I totally agree, if it’s a few people outside your home is one thing,but if they come back with 100’s and trying to burn your place down and shooting at you and your home, we’ll end up dead most likely. And probably no way to escape at that point.
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I live in Duluth Mn 2 hours North Twin Cities it has hit here also they had to shut down I-35 from Lincoln Park to inside downtown Duluth last night even with curfew put in place by our Mayor. This is just a start I think for us In Duluth I think its going to get worse! I really hope not. I am bran new to the USCCA my 3rd day and do not even know how to move around in here, and this is happening in my state 2 hours away and proceeding into my town it was only 2 blocks from me, and yes Its scary and yes I am glad I am a gun owner at this point. To protect myself my home my family my values.
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I had predicted that the Covid-19 lockdowns would lead to riots. Most of my friends thought I was crazy, a few agreed. This happened a little different than I thought, but only slightly. In my scenario police enforcement of the lockdown would eventually lead to a “White Cop kills African American” incident and BOOM. It wasn’t the enforcement of the lockdown that lead to the trigger, but the triggering event itself and the fuel added to the fire of everyone having been locked down for 3 months was right on the money.
I wasn’t paying close attention to the news yesterday and hadn’t realized that looting and rioting had spread beyond Minneapolis until my wife and I were on our way to dinner last night (for, I might add, our first full dine-in experience in almost 12 weeks). Our phones’ emergency alert tone filled the air. It was a typical Colorado evening with severe thunderstorms in the area, and before checking we thought it was likely a tornado warning. Imagine the shock when my wife read “Denver mayor announces curfew…” She started checking and found video of rioting not just in Denver, but in Colorado Springs as well. And Seattle. And… We weren’t on our way to the areas where this was happening, but still I was uneasy. And I must say very relieved that I practice EDC. We will be avoiding going to either city for a few days, until things calm down. But it is good to be prepared in case of something popping up in totally unexpected places. There was, for example, protest-related vandalism in a very unexpected place several miles from us. It is also wildfire season in Colorado, and some of the actions of rioters (e.g., setting cars on fire), could be incredibly disastrous if they occur outside an urban area. So one has to be on-guard against many things.
I’m of mixed mind about the defense of one’s property under these circumstances. Defending your home, mostly yes. Defending your business? Maybe. I admired the Korean shop owners who defended their businesses during the Rodney King-trial riots in L.A. And one certainly has to consider that need when the police are actually pulled out of an area because it is too dangerous for them. This started to happen in the Seattle WTO riots when I lived there, the SPD pulled out and left the city to the looters. Fortunately the King County Sheriff’s Department stepped in and got the situation under control. The Sheriff was subsequently elected to Congress. With yesterday’s riots they pulled police and fire resources from the suburban area to help in Seattle, which is a pretty good indication that if this spreads to some of the suburban cities they don’t have the resources to cover it. So while this is definitely a situation you want to leave to law enforcement, it is also one of those situations where law enforcement may not be available to help. If I had property that represented my real livelihood like a family business, I’d be tempted to defend it. OTOH, I don’t care if you have an M2 on your roof, fueling a mob can’t end well for you. Respect for the Korean business owners would have evaporated if the streets in front of their businesses had been covered with dead and wounded. That is, if they survived. Instead what they were able to do was deter attacks, and that certainly has value.
Anyway, for those who thought 2020 couldn’t get worse…sorry, you were wrong.
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Stay in contact with the community and the instructors. Keep your family safe with them at all times. If you can safely leave and find a close friend or family’s, please do, but only safely. Thank you for being with us.
It would not be the best to make classes here, but contact a better educated person such as an instructor for better help you. Your family is the more important people to you in this whole world.
Thank you…
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I agree with William_H, keep your family safe at all times.
Thanks for being with us, and protecting your family.
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And we all know which stores WERE NOT attacked.
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Most of the stores in the Twin Cities area that were attacked were small “mom & pop” store, though there were also large retailers that were targeted.
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I wonder how many small businesses have done as asked and remained closed due to COVID, and will now finally will return to find their business burned to the ground.
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I have looked into classes here with the USCCA and many other classes they offer. Thank you for your advice it goes well and its home believe me!
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Stay and protect
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That is NOT protest related vandalism. That is pure and simple lawlessness and has NOTHING to do with any protest or any deaths of George Floyd or anyone else.
It is terrorism. It is lawlessness.
Looting and burning is NOT Justice.
I remember them well. Some of us are older and have seen the terrorism and lawlessness continue to get worse over the decades.
While they say protection of property is not justifiable for self defense, there is a point where your life is in part tied to that property. We have a right to our property and a property in our rights.
If we allow others to destroy our property, if we allow them to chase us from our homes, from our streets, places where we normally are, where we normally walk or drive, shop… then we are not free and we have no law.
these are not simple criminals, they are terrorists. They are using violence, force, fear… to advance a political agenda.
If you make an effort to go out of your way to involve yourself, no. You are not justified.
If you are normally in the area, if it is your neighborhood, your place of business, your livelihood, your means of earning money, and your life and the lives of your family… there comes a point where we must make a decision.
There comes a point where we must decide on law and order or accept the lawlessness.
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Now Bellevue WA, a big suburban city of Seattle has riots and a curfew. Includes the complex where my startup has its offices. My co-founders live within walking distance. So do quite a few other friends and colleagues.
The question is do they care?
BTW, if anyone wants to see some of the things that are possible, go to YouTube and look for South Korea or Russia riot police. There are a lot of interesting examples. For all the claims against US police, they really tone it down and exercise a lot of restraint. Best of all, if you don’t like the police here, you can say so openly.
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I remember the footage of the little oriental gentleman standing inside his store with an M1 Carbine in his arms. Funny thing, nobody tried to enter that store! Oh, and what’s with the “redneck” tag?
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Fizbin, your points are the reality of the true tragedy for a small business owner. When I see a chain store burn, it’s unfortunate and wrong. When I see a small business burn, it’s a tragedy.
I would be willing to be one of the vikings protecting the shop. I think the rioters realize that rioter vs. cop is a lot safer than rioter vs. citizen. We don’t have the same rules of engagement. That said, God forbid it would ever come to violence.
@William_H–it’s not just you and your stuff. As a small business owner, you can have 30 families that depend on you for their livelihood. At what point is it not just ‘stuff’? It’s easy to say it’s stuff when it’s your wallet, but that is not the case when it’s your business–IMO.
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@Aaron25, thanks and well said. The other things folks are more scared of are dogs. If these shop keepers had a couple of leashed big barking dogs about to go all Tasmanian Devil on them, they’d go to the next shop down the row.
Your comments regarding stuff. There is no way I will let any one or group of people destroy my business. Remember riots, civil unrest, acts of terrorism are NOT covered in your business insurance.
If we lose our business we lose our home, or land, or investment, our dreams. All of it’s gone. We are NOT going to go work at Home Depot and live in an apartment. We paid our dues decades ago with apartments, starter houses and jobs.
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Is “Viking” a code word for someone protecting a store, or is this a Minneapolis thing where the actual Vikings are out defending the streets?
Texas had college riot. I was in grade school or JH around 1973 I think.i remember seeing riots on news & destruction. They called in Texas Rangers .they showed up with 12 Gages and buryed a few ,no more riots while we lived there.
I would not give up my place with out a fight. That’s what extra clips are for.
Peaceful protest ok, riots & looting got to be stopped, or else they find out what to get a way with & no stopping there momentum.
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