pete.:D:cool::eek:
 
Why so conservative?

Honestly....If it were for people thinking in your terms then we would be speaking British or German right now. Since you only need 5 rounds do yourself a favor and give me the other 3 and your gun. You can put lipstick on pig but it's still a pig(gun,weapon,boomstick whatev bro).
 
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