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Irrelevant and unrelated really. While obviously in hind sight a poor choice of the selection process, the other five recipients did not shoot up theaters. This guys actions are solely and squarely a product of his own twisted mind. Not his parents, not the government, nor the village.

Navy SEAL Lessons Learned From Aurora Colorado by Brandon Webb · July 23, 2012 · Posted In: Special Operations As I continue to read about the terrible tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, I can’t help but think there’s some lessons from my time as a Navy SEAL that I can pass on to the average citizen. So here goes… Don’t Make Yourself an Easy Target When at sporting events, concerts, and the movies, choose seats that give you a tactical advantage always. What do I mean? Choose seats that allow good and east vantage points and a hasty exit point. Always stack the odds in your favor. It’s the reason I still combat park (back in to a space) and sit with my back to the wall when I’m eating. Active Shooter Scenario Advice Take cover and not concealment. Concealment hides, cover hides AND protects. It’s the difference between hiding behind a movie seat or a concrete wall. Don’t lie there with your eyes closed and get shot. Think and move. A good decision executed quickly is better than a great one never executed. Violence of action, as we call it in the Spec Ops community, will often change the odds in your favor. For close quarter combat drills we’d draw a gun with someone over 20 feet away running at us. In most cases you can be on someone before they can draw and take a shot. I’m not advocating running straight at someone but if you have the tactical advantage (jam, re-loading, distraction or the shooter isn’t paying attention) then take the shooter down or get the hell out of there. Deal with the situation with your eyes wide open. In Aurora, the shooter was severely weighted down with armor and his helmet would have also limited his vision. You can use all this to your advantage. Flashlight anyone? I have one for daily carry and take it everywhere with me. It’s become another extension of me and has diffused at least two potentially violent confrontations in a non-lethal way. I recommend the Surefire P2X Fury Dual Output LED. How to use it in this situation? I would have pulled my high lumens pocket flashlight and blinded this guy. The high powered beam would have taken away his vision for 3-4 seconds, which is an eternity and enough time to flight or fight. There’s also no shame in surviving and getting you and your loved ones out of harm – especially little ones. Be a Hero to your kids and family for surviving, nobody can expect more of you than that. Like we say in Survival Escape Evasion Resistance (SERE) school, “Survive with Honor.†Concealed Carry If you’re lucky enough to live in a state like Texas that not only allows concealed carry, but supports the use of deadly force, then train to use it. Think seriously about whether it’s worth a Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) permit in states where you’re likely to get screwed by a jury if you use it. Example: I can get a CCW in CA but I’m likely screwed if I shoot somebody. The mostly liberal (I’m a registered independent for the record) jury will be sure to have my ass and it’s why I own a dog that’s trained to bite and protect (another good option). Nothing makes me happier then visualizing PETA pitted against other wild-eyed liberals. Bottom line is that if you own a gun and have it as daily carry, you’d better rehearse your use scenarios both physically and mentally, and the same with the gun in the home. Mental practice is extremely valuable after you’ve mastered the basics. FYI, shooting paper at the local range will not prepare you for a defensive shooting situation. Rehearsing defensive scenarios is the only thing that will prepare you. For most of you, the best bet is to buy a good tactical flashlight, there are plenty on the market. Specs: At least 200+ lumens, waterproof, LED, and a 3volt lithium battery. Use and carry your light with you at all times. It’s the best non-lethal and practical option available, in my opinion. You can take it anywhere – including on an airplane – and if it’s a high lumen model it will blind people in broad daylight. I can’t recommend this purchase enough. Learn From an Expert There are plenty of former Military and Law Enforcement that have great self-defense skills. Just vet your instructor carefully, ask for references and proof of service. While there are many solid instructors out there, there are also a plethora of wannabe Rex-Kwon-Do types who are self-proclaimed experts and worse – lie about their service. Alter Your Lifestyle, and it May Save Your Life Avoid opening night and large crowds (e.g. go to Disney World during off-peak) that make easy targets. FYI, most domestic and foreign terrorists want the biggest bang for their buck. They want Yankee stadium sold out and not Padre stadium at 60% capacity. It sucks to live this way sometimes but ask the survivors from Colorado if it’s worth a minor lifestyle change. I say it is, and it’s the main reason I’m watching the Olympics on TV and not attending this year. London is too much of a risk for a variety of reasons that I will not go into on this post. Don’t Be a Victim Rehearse emergency scenarios before there’s an emergency, the time to practice is NOT when it’s happening. The world is a dangerous place these days. Be prepared. A great book I’d also recommend is, Escape The Wolf by Clinton Emerson. My condolences to the victims and their families in Aurora Colorado. -Brandon Brandon is a former Navy SEAL, and worked as a Special Operations intelligence & security specialist in Iraq during 2006-07. He is also author of the New York Times Best Seller, “The Red Circleâ€. Read more: http://sofrep.com/96.../#ixzz21XQHI1Pi

i can grow a full mustache and hair on my chin and sideburns just that one spot on my cheek it wont grow!!!!

he says he wants to enlist in the USMC

"Good and east..." I assume this has something to do with sun position? Educate me...

While my comment was intended more as a joke, the government has no business giving grants out. Why the hell should I be taxed to give my money away to other people to do research on something I may not agree with. Just another form of welfare.

It's been many years since I attended an indoor motion picture. I stopped going when they stopped the news reels and cartoons before the motion picture, but... At my local motion picture / general dry goods store, it was policy to check any bags and purses for any candy, snacks and popcorn brought into the premises. That was a big no, no and would get you kicked out faster than yelling "fire"! And no 25 cent refund on your admittance ticket. The ticket tearer it in half taker / security guy was usually about 5' - 1" tall wearing a "Call for Phillip Morris" starched uniform. That was the same dude that walked down the center isle with his whale oil lantern making sure there was no hankie panky going on, and you were eating the theaters melted chocolate candy and drinking their warm soda pop. Was a great place to go on a hot July / August afternoon, as they had a fan blowing across ice. The band providing the music in the subterranean alcove wasn't very good either. They never could get the lions roar in the opening segment of the movie to mimic the lion with a violin. Back in the day, a Winchester .30 - .30 repeater was the assault weapon of choice for a man, and a cast iron skillet for the other gender. Ah... The good ole days

Um he would ask the person to leave and they would, of course. Just like that guy out west the other day who decided to NOT shoot up a theater because it had a sign saying no guns allowed!

Yep, those gays are butt hurt alright.

I'd argue that society has caused the extension of childhood into adulthood. Look at David Farragut and other's like him throughout history. Heck there has been talk recently of extending high school. It may seem like a stretch, but it sure does help the unemployment numbers the longer the .gov can keep folks out of the workforce.

Where is the ACLU on this one? A business to be denied a permit to operate based on its religious beliefs? Sounds like a legitimate civil liberty issue.

You can't fix stupid and for some reason, both stupid and criminal thugs seem to hang out a lot at WalMart

Sounds like some of them made it, do they get obamacare now?

I have a Marlin 1894c in .357 magnum that my Dad bought me when I was 16 for Christmas 27 years ago. The only thing I have ever done to it is add a sling and Williams Peep sight. It is one of my favorite guns that I have for many reasons. A real pleasure to shoot. The sling (not pictured) holds about 18)?) pistol cartridges. I think it's an old Uncle Mikes. Don't think they make them any more. (Could be wrong.) I keep a few .357's, a few .38's and about 6 .38 shot shells in it. *Edit... HERE is pretty close to the sling I use. Holds the shells great.

Well, if you come up missing your hangun, I guess the toilet would be a good place to look. If'n it's one of them "plastic" ones..now is a good time to teach him to "flush"! Sorry...couldn't help it. Dave

Well, for me anyway, prejudice has never been a matter of race. I use the term "prejudice" in only it's most pure form to illustrate my ability to read situations based on laws of probability. It makes me wrong sometimes, but not usually. The story of the drive by above is a familiar one with familiar characters. Kinda like the stories when someone has their kid get shot by a gun that was laying around. I'm guessing there is a history of cheap beer and Jerry Springerisms going on in that household.

At least UT is now the '07 Outback Bowl Champs!

+1. I went to see Dark Knight on Friday with my wife and some friends at the downtown Rivera in Knoxville. I looked at all the entrances, and no signs were posted. They searched women's purses for 'weapons' as a feel good security measure, but my friend and I both carried concealed (I was pocket carrying an LCP, my friend had a G22 IWB) the entire time. No one was shot, hurt or otherwise injured, and it was a non-event.

Lol, I hear you. I figure the price is only going to come down on them. I may as well enjoy it.

They got off easy in my opinion. Complete institutional malfeasance.

As long as they're killing each other, I am not moved. Live by the sword and all. It's when innocents get killed that bug me. Everytime I see a picture of someone shot in gang violence and the picture they use of the "victim" is a mugshot I can't bring myself to care.

This exactly is what's wrong with America. We have become a nation of flighters instead of fighters (minus a few of us.) I understand that a woman may not want to take on a man, but there were no men there that tried to take him down? I feel like we've become a nation of wimps and the American spirit of fighting evil is gone. What's most ironic is that it took place in a movie where good is fighting evil. I know it was dark and smokey, but it was also dark and smoky for the shooter too. We need more flight 93 type people and less Jersey Shore types.

And I resent it being insinuated that I'm a Republican, much less a Repub-bot, just because I'm not willing to let the socialists continue in office. If someone can provide me credible proof that Johnson or Paul can win this election without being the Republican nominee then bring it on...I'd vote for either of them if I thought they could win but unless Obama doesn't run and no else jumps in on the Democrat ticket then it WILL be a Democrat or a Republican who will be the next president. Even the beloved Ron Paul knows that; whey do you think he runs as a Republican when he is really a Libertarian?

You mean the foreign policy where we support the Taliban in the 80s, then have them turn on us? Or the foreign policy where we support Saddam Hussein in the 80s then have him turn on us? Paul believes that if need be, you declare an enemy, declare war, win, then return home. What we do now is nation building and control countries so that multi nats can gain access to sell goods. And don't give me the whole new age nebulous terrorist enemy crap either. If another country came into our country and setup shop, we would terrorize them, or at least true patriots would. My understanding of Johnson's policy is that it is pretty much the same as Paul's. Besides, with trillion dollar deficits from Tarp1 (Bush) and the other bailouts (Obama) we won't have a foreign policy before long.

I'm not too worried. If the government can't round up 40 million illegals, how is it going to find 300 million guns?

I saw a guy on a street corner with a sign that said "The End Is Near". Better clean out all the bank accounts and rack up hookers and blow on the credit cards... because it must be true... some random guy said it.

The Morse Code requirement was dropped in 2007.

Just another example of government forcing it's will on us. From trying to regulate what we eat and drink to what we think, believe and accept.

Yes I am. It's called ethics and the rule of law. Our legal system does not provide for the police to execute suspected criminals, and planting evidence is a crime. So it's ok for the police to ignore the law when you don't like the target, but think it's wrong when you do like the target of LEOs? Until the guy is convicted in court, he's innocent. If he was no longer posing an immediate threat, deadly force is no longer authorized. Last time I checked, the Constitution protects all of us, even the worst of us. If you are willing to toss it aside for any single person, then it's not worth anything.

I imagine that it still hurts like crap getting shot time after time even with body armor. Those of you who have read my posts before know I've never been the Mall Ninja or Rambo type but I sincerely believe this is why you need to carry enough mags to reload, get in close with slow, steady, accurate fire, and bring the hammer down. I know, I know, tear gas and all that, and I know how that sounds and the likelyhood of somone like myself accomplishing this but I'd rather get shot shooting back than let him get a free shot to my back running away.

Good for him. They need to start being held accountable and stop trying to push their own agenda.

Who cares. Paul will be ashes long before he could ever be the nominee. If he runs on a third party ticket he will be just as responsible as Obama for driving this country further into the ground.

Two things: 1. When I was a child and heard the story of the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" my take away was that the boy deserved to get eaten. 2. If Infowars reported tomorrow that the sky was blue and the Earth revolved around the sun I would start to doubt those as facts.

We still have a Constitution and we still have voting rights and elections. No matter how bad it gets the people are still in control. If you don't like the direction this country is going, blame your neighbors not our politicians. And yes, it is "the messenger" that gets the brunt of it from us "non-believers". Every month since I can remember there is always some crackpot theory about how Nazi Germany is going to happen here, or Y2K, mayan calendar, rapture, American dictatorship. There is a common denominator; it never happens and the messengers are always crackpots. The people who believe them are the ones that want to believe. Those that don't believe them recognize them as crackpots.