Plan B

The above graphic is from Matt Bracken, and it is the only reality that matters.

From Brietbart this morning:

CNN ANALYST: European Countries Pretend Gun Control Works, But ‘It Just Doesn't’ 

During CNN’s November 13 coverage–just hours after the heinous terror attacks on Paris had taken place–CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes said European countries have long pretended that gun control can keep them safe, but it cannot. 

*** 

Fuentes said, “Many of the European countries have been in denial that their strict gun control laws are going to keep guns out of the hands of bad guys, and it just doesn’t.” He added, “Gangsters and terrorists have no problem getting automatic weapons, grenades, and all kinds of other equipment to use in these attacks. And we’re seeing a lot of that more and more, where a lot of people didn’t believe that before.”

From NRO:

There was the usual sentimental outpouring on social media, the tricolors and the invocations of the Marquis de Lafayette and the Empire State Building lit in honorary blue, white, and red. Professor Ebony Elizabeth Thomas of the University of Pennsylvania chidingly reminded no one in particular to report anybody who was engaging in anti-Muslim rhetoric on Twitter. All of that is useless, of course, but one feels the need to do something. But the only thing one can really do is the one thing that Parisians cannot do: shoot back.

From the View From Liberty Hollow blog:

CNS shots (brain and upper spine hits) are likely to be more effective in preventing detonation of an explosive device than torso hits. This is especially true where pistols are employed, which is likely to be the case. An eventually lethal wound (Heart, liver, spleen, major blood vessel) on a jihadi may result in the jihadi detonating his bomb before he expires from his wound. Having the skill to make head shots at more than 50 feet is therefore desirable. I used to hear, and still do, much criticism of the 50 yard course of fire for the old PPC course, and of Bullseye shooting, as being 'unrealistic.' I submit that these Islamist attacks involving gunmen who also possess self-triggered explosive devices are a powerful argument in favor of precise longer range handgun skills, and precise marksmanship generally.

Can an armed civilian (or civilians) stop a terrorist attack? I don't know, but I do know that an unarmed civilian is nothing but a statistic, a chalk outline on a messy floor. Let's face it…we play the odds every day. Yes, you're more likely to be struck by lightning than being caught in a terrorist (or active shooter) event, but I know people who've been struck by lightning.  Every civilian who makes the choice to not just carry a gun, but to train with that gun, to have a trauma kit in the car and the knowledge on how to use it, tips the odds a little more in our favor. That instead of a room full of terrified people texting their own eulogies, they face a room full of people holding the modern day equivalent of white shields with red crosses and the great fighting swords of the Crusaders. 

I posted the comment below on HuffPo and later on FaceBook and thought I should repost it here as well:

Oddly enough I studied Islam in college, read and studied the Holy Quran, was fascinated by the religion. When I spoke the eulogy at my Father's funeral, I quoted the beautiful words of the Prophet. But as my major professor in college said, "If you're a male warrior, Islam is for you. If you're not, not so much..." I have known many many Muslims who were not terrorists, but, at least in my opinion, it's important to understand the jihadists are not "barbarians" or "misrepresenting Islam," but rather an honest representation of an interpretation of the religion. A lethal representation, to be sure...it may not be "your Islam," but it is Islam. I greatly fear the reason we don't see a massive uprising of "moderate" Muslims is that they're basically hedging their bets. This is the war of our lifetime, and suspect we "infidels" will be fighting it on our own. Hashtags and cute pictures are easy. To stand against the butchers who will bury your male children alive and sell your daughters on the block, as my professor said, not so much. As Greg Gutfield noted today, "Peace signs, like pacifism, are imposters for action - pleasing the enemy, who see fear in symbolic, rather than real, response."