44 Comments
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Wanda Tharpe's avatar

I completely agree with you. I am terrified, but will channel my terror into training. I've been away from the gym for over a year---weight lifting and cardio---I will get back to it, and to healthy eating. Also, getting back to the gun range to be ready for home defense if need be. I live in the beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia, the Mother of Presidents. I am nauseated by the radical takeover of Virginia.

Every republican and freedom lover out there: Get healthy, get strong. Strong, healthy people are harder to kill. Thank you for verbalizing what I have been feeling since Charlie Kirk's murder.

Ken Mitchell's avatar

Exercise is good, but carrying a firearm regularly is better. Buy a gun and ammo. Get training. If you live in one of the 25 "Constitutional carry" states, then start carrying your concealed firearm wherever and whenever you can. Get a "License to Carry", or "Carry Concealed Weapon" certificate. I live in Texas, where an "LTC" certificate is inexpensive and easy to obtain if you're a law-abiding citizen.

More importantly, remain sober and maintain your situational awareness; the crazies almost always make it obvious that they're about to go crazy. Stay clear of crowds.

Wanda Tharpe's avatar

Maybe a byrner....they're non lethal, but still debilitating...just a thought....for those of us not so comfortable with lethal force....I appreciate lethal force, just not confident in my use of it.

Tom from WNY's avatar

It may help to seek professional training in defensive tactics. There is/was good training organizations in VA. IIRC, Culpepper area.

These folks are serious and no one's coming to help.

Ken Mitchell's avatar

You - we all - need to be our own first responder.

David Shimm's avatar

Yes. I just took my second tactical shotgun class from https://www.citizen-defender.com/ in Culpeper yesterday, and I've taken a couple of handgun classes and a Mas Ayoob class from them before. Great instruction.

Tom from WNY's avatar

I had the honor of attending a MAG-20 taught by Massad himself locally in WNY. Damn good course and highly recommended to everyone. Unfortunately, the venue did not include a range; so no shooting was done.

The next time John Murphy teaches locally; I'm attending. I missed a John Holschien course locally 2 months before he passed.

Ken Mitchell's avatar

Amazon sells a device called a "Pain Pen"; a small electrical shock device, sort of a mini-cattle prod. The problem with those is that they are a hand-to-hand distance device, and I don't want threatening people to get that close.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCMKF2N6?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2&th=1

I'm an old man; 75 years old, and never been a jock. I'm not that quick, and definitely not strong enough to deal with an angry stupid person. I'd rather be "Judged by 12", and not "Carried by 6".

Here in South Texas, I have some guns, and a "License to Carry" them concealed. And I don't go to places where it's likely that violence might erupt. Like loud bars, crowded concerts, or the Texas State Fair - which doesn't allow weapons. (Although criminals never follow such laws anyway.)

Kristin's avatar

You need a firearm AND a fitness routine. It's not either/or, my friend.

Ken Mitchell's avatar

Sorry; I'm north of 75, and have never been in great physical shape. If I ever need to go hand-to-hand with a thug, I'll lose. My 9mm handgun is the best equalizer. But I do have a few other interesting toys....

MeadHall Range's avatar

Might I take this opportunity to mention we bring in some of the best firearms instructors in the country, have a great facility, and I am not too bad at training people in firearms etc myself :D

Training isn't cheap and if it is it might or might not be good training, but regardless of where you are there are likely solid instructors within driving distance of you. :)

Yet Another Joe's avatar

A bit of reality that applies to everyone, regardless: No matter who you are, what background you have, or what you believe- there's people out there that think the world would be a better place if you were relieved of your life, liberty, and property.

Some of whom are supposedly on 'your side'.

Never surrender your liberty to either side for temporary security, as old Ben used to warn.

Dr. Mauser's avatar

What's funny is the exact same people who vote for these cretins accuse their opponents of being Nazis, and wonder how what happened in Germany in the 1930's could possibly happen here. I guess they were asking for pointers rather than speculating on how to prevent it.

Dan Poore's avatar

Not to mention their cheering the spiritual successors of the original Antifa, who contributed to making the Nazis look better in comparison.

Not because the Sturmabteilung was any less prone to violence (in the way water is prone to being wet), but the SA was a LITTLE more selective in the targeting for said violence than the OG Antifa (who, as today, were using "anti-fascism" as a cover for trying to install a commie government).

You have to be a really [excrement] person to make Nazis look good in comparison.

Yet Another Joe's avatar

A lot of Germans had family connections in Russia, and knew quite well what horrible things that the Soviets were doing- and for dang sure didn't want it repeated there.

Sadly, they got it and worse, because they thought they could use tyranny to protect themselves from tyranny.

Peter Borregard's avatar

Hey, calling Trotsky a fascist worked for Stalin.

eric tollefson's avatar

Keep yer powder dry, an' yer head on a swivel...

Tom from WNY's avatar

Much good advice offered here. Act on it! Yes, make a commitment to yourself and your loved ones to become more active. Learn to eat healthy foods; maybe learn to cook and make nutritious, tasty meals for you and yours. If you can, start growing your own produce; its good exercise and you learn what real produce tasts like.

Acquire some reliable, decent quality firearms and plenty of ammunition. Learn to use them, acquire skill and shoot often enough to maintain it. Obtain and learn to use some less lethal options; pepper spray (personal and crowd control size), also canes for cane defense. The neat thing about a cane is that its a mobility aid, a medical device; until you need it to be a self-defense tool.

A skill thats really valuable to you and others is learning first aid beyond putting a band-aid on a boo-boo. Stop the Bleed and basic CPR/AED skills are great ones to have; if you can get training in Wilderness First Aid, it will be valuable to you and your community. Then put together a First Aid Kit to support those skills. It ain't a bad idea to learn how to use a fire extinguisher as well. Keep a few in your house, even in your vehicle.

If you got this far; go the whole Prepper route. The more accountability you take for your safety, security and well being you take upon you and your close loved ones and associates, the better off you are. Build confidence in your ability to address come what may.

Remember this: Government ain't your friend. When the bad people come to bother you, no one's coming to save you. You are your own first responder.

Traci's avatar

Excellent! I have carried a cane when traveling for a long time, though I don't need one to motigate. But it will go through airport security, courthouse security and on and on. It may not win the day, but I will go down trying.

Dale Flowers's avatar

By the time TEOTWAWKI or SHTF kicks off it'll be too late to stockpile, get fit. Be the ant, not the grasshopper.

Wanda Tharpe's avatar

I'm going to wear my FREEDOM hoodie EVERYWHERE this winter, and I may order more in different colors. What if we all wore FREEDOM hoodies/t'shirts EVERYWHERE, every time we could! FREEDOM hoodies/t'shirts as far as the eye could see. Think that would freak the freaks a little bit? Who's with me!!!

Orvan Taurus's avatar

I'd LOVE to be able to walk any distance. Due to kidney etc. issues... well, if you feel like you GOTTA GO all the time... guess how many long walks you go on?

Irving's avatar

As much as I disike the idea, I'm forced to conclude there's no way this ends without a very bloody civil war.

Seems quite reasonable to prepare for it, in all capacities and capabilities. That rucking thing just may turn out to be something one should be very, very good at. Start now if you haven't already, and embrace the uphill portions.

Callidyn Alturas's avatar

I've been feeling this way for at least a year now. I won't stop preparing, and hoping I'll never have to use that training.

Traci's avatar

Expect the best, train for the worst.

Gollwoods's avatar

Endurance is pretty rewarding. I do believe low cardio for 3 hours every so often on top of normal cardio is very valuable. A brisk walk in a park or the easiest way a 20 mile bike ride

Walt Rauch's avatar

The gun to carry is the gun you -will- carry, everywhere, with which you can reliably on-demamd hit center mass /center head, that packs as much whallop as fits the above criteria.

If that be a Seecamp pocket .25ACP, so be it. The bigboomer in the glove box isnt there when you deal with the mall shooter or crazed shopper.

Carry big when you can, but -carry- everywhere you can get away with it. The pocket rocket keeps you from being ostracized or exiled.

Tom's avatar

RE: fitness

For cardio work, especially if you're just getting into it and are really overweight, pick up a cheap treadmill that can go on an incline and walk while listening to an audiobook or streaming a movie or TV show. It's easier on your joints than jogging/running, and you'd be surprised at the calorie burn you get walking uphill.

Note: I don't recommend running on cheap treadmills. Bad idea.

rau9's avatar

Cubii

https://cubii.com/

I had a stiff ankle after healing a break. Still painful several months out, both balance and ability to walk without support of a cane.

My husband saw the machine advertised on TV, and bought it for me.

I was dubious that it would be worth it.

Boy, was I wrong!

I recovered flexibility and strength. Last spring, I had a knee replaced. Just dragged it out again, as the cold weather and a respiratory infection had made weak and with a stiff knee.

I used it this morning. Initially a little stiff and sore, I'm feeling great.

Trust me. It works. And it's available even when the weather is bad.