Je Suis Charlie Kirk

In conjunction with attendance at the 40th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference in Salt Lake City, a friend and I went to Utah Valley University where Charlie Kirk was assassinated. It was a surreal, saddening experience. I never met Charlie, and did not know much about him. He was of a younger generation, and took his message primarily to younger people. I, on the other hand, am on the back side of three quarters of a century.

I have since learned more about him, and his love for open honest debate with those who disagree with him. I learned much about him and his faith in Jesus Christ watching his memorial service September 21, 2025.

In His time, and at His pleasure, God raises up leaders for the Faith. Sometimes these leaders become martyrs, such as Stephen, the first, as recorded in Acts 7: 58-

Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

This same Saul went on to write most of the New Testament of the Bible, spreading the good news of Christ eventually all over the world.

The American Flag hangs over the spot where Charlie was shot.

Although Charlie's earthly body was killed here, I believe his spirit lives on in the lives of his widow Erika, the Turning Point USA organization, and many Christians. 

Visiting the nearby memorial was a somber event. It was amazing to see the flowers, flags, and notes left by folks there.

There have been many conspiracy theories advanced on the web, and I decided to see what I could piece together, myself. I spoke with a police officer who was there, and he informed me that the shot came from the roof on the right end of the far building, above and to the right of the ladder.

I walked around until I got as close as I could from where the shot was fired. It would have come from above and to the right from where I took this picture: 

Here is a Google Maps aerial view of the location. The map showed, from A, the assassin's approximate location, to B, Charlie's location-

Total distance: 417.85 ft (127.36 m), about 139 yd.

Google Map

Video I saw online indicated that Charlie was hit in the anterior right side of the neck. Based on the distance I measured on the ground, and the Google Maps measured distance, I believe that the killer was probably aiming for center of mass, and didn't hit exactly where he planned. Yet, he nevertheless martyred Charlie. 

Whether or not it was the current suspect, the conspiracy theorists can toss about indefinitely, but, whoever it was, the weapon used and the distance would have made it a relatively easy shot. The left has been chumming for monsters and in this case they brought one to the surface. 

But this incident has only steeled the resolve of those on the right to continue the fight for truth. 

As Erika Kirk said, "You have no idea . . . "  

Je suis Charlie Kirk!

 

Has true Constitutional Carry returned to Tennessee (at long last)

 In Hughes v Lee, the Chancery Court has ruled that Tennessee's prohibition on 'carrying a gun or club with intent to go armed' is unconstitutional under both the Tennessee and US Constitutions. 

See the Tennessee Firearms Association analysis HERE.

Edged weapons were removed from this prohibition about a decade ago; and now barring reversal on appeal, it would appear that we are now in a new era of Constitutional Carry, even with long guns (like about 40 other states).

Boone & Crockett would be proud!

First 30 Seconds: The Active Shooter Problem - - book review

More time = more casualties

This is an excellent book that shows the importance of the armed, almost instantaneous, counterattack to an active shooter.

The author illustrates that the counterattack must occur within 30 seconds to keep the body count in the single digits.

Unfortunately, "officialdom" is uncomfortable with the idea of armed staff on campus and usually revert to outsourcing their security to an SRO or patrol officers who will arrive later after the body count has risen to teens or twenties or more.

Legislatures (with few exceptions) also are accessories before the fact by making it either very difficult, very expensive, or IMPOSSIBLE, for schools to have armed staff.

Was I wrong about ammo?

 Prices have remained stable, in contrast with what I previously wrote. 

But, like TP, peanut butter, and other non-perishable commodities, it is a good idea to continue to stock up. Don't wait until you need them.

Ammunition! Buy Now!

NOW is probably a good time to stock up on ammo. Here's why -

Today I got an email from John Farnam of DTI (Defense Training International). He notes a possible short supply of ammunition components. You can read it here.

Several years ago, I made a post about ammo. Read it here.

How much should you buy now? You decide.

Tennessee Firearms Association Annual Meeting 2024

 It will be held in Lebanon, TN., on September. Pete Hegseth will be the keynote speaker. Here's his promotional video. (1 minute, 14 seconds)

The Smith & Wesson Goldilocks .380

 Thursday August 15, in conjunction with their GOALS Convention in Knoxville, Gun Owners of America had their first Media Range Day near Sweetwater, TN. We were able to shoot a large variety of firearms. One that caught my attention was the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 in .380 caliber.

I call this the Goldilocks .380 because, for a .380 it is just right. There are lots of .380's on the market of varying sizes. Walther has had one on the market for many decades. Many manufacturers have one out there today. A game changer in the .380 market was the Kel-Tek P3AT, which put the .380 in a true pocket-pistol category. The Ruger LCP followed, which popularized that size firearm. 

This S&W is slightly larger than the LCP, with their dimensions compared at the HandgunHero website. From the HandgunHero site, here are same-scale silhouettes of the two pistols.

 Where the S&W really shines, though, is that despite its diminutive size, the felt recoil* is considerably less than the P3AT and LCP, which makes it just right as a .380; small enough to carry discreetly, yet relatively gentle to the user.

*Felt recoil, as the term implies, is a measure of how it feels to the user. Every cartridge from the .22 short to the big magnum African game cartridge has its own intrinsic recoil. From there, firearm shape, action type, weight, etc., all have a bearing on felt recoil. Each shooter will have their own perception of recoil, also.

Gun Owners of America Convention

REGISTER HERE

 Gun Owners of America (GOA) is holding a convention in Knoxville August 17-18. It will be held in the Convention Center downtown. 

Sign up to attend HERE. 

This event is for GOA members. If you are not a member, you can join HERE.

Easter 2024

 

What would cause someone to voluntarily submit to the agony of the Cross?

Any honest student of history will agree that there was a historical Jesus. Given that, the Bible teaches that He -

• Was born of a virgin
• Suffered unbelievable torture
• Was crucified
• Was stabbed by a Roman soldier to ensure his death
• Was buried

.... And rose from the dead!

He also made an outlandish claim, which if true, places a great burden on us. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."  John 14:6 (KJV)

The Bible also teaches that we all live, die, and  will face judgement. 

However, if you come to know Jesus, He has already taken your judgement on Himself.  "He that believeth on Him (Jesus) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18. (KJV)

So, please explore His claims. It is not enough to know about Jesus, you must know Him. 

To answer the question asked at the beginning, look to John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Before you go, check out the Got Jesus tab above (or HERE) to learn how to know Him. 

The One Shot Group

In the movie The Patriot, Benjamin Martin takes his two young boys to rescue his oldest son from British soldiers. He gives his sons specific instructions, including -

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL

What can we learn from this scene? I started thinking about the fact that in those days, a person only had one shot with a muzzleloader; and in a self defense situation, it was take the shot, then use whatever other means were available to escape or prevail over the bad guy. 

So -

What if we started training as if there was only one shot? Ergo, the title of this post. A few years ago, I wrote about handgun stopping power, and discussed the ways a fight can be stopped. You can read that post HERE. 

This drill is super simple. When you arrive at the range, put a target out at 25 yards. Draw or pick up your pistol (depending on range rules) and take one shot. Now relax for a few minutes, then check your hit. End of the drill. How did you do? 

If you can't deliver the shot at 25 yards, what range can you do it at?

How far can you do it with iron sights?

With a red dot sight?

With a laser?

Vital Dude target. White dot added to clarify the shot location. 25 yds, 
with a laser pointed at the middle of the nose.

Happily, we are not restricted to only one shot with modern handguns. For those of us who live in free states, ammunition capacity is limited only by our personal desire and circumstances. If we have to shoot, we shoot until the threat is stopped.

Ordinary reasonable people really don't want to shoot someone, and avoidance of bad situations is the best defense. But if you are in a public place and someone comes in and starts shooting, you need to do your best to deliver the shot. . . . and try to make the first one count.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18 KJV)

The Nativity, AD 2023

 

As we celebrate Christmas 2023, the Nativity display reminds us of who it is about; and the calendar points to the fact that the Nativity was such an event historically that nothing else can compare. Sure, there are other calendars; the Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Israelis, and others have calendars, but the calendar based on Jesus' life is used almost universally around the world.

When you look at the manger scene above, you see Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Gathered near are a shepherd, a donkey, a sheep, and three wise men. Similar scenes are displayed all over during the Christmas season.

But, what does the Biblical record show, and what does it mean. The Bible does mention the presence of shepherds at the manger scene, but does not specifically mention the number of wise men. It tells of gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but not how many men came. The written Biblical record does not place them at the manger, either.

We see depictions of livestock ranging from a sheep and a donkey as shown above, to scenes with those animals, as well as cattle, and camels. There was no Kodachrome or digital photography then, so all we have is the written record. But it is sufficient to tell the story.

At first glance, we might think of the Nativity as the beginning of the story, but it has its origins in eternity past. Mankind's story begins in the Garden of Eden with the creation of Adam and Eve by this same Jesus. (As the Apostle John writes: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1: 1-3)

Gun free zones are STILL a bad idea!

I wrote the following in 2015 concerning 'Gun Free Zones' - - - 

Gun free zones are a bad idea. Now, once again, innocent Americans have reaped the reward of the gun ban utopian's dreams. Arbitrarily designating these areas shows that those who do so are out of touch with reality. There are at least two fatal assumptions they make:

1. Criminal who don't obey the law will obey their sign
2. Good people with guns will turn bad when they enter the designated ban area.

Well, in this case, there were again some good guys without guns in the ban area. The bad guy showed up, without an appointment, and massacred these Marines.

Details will come out. 

Questions will be asked, such, as was this person a radical Islamic terrorist? Was he a domestic terrorist? Was he just a run-of-the mill hoodlum?

Doesn't matter. 

The question that needs to be asked is, "When will these statist utopians wake up and get rid of these asinine killing fields for evil perpetrators??"

Are you a politician who has held onto this hopeless ideal?  Wake up!

Update October 2023 - the Marines' killer was identified HERE. With Hamas calling for worldwide jihad, it is long past time for our government to require us to disarm when we go to certain places.

The bad guys surely will not. 

New Mexico today, Tennessee Tomorrow?

 Here is the text of my letter to the editor warning against Red Flag laws in Tennessee:

Gov. Michelle Grisham (D) of New Mexico ignited a firestorm with her suspension of the Constitution, when she, by executive fiat, announced a 30-day Second Amendment (2A) ban. Television footage shows her backed by Moms Demand Action activists; but various law enforcement officials and even the Democrat New Mexico attorney general have distanced themselves from her and voiced refusal to enforce her edict. A federal judge has already entered a temporary restraining order against this harebrained 2A abridgment.

Meanwhile, Tennessee gun owners dodged a bullet in the recent special legislative session called by Gov. Bill Lee (R?). Lee wanted a red flag law so badly that he spent millions of Tennesseans’ tax dollars on the session. It was an utter failure when the legislature refused to circle the drain with him and send the Bill of Rights to the sewer.

Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact

 

M&P 22 Compact

In a previous post I made the case for a small, discreetly carried .22 caliber pistol. While that concept certainly still holds, I will discuss the Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact pistol here. It is too large to be so discreetly carried, but may still be a good choice for some. It is similar in size to the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0 4.0" Compact and weighs about half what that full caliber gun weighs.

 Some desirable features of this gun include-

• The controls mimic the controls of the 9 mm, so the manual of arms is the same.
• It is omnivorous, that is to say, it has eaten everything I have fed it. This certainly can't be said for every 22 caliber pistol.
• As mentioned above, it is light weight.
• It has a threaded barrel, so a silencer could be attached.

Why get this gun? 

Will Hunter partially dismantle the Gun Control Act of 1968?

Sometimes allies are found in strange places. You may recall that President Obama signed into law a bill effective in 2010 that legalized handgun carry in national parks. He did not do that out of a love for the Second Amendment, but because it was attached to something he really wanted passed.

Fast forward to July 26, 2023, when Hunter Biden pled not guilty to all the charges in a Delaware court:

THE COURT: All right. So Mr. Biden, . . . . . I'm just going to ask you, without the Plea Agreement, without me saying that I would agree to the Plea Agreement, how do you plead to the charges that we have been discussing?

THE DEFENDANT: Not guilty, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Thank you. . . .

I see two ways this can go.

1. Hunter is convicted on the gun charge. In due time, The Big Guy pardons him. End of story.
2. Hunter beats the rap using the Supreme Court's Bruen decision of 2022. 

What do you think?

Only time will tell.

XXX

Smith & Wesson .22 Magnum Pistol

 In 2011 I joked about Ruger introducing a .22 Magnum pistol - (Ruger to introduce new .22 Magnum pistol?) I spoke with a Ruger representative in 2015, and suggested it to them. Here is how I noted his response, "Ruger tells me that to have soft enough brass for reliable ignition, there is too much danger of a blown case."

It seemed to me that if Kel-Tec could produce a viable .22 Magnum pistol, one of the big manufacturers could, too. 

Fast Forward to 2023. Smith & Wesson has done it. Here is a picture, and a link to its web page.

M&P 22 MAGNUM

I am glad to see that S&W has stepped up and done this. I am pleased, too, that they are moving to Maryville, TN.

Zeon Zoysia - the story continues

A decade ago, I started posting about growing Zoysia grass in Tennessee. You can see links to related posts in the Tennessee Lawn Grass tab above.

I first became acquainted with Zoysia when my dad planted a piece of Zenith Zoysia sod in our back yard. Over the years it spread and created a slowly growing  beautiful green carpet. Over the years I have started Zoysia in several yards. I have plugged Meyer* Zoysia in a Fescue lawn, which it took over. I have planted Zenith Zoysia seed in lawns with some success. The seeded lawns require lots of pampering, but grow very well, once established. 

Last year, I tried Meyer plugs in a Bermuda lawn, with no success. So now I am going to try and establish some Zeon Zoysia sod, and then transfer winter plugs as described in the tab.

Here's a pic taken three days after the sod was installed:

 Meanwhile, here's a pic of the first bloom on our new perennial hibiscus. It has about an 8" diameter:

----------------------

*https://bit.ly/3O1FBse

Saving Our School Children from Tennessee Politicians

 Tennessee's Governor Bill Lee wants a Red Flag law so bad he can taste it. My friend Rob Morse suggests focusing on what has actually worked to eliminate school shootings everywhere it has been tried. . . . 

'Tennessee politicians left our students defenseless, and we have to save them. A celebrity-seeking mass murderer killed students in a Nashville private school. That should be a wakeup call that the Republican controlled legislature and Governor have failed us again. 

We need angry parents to change the status quo and save our kids. As grim as this sounds, there is plenty of good news. We also know how to reduce and to prevent mass murder in our schools. Tennessee parents have been ignored for too long.' Read the rest HERE.

Just carry!

 The recent massacre at a mall in Allen, Texas appears to indicate a troubling trend among peaceably armed citizens.

Too often, they leave their gun at home or in the car.

Reports indicate that the mall was a gun free zone (GFZ). Designation of an area as a GFZ means it is a criminal empowerment zone. 

Granted, there are areas where it would be very unwise to go armed, such as Federal facilities and other posted government areas. 

But, outsourcing your safety to a police officer who usually arrives somewhat later could prove fatal.

Society is fortunate that a police officer was already nearby when the Allen perp opened fire. He did a great job eliminating the threat. . . and as John Correia of Active Self Protection notes, Gunfights are won and lost in tenths of seconds sometimes . . . If you are unarmed, you are already minutes late.

John Correia lecturing at the April, 2023 NRA
Convention at Indianapolis.

If you hardly ever carry because you are afraid of getting made, consider a small pocket pistol with a laser, as I wrote about HERE.

Much sweat and treasure has been spent on restoring your right to keep and bear arms. Don't you think it's time to exercise that right. 

The fool hath said in his heart,

 There is no God. . . . Psalm 14:1

Consider irises. They are planted in the soil. They take in nutrients from the soil. They get energy from the sun. Each variety produces blooms based on its unique complex genetic code. The variations in iris blooms suggests a designer. I believe the designer is none other than the Lord God, King of the Universe. 

Please don't be a fool. Ponder carefully the claims of His Son, Jesus the Christ. Do you know him?