Walk In The Woods.
Our younger daughter's fifth grade class will be taking a nature walk within the next few weeks. It's on one of those old rail beds that's now been designated a hiking trail. Her class has done this before, this time it's scheduled for a Friday, and since I don't work on Fridays I will be going along as a class parent. I have always enjoyed being involved with the girls and their school related field trips, I have gone along on many of them over the years. I do not get involved in P.T.O./P.T.A. type events and my reasons for volunteering are somewhat selfish and as follows:
(1) I really like being with my kids.
(2) I'm just a little paranoid. Keep in mind, I'm an ex-cop from Jersey. I don't trust anyone
except certain family members and three other people, one of whom is dead.
In light of recent events, horrific and terrifying events, I'm considering taking along a friend on this nature walk. At first I was going to break out my old Kevlar vest from the container in the attic, lock and load a street sweeper 12 gauge and strap a pistol on my belt and a back up on my ankle. I thought that might be a bit extreme, probably scare the children and I'm sure the teachers would not allow it. I don't want to get yelled at by the teachers, I had enough of that when I was a kid. So, the full tactical response is out of the question.
My second thought was to carry a small, easy to conceal handgun in a small holster at the small of my back. (That's a lot of small) A little five shot wheel gun or maybe a .380 auto. Please keep in mind, I am a trained professional. I know a lot of people say that but in my case it's true. My military training and experience was quite extensive, not to mention my training as a cop and a Firearms Instructor. I am qualified, I understand the rules/laws as they apply to the use of deadly force. I am not going to do anything stupid.
My third thought is this. Maybe I will buy one of those TRAC phones up at Wal-Mart. I will have the phone with me on the nature walk. The odds are astronomical that our little group of fifth grade students will be attacked on the trail, a phone will probably be enough.
I just can't help it though, this nagging little feeling in the back of my gut. I know the odds are astronomical, but if it were to happen? I suppose I could use the trees as cover while I advance towards the threat in an attempt to subdue that threat with my pocket knife, or a log, or my hands. I do not want to think about these things. I do not want to carry a weapon on the nature walk with my daughter's class, but...........I do not want anyone to harm the children either.
I hate feeling this way. I hate worrying about these things. There was a time when you only had to worry about the creepy old guy with candy or maybe a drunk driver. I never thought I'd see the day when we had to worry about people, young people, gunning down their classmates. No matter how you feel about gun control, and it is an important topic for discussion, the only form of gun control that is guaranteed to prevent incidents like this is having the ability to hit your target......I have made up my mind.
I will buy the TRAC phone. I will not carry a gun on the fifth grade nature walk. I will not live like that. The odds are in our favor, got a better chance of hitting the lottery. I will not change the way I live, and if by some astronomical chance something does happen? I will get "Ranger" on their ass, or die trying.
19APR07. 1224HRS:
Okay, so it's about twenty-four hours later, this is a revised comment:
So I was talking to my next door neighbor, he's a retired N.C.O., U.S.M.C with well over twenty years active duty under his belt. I discussed my feelings regarding the nature walk. He thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to carry a sidearm. He mentioned black bears, there are a lot of black bears in this area. I told him that I didn't think a handgun would drop a bear. He agreed, it won't, unless you hit him in the head multiple times. He further stated that the noise, the report of the weapon as it's fired would probably scare a bear away, I had to agree because I did that once years ago.
It's a long story, but an overly curious black bear began to act aggressively and I fired one round into the dirt from my 9mm duty weapon that I was carrying on my right hip in a high rise pancake holster under my flannel shirt. The bear ran away. That was years ago, it happened near the Delaware Water Gap in the national park. I was off duty, hiking around with my wife.
So my neighbor has a suggestion. He has a very small .40 calibre pistol, a baby Glock sometimes referred to as a pocket Glock. He will let me borrow it for the nature walk. I will stuff it down in the front pocket of my carpenter jeans, with the larger and roomier pockets than regular cut jeans. I will carry the pistol with a full six round magazine in the magazine well but on an empty chamber with the trigger locked back. That is very safe. The only way that weapon could be discharged would be for me to rack the slide back and let it ride forward, thus feeding a round into the chamber. At that point, the weapon would be in battery, or ready to fire. I'm still going to buy the TRAC phone.
My neighbor pointed something out to me, and I think it's a good point. He said that as a retired police officer, I should be the one to carry. He said there is a reason why many states that do not allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, do allow retired cops to carry. (States like NY and my own native NJ being two examples that come to mind) I believe that a federal law is in place that allows police officers, and retired police officers to carry their sidearms across state lines. The cop must be in compliance with his or her own home states regulations to do so, but it is allowed. My neighbor made one other point, again he was right.
He reminded me that in my own native state of NJ, that shooter at Virginia Tech probably would NOT have been issued a handgun purchase permit. In NJ, in order to buy a handgun you must first apply for, and be issued a Firearms ID card. It is an extensive process that takes weeks or months in some cases. You must be fingerprinted by your local police agency who then forwards those prints to the State Police for an extensive state and national background check. You must sign a medical records release form that allows the police to access any and all of your medical records, with particular attention payed to mental health records. You must provide the names of at least two personal references who are not related to you who are then contacted and asked to provide a written statement regarding your eligibility to own a firearm. The police can refuse to issue a permit if they even think you may not be stable. Okay, let us assume that you have been issued a Firearms ID card, that now includes your name and SSN, along with your right thumb print and a list of scars, marks and tattoos. Now you are eligible to purchase long guns, rifles and shotguns that is, along with ammunition. If you want to purchase a pistol, you have to fill out another application. Since you already have your Firearms ID card then you will probably get your pistol purchase permit. That pistol purchase permit is good for the purchase of ONE pistol and ONE pistol only, it also has an expiration date so that you must use it within a set time or it expires. If you wish to purchase another pistol then you must apply for another pistol purchase permit. the pistol purchase permit takes weeks, sometimes months to be processed as well, and it must go through your local police agency as well as the State Police. I have never known anyone who was a good person with no criminal record to be refused a gun permit in NJ. The system has been in place like that since I was kid, it works. No, it does not prevent criminals from obtaining firearms, no amount of regulation ever will. It does however prevent the spur of the moment impulse gun buy. Like I said, it's a good system, you can buy guns if you want. Legitimate sportsman and citizens who want to keep a gun in their home for protection can and do buy guns in NJ. Maybe, just maybe, the country as a whole should take a look at that.
(1) I really like being with my kids.
(2) I'm just a little paranoid. Keep in mind, I'm an ex-cop from Jersey. I don't trust anyone
except certain family members and three other people, one of whom is dead.
In light of recent events, horrific and terrifying events, I'm considering taking along a friend on this nature walk. At first I was going to break out my old Kevlar vest from the container in the attic, lock and load a street sweeper 12 gauge and strap a pistol on my belt and a back up on my ankle. I thought that might be a bit extreme, probably scare the children and I'm sure the teachers would not allow it. I don't want to get yelled at by the teachers, I had enough of that when I was a kid. So, the full tactical response is out of the question.
My second thought was to carry a small, easy to conceal handgun in a small holster at the small of my back. (That's a lot of small) A little five shot wheel gun or maybe a .380 auto. Please keep in mind, I am a trained professional. I know a lot of people say that but in my case it's true. My military training and experience was quite extensive, not to mention my training as a cop and a Firearms Instructor. I am qualified, I understand the rules/laws as they apply to the use of deadly force. I am not going to do anything stupid.
My third thought is this. Maybe I will buy one of those TRAC phones up at Wal-Mart. I will have the phone with me on the nature walk. The odds are astronomical that our little group of fifth grade students will be attacked on the trail, a phone will probably be enough.
I just can't help it though, this nagging little feeling in the back of my gut. I know the odds are astronomical, but if it were to happen? I suppose I could use the trees as cover while I advance towards the threat in an attempt to subdue that threat with my pocket knife, or a log, or my hands. I do not want to think about these things. I do not want to carry a weapon on the nature walk with my daughter's class, but...........I do not want anyone to harm the children either.
I hate feeling this way. I hate worrying about these things. There was a time when you only had to worry about the creepy old guy with candy or maybe a drunk driver. I never thought I'd see the day when we had to worry about people, young people, gunning down their classmates. No matter how you feel about gun control, and it is an important topic for discussion, the only form of gun control that is guaranteed to prevent incidents like this is having the ability to hit your target......I have made up my mind.
I will buy the TRAC phone. I will not carry a gun on the fifth grade nature walk. I will not live like that. The odds are in our favor, got a better chance of hitting the lottery. I will not change the way I live, and if by some astronomical chance something does happen? I will get "Ranger" on their ass, or die trying.
19APR07. 1224HRS:
Okay, so it's about twenty-four hours later, this is a revised comment:
So I was talking to my next door neighbor, he's a retired N.C.O., U.S.M.C with well over twenty years active duty under his belt. I discussed my feelings regarding the nature walk. He thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to carry a sidearm. He mentioned black bears, there are a lot of black bears in this area. I told him that I didn't think a handgun would drop a bear. He agreed, it won't, unless you hit him in the head multiple times. He further stated that the noise, the report of the weapon as it's fired would probably scare a bear away, I had to agree because I did that once years ago.
It's a long story, but an overly curious black bear began to act aggressively and I fired one round into the dirt from my 9mm duty weapon that I was carrying on my right hip in a high rise pancake holster under my flannel shirt. The bear ran away. That was years ago, it happened near the Delaware Water Gap in the national park. I was off duty, hiking around with my wife.
So my neighbor has a suggestion. He has a very small .40 calibre pistol, a baby Glock sometimes referred to as a pocket Glock. He will let me borrow it for the nature walk. I will stuff it down in the front pocket of my carpenter jeans, with the larger and roomier pockets than regular cut jeans. I will carry the pistol with a full six round magazine in the magazine well but on an empty chamber with the trigger locked back. That is very safe. The only way that weapon could be discharged would be for me to rack the slide back and let it ride forward, thus feeding a round into the chamber. At that point, the weapon would be in battery, or ready to fire. I'm still going to buy the TRAC phone.
My neighbor pointed something out to me, and I think it's a good point. He said that as a retired police officer, I should be the one to carry. He said there is a reason why many states that do not allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, do allow retired cops to carry. (States like NY and my own native NJ being two examples that come to mind) I believe that a federal law is in place that allows police officers, and retired police officers to carry their sidearms across state lines. The cop must be in compliance with his or her own home states regulations to do so, but it is allowed. My neighbor made one other point, again he was right.
He reminded me that in my own native state of NJ, that shooter at Virginia Tech probably would NOT have been issued a handgun purchase permit. In NJ, in order to buy a handgun you must first apply for, and be issued a Firearms ID card. It is an extensive process that takes weeks or months in some cases. You must be fingerprinted by your local police agency who then forwards those prints to the State Police for an extensive state and national background check. You must sign a medical records release form that allows the police to access any and all of your medical records, with particular attention payed to mental health records. You must provide the names of at least two personal references who are not related to you who are then contacted and asked to provide a written statement regarding your eligibility to own a firearm. The police can refuse to issue a permit if they even think you may not be stable. Okay, let us assume that you have been issued a Firearms ID card, that now includes your name and SSN, along with your right thumb print and a list of scars, marks and tattoos. Now you are eligible to purchase long guns, rifles and shotguns that is, along with ammunition. If you want to purchase a pistol, you have to fill out another application. Since you already have your Firearms ID card then you will probably get your pistol purchase permit. That pistol purchase permit is good for the purchase of ONE pistol and ONE pistol only, it also has an expiration date so that you must use it within a set time or it expires. If you wish to purchase another pistol then you must apply for another pistol purchase permit. the pistol purchase permit takes weeks, sometimes months to be processed as well, and it must go through your local police agency as well as the State Police. I have never known anyone who was a good person with no criminal record to be refused a gun permit in NJ. The system has been in place like that since I was kid, it works. No, it does not prevent criminals from obtaining firearms, no amount of regulation ever will. It does however prevent the spur of the moment impulse gun buy. Like I said, it's a good system, you can buy guns if you want. Legitimate sportsman and citizens who want to keep a gun in their home for protection can and do buy guns in NJ. Maybe, just maybe, the country as a whole should take a look at that.
posted by Squarehead at 12:33 PM
4 Comments:
if you think you're worried now, dad, just wait until your kids go off to college. black bears are the least of it. college, where they immediately treat you child as if she were parentless as soon as she turns 18. where you don't get a copy of her grades sent to you, even though you're paying for your kid's time in college. where they are required by law to keep your child's medical situation secret from you. this includes your kid being taken to a hospital. if you call and want to know where your kid is, they don't have to tell you. partially, i believe, because they love the power trip it, and partially because lawmakers have done their best to make it almost impossible for you to be a person with any official status whatsoever in your kid's life after she turns 18.
compared to what you're going to face in the future, this little walk in the woods is a walk in the park.
society has done its best to make this parent thing as difficult as possible. instead of the schools acting in loco parentis, they act in co-operation with a brick wall and put it between you and your kids. this kid at Tech was throwing around alarm signals to everyone who came into contact with him for a very long time. and the most important fact about the days and months and years before the massacre is that, when he was committed to a mental health facility, they had to let him go, because they can't legally MAKE you stay if you don't want to, and if you don't APPEAR to be a threat to yourself or others.
protect them? you won't even know when they're in danger.
I don't blame you one bit for your concerns. As you said in your last post, the world is going crazy.
Thanks for that enemy. I was starting to question my sanity. Like, am I the only one who feels this way? Is it just me?
Hey okay, for some reason your comment was on "comments to be moderated" page. I just saw it now. I don't know I put it there. I have never had you post a comment that needed to be "moderated". Sorry about the delay.
I suppose you are right, the day will come when I will wish that a walk in the woods is all I have to worry about. I agree with you also, these schools need to work with parents. I did not know that as the paying parent you don't have a right to see your students grades. That's just stupid.
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