Denver theater shooting.

If you have been following last nights shooting in Denver, please read the following then sign up for the next CCW class. I wanted so bad to post my feelings on social media, however, I resisted until I read Ebbs' article attached here...

Carry Less, Carry More… A Dark Night for The Dark Knight by EBBS on JULY 20, 2012 ·

My apologies if this seems a bit “ranty” and incoherent. I haven’t slept much after seeing “The Dark Knight Rises” last night and immediately being plunged into this fiasco. So I’m exhausted, overwhelmed and furious beyond imagination. That said, I sure hope that despite typos and incoherent rambling this helps to sort some things out for you who either currently carry concealed or are considering the step because of an incident like this.

WHERE WE ARE A horrific atrocity occurred last night right around 1:15am at the Century Theaters in Aurora, Colorado. 24 year old James Holmes busted entered into a theater through an emergency exit armed with a rifle, a shotgun, two handguns and a couple of smoke grenades he tossed into the crowd and waited to take effect before charging into the crowd spraying bullets in every direction fathomable. The current report from 9 News in Denver (they’ve proven to be the fastest and most accurate with updates) is that 71 total were shot including one victim in an adjoining theater and 10 died on the scene with 2 more dying later at the hospital. By the time I heard of the incident following the showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” I attended at my theater an hour straight due north of the Aurora cinema at 3:00am or so the internet and social media sights were already blowing up with buzz about the shooting. And it didn’t take long for the antis to start fueling their fires.

SITTING DUCKS Many theaters in the area (I live in Northern Colorado) have a GFZ or “Gun Free Zone” and “No Legal Carry” policy for their buildings. This means there are signs posted at the front doors and ticket windows declaring that no guns regardless or orientation are allowed in the building. Which immediately makes everyone entering in safer, right? But last night’s incident shows us that a crowd of unarmed people (with police far from “at the ready” even if they’re just around the corner) are essentially a shooting gallery for an unstable adult with no regard or responsibility for human souls.

What a “GUN FREE ZONE” basically says is that no one is allowed to have guns but the bad guys. You wouldn’t see something this rabid take place at a gun show or in areas where citizens arming themselves is welcomed and encouraged. The bad guys can read signs, and when the sign says “GUN FREE ZONE” it more or less reads “COME ON IN!” to the killer. When people are allowed to defend themselves and face a coward with force equal or greater to what the villain is presenting, often times they run like the sissies they are, regardless of “knockdown power” of the weapon confronting the bad guy.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? It’s almost wildly ironic but not funny in the least that earlier this week I had scheduled a post to go live this morning titled “CARRY LESS, CARRY MORE” which directly covers orientating your EDC (or Everyday Carry) in such a way that you’ll FORCE yourself to carry your firearm every day. What’s the point of public and personal defenders with licenses to do so that do not carry their weapon? So let’s say you ignore or “don’t see” the sign. You’re carrying in a crowd of 200 (or more) people completely unaware of their surroundings while the most anticipated movie of the past 5 years is on the big screen when a deranged madman comes in the door, starts popping off smoke grenades to blind and disorient the overwhelmed crowd. Things happen so fast there really isn’t time to think about a laundry list of action options. Questions present themselves regarding your action steps if YOU are the one capable of meeting this force of evil with a force of balance. Do you stand and shout to get his attention then start returning fire? Remember this fella was wearing a “bulletproof” (fake term) vest when he entered. How confident am I at taking a head shot from 20 yards away? Will I hit someone else? Do I sneak up on him? Can I hide behind someone else whose already running toward the door? What’s that smell? Common sense says when shots are fired in your vicinity you GET DOWN! But the human condition incites curiosity instead. For instance, when someone shouts, “DUCK!” what does the person within earshot do? He turns and looks! GET DOWN and get below the action. Common sense also says the guy with the gun will keep shooting until he runs out of ammo or is stopped. He needs to be stopped. He needs to stop shooting and you the counter gunman needs to decide if you’ll take your chances with someone else getting murdered over you so you can return home to your family or do you put yourself at risk (you’re already in harm’s way, it’s chosen you) for a myriad of strangers? That’s a personal choice, one I can’t make for you. Upon receiving your concealed carry permit you may have had grand schemes of heroism and dashing feats of strength like Superman or, ahem, Batman. But reality is a cruel thing. These are ALL questions that need to be thought out and decided upon BEFORE you strap a sidearm to your belt that first time. This is where seeking out and receiving reputable and yearly (at least) training comes in. If you train to think, train to react, and train to respond through repetition if and God forbid when a situation like this arises I pray you’ll be prepared to make the right choice. Training teaches the carrier/shooter to think through situations before they happen and equally as important what the laws are and how to respond AFTER engaging the assailant. What happens when the police arrive? What if they shoot at me? How do I identify myself as the good guy? ALL questions you must have answers to before an incident enters your world. CARRYING WHERE YOU CAN’T CARRY In this situation (a movie theater) concealed carry owners are faced with what I would flippantly refer to as the lesser of two evils. You can either carry your weapon knowing no one will find out unless you’re required to wield it, or don’t carry at all and choose to take your chances with the lottery. Many states vary on their punishment for carrying in areas where it is strictly posted that CCW is disallowed, so knowing state laws for punishment regarding carrying concealed in restricted areas is very important. Again this is your responsibility and where training comes in. I’m simply talking through the equation presenting tools for getting the job done. NOT suggesting you do any one particular thing in the heat of battle. The question begs itself, “Would I rather increase the odds of returning home to my family if a nut job walks in and starts blasting and face the consequences of arming myself where I shouldn’t, or will I obey the law to a letter and be left defenseless in the face of superior firepower?” HOWEVER… no one says we have to give patronage to those who snub their noses at the constitution… namely the second amendment. By giving your money and sitting in the theater you’re essentially saying you’re okay with their rules and while you’re in their house you’ll do what they say. And those are the grounds you’ll be punished under. No one forced you into the fabled “GUN FREE ZONE.” You went willingly on your own accord and even paid to get in.

DO YOUR PART If you’re educated about these matters  and understand what a farce a “GUN FREE ZONE” is, we need to work together to combat the hype and lies generated by mainstream media. No one remembers the incident 3 months ago in the same community where a gunman was stopped by a good guy with a gun.  “Oh you’re convinced an inanimate object can kill so many people?” Come on guys. Had James Holmes decided all these people needed to die on the spot he could have rented a Komatzu D575 bulldozer and come through the screen of the theater. Disarming law abiding citizens is giving the advantage to the bad guys. Killing as many people as possible as fast as possible was his plan and whether he had guns or not it would have happened. Had someone been in the theater with a gun with force that could have met his then possibly more people could have been spared. Do you have a Concealed Carry Permit but your gun is sitting in the safe at home? Do what it takes to carry your gun. Educate yourself. Arm yourself. And if you’re not going to take the risk of carrying where it’s posted as not allowed, stop bellyaching and don’t patronize that business. I guarantee the 71 people that fell under James Holmes’ guns last night didn’t think it would be their night either. You. Just. Never. Know.

WHAT ABOUT YOU, EBBS? I’m no sheepdog. I wouldn’t consider myself a public defender nor do I aspire to go running towards gunshots when heard in the distance. But when faced with immediate and impending danger I do feel a responsibility for others. Especially those deemed as “helpless” or uneducated in this area under these circumstances. If it were me, and I happened to have a carry gun (or 2, I’m not telling) in a “GUN FREE ZONE” I would personally much rather contend with the wolves AFTER eliminating a psychopath intent on destroying everything in his way than have an officer visit my home and explain to my wife how I was mowed down in cold blood. Is there still a chance of that happening anyway? Absolutely, but I’ll take my chances battling evil over allowing it to run its course with no opposition.

 “THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO FLOURISH IS THAT GOOD MEN DO NOTHING.” – EDMUND BURKE