I realize that it has been a little while since I have written a new post, life got busy for a bit. But, now that the holidays are over, hopefully I will have more time to post.
With some of the recent tragic events, there has been talk about "gun free zones" and how best for organizations to provide security for people on their property. As someone who spends a good amount of time thinking about personal defense, I have come to a realization. Many in our society have come to accept the illusion of security instead of actual security measures. Now, I realize that any sort of static security is a constantly evolving challenge, since a threat is always going to evolve in order to counter any new security measures. But, that doesn't mean that security measures should not be attempted.
One common way that organizations create the illusion of security is to post a "No Guns" sign, as their state laws allow. They somehow believe that evil will see this door, and stop. Punishments and charges cary state by state for what happens if someone disobeys one of these "No Gun Zones", but are often a misdemeanor. And I am not advocating that any violate these signs. If a business doesn't want me to carry in their facility, that is their right as a property owner, and I respect their property rights, and will spend my money elsewhere. I also prefer obeying the law, because I am a law abiding person. Criminals, by definition, are not law abiding, and have already decided to break the law. If a criminal is going to commit a serious felony, like robbery, or murder, what makes anyone think that they are going to be stopped by a sign that will just add a minor misdemeanor? The punishments for that, if they are even charged with it, are a drop in the pond compared to those for the violent felony that they are going to commit. All that a "No Guns" sign does is keeps law abiding people from being able to defend themselves. Businesses that post these signs say that someone who has gone through the time, effort, background checks and money to be able to legally carry a firearm is apparently not trustworthy enough to carry that firearm the state says they can carry.
I'd like to highlight two places that I have seen these signs, that I think are absurd to illustrate my point. Those are jewelry stores, and banks. A note, it is legal to carry into a bank in Ohio as long as it is not posted, which is different from some states, and no, I do not frequent jewelry stores. But, pretty much every person walking into one of those establishments has some sort of business dealing with valuables that they need to engage in. So, if a bank or jewelry store is posted, a criminal knows that any law abiding citizen is not going to be carrying not only in the building, but also in the parking lot to and from the building. What is that posted bank or store doing to provide security for you in their parking lot? Even if they have a guard inside, the guard probably is not going to be aware of the situation in the parking lot, and have any ability to stop it. Criminals don't obey the law, and generally speaking, look for easy targets. Those signs are a good indicator of where they can find soft targets.
Aside from created the mis-named "gun free zone" (which is only gun free so long as everyone in it is law abiding), a lot of organizations create an illusion of safety by having security guards. Now, I am not attempting to denigrate security guards, it is an often thankless job, with long, boring hours. But, when was the last time you saw an armed security guard at a business? And what good is an unarmed security guard? What exactly is an unarmed security guard expected to do when evil walks into their post, intent or wreaking havoc? That is a very un-enviable position to be in. But are they going to tell the criminal to leave, or radio for help, or try to fight back unarmed for their hourly wage? When did we in this country accept the idea that giving someone a badge and a radio creates a safe environment? And why did we accept that? Are people so scared by the mere sight of a firearm that they can't fathom that firearms in the hands of good guys are one of the best ways to keep them safe? Even just having armed guards can act as a deterrent, forcing bad guys to seek out a softer target elsewhere.
Another very common measure is to install security or surveillance cameras. Which, may or may not be functional, and even if they are, they can do nothing to stop a crime in progress. They might be able to show the police who perpetrated the act in the aftermath, and what exactly happened. But that doesn't help at all during the actual crime. Their use as a deterrent could also be questioned, because they are easy to defeat. A criminal can wear a mask so as to avoid identification from the film, or could just note their locations during a prior scouting mission, and avoid them entirely.
These are just a few examples of how America has come to accept the illusion of security as a substitute for actual security measures. Some people have decided to accept the responsibility of carrying a firearm to provide for their own protection, and the protection of their loved ones. It is a grave responsibility that brings with it the possibility of severe consequences. And just because someone carries a gun does not mean that they should have an inflated ego or false sense of security. A firearm is just one tool in the defensive tool box, and is a tool of last resort. It is not the only answer, and it is always best if the situation can be defused or avoided without the need for a firearm. But, if you need to defend yourself from a violent attack by a determined attacker, it is often the best choice.
All that being said, next time you are just going about your day, utilize your situational awareness skills, and analyze the security measures being used, and how effective they actually are against an evil individual.
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