Armed churchgoer prevents slaughter
WND
Armed churchgoer prevents slaughter
'History and common sense prove that gun-free zones are dangerous'
Charl Van Wyk, who carried a gun to a church service, shot back at terrorists bent on mass slaughter and ultimately was credited with saving hundreds of lives, says politicians should rise above the "politically correct" and do what's right to save the lives of children and teachers.
Weighing in on the current debate in America over the public's access to self-defense, he told WND that only in a "sheer utopian fantasy" would people expect that "homicidal maniacs" would follow gun laws.
"In Israel teachers and parents, serving as school aides, are armed at all times on school grounds, with semi-automatic weapons. Since this policy was adopted in the 1970s, attacks by gunmen at schools in Israel have ceased," he said.
"In 2004 Thailand adopted a similar approach for safety of children. It may be politically incorrect, but it does have the advantage of saving the lives of innocent children and teachers. The policy? Encouraging teachers to carry firearms." he continued.
"On 27 April 2004, the Associated Press reported, 'Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula ordered provincial governors to give teachers licenses to buy guns if they want to even though it would mean bringing firearms into the classrooms when the region's 925 schools reopen May 17 after two months of summer holiday.'
"Though Thailand's government is extremely hostile to gun ownership in general, it has recognized that teachers ought to be able to safeguard their students and themselves," he said.
"Maybe we can learn something from these countries."
Currently, the Obama administration is offering numerous proposals to ban certain weapons, certain types and generally make the public's access to firearms more difficult.
Van Wyk's own story of self-defense – and the defense of the innocent – dates to July 25, 1993 – the day that would become known as the day of the St. James Massacre. That was when terrorists invaded the St. James Church in South Africa with automatic weapons. About a dozen members of the congregation were killed, and dozens more were injured.
But the terrorists fled when Van Wyk, who was carrying a handgun with him, returned fire, injuring one terrorist.
Van Wyk was recognized by authorities with a commendation for his actions, which likely saved dozens, if not hundreds, of lives.
Van Wyk notes that the commander of the church attackers, Letlapa Mphahlele, later said, "There we thought that the church was a 'gun free zone,' but boy did he (van Wyk) have a surprise for us!"
"U.S. school shooting incidents prove that proclaiming gun-free zones at learning institutions does not prohibit homicidal maniacs from entering these premises. In fact, expecting such an individual to honor a law prohibiting firearms is sheer utopian fantasy," van Wyk told WND.
"History and common sense prove that gun-free zones are dangerous," he said. "Do mass shootings ever occur in police stations, on shooting ranges or at gun shows? Mass murderers select soft targets for their acts of violence.
"Declaring gun-free zones, risks leaving potential victims defenseless," he said. "Gun-free zones merely make the working environment of the criminals safer."
He said any move eliminate Americans' access to self-defense should be opposed.
"We need to refuse to support any laws that leave us defenseless against murderers, robbers, rapists and arsonists."
He noted Oliver Cromwell's advice to troops at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642, "'Put your trust in God, my boys, but mind to keep your powder dry.'"
Van Wyk said it is "by God's grace" that he has survived two violent attacks with guns.
The first was the terror attack on the church, and the second an attempted car-jacking.
"In both cases the gun in my hand was far more useful than a cop of the phone," he said.
He also said the simple logic of self-defense supports access to weapons.
"People often blame guns for crime, as if crime did not exist before guns were invented," he said. "I'd far rather be armed and never need my gun, than need a gun and not have one."
And he said the suddenness of such attacks leaves only one option for protection.
"The only person who can make any difference when faced with a violent attacker is the person who is right THERE, right THEN," he said.
In a letter to the editor van Wyk wrote after he fended off two armed robbers who were trying to carjack him, he said, "Some believe that an armed response to this type of tyranny will only escalate the violence. Not so – an armed response actually diffused the attack and my two passengers and I are, by God's grace, blessed to still be alive."
"Instant response to a life-threatening situation is always best – 'the clean up team' are just that, 'the clean up team'. The police cannot be everywhere, all the time, to protect you," he continued.
He previously noted that self-defense is biblical.
"Sometimes we also read into Scripture that which is not taught, e.g., 'But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also' (Matthew 5:39). This is dealing with our response to a personal insult. It should not be read to mean: 'If someone murders your wife, let him murder your child too.' The Bible clearly teaches, 'A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well' (Proverbs 25:26). Surely we would be 'faltering before the wicked' if we cannot protect worshipers in a church!"
"Besides the mother's womb, gun-free zones are the most dangerous places on earth," he said, and he argues strict gun control actually lead to more crime.
"At the end of the day, we need to be prepared to defend ourselves. The only person who can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun; nobody else will be of much help," he said.
See Van Wyk describe his shooting experience and its aftermath:
You can also purchase the book and the video together for a reduced bundle price.
So you have a handgun. Good.
What would you do - right now - if you heard gun shots outside your door?
It is said the first rule of gun fights is: Have a gun.
But almost as important would be this "second" rule: Don't come in second.
Because the second-place finisher in a gun fight - or any encounter involving deadly force - is generally not going end up on the podium at all, but rather in a six-foot hole in the ground.
If you own a gun for self-defense purposes, it is negligent - almost criminally or suicidally negligent - not to watch and learn from a training program such as you will get in this series of videos.
The WND Superstore recently received a new Armed Response DVD:
BLACK RIFLE BOOT CAMP: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE AR15 (DVD)
Black Rifle Boot Camp explores the configurations, accessories and options available on America’s favorite rifle, the AR15. One of the most versatile and adaptable rifle platforms ever made, discover how the AR can be customized for use in defense, sports and hunting. Learn the proper method to operate the controls, how to run the gun, various shooting positions, marksmanship and maintenance. If you are new to the AR15, this DVD is a must!
This DVD covers:
-
Component Parts
Direct Gas Impingement and Gas Piston Systems
Options in Barrels, Handguards, Triggers, Sights and Optics
Best Methods of Operating the Controls
Loading, Unloading and Reloading
Standing, Kneeling, Sitting and Prone Shooting Positions
Proper Marksmanship for Accurate Shooting
Clearing Stoppages
Disassembly and Function Checking
Cleaning and Lubrication
Much, Much More!
Watch the trailer below:
Here are a few more Armed Response DVDs you'll love:
Complete descriptions of each of the DVDs are below, and you can purchase each of the five at outstanding discount prices from the WND Superstore. However, the bundles are an even better deal, and probably you will want more than one of the videos. So please note:
- You can get the first three DVDs in a discount bundle covering "Shooting Fundamentals, Tactics, and Drills," or,
- You can get five DVDs in the "Armed Response: Complete Training Bundle".
These are not just drills, but invaluable situational lessons.
You will learn physically how to react by training your muscle memory. But you will also learn to think with a tactical mindset - and that is why these videos will be such an immediate welcome addition to your DVD collection.
Upon the first viewing you will realize how much you've been missing. If you have range experience and book knowledge, watching the "Armed Response" videos for the first time will be like having a veil lifted as you immediately recognize what a key piece of the learning process you've thus far neglected.
Think for a moment how unprepared you probably are, if you don't have police or military training.
If a potentially violent situation begins to arise on the street, or at the store, or while you are in your car or even in your home: What exactly are you going to do with that gun you've been carrying or keeping at the ready?
Among the many other "what ifs" the "Armed Response" training program covers:
- What to do if strangers knock at your door.
- The very first actions you must take after shooting someone.
- Drawing a gun in close quarters, in a car or when seated behind a desk.
- Getting your gun out of the holster and past your concealed carry covering garments.
- When to challenge, and when to shoot.
- What will happen to you under a "body alarm" reaction.
- Order of shooting when faced with multiple assailants, and what you will have to do with your arms.
- Protecting a third party.
- Learning one-handed responses, which "seem to have some hard-wiring in our brain."
- And all of the precise types of actions you need to practice to keep your muscle memory acute and strong.
These outstanding presentations by Ralph Mroz and David Kenik are crisp, clear and absent any wasted time or effort (as the good tactical mindset should be). Most of the DVDs are over 2 hours long, and the total of over 11 hours of instruction is 100% solid information.
Watch the sample below:
The most important take away is that the techniques that apply at the range or in pistol competitions can get you killed in tactical situations.
You - as an individual needing to protect yourself or loved ones - will need entirely different training than that of a competitive shooter or member of a SWAT team.
With his law enforcement background, Mroz often takes issue with standard or traditional instructions you might have received. "Many instructors teach .... " is followed by "Our advice is .... "
Those new to shooting will likely go back and forth - from the video to the range - more often. For all shooters, these videos will bear rewatching periodically to fully incorporate the detailed series' of specific instructions.
But these are by no means videos that require active exercises with your gun.
If you are serious about using a handgun for self-defense and the defense of your loved ones, chances are you will pop the first DVD into the player and then tear through these lessons in huge chunks of consecutive time - because you will begin the process of VISUALIZATION: Thinking through these scenarios, on your own, ahead of time.
Watching these DVDs will be a rewarding and entertaining way to spend a few hours in the evenings, or accompanied by a pot of coffee or tea on a rainy day.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: These "Armed Response" training videos will be among your most valued and frequently- referenced self-defense resources, but they are not meant to substitute for in-person classes and hands-on practice.
Fundamentals of Defensive Shooting (DVD)
In this first video in the series, which serves as the foundation for the rest, you will learn how to develop combat accuracy at combat speeds under combat situations. (The entire "Armed Response" series is set up to view in succession, because the lessons of each recall the ones previous.)
Training includes:
- Loading, unloading and reloading: including Hick's law, speed and tactical reloading, magazine management, and reloading the revolver.
- Updating the "four rules" of gun safety that every gun user should already know by heart.
- A full exploration of concealed carry options, with the pros and cons of each.
- Ideal vs realistic concepts of "stopping power."
- Not only how to fix malfunctions, but how to induce them in order to practice.
Watch the trailer below:
Tactics and Techniques for Defensive Shooting (DVD)
This second video gets into the real meat of gun fighting and the all the stuff Harry Homeowner tends not to know - things you need to know how to do that go beyond shooting at the range.
Just because you "have a gun" does not mean it's going to extradite you from deadly force situations you might encounter.
You will learn:
- Massad Ayoob's four priorities of survival.
- Recognizing dangerous circumstances taking shape around you.
- The Tueller Drill.
- Empty hands self-defense in concert with gun fighting.
- When your firearm should come out.
- How to move around with a gun in your hand.
- Pieing cover and working from behind cover. How much of the bad guy you can get in line with your muzzle.
- Defense while at home or in a car - where to carry or keep your gun.
- Response time: Your limitations.
- And much more.
Watch the trailer below:
Dynamic Drills for Defensive Shooting (DVD)
Here begin the drills that you almost certainly will not have tried if you don't have military, law enforcement or security specialist training. (Some of these can only be done at an outdoor range).
You will delve into developing the all-important "kinesthetic feel" for actions you will need to take in violent situations.
These include:
- Marksmanship drills: different target types and configurations to prepare you for real-life situations, including the "drill that is the core of most target-based skill development."
- Building "core attributes" exactly for the same reasons that athletes do bench presses and squats.
- Shooting while moving.
- Modulating speed shooting and accuracy.
- Drills that mimic the situations that will complicate scenarios in the typical person's mind.
- Recognising visual cues of an impending assault.
- How to shoot at a moving target (and the best $100 training device you can get for practicing).
- "Surprise" judgment drills.
- Extensive, specific instructions for setting up force-on-force training scenarios, including the types of mistakes that have led to tragedies in the past, safety protocols and protective equipment.
Certain of these exercises will be difficult to set up even at an outdoor range, and a few you will possibly never attempt. Because of the logistical requirements for practicing some of these drills with live ammunition, you may not be able to practice them with any frequency.
But seeing what Mroz drills on will open your eyes to things you can be doing and envisioning if you have a bit of creativity.
Watch the trailer below:
Responsible Use of Lethal Force (DVD)
If you carry a handgun or keep one at the ready for self-defense purposes, you probably know that using your gun to shoot another person - regardless of whether the shooting is justified by law - is going to cause you a world of hurt.
Beware.
Indeed, as Mroz points out, the true "#1 rule of gun fighting" is: The only fight you really win is the fight you avoid.
This is the training session that will help you understand all those bits of information that will determine your and your family's future, from that possible moment onward.
This DVD can be as big a life-changer as all the others put together.
One of the key legal points here is: If you are going to carry a gun or keep one nearby, you need to hold yourself to a much higher standard of behavior than those who are unarmed. In this series of lessons, Mroz covers the vast array of extremely critical rules you must fully understand in order to make the right decisions in using or not using your gun against another person.
Some of the issues covered are:
- The level of force with which you are legally allowed to respond to an attacker.
- The "reasonable man" standard.
- "Imminence," and what it means in various circumstances.
- Reengagement (and note that some of the rules on this are extremely counterintuitive).
- The "mantle of innocence": When you have it, and how you lose it.
- The myth of the hierarchy of deadliness.
- Keeping records as discoverable evidence - which few of us have likely ever done.
- Intervening on a third party's behalf, which should be a very carefully considered decision, always.
- Finding an attorney - not as easy as you might think, if you intend to be the innocent party, and something you need to do ahead of time.
- And when carrying or using a gun for self-defense, the main things you don't want to ever do, including right now.
These rules should be reviewed periodically; this is a video you should watch as often as once a year.
(Along with the other four DVDs, this one should also be shown to your spouse, kids or anyone else who has access to or carries a handgun for self-defense.)
Watch the trailer below:
Shoot/No-Shoot Scenarios (DVD)
In real-life situations, things happen in a fraction of a second and during a violent encounter those are the frames of time you will have to act within.
Knowing how to act in a potentially violent situation is important for your physical safety and that of innocent third parties ... and for your own legal protection.
This final DVD is a bit of a departure because it allows you to start applying some of what you have learned in the previous lessons.
"Shoot/No-Shoot Scenarios" is basically a 2 hour test, comprised of a series of video vignettes shot from the viewer's point of view, designed to allow you to interact realistically with what you see on the television screen.
Here's how it works:
Take your real gun and make sure it is unloaded: Rack the slide multiple times, lock the slide and inspect the chamber. (Or, open the cylinder of your revolver, empty it, double check, etc.) Then, put it in your holster, stand in front of the TV screen, and cue the video training sessions.
At the end of each scenario, Mroz walks you through what just happened and what you should have done. You will learn to recognize types of threats and develop the appropriate actions and timing in response.
Each scenario is played out with multiple endings to reflect possible forks in the action.
You will learn quite a lot from watching and participating in these drills, more than can be listed here - but among the more important lessons are:
- To exercise discrimination in evaluating threats - because not every problem is a gun problem.
- Maintaining the proper mindset, and knowing the proper verbal expressions and physical signals you should deliver.
- Getting over the customary "polite" reactions that may in fact put us in danger.
- Evaluating "disparity in force" situations.
- And most importantly: knowing and understanding the rules of force, and being able to implement these rules reflexively.
Watch the trailer below:
WHILE YOU CAN PURCHASE THEM ONE AT A TIME, YOU ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL WANT MORE THAN ONE OF THESE VIDEOS: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT DISCOUNTS ON THE FOLLOWING "ARMED RESPONSE" DVD BUNDLES.
Shooting Fundamentals, Tactics, Drills Bundle (3 DVD Set)
This bundle contains the first three DVDs, covering all the "how-to" mechanics of carrying and using your handgun for potential combat-type situations.
It contains nearly 8 hours of instruction, and once you start watching you will wonder how you got this far without knowing so much critical information.
Armed Response: Complete Training Bundle (5 DVD Set)
Why delay? You know you are going to want all five of the training videos.
By purchasing them together, you save a whopping $50 off the regular retail price, and you will have the complete package of over 11 hours of handgun self-defense and combat training lessons from David Kenik and Ralph Mroz.
Click here to get the complete "Armed Response" video training series, and save $50!
For years the Multimedia Firearms Guide has been one of the WND Superstore’s most popular products, but MAC users have always felt left out.
The DVD product presents more than 55,000 guns and ammo, including new 2012 guns, from 500 manufacturers worldwide. Manufacturers come from 38 countries so you'll be able to find guns from USA, EU, Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, South Africa, Israel, UAE, Indonesia, China, Bulgaria, Korea, Romania, Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, Croatia, etc.
Firearms Guide now presents fully automatic MILITARY GUNS -- machine guns, heavy machine guns submachine guns, assault rifles and automatic pistols.
Here are some of the unique features:
•Presents over 55,000 models of firearms, airguns and ammo from 500 manufacturers from 38 countries!
•Now with MILITARY GUNS -- machine guns, submachine guns, assault rifles, automatic pistols
•Computer searchable with 14 different search criteria! Find your gun in a second!
•Presents models with tech specs – high-resolution color pictures – with prices!
•Over 36,000 high-resolution color pictures in resolution up to 6636 x 1492!
•Up to 12 pictures per model! Zoom in to see smallest details!
•Guns are presented in different finishes, stock types and stock materials!
•Exclusive U.S. and EU bespoke guns with price tags up to $1,000,000!
•Interlinked ammo and gun database! Check the stopping power of each firearm with just one click.
•SCHEMATICS LIBRARY – presents amazing 3,000+ gun schematics or diagrams with parts lists from 268 manufacturers. Zoom in to see smallest gun parts and print out any schematic!
•FFL LOCATOR – find any gun dealer in USA by license type or ZIP code
•500 PRINTABLE TARGETS – Choose type and print and shoot as many as you like!
•US-EU CALIBER CHART – Convenient US-EU caliber conversion chart
•On DVD For Windows XP, Vista and 7. Works directly from DVD. Needs no installation or internet connection.
BONUS on DVD: FNH Ballista Precision Sniper Rifle -- new 2012 made in Germany sniper rifle for police and military.
Now just choose the version you want – for MAC or PC.
The gun 'bible':
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With American families facing crime, terrorism and an uncertain future, WND is doing its part to bolster homeland security – by offering one of the most practical and authoritative books on armed self-defense available, at 25% off!
There's more to responsible and effective gun ownership than possession and a few trips to the local gun range. While important, this all has to do with "hardware." But as legendary police firearms instructor Massad Ayoob explains in this book's foreword, one must also be aware of the "software" – meaning the mindset behind owning and carrying a gun.
"Armed Response" is a comprehensive guide for using firearms for defense before, during, and after a life-threatening assault. From learning what to ask yourself before deciding to carrying a gun, how to choose a gun that's right for you, what to look for in holsters, how to carry a concealed gun, proper training techniques, and the legal issues and implications of using of lethal force, "Armed Response" is, by far, the most complete resource available.
The culmination of hard-learned experience and instruction from internationally recognized use-of-force instructors, "Armed Response" offers valuable real-life lessons about preparing to face a lethal threat, winning a gun fight, and surviving the ensuing court battle, information that cannot be found outside of expensive tactical training schools.
"Armed Response" is organized into succinct, compact-sized chapters that can be quickly and easily read. A few of the chapters include:
- The need for Empty Hand Skills
- Responsible use of Lethal Force
- Beyond the Basics of Gun Handling
- Revolvers versus Semi-Automatics and Handgun Selection
- Concealed Carry and Alternative Carry Concepts
- Ammunition Options and Stopping Power
- Consequences of a Shooting
- Rules for a Gunfight
"Armed Response' is a must-read for every gun owner." – Alan Gottlieb, founder, Second Amendment Foundation
"This book is written for those who have taken upon themselves the ultimate responsibility, the protection of the ones we love." – Gun Week
"An excellent starting text for the first-time gun-owner or the citizen just beginning to explore armed self-defense." – Massad Ayoob, director, Lethal Force Institute
"Defending the family against a terrorist or criminal is not the same as shooting a paper target, thus firearm enthusiasts need direction if they are to be successful at their defensive goals. They will set off on the right track and find everything they need in this book. I recommend it highly." – Gabe Suarez, internationally recognized authority on reality-based combat training.
Click here to learn more about this 'Gun Bible'.
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