Breda, the world's most awesome, armed librarian, posted a link to Lt. Col. Grossman's popular article on Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs. I love the story because it explains perfectly the mindset of so many anti-gun individuals
We know that the sheep live in denial; that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids’ schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid’s school. Our children are dozens of times more likely to be killed, and thousands of times more likely to be seriously injured, by school violence than by school fires, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their children is just too hard, so they choose the path of denial. ... Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and would call for “heads to roll” if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids’ school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them. Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain. ... It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the wolf shows up.
We know that the sheep live in denial; that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids’ schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid’s school. Our children are dozens of times more likely to be killed, and thousands of times more likely to be seriously injured, by school violence than by school fires, but the sheep’s only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their children is just too hard, so they choose the path of denial.
...
Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and would call for “heads to roll” if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids’ school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them. Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and disdain.
It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the wolf shows up.
The whole thing is worth reading and there's many choice quotes in there. I primarily like it because I see it all the time when reading those who wish to take guns away from others. Denial flowing just like the river it is so often confused for. Oh, nothing could ever happen to them, it's paranoid to carry a gun, blah blah blah. Those are the very same people whose entire lives come crashing down when the wolf does show up.
However, I take exception to one thing Lieutenant Colonel Grossman says and that's about the sheepdog.
“Then there are sheepdogs,” he went on, “and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.”... If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath--a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.
“Then there are sheepdogs,” he went on, “and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.”...
If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath--a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.
It's a common theme amongst those in the gun community that those of us who carry also add an extra level of protection to others. Sorry, but that's not me. Come hell or high water, when everything goes tits up you're going to find me defending my own flock. If that entails me putting myself in harm's way and engaging the threat and that ends up benefiting your flock, well then, lucky you.
What I'm probably not going to do is run towards the danger, especially if it means leaving my family unguarded.
Now, if I'm alone, then that's a different story and totally dependent on the situation. I'm not going to engage a target unless I can tell for certain that I have a better than average chance of walking away. A dead me does very little to help the situation, nor does it do my flock well when it comes to putting a roof over their heads or food on the table.
Make no mistake about it - I will confront the wolf. But I will not actively seek the wolf out via some sense of duty to protect others. Self preservation is important, but for me it's also important to be around for my kids and wife. While I've always wanted to be a police officer, it's not something I can do currently. If and when I do manage to become a cop, I will be more than happy to seek out the wolf, but until then, I'm just a selfish man who wishes to stay alive and protect his family.
Now, this is why I suggest more people carry a firearm. If a thug attempts to do something in my immediate vicinity, it is in my best interest to stop the threat right then and there. It is not in my best interest to seek out the "there" if it's not entirely on my "then". However, the more people that carry, the more likely the thugs "then" is his last as he will indubitably run into a sheepdog protecting his own flock.
I don't think that more people carrying is going to make a massive reduction in crime as I've come to realize, criminals are stupid (otherwise, they'd be working rather than criminalating). What is will do is lower the damage that criminals do by putting more "sheepdogs" around the "sheep". Eventually, thugs will pick the wrong flock to mess with.
Just don't expect me to come running to save you. Save yourself and protect your flock.