In February of 2012, a short piece I wrote was published on PoliceOne with the help of Dave Young of ARMA Training. I had never intended it to be seen outside of a few people in my inner circle. The essay talked about using the correct type of holster for the application making the point that going against the purpose of the design is inherently a bad idea.
From November of 2008 until December of 2015, I was a holster product manager for Uncle Mike’s, BLACKHAWK! and later both under Vista Outdoor. During that time the teams I had been a part of helping me garner three design patents and four utility patents. I was the Product Manager behind the launch of the Reflex, GripBreak, EPOCH, A.R.C., TecGrip, Omnivore and Apparition. Holsters were and are a big part of my life as was the gun culture. While that might seem like a big deal, it’s really not.
I was successful as a Product Manager because I took the time to observe how people used their equipment as well as becoming a practitioner myself. Today, I am not as actively involved as I once was as a Product Manager with handguns, concealed carry, and holsters. Partly because it is no longer my job and partly because you will find a compound bow in my hand more often than a pistol or rifle, but what hasn’t changed is observation. One such observation I can’t help but make is what is about to happen on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Virginia.
Understanding how the state came to this point isn’t something I could comment on given I am not a resident or have firsthand knowledge. What I can comment on is why this is an important issue with respect to purpose. In Grade School, I remember studying the Declaration of Independence. We spent an entire week just in the first sentence. While I am not going to belabor you with my recollection of that lesson the important point made by my teacher was each word was chosen for a specific purpose. Below is the text.
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
In this first sentence, often overlooked, there are a carefully laid out announcement and sort of preamble to a cause and effect justification supported by a natural order and a duty to respond to violations of that order. It is followed up by one whammy of a paragraph whose first few sentences are what most of us think of when someone mentions the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
This first portion of the second paragraph outlines a belief that we are sentient beings with certain rights not given to us by Government but endowed by a Creator. The first of these listed being Life.
Carrying a gun or having a gun is not a choice for everyone. Earlier I mentioned the term gun culture. Some might think this some form of cult, white supremacists group or worse. For those of us in or around it, you understand that having a firearm is a tremendous responsibility that requires discipline and respect. It is so serious of a responsibility that there are changes to your lifestyle that slowly create a culture that is shared by others who do the same. There is a community of gun owners who believe in working hard, doing what is right and obeying the law but have chosen to have devices for use in recreation, hunting, and self-defense. This is the culture to which I am referring to. There is a warrior mindset or spirit which you can read about in my two-part series here and here.
By 2013, all fifty states offered some form of concealed carry licensure or permit. Consider that it was largely outlawed in the early 1900s. As a Product Manager for holsters, this was a boon to our business. We did as much market research as we could. One of the most interesting statistics was the number of women who were getting handguns, many being first- time buyers having no prior experience with a firearm. This trend continues today with over 18 million concealed carry permit holders. As we did more research, we found the number one reason for the increase in handgun purchases among men and women was personal self-protection. This brings us back to the first “unalienable” right, that being Life.
It hopefully goes without saying that each of us has a right to our own lives and by extension, a right to protect it. If we didn’t believe it we wouldn’t have laws against murder. As our lives become intertwined with those around us a desire to protect our loved ones is natural. The warrior spirit is within all us, some have it stronger than others. This spirit drives men and women to join our military, law enforcement or firefighters. When someone outside of those service professions decides to buy a firearm, it is often because of a very deep and personal conviction. No non-criminally minded person wants to harm another person. This is why I said earlier that owning a gun or having a concealed carry license is not for everyone. There is a difference between not wanting to harm someone versus possibly having to in order to protect your life or the life of a loved one. That is a hard decision and not an easy choice.
The march on the state capital is more than just preservation of life though. Our constitution reinforced the concept of the right of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness much of it done through its Amendments. We, as a nation, addressed inconsistencies with these rights by freeing slaves and through women’s suffrage. However, the Second Amendment is about more than personal security. Where gun owners in California failed, those in Virginia are taking a stand against leadership who seem to forget that rights aren’t given by the Government and its power is only from the consent of the governed.
Every tyrannical government in history first took away their citizen’s ability to protect themselves or fight back. This happened in Germany, Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and the list goes on. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Some I know argue that this couldn’t happen in the United States, that we are above it. The leadership in the state government of California promised better lives and greater safety while systematically restricting rights. I submit that people are leaving the state in droves because the fruits of its government and policies are clear.
The Second Amendment makes sure the citizens have the ability to fight back should there be no other means of rebalancing power. Without it, all other rights protected under the Constitution are subject to surrender. We have already seen the attempts at restricting free speech across our country and especially college campuses. The march this coming Monday in Richmond is an important one.
Eight-five of ninety-five counties in Virginia have adopted sanctuary resolutions which are largely symbolic but send a clear message. Whether you agree or not, it is important that the legislature hear these citizens out through a demonstration of free speech. With the reported convergence of different groups and deep personal convictions, it is also equally important that it is done peacefully on all sides. As many of us wait for what’s to come this Monday, I pray the purpose and spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prevail for everyone’s sake.
- L. Yarbrough, Bucks & Beers
