6 Feb
On being aware
One of the most common refrains we hear is that people who carry concealed are constantly afraid. Really guys, couldn’t you come up with something new every now and then?
Let’s use today as an example and talk about the difference between fear and awareness.
At O dark thirty (approximately 5:30 a.m. for you dreaded morning creatures) the Wife and I left on an errand. We ran her mom and dad out to the airport.
As with most occasions, I was carrying but it was no different then putting on my shoes as the saying goes. Just something that I do. I wasn’t afraid to go to the airport, I am just aware that crime can happen anywhere.
Can you antis understand the difference?
On the way back we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. I’ll avoid the name of the place but it was in the area where several robberies have taken place in the past. I’ve talked about those on this blog. I was aware of the robberies but didn’t fear stopping there for breakfast.
Can you antis understand the difference?
While in the restaurant enjoying a good meal with my beautiful wife, I watched the people coming and going. I did as most everyone does, even the antis, I categorized the people. Elderly couple sitting together, Family of 4 together, Single male business suit, Young Couple with infant in carrier, Another single male – reading the sports section.
I wasn’t afraid of any of the people, just aware of who was sitting around me.
Can you antis understand the difference?
During the meal, there was a commotion at the front, by the register. Voices were raised by the customer. A few choice sentence enhancers used to tell the manager that his meal was free.
Since I was aware of who had been around us, I know that the gentleman discussing the issue was a single male, elderly — there celebrating his birthday. The place gives free meals to people with those conditions.
Because I was aware of what was going on, I wasn’t afraid there would be trouble.
Can you antis understand the difference?
Not once did my actions distract from my meal, from enjoying time with my wife. Was I more alert when the voices were raised, yes? Was I afraid, nope.
Can you antis understand the difference?
Posted by Sarah on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
Well…I’m not an anti, obviously, but I do get it.
Situational awareness isn’t that difficult after a little practice. It’s every bit a part of everyday life to me as changing clothes when I get out of bed.
It’s just simple threat assessment – a convenient and subtle way to figure out if I need to watch certain individuals more closely than others.
Posted by Weer'd Beard on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
+1 Sarah! And this in no way should be limited to gun owners.
Jeff Cooper’s wonderful book “Principals of Personal Defense” talks at great lengths about such things, and also goes on to discussion of when things go very bad….but this book does NOT talk about WHAT the threat is, nor what weapons or training should be implemented. Just the principals of personal defense.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times. This isn’t fear, its simply awareness. It may never get to fear as when you’re aware you can spot bad things soon enough that you’ll never confirm if they’re bad. (a group of teens dressed in gang colors walking down the sidewalk a block away…I’ll go to the other side of the street…there’s a man who’s obviously intoxicated and agitated on the subway platform, I’ll keep my distance….ect. Maybe they’re nothing, maybe they’re life-threatening, I’ll never know, and I’m happy for that)
But “Principals of Personal Defense” only talk about awareness, identifying danger, avoiding danger, and defending yourself. You want to defend yourself with Martial arts, learn martial arts, defend yourself with a pistol, learn pistol shooting, a rifle, learn rifle skills, ect ect.
Also Cooper doesn’t differentiate from a civilian confronted by a criminal, a soldier on the battlefield, or an outdoors-man in an area with dangerous game. It really doesn’t matter.
Just be safe, and be prepared to deal with danger, because if you’re not prepared, do you really trust yourself to deal with a lethal threat on the fly?
Posted by AntiCitizenOne on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
Best way to challenge an anti – they think they’re so good at spotting “fearful” people, now let’s see them actually TRY and pick out every CCWer around them.
Might want to bring some popcorn and a book, it’s going to take a while…
And drink water too, since you’ll be laughing at their pathetic attempts to find another CCWer.
Hell I didn’t even know members of our class carried because I didn’t even know what to look for, let alone look for “fearful.”
Posted by Thomas on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
I look at the belts people wear, purses or other accessories, demeanor, stances, how people sit and stand and walk, avoidance of contact of a physical nature, like hugs or people brushing against them, and whether or not they are drinking any alcohol if most of the gathering is. It’s not near 100% but it’s helpful. If I’m curious and it’s a place where I can get away with it I might “accidentally” bump into them in a non-aggressive fashion, if the opportunity presents itself and apologize profusely just because I tend to be curious.
Oh, and people that wear 5.11 tactical stuff, you aren’t fooling much of anybody with a clue. I wear it but I don’t believe I’m fooling anybody that would recognize the clothing. The law just says you have to not unconceal accidentally. Doesn’t bother me at all for people to assume that I am carrying a weapon. The guy in the dockers or bike shorts with the .25 or .32 Seecamp is going to fool you. The fellow that is wearing anything close to full frame with reload too, maybe… on a regular basis even, I can usually pick him out of the crowd. Especially in the summer. he might not know that some people are making him but some people probably are.
Demeanor matters a lot. I’ve known sociopathic people that were very good at being completely at ease doing very illegal things or things that would make other people nervous. A nervous person who recently staretd carrying and is worrying about it too much, beyond whether or not it stays concealed so they don’t get a permit suspension, is generally fidgety (often firearm related fidgets) and easy to spot.
Posted by Jay on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
Awareness, and preparation there of, is important to everyone in all walks of life.
Before setting out on a long road trip, what do (or should be doing) most people do? Check air in their tires, make sure the oil is fine, and/or swing by the gas station to fill up right before they leave. They are aware that they will be heavily relying on their vehicle for a long period of time, and plan accordingly.
Or like in a business setting. You know your going to be meeting the big boss, so what do you do? Wear a nice suit (or dress) and make sure you look your best before you go in to meet them.
To me, people carrying are simply doing the same thing. They realize that crime can happen anytime, anywhere, and plan accordingly. It isn’t out of fear or cowardice, but out of simple awareness.
This reminds me of a TV commercial I saw a few years ago for car insurance. It had a mom and her kids, and she was planning her day. One of the things she said was “Fender bender at 3:30″. Then the presenter laughed and said no one ever plans on getting in a car accident, so why not have insurance?
I know I never planned to get robbed, held up, or D:) All of the Above, but no one ever really knows. So, be aware that it may happen and plan accordingly.
Posted by mikeb302000 on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
I always look for that pavement scratches on the back of the knuckles.
Hey, Bob, how’s that sense of humor working? Mine’s good. The way you keep saying strapping on a gun is no different than putting on your shoes is a riot. And then when you and your friends keep telling each other it’s not fear based but simple situational awareness, I really have a laugh.
Posted by Bob S. on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
MikeB3302000,
My sense of humor is in better shape then yours Sparky.
I don’t get bent out of shape when people use my logic against me. Say, want to tell me why you shouldn’t have to register your computer, require a background check on it — because we never know who is producing child pron, right?
Try to deny reality and denigrate us is petty MikeB302000 but it is what I expect out of you. No substantive debate, no fact filled rebuttal, no logical argument.
The simple fact, as I pointed out, you and others like you do the same thing. Notice that you don’t try to deny it. Ask your wife is she isn’t aware of the people around her, she is probably more aware then you are — because she has to be. I’m not attacking your wife or your family so don’t get your Rainbow Brite panties in a bunch Sparky.
Posted by AntiCitizenOne on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
So mikeyb, if any one of us walked near you, would you be able to tell us apart from a normal citizen?
Have you even PICKED OUT a CCWer from a crowd before? Did you go up to him/her and actually ASK if they were carrying? Or are you going to assume like you always do?
(although I do admit it’s probably hard in Europe because it’s illegal there)
Posted by AntiCitizenOne on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
Police officers basically give us the same advice every year about staying alert. Hell they have to stay alert too. And some officers tell us to get our own firearm.
So when we take the officer’s advice about being alert and getting our own gun, what does that make us?
Hell even some of the antis in our class take the officer’s advice about being alert like us. Only difference is that if they’re outnumbered or outsized, we’re the ones more prepared to deal with it.
Posted by Thomas on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
It’ not illegal in all of Europe. Some places it’s legal, though difficult. Lots of places like Italy it’s illegal but your odds of getting arrested for it are pretty low. mikebeesforbrains should know that. Greece is another onewith “illegal” concealed carry but selectively unenforced laws. Most of the Balkans too. People find you rather odd in the Balkans if you don’t have a gun, at least of the people I’ve known.
Posted by Linoge on 06.02.10 at 10:55 AM
One has to remember the source, Bob S. – remember that Sparky there indicated, of his own free will, that his personal form of “personal awareness” basically boiled down to unbridled racism and ethnic/socioeconomic profiling. As such, it is no wonder that he has to laugh at people who claim to be aware of their surroundings – after all, he is projecting his own personal shortcomings onto other people, and then being amused to “discover” that we are all privately racist (just like him).
Throw in his inability to differentiate between an inanimate tool, and a living, breathing, sentient organism, and you have his most-recent trolling post.
Really, if I knew the right kind of programming language, I could probably write a script that could emulate Sparky to the point that you would not be able to tell the difference. Pass the Turing Test, he does not.