Worth Dying For

I meant to post this sooner but have been delayed for two reasons: 1) I spent a delightful weekend with Haley at my brother-in-law's house and did not have time and 2) I'm still not sure of the best way to say it without sounding like a zealot. Let me say up front that the following has nothing to do with the fact that I found out today that my divorce case has been sitting on a judge's desk, unsigned, for 11 days now. Initially I was led to believe that it would be only a matter of a couple of days to get it signed and mailed out. Now the story has changed to "sometimes it takes 1 day, sometimes it takes weeks". Very frustrating. I will err on the side of caution and assume that the judge's 90 year old grandmother is on her death bed and that it has nothing to do with golfing in this beautiful fall weather.

You're probably wondering what the title of this post is all about .Well, this is just fair warning that I have no future with a woman who does not allow guns in the house. She doesn't have to touch them or even like them but they are coming with me. I have always had guns, except for the short period of time when my daughter was a toddler up until 2007 when Suleman Tulovic walked into Trolley Square with a shotgun and killed 5 people and wounded 4 others (who would also be dead if he had been using heavier loads). The only reason I got rid of them was because I didn't have a safe place to keep them. Mr. Tulovic convinced me it was time to get them back – that and 9/11. September 11th changed a lot of things. Some of our innocence was lost. Until that point; wars, death, and carnage were something that happened in other people’s countries – not ours. But on that day the fragile nature of civilization was revealed as was the astonishing destruction that can be wrought by only a hand full of people who are blinded by hate. Articles I read about hurricane Katrina contributed as well. It was a little surprising to me that a hurricane could cause so many gunshot and stab wounds! What was not surprising was that the majority of them happened to people who had no way to defend themselves. All of these instances reminded me of when Lehi and his family arrived in this hemisphere and Nephi came to the (I assume reluctant) conclusion that he would need to provide a way for his people to defend themselves:

And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us; for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who were called my people. 2 Nephi 5:14

Hate and desperation are illogical and cannot be reasoned with. It is unfortunate that some folks only understand the language of violence and that good people throughout history have at times been forced to become fluent in it (Captain Moroni and George Washington are two examples).

Some would say: "why not let the police do their job?"   I think the police, in general, do a very good job of keeping the peace. One thing they do not do well, and only because it is impossible to do so, is prevent crimes from happening. They have gotten increasingly better at investigating them but the investigations always involve victims (the ones who survive) of something that has already happened. Yes, the presence of a police force is, most of the time, an adequate deterrent. Sometimes, however, it is not.  It is worth noting that a great deal of damage was abated at Trolley Square that night because an off duty police officer, Ken Hammond, was in the mall having dinner with his wife.  He was armed and was successful at distracting the shooter until the SWAT team could arrive. Had he not been there surely more people would have been injured or killed during the 6 or so minutes it took the police to arrive - and six minutes is a pretty darned good response time.
Surprisingly, my desire to have guns in the house again was met with little resistance so I began to rebuild my collection. I am not a violent person. In fact, there are two things that surprise others about me when they discover them: that I'm (almost) divorced and that I have guns - and not just that I have them but that I know how to use them.
About the guns: I have always enjoyed shooting as a sport though I have never been a hunter. I like shooting clay pigeons and 'plinking' - but what I have really enjoyed learning is long range shooting. I like the challenge of it. It's tough to control your breathing, to slow your heart rate down, control the trigger and focus so intently on the target that not even the guy shooting the elephant gun in the lane next to you is a distraction. At long distances, even the smallest unintentional movement, like a heartbeat, can throw your shot off. I liken it to shooting free throws – only a little more dangerous and the target is farther away.
At this point I should clarify that I am not a violent person. Some have asked me, “why would you ever want to shoot someone?” The fact is I NEVER want to shoot anyone. I never want to hurt another living soul. I think that by now the general consensus is that I’m a nice person. Unfortunately, the reality of the matter is that there are people in this increasingly dangerous world who don’t feel the same way.  The only thing I want to do less than hurt someone else is to be powerless as someone harms or kills me or one of my family members. In my opinion there has to be good people willing to stand up and say, “I’m not going to sit idly by while this is going on”. In that sense I am like Captain Steve Rogers (from this summer’s Captain America movie) who was asked by Dr. Erskine “so you want to go kill Nazis, do you?” His response reflects how I feel: “I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t like bullies; I don’t care where they’re from.” A man who walks into a crowded mall and starts shooting defenseless people with a shotgun, no matter his state of mind, is a bully - as is anyone who tries to come into your house in the middle of the night, or morons who fly airplanes into skyscrapers.
There is an old saying in the marine corpse that goes like this:  Be be polite, be professional, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.  Sounds like a close cousin to 'walk softly and carry a big stick'.  So do I have a plan to kill everyone I meet? Of course not. That is just one of the things the old retired Marines say (only half-jokingly) at Front Sight Firearms Training Institute where I am a lifetime member (thanks to my brother-in-law). I have taken several classes at FS in the last 2 years and have learned a great deal about what I did not know before I went there. What I love about FS is that it is very comprehensive training – from classroom lectures about decision making and the consequences of using a firearm in self-defense to range instruction that begins with identifying the parts of a gun and ends with even the old ladies (and yes they are there) becoming very competent shooters. Plus, it’s just plain fun to shoot 500 rounds of ammo in a weekend at different targets and in different scenarios. For me it is the most fun a bunch of Mormon guys can have in Nevada! I highly recommend FS to anyone who has guns but isn’t sure (like I was for a long time) if they are ‘doing it right' and for people who are unfamiliar with guns or are a little afraid of them, the training at FS is perfect. They totally take the mystery out of guns and how to safely handle them. FS also claims to train the average Joe to a level that exceeds the majority of military and law enforcement personnel.  And after having taken classes with cops and soldiers - I believe them.  I am returning this weekend with some old high school buddies and am really looking forward to it.
When I first expressed a desire to get my guns back, the worry, and I’m not saying it wasn’t a legitimate one, was that I would want to be some vigilante/hero with an itchy trigger finger a la John Rambo. Not so. The lasting impression you get from FS, concerning the use of a firearm, is this: When you consider the use of a gun in any situation where you could harm another person be prepared to answer the following question: Is whatever has gotten you to the point where you are considering inflicting harm on another person worth dying for? In other words: If you press that trigger and harm or, heaven forbid, kill another human being will it have been worth all of the heartache that will follow? Would you shoot someone for cutting you off on the freeway, or if they want your wallet, or your car keys? Some people might (and if you watch the news you know they have) but I never would. If you are threatening me with a knife or a gun for my car keys or my wallet you will get them without a fight – in fact I will smile at you as I hand them over. I would even help you empty my house of all my possessions and pack up the truck if all you want is my ‘stuff’. Who cares about ‘stuff’? On the other hand, if you threaten a loved one, especially a female one, with bodily harm and a verbal warning does not deter you - that is where the line is crossed into the 'stopping you is worth dying for so I will shoot you' realm.  Sound harsh?  Consider this:

And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed. Alma 43:47

Some have asked, “why not use pepper spray, a taser, or a baseball bat?” That’s fine for some people and if it works for you, great - but the bad guys will most likely have a gun.  I’m not advocating that everyone have and carry guns.  Some people should NOT have guns. Like the guy in Utah County last year who dropped his pistol in the bathroom at Chili’s (I think). It discharged a round and shattered the toilet. Not only is that a great way to ruin your date and get yourself arrested - it’s stupid. That person should not be carrying a gun. Baseball bat? If you want to allow a threat to get that close then be my guest. By the time they are that close to me they will already have been looking at the business end of my Glock long enough to rethink their intentions.

One case is worth noting.  I don't remember how long ago it was but there was a shooting in Bluffdale, in my parents' neighborhood, actually.  A teenage girl was walking home after dark one night when she claimed to have been harassed by some members of the local neighborhood watch about being out late.  There had been some car burglaries in the area and they were out patrolling.  Nothing wrong with that.  My understanding of what happened next was that the young lady went home and told her father what had happened.  She was upset - which naturally upset her dad.  Being the father of a young girl I can understand the protective instinct.  In my opinion, the thing to do at that point would be to call the police and report the incident.  Stay home and enjoy the evening with your family.  Or you could do what this guy did and grab your .45 and go looking for the dirt bag who upset your daughter.  He was able, from the description of the vehicle, to find the men in question.  What happened next is a little fuzzy but the result was that 4 grown men ended up in the street pointing guns at each other.  Shots were fired and one man was severely injured and is now in a wheel chair.  The man who shot him is in prison - and from conversations my mom has had with his wife - it appears that he would do it again if given the choice.  I don't get it but I wasn't there.  I would rather still be free and living with my family.  If my daughter came home and told me some men were harassing her I would sit down with her and get the story so that I can repeat it to police dispatch.  If they pull up in front of my house and are cat-calling her from the curb - I call the police again and tell them that what is going on.  At this point I am thinking through at what point this becomes worth dying for.  If they approach the house they get a distinct and unmistakable verbal warning.  If they start acting like they want to come in the house then they are crossing the line and I am defending what is precious to me - things that are worth dying for.  Hopefully you get the idea.

Unlikely scenario?  Extremely unlikely.  As would any other scenario be where a law abiding citizen would be forced to use lethal force.  I am banking on the fact that I will most likely never be put in a situation where I need to use my skills to defend myself or my family. 
I earnestly hope that we will never be required, as we sing  in the last verse of the Star Spangled Banner, to stand 'between (our) loved homes and the war's desolation' and fight 'like dragons' as the people of Limhi did to protect our loved ones (Mosiah 20:11).  But if it ever does come to that, I will be more prepared than most to do it. 

I also hope I didn't lose any friends by posting this, but it is part of who I am.