Cedar Rapids Gazett op ed on CCW

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Cedar Rapids Gazette Op-Ed: I Carry A Gun Every Day



The following guest column was written by Ernie Traugh, owner of Cedar Valley Outfitters. This column appeared in the January 4th edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

To learn more about getting a concealed weapons permit, or self-defense training check out our Permits, Training & Iowa Carry Law page.

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Every day I get up and put on a gun. It’s part of my daily routine. No different from making coffee or feeding the dogs before I leave for work.

There is so much misinformation about who that makes me. I’m a “gun nut.” I’m one of “those right-wing Second Amendment people.” I’m the scourge of the earth to some.

Funny how that works.

They don’t even know me but they are worried that I’m what’s wrong with this country, this state and this city I call home. I walk among them and they don’t even know it. I’m the guy in the jeans and Under Armour shirt, the guy in the $200 sport coat and $125 shoes, the guy in Nike pants and a hoodie, and some days I’m the guy with dirty hands from working in the yard, but most of all I’m the guy they never see.

Oh, they acknowledge me sometimes. When I hold the door for them because my parents raised me that way. When I let them go ahead of me in line at the gas station because they seem to be in a hurry. When I pick up their baby’s pacifier in the aisle at the grocery store and hand it back to them because it fell out and they didn’t notice. But they don’t see me. I’m just another guy in the store with things in my hand. But only my left hand. I don’t carry things in my right hand. Not at the store. Not in public.

Why? Because I’m “that guy.” I know that bad things happen. Every day. Everywhere. So I try to be aware. I try to study my surroundings. I expect to not see it coming every time. I expect that evil may show up while I’m shopping or walking through the mall or eating at a restaurant. It doesn’t make me crazy. It doesn’t make me paranoid. It simply makes me aware. Unlike a lot of people that walk by me every day. Looking at their phones, their notes, their purses, or any of the other distractions that plague us. I get it.

I also get that there are wolves. Hungry. Lean. Skilled at their trade. Studying you. Studying me. They like you. They don’t like me. I see them at the mall. I see them at the gas station. I see them right here in this town. Do they know I’m armed? No, they don’t. They know that I’m aware. I look at them. Kill them with kindness. It’s a like a mutual agreement. I see you; you see me. Let’s not kid each other.

It’s weird in a way. The man and his friend in the store that looked all around and even glanced at the camera above us — those guys see me. I’m aware that the door is over there. I’m aware that the coffee pot is within reach and full. He urges me to go first to the counter. “Oh no, you go please. I have all day,” I reply. Now he has to make a purchase. Now he knows I’m polite …. I’m polite and I do not want them behind me in line.

The lady with her kid? She doesn’t notice me, but I’m there. I have a phone. I have a flashlight. I have two knives. I have a firearm. And I have a plan. If this doesn’t go well I want to get her and that little one out of here. Chances are nothing is going to happen until they’re gone anyway. I’d like to leave too.

One man asks the other a question. He hands the guy a few extra bucks to make the purchase of an item at the counter. They leave. I make my purchase. I call the employee by name and tell him to have a good night. I walk to the door and hold it open for the woman approaching. She says, “Thanks.” I say, “Yes ma’am.” Then, poof. I’m gone.

Just another uneventful trip to the store. The best kind ever. It’s funny those men truly saw me but other customers didn’t. Why? Maybe too busy. Maybe too much on their minds. Maybe because they didn’t worry for one second about those two men or me.

When I get home I don’t tell my wife about the two men who lingered. The two men who entered together but stood so far apart. The two men that seemed to have no sense of purpose or item they were in search of. No need to talk of them because nothing happened. This happens daily. Sometimes once. Sometimes multiple times. I like uneventful days.

Most people don’t know me. But man, they sure do judge me. If I use a gun to defend myself they will read about it. They will hear about it. They will weigh in on what should have happened.

I have seen bad people do bad things. I have seen good people dumbfounded and in shock because they couldn’t comprehend what was happening in front of them or, worse yet, to them. It’s not fun or pretty to think about, so most people don’t. They don’t stay awake late at night watching videos from self-defense experts. They don’t read the articles. They don’t look at unedited news on the Internet. They don’t search out the videos of people fighting for their lives and losing.

A man stabbed outside a bar. A couple hijacked and killed in front of the store. A store clerk shot even after complying with a robber’s demands. A video from inside the grocery store of a mad man with a gun shooting people while looking for his ex. Dashboard cameras of an officer involved in a shooting. It’s an ugly world so they choose not to see it.

I don’t train for the warm fuzzy days where everyone gets along. I train for the other days. I try to round out my skill sets. I look at what others have done to succeed. I watch videos of those who haven’t. Some refer to it as making something good out of something bad. Like watching videos of officers being killed as every person that’s gone through any type of law enforcement academy has had to do. Learn from others’ experiences.

People from all walks of life legally carry guns. Some are men and some are women. Some are old and some are young. The ones I know train. The ones I know are aware: Aware of their surroundings. And aware of all of the armchair quarterbacking that will be done if they ever have to use that tool of last resort on their belt. So why do it anyway? Because they value their life and the lives of others. Simple.

My so-called “gun nut” friends and customers are some of the most congenial, trustworthy people I know. I only wish everyone had such friends. I wish everyone understood like I do.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[DanG 1]

Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

- Dan G

[rushmc 23]

DanG

Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

Yes

I am sure you do think someone who prepares is paranoid

So I'll bet you never practice your EP's either

Glad I am not around where you jump

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[normiss 897]

Yup.

[billvon 3,120]

>Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

Agreed. Hopefully this article is as far as his paranoia goes. There's nothing wrong with being prepared - as long as those "preparations" doesn't lead to action against all those "hungry lean wolves" that he seems to see everywhere.

[Rick 67]

DanG

Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

I disagree. overly dramatic yes but being aware of your surroundings and the people around you is not paranoia.

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[rushmc 23]

Rick

***Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

I disagree. overly dramatic yes but being aware of your surroundings and the people around you is not paranoia.

I am getting the reactions I expected from the those afraid of guns

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Anvilbrother 0]

I did something yesterday and it reminded me the people here that are always throwing out the paranoid term to anyone who has thought of a situation where something could happen, and thought or practiced ways to get out of that. Here it is let me see if you think im paranoid.

My wife, my 8 year old daughter and I were in the grocery store, and my daughter needed to use the restroom. I escorted her to the door and allowed her to go inside. At that point I casually walked to the greeting card isle nearby with a view of the hallway which she would exit from. She did her business and exited the hallway into the main store area and was shocked to not see me there, and started to look around quickly for me. I briefly paused about 5 seconds and then walked over to here. I asked her what would she have done if I had not returned. She stated she would have gone to the front of the store and told someone with a uniform that worked there that she lost her mom and dad and needed them called over the intercom.

We also practice fire safety drills a couple times a year where I give her situations where she is in different parts of the house and she sees smoke or fire and she needs to make it outside to our meeting place which is the street lamp. This last time I was shocked to hear her say she would gather her things into her booksack and make sure to get her favorite stuffed animal "woofie". I had to explain to her that things can be replaced she cannot, and she should always exit as fast as she can and meet at our meeting place.

Is that paranoid or just being a good parent and being prepared to you? In the second case it could potentially save her life due to the fact that her game plan was to stay in and make sure she had all her favorite toys before she left a burning house.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[billvon 3,120]

>Is that paranoid or just being a good parent and being prepared to you?

Doesn't sound like paranoia; fire drills and "lost child" drills are in general good things to do. As with anything it can be taken to extremes but what you describe isn't.

[rushmc 23]

billvon

>Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

Agreed. Hopefully this article is as far as his paranoia goes. There's nothing wrong with being prepared - as long as those "preparations" doesn't lead to action against all those "hungry lean wolves" that he seems to see everywhere.

Sounds to me like you are one of those he opens the door for

And he goes un-noticed


And of course you dont care about what other jumpers on the plane are planning to do as you know all will be ok

Right?
or do you want to know ?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 23]

DanG

Guy sounds pretty paranoid to me.

BTW
I have met and been around this guy mulitiple times
I did not know he carried (at the time)

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[normiss 897]

We do know the other jumper won't shoot and kill us because we appear to be "lone wolves".

[rushmc 23]

normiss

We do know the other jumper won't shoot and kill us because we appear to be "lone wolves".

Wow
but you practice situtational awareness when it is important to you?

Oh
Last I knew, this guy has yet to shoot anyone

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Rick 67]

normiss

We do know the other jumper won't shoot and kill us because we appear to be "lone wolves".

this reminds me of something my Mother said. Deb and I were at their house a couple of days after our last anniversary. Deb was showing off her new jewelry. Mom asked what i had gotten. So I pulled out my new S&W Model 442 to show her. Her reaction "oh my god you are going to get mad at someone in traffic and shoot them".


WTF how do you go from being prepared and watching your surroundings to being a maniac that is going to blast anything that looks wrong

I just think you guys are taking a (admittedly dramatic) statement from someone and carrying it to a crazy extreme.

eta: Rush's last statement "Oh
Last I knew, this guy has yet to shoot anyone "

You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

[DanG 1]

Quote

I am getting the reactions I expected from the those afraid of guns

I am not afraid of guns. Not everyone who disagrees with you is afraid of guns.

I am a combat veteran. I am aware of my suroundings, there is nothing wrong with that. But refusing to carry anything in your draw hand when in public is not part of being aware. That is paranoia. Not even cops go that far.

- Dan G

[Anvilbrother 0]

So preparing for a situation in which you could die by fire is ok, but preparing for a situation in which you could be robbed, beaten, stabbed or shot is considered paranoid?
In 2011 14,748 people were murdered in the us. Only 3005 people died in fires, so how is it not crazy to be prepared for one, but not the other that kills almost five times more people?


On a level we all can relate to, my buddy gives me shit for how I prepare for the first day of jumping. He does the minimal checks to his rig(pins, straps, aad, hardware etc) I on the other hand have gear fear, and check everything I can possibly reach, see, or hear, and usually let the first load go to be the wind dummy's. He calls me irrational, I call him foolish. In the end we both get the job done, to each his own.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[GD64 1]

rushmc........I "think" I know what Ernie was trying to do. However, there are several irony's resulting in his exercising of his first amendment rights in this manner. He gave away "techniques" to the possible scallywag's. Thus if they can read a newspaper, they will be better prepared for their next venture. He also did a disservice (IMO) to other conceal carry holders, as well as the ones he has trained by possibly shedding them in a "paranoia light". Which, whether true or not, is never something you want the local populist to feel about an armed citizen in their community, let alone a prosecutor in the case of an actual "bad guy" shooting. There will be enough fallout as is, even if legit.
Besides, the info he was putting out there is available to those who what it. He should have just kept running his ad for his conceal carry course (total assumption on my part) and kept the info "in house".
Over 90% of "observation info" put out by current trainers, civilian, government agencies, and military trainers comes from one source.......Colonel Cooper (R.I.P.). Any trainer saying different is stretching the truth a bit. I would say the same thing about pistol craft, however, that's definitely a whole new thread.

[normiss 897]

I fully agree with how important situational awareness is, but I have yet to make up scenarios like this when I'm out and about.

[rushmc 23]

GD64

rushmc........I "think" I know what Ernie was trying to do. However, there are several irony's resulting in his exercising of his first amendment rights in this manner. He gave away "techniques" to the possible scallywag's. Thus if they can read a newspaper, they will be better prepared for their next venture. He also did a disservice (IMO) to other conceal carry holders, as well as the ones he has trained by possibly shedding them in a "paranoia light". Which, whether true or not, is never something you want the local populist to feel about an armed citizen in their community, let alone a prosecutor in the case of an actual "bad guy" shooting. There will be enough fallout as is, even if legit.
Besides, the info he was putting out there is available to those who what it. He should have just kept running his ad for his conceal carry course (total assumption on my part) and kept the info "in house".
Over 90% of "observation info" put out by current trainers, civilian, government agencies, and military trainers comes from one source.......Colonel Cooper (R.I.P.). Any trainer saying different is stretching the truth a bit. I would say the same thing about pistol craft, however, that's definitely a whole new thread.

Many good points

But paraniod he is not IMO

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Anvilbrother 0]

Quote

Not even cops go that far.

Complacent cops do. We were taught to watch how we keep our hands, and never have our hands in our pockets, or to even interlace our fingers. Why was demonstrated to us before it was told to us. At the beginning of a class on the instructor for the day had us interlace our fingers at the start of the class and just told us to keep them that way and have them on the table in front of us. No one knew why, but you do as your told. After an extended time into the power point lesson once everyone was getting that look of boredom and sleep a training flash bang went off in the trash can behind us and scared everyone to death.

Once we all realized it was ok, and it was an exercise he spoke to us about the bodys reaction to being startled, heart rate, breathing etc. Along with tunnel vision, hearing loss due to stress, he showed us a video. That video was us. He placed a camera behind a drawing easel and recorded us while the flash bang went off. He pointed out that most of us were not able to instantly unlock our hands. At the moment of surprise your body does things in reaction. One of them is loss of fine motor skills. With your fingers interlaced I recall my hands actually tightening instead of releasing so I could react. This could have been the few half seconds between me defending myself to an attacker etc. From that point on I made sure to always keep my primary hand free, and especially when wearing a jacket keep my gun belt free and shorty jacket tucked under while on duty.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[rushmc 23]

DanG

Quote

I am getting the reactions I expected from the those afraid of guns

Not even cops go that far.

Appears this has been refuted huh......

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 2,150]

Anvilbrother

So preparing for a situation in which you could die by fire is ok, but preparing for a situation in which you could be robbed, beaten, stabbed or shot is considered paranoid?
In 2011 14,748 people were murdered in the us. Only 3005 people died in fires, so how is it not crazy to be prepared for one, but not the other that kills almost five times more people?

Of course, most of those were killed by spouses, boy/girl friends, or other friends. Being killed by strangers is far less common. And the gun most likely to kill you is the gun you own.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[DanG 1]

Well, the few times I've gotten a speeding ticket, I'm pretty sure the cop was holding the ticket pad with one hand, and writing with the other. I guess that makes them complacent.

- Dan G

[lawrocket 3]

[Reply]But refusing to carry anything in your draw hand when in public is not part of being aware. That is paranoia.

[jdkalou 0]

While approaching your vehicle to give you your ticket he/she was not holding the ticket pad with one hand and the pen in the other..............................he/she had the ticket pad in one hand and his/her hand close to their weapon with the other.....................all the while focusing on your rearview mirror to try to observe what you were doing inside the vehicle. Not until he/she surveyed the inside of your vehicle, deemed your actions appropriate, did he/she reach for the pen with the free hand to begin to write with one hand while holding the ticket pad with the other.
Sounds to me like he/she was a little paranoid??

Prepared/paranoid...............this could go on for ever and ever.