Commentary – Personal Defense as we lose our Moral Compass . . .

 

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." John Adams

Moral: a: of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior, expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior, conforming to a standard of right behavior, sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment, capable of right and wrong action

Compass: a device for determining directions

As I have said in past posts, I seem to be rapidly approaching “old fart” status. And, like “old farts” do, I can often wax poetic of days gone by . . . . “Why back in my day . . . .” the story begins. My kids cringe just a bit (if they are lucky enough to be around when the story begins), Mrs. B closes her eyes, slightly dips her head and shakes it just a bit (she has HEARD THEM ALL BEFORE I will be told later). Many of my stories tend to be about my youth, before I left home for the military, foreign lands, and the lifetime full of experiences that have resulted in the fellow that is tapping away on the keyboard.

But throughout this journey I have noticed a disquieting trend – at least in my humble opinion – the gradual loss of our moral compass as a society, a tendency towards the belief that we are accountable to no one or no higher power other than the men in black robes on the benches of our nation’s courts. A wish to be a completely secular society with right and wrong being written on the pages of local, state and federal statutes rather than on our hearts and souls. How did we get here?? To a point in time where violence walks our lands, dependence on a little plastic card with the letters HHS emblazoned across it that sucks us dry and where we place our hand on a bible to swear we will tell the truth – yet professing the truth in the book in our public schools is a criminal act.

Honestly, there are thousands of reasons for our current state of affairs, and while tempted to “wax poetic” on my thoughts on the subject, there is little value in it. You will have to trust me that the world of my youth – the 50s through July 1968 – was safer, much more rooted in a faith in something / someone much larger that would hold us accountable for the actions of our life. Since then – again IMNSHO – we have gone severely off the rails. A topic that could be, and has been, written on and written on, and written on . . . . But, to get to the point of it all . . . . what does our current state of affairs regarding the direction of our moral compass as a nation have to do with our own personal defense and how we approach that subject. What does it all mean? Let’s chat about that for a bit.

Pure, raw physical violence comes easily: Already, the day following the day we all celebrate the many blessings we are thankful for, there are stories of shoppers beating other shoppers, threatening them with violence over toys, phones, clothes, videos, music . . . . violence comes easily. If you are confronted with a situation where a predator is intent on harming you – there is every reason to believe that it can quickly escalate to a profoundly violent encounter. Be vigilant, live with Cooper’s color code or the NRA’s Levels of Awareness.

Violence and physical attack are now a national sport: The knockout game spans our country. From college athletes to street thugs, it is a way to earn “cred” with you “peeps”. Killing has become an entry requirement, a line item on the resume of someone wishing to join many of the gangs that riddle our country. Do not believe these things simply happen “to someone else”, they can easily happen to you, regardless of where you live. Rural communities like mine to major metropolitan areas where people have been stripped of their right to personal defense are all subject to this “sport”.

An expectation to be taken care of: I find this single item the most disheartening and threatening change in my lifetime. It is the expectation that someone else will “handle it”. Someone else will put money on my “card”, food on my table, give me a place to live, give me a phone – TV – internet – transportation. Someone else will watch and feed my children. In less than 125 years we have gone from a nation where pioneers that failed died – to a nation where people can choose to do nothing but sit in front a TV can have thousands of dollars a year magically appear on a plastic card in their pocket. From a personal defense POV – these people will NOT BE HAPPY when this magic stops . . . . and it will stop. Either from simple lack of funds or hyper inflation . . . . “that which can not be sustained, will not be”. Be ready for this. Do not let the shock of the violence that will surely follow this event paralyze you. Sadly I think I will live to see this. But the generation that is my granddaughters will – again IMNSHO – be the one tasked with confronting this event. Train your children well. Begin today.

It’s not my “fault”: Responsibility for failure always resides elsewhere. In fact, failure is not allowed today. Schools are dumbed down, sports are being converted to “no one loses” events for our children, employers are the ones responsible for poor pay rather than the poorly educated employee. (and please, if you have a Masters in Puppetry – you frickin’ DESERVE the debt and you DESERVE to be jobless). Lack of responsibility feeds the anger of failure and the anger at the lack of response from an already overstressed government to “make my life better”. Defensively, if you are “successful” you will be targeted. While you certainly have a right to “stand out” in a crowd – if you wear $1,000 suits, drive $60,000 cars and frequent high crime areas – you are “pokin’ the bear” and violence will find you. Warriors, while fully prepared to fight, attempt to blend in and avoid areas where violence comes easily.

“They have it, You want it, I’ll take it from them AND give it to you!! : This was the mantra of President Obama’s campaign during the 2012 election. He will be expected to follow through on that. I fully believe that at this point in time in our history – November 2012 – he, and Congress, will deliver on that campaign promise. “The Rich” will be gutted and the result is predictable. Less investment, few start-ups, still fewer jobs, higher unemployment, more on the welfare rolls, more dependence on the little plastic card, more anger and the lack of stuff, more demands to take still more from “The Rich” – which will lead to less investment, fewer start-ups, still fewer jobs . . . . See where this is going? Defensively – someone will need to be “to blame”, and that someone will be YOU. If you are an independent, successful, self-sufficient individual, you are being made into the enemy. Get ready for when the “have not’s” come knocking on your door – and they will come. You have all the time in the world to prepare today. Do not hesitate.

Without our moral compass, without the sure knowledge of right and wrong – the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the belief that all men are created equal and are gifted, by their Creator, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness simply ends.

I always hate it when someone points out problems but offers no solutions. So - some thoughts on that as well.

Be a moral person: Go to church, develop a faith is a Creator that is bigger than you and will hold you accountable at the end of your life.  I truly believe this with all my heart – I will stand in judgment and be expected to account for my life.  I pray my belief in a merciful God and a redeeming Jesus is well placed – I am not getting “there” on my own.

High expectations: Expect success from yourself and your kids. Don’t’ beat yourself up when you fall short, we all do – but correct, adjust, learn and succeed.

Learn to protect yourself, your family, your friends: HELP IS NOT COMING!!! YOU ARE ALL THERE IS TO DEFEND YOURSELF!!! THE PERSON IN THE MIRROR IS YOUR ONLY ANSWER!!! I believe this with all my heart.

Learn: Everything – math, science, philosophy, communications, survival skills, shooting skills, combat skills, medical skills. Learn today’s technology . . . . as well as that of your great grandparents.  Know the difference between ignorance and stupidity.  We are all ignorant about something – learn it.  If you’re stupid, well you are simply screwed.

Be generous: Be generous with your love, your heart, your soul, your time, your talents, your money. They are not now – nor have they ever been – in limited supply. The tighter they are held, the more meager they become. The more they are given the more abundant they are.

You will not change the world this way. You will change you – and your family. You will steel yourself and them for the coming storm. You will give them a fighting chance.

And, at the bottom of the pile, that is all we really, truly deserve . . . . a chance.