“If the soldiers at Fort Hood had been armed, it has been claimed by some, then first responders to the shooting would have been confused about who was the killer—with everyone in the same uniform and many with guns present. I don’t think there would have been much confusion: The bad guy would have been the one bleeding on the ground.” – Arthur Z. Berg in How to Stop a Would-Be Killer at a Military Base [at wsj.com]
That quote is full of awesome!!!!
or as they say on the interwebz, “chock full of win”
Ssshh! You’re giving all the liberals headaches.
That picture of that punk pretending to honor the fallen……..
Yeah, I hear you. I would have a very hard time serving in the military right now, with this man as my boss.
He’s just there to offer the families a free trip around the country on Air Force One.
Not a single word out of that man’s mouth comes out as sincere. He’s belittling, sarcastic, superior, or lecturing. You can’t make deals with a person who can’t show sincerity. Its all just lies lies lies whatever statement is convenient.
The whole “friendly-fire” concern is always from someone who has no idea what it is like to train for combat. It is intellectually dishonest and is a knee-jerk poorly thought response that attempts to support their ongoing distaste of firearms or the necessity to use force at all.
Most people who think this way believe violence is something to be avoided at all costs, even if it means doing nothing for those that may be dying around you.
+1
You know, if the cops could get there fast enough to see 8 people with guns drawn on 1 guy with his hands up we probably wouldn’t be needing to have this conversation. But they can’t, its not possible. I think them finding 8 people with drawn guns that put them down and look relieved when they show up are likely the good guys.
Politicians and “leaders” saying cops get confused so soldiers (or teachers or children) should die to make their jobs easier pisses me off on so many levels.
I may be paranoid but just like how liberals seem to be more afraid of law abiding gun owners than criminals, I find myself often more afraid of police rolling in hot than by the lone gunman they are there to stop.
Just because bystanders are unarmed does not make them less vulnerable to neglegent shooting by police officers when they arrive on the scene, as demonstrated by the recent police shooting in LA. I personally would feel safer if people were standing around calmly when police arrive because the threat was already neutralized.
That’s simple. Criminals provide a useful service to the government. They help to instill fear in communities that might otherwise lack a sense of dependence upon government paid thugs for protection. Law abiding citizens, especially those willing and able to protect themselves are a threat to the power and authority of those who wish to dominate society.
The guy standing next to Obama needs a better hairdresser.
Major chuckles! Thanks.
Obama paying homage to the memory of the soldiers, while nodding toward the guns that would have given them a fighting chance. While the guns holding the helmets may or may not be real, the fact that military personnel on base could not defend themselves definitely was. I continue to be disgusted by Obama, and all of the statist cronies who deny arms to our “armed” forces.
Why are there guns in that photo? They may have died with their boots on, but the helmets should be hanging on some sort of office supplies… since that’s all they potentially had to defend themselves with.
Stop the HYPOCRISY. We send soldiers to war willing to do what most would not for those who could not or would not. They are the first to suffer for US. The politicians (especially the one in the photo) dishonor their sacrifice at any given moment by cutting their wages and benefits yet deem themselves worthy of a raise. WE willingly give them arms to defend the political agendas throughout the world. Yet the politicians and the high ranking officers won’t trust them to defend US or themselves at home. I am a veteran as is my brother and many of my friends and WE hope that peace finds our brethren. May their suffering be eased as well as it may be.
Just think of the $ spent on Odumbo & wookie to “comfort” everyone. Coulda’ armed EVERYONE on base with their own .45 on the hip. What a s@$##y world.
Obama has the military disarmed for one of two possible reasons : he’s stupid, or his policy deliberately intends these outcomes. We know he’s not stupid, so….
He’s not there to honor the fallen… he’s picking up his trophies.
The Zero,s wont’ allow weapons on base as they would become the Targets because of all the Chicken shit! most of the Leadership is along for the Gravy train and could care less along as they get Paid!
Instead they want combat soldiers too run away and hide, I can see it now, hurry up and hide the enemy is coming!
Having this President Dishonor these troops by showing up is tasteless and disgraceful! especially because of Anti-American sentiments and Actions he is undertaking
The incident at camp bastion disproves the notion that “friendly fire” would have been a problem
Let’s just say that the detractors are right, the police show up, confuse you for the BG, and you get SWATed.
My response, so the f*ck what?
I would rather die defending myself, my loved ones, or my friends, even if accidentally killed by police, than lay there and wait to be put down by some lunatic like a worthless dog.
It’s not just about self defense, it’s about self respect and self dignity, it’s about saying, “Not me, not today, not like this…”
We all live and we all die, live the best life you can and die the best death you can, that’s all any of us can do.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
+1000
Well said.
+∞
Show a little respect for the democratically elected president. I’m not the biggest fan of him but the office does deserve SOME respect. He’s not the one who said they can’t carry.
Defending your hero Kevin?
You can respect the office itself while still holding contempt for the person holding it.
this
+1. Respect the Office of the President, and Commander-in-Chief, if not the person in it. An important distinction.
trolls will be ignored.
PS: Great article by Dr Berg. He should be nominated to Surgeon General.
Unfortunately, the WSJ is behind a pay wall, and log in with confirmed ID is required. I will post a couple of facts, if the one or two posters who have military experience and a link to past- policy for officers and enlisted of a certain rank to carry on base. I believe it was tdi? There are comments at WSJ that indicate an ignorance of that history, or a misperception that MPs only have been armed, and that is good enough.
I respect people, not titles and positions.
And, no politician has ever, nor likely will ever earn my respect.
” no politician has ever, nor likely will ever earn my respect.”
Apparently you don’t think much of our system of government. That’s fine. There are other places in this world where you can live without worrying about “politicians.”
Meanwhile, our republic requires people who are elected to represent us. Sadly, many of these people have proven unworthy of office. But if you can’t bring yourself to respect ANY of them, you’re living in the wrong country.
This republic was bought, sold, and paid for long ago.
Politicians are owned and controlled by special interest and wealth investors. Politicians should walk around with sponsor patches sewn to their suits, much like NACAR drivers.
If you think politicians are working for you then you’re living in a dream world.
I give respect to those in power that trust me to protect my life with my God given right of self-defense with the best weapon available.
I have no respect for those in power that have their armed guards paid for with our taxes but fight to dis-arm us; their supposed bosses.
In this case; I respect the position of President; I have utter contempt for the man in that position.
The office may deserve respect, but the occupant of the office must EARN respect. Obama (The Feckless One) has earned nothing but contempt.
I give him the respect that he gives the office and that other nations give him. Hint: Its not much.
Respect needs to be EARNED. Hitler was ELECTED chancellor of Germany if I remember my history. Like the RESPECT given Bush 2? Goodwins law( beat ya’ to it).
Well, he is right about him not being the reason they were disarmed.
As for respecting the office, I think its been a long, long time since it was worthy of that.
Among many things of note in the recent Captain America movie is the solution to this supposed problem of figuring how who is the bad guy:
Falcon: “How do we know the good guys from the bad.?
Cap: “If they’re shooting at you, they’re bad.”
What a great movie that was. I loved all the pro-freedom, anti-NSA stuff in it. Cap’s speech was also very good and inspiring.
Re the office of president vs the current holder of that office…
I respect the people who constructed the framework upon which the governance of this country is (supposed to be) based.
People are brave, cowardly, principled, despicable, as truthful as they can be, dirty stinking liars, honorable, corrupt, and everything in between by turns. There is a reason that oaths of office, in this country, are made to an office or a system rather than to a person or a committee. The oath is to protect and defend the system, the framework, that allows us as a nation to self-correct and strive for greater – not the people who happen to be trying to implement its ideals (according to their understanding and beliefs).
Personally, I don’t care for many of President Obama’s policies and practices. I believe there have been better presidents. And I also believe that there are presidents more worthy of contempt for the disgrace with which they have draped the office, than President Obama.
If he goes, he’s accused of wasting money. If he does not, he’s a callous SOB who doesn’t even pretend to care.
Either way he won’t see any approval here.
So maybe we can, perhaps, STFU with the stupid comments and nicknames that make all of us look stupid and bigoted by association? They really aren’t funny, they aren’t new, and they don’t add anything.
“I also believe that there are presidents more worthy of contempt for the disgrace with which they have draped the office, than President Obama.”
Uhhh, no. He’s the winner. By a mile.
“The bad guy would have been the one bleeding on the ground.”
Or, if the soldiers had been armed, the bad guy wouldn’t have planned a mass shooting and there would be no need to figure out who was who.
Excellent article by Dr. Berg. It is gratifying to see someone who is involved in mental health who understands that disarming everyone is not the way to go.
At both Ft. Hood shootings the “first responders” were the ones that official policy had left disarmed. If they had been armed then the “second responders” wouldn’t have had anything to do except the cleanup.
If one is armed the first responder would be the person defending his own life not the secondary responders that arrive 30 minutes after the event happens.
Can you imagine the Commander-In-Chief issuing a simple order-
All Officers and E-6 on up will be armed with issue sidearms while on duty, and permission to conceal carry the same, or personal weapons, while off-duty.
The Service Chiefs will implement supplemental authority granting discretion to local commanders to ensure sufficient training time is made available as needed.
Solve the problem, #1, and win back a small measure of respect for applying common-sense and trust in the troops.
Were the police confused when they arrived 15 minutes later? My understanding is that a brave soldier confronted the predator, who then shot himself. Was there some kind of confusion and additional danger once the police arrived? I never understood that line but it gets repeated by a lot of politicians lately.
Obama BEATS even Jimmy Carter by light years. Most of what Carter did was fixed(or undone). Obama is destroying America daily. From Fast & Furious,Bengazi, NSA,IRS, Obamacare, Executive orders, anti-Christian positions, pro Muslim crap, anti Israel rhetoric, blah blah blah. Oh yeah anti 2A for TTAG folks. Respect him if you must.
I’m inclined to agree. Spree shootings that end with a regular good guy with a gun confronting the killer tend to, well, end with a regular good guy with a gun confronting the killer. Killler generally kills himself or is killed/incapacitated by the good guy with the gun. There isn’t this imaginary, post-shooting animation whereby the good guy is running around ranting, raving and waving his gun; only to be cut down by confused second responders. The good guys holster their side arms, or otherwise do not act in any sort of threatening manner, and the police sort it out sans further bloodshed.
In reality, by the time the police arrive, regardless whether there was a good guy with a gun involved, everyone is freaking out, screaming and running. The cops already don’t know who is or is not the killer, as killers have been known to try to pose as victims, before.
That the cops don’t see a gun in your hand is no more evidence that you’re a good guy, than is the fact of seeing a gun in your hands means you’re the bad guy. They’re the trained professional and it’s their responsibilty to discern the real threats. By the way, this is why you should never run straight for the police when they arrive. Many people do, feeling overcome with emotion at being saved, but it’s not a good idea to over-test the level of their training and split second judgment.
How often do we hear of police shooting victims in these cases? Rarely. In fact, when we do, it’s usually not following a spree shooting event. Most recently, it was during a knife attack. Had those victims been armed, it sould have been over by the time the police arrived, with no dangerous hostage crisis to handle.
I really wish the anti’s would spend just a fraction of the time crafting real solutions to save lives, as they do fabricating phony excuses to snatch rights.
Zoidberg?
My understanding is that there were several people laying on the ground bleeding when the cops got there.