"The Thin Blue Line is under attack" by Chris Dixon

"The Thin Blue Line is under attack"

by Chris Dixon

The term “thin Blue Line” has been used with several different meanings.  Wikipedia says  “The Thin Blue Line is a colloquial term for police forces. The blue refers to the typical blue of the police uniform, and refers to the police forces in general. It may refer to the police as a "line" standing between good and evil (citizens and perpetrators), or may refer to the "line" that separates the police as an in-group from everyone else (with positive, negative or mixed connotations, depending on the person using the expression). In the United States, the blue line is sometimes used on mourning bands to signify the loss of a fellow officer.”

This "thin blue line" of separation has lead to a "blue code of silence" where the police force protects its own.  This really came home for a family in Kenosha, Wisconsin on the night of November 9^th, 2004.    Imagine for a moment that you were witness to 4 officers that physically remove your 21 year old son from his vehicle.    The officer’s Taz him and then an officer says “he has my gun” and one of the other officers places his pistol at the boys temple and pulls the trigger.    This happened with 5 witnesses watching which did include his family.

On the surface based on these facts this case could still go either way.   The officers were cleared of all charges by an internal police department investigation team in just a few short weeks.   They were cleared before autopsy results were in.   They were cleared before DNA testing was in.  They were cleared even though 5 eye witness disagreed with the officer’s version of the incident.   The “Thin Blue Line” had raised its ugly head again and this police execution was ruled a good shooting by the police departments internal investigation team.

The 21 year old Michael Bell Jr. had his life snuffed out by the same people that use to have the term “to protect and to serve” on the sides of their patrol cars.

This could have easily been the end of this story except Michael Bell Sr. just happened to be an Air Force Officer and Pilot.    Michael Bell Sr. had witnessed proper investigation done for aircraft accidents and what he saw with this case paled in comparison.    The Bell family was ultimately awarded $1.75 million in a federal civil suit against the City of Kenosha.

Most families might have stopped there but not Michael Bell Sr.   He started a state wide billboard campaign, a website, and was determined to change the laws of the land.

On April 23^rd, 2014, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a new law that requires an independent investigation of police officers when someone dies or is killed while in police custody.  

While we all mourn for the loss of Michael Bell Jr his sacrifice has ushered in a new law aimed at destroying the “thin blue line” of police injustice.    Wisconsin is a safer state today with the new law on the books thanks to the efforts of one valiant dad Michael Bell Sr.

It is important to point out that the police for the most part are great people.    This country has a vast majority of honest men and women that were called to protect this wonderful nation and to enforce the laws of the land.     These new laws are in place to protect citizens from the very few officers that think they are Judge, Jury, and Executioner of those laws.    While Judge Dredd was a good movie I would prefer not to live in that society.

For more information check out CHANGE.ORG and these VIDEOS

To comment on this article please visit our FORUM LISTING

"What does the gun hating LEFT look like?" by Chris D. Dixon

What does the gun hating LEFT look like?

 by Chris D. Dixon

If you ever had a doubt that the liberal left is out to take your guns and abolish the 2nd Amendment then you need to read this article. "Common sense calls for repeal of Second Amendment" by Jerry Large of The Seattle Times

This is the face of and the diatribe style of articles that your typical gun hater writes. They do not care about facts as they are inconvenient to their viewpoint.

Jerry Large has another article called... "Steadily stay on course to end gun deaths"He pleads the case that removing guns from households will reduce gun deaths. Naturally he does not take into account the criminals will always have guns and they do not obey any laws. Larry wants to make us all sheep and then turn the wolves loose on us.

Larry Large and those just like him refuse to see that countries like Australia that have collected and destroyed it's citizens guns is seeing a rapid increase in gun related crimes. They have had a huge increase in daytime break ins as criminals are not concerned for their own safety as they know the citizens are unarmed. Watch this video to see just how bad it is in Australia now. VIDEO SHOWING GUN BAN.

If you think you are talking to a rational person when you are talking to a liberal....think again. Watch this short cartoon video and see if this comical representation actual hits home. CARTOON VIDEO ABOUT GUN BAN.

Facts...who wants FACTS!!! The website GUN FACTS does a wonderful job of using national facts to show just how wrong the left is. The left is fast to use emotion to try their case in the courts of public support. The truth is the absolute opposite of what they preach.

There is a very simple way to illustrate this. Most people would agree that Wolves eat Sheep. In olden times they use to leave Sheep Dogs with the Sheep to keep them safe. If the big bad Wolves came around the Sheep Dogs would defend the Sheep. Todays Sheep Dog is a citizen with a CCW license that is walking around looking like a Sheep but is actually a Sheep Dog. Todays Wolves will always have guns and unless our citizens have the right to defend themselves we will all become sheep lead to the slaughter. Less Wolves would be attacking Sheep if they thought some of them could fight back. Criminals are cowards and they are always in the hunt for an easy mark (victim).

I think it might be a good idea to share our thoughts with Larry Large. It might be a good idea to send him examples of how GUNS SAVE LIVES. 

This Article is reprinted in our forum so you can comment on it.   FORUM POST

Be sure to check out our BLOG section for other interesting articles.

"SAFE CAMPUS COLORADO pushes for Gun Ban on college campuses." by Chris Dixon

SAFE CAMPUS COLORADO pushes for Gun Ban on college campuses.

by Chris Dixon

Imagine that you are a young woman going to college in Colorado where sexual assaults appear to be increasing.   According toSEXUAL ASSULT AWARENESS MONTH  “It is estimated that the percentage of completed or attempted rape victimization among women in higher educational institutions may be between 20% and 25% over the course of a college career.”    This means that at least 1 woman in 5 will become a victim of a sexual assault.    As a father of a 17 year old daughter these numbers scare me.   It is obvious from these reports that our daughters are not safe at college.    Most people at this point would probably agree with me that we need to arm and train our young ladies to defend themselves.

If you live in Colorado there is a foundation called SAFE CAMPUS COLORADO that is actively trying to get firearms banned from all state campuses.   Ken Toltz, founder of this gun-control group is collecting signatures all over the state to add a ballot measure so they can get a vote later this fall to ban firearms on college campuses.   Their charter is “We believe gun violence prevention is one of the major public safety issues of our time.   We believe that all of Colorado's citizens have the right to live free from the fear and tragic after-effects of gun violence.  We believe concealed guns on Colorado's great university, college and community college campuses threaten the safety of students, faculty, staff and administrators.”     Ken does not want to face the facts that women are getting raped and assaulted.   He also does not seem to understand that criminals will always have guns.

Ken Toltz and his co-chair Heather Coogan  (Link to Bios HERE) are working diligently to effectively make Colorado colleges a very dangerous place to send our daughters for an education.    This is just another example of FEAR and GUN CONTROL versus FACTS and TRUE SAFETY.    

Our country is getting over run by the gun controlling leftist that believes that firearms are the problem and not the criminals that perpetrate the acts of violence.     There are really only 2 clear sides to this argument.  Either we both arm and train our young ladies on campus so they can defend themselves or we just create more victims of sexual assaults.

If you live in Colorado there are several groups that are still fighting to uphold your gun rights and one of them is ROCKY MOUNTAIN GUN OWNERS.    This is not a time for anyone that loves our 2^nd Amendment rights to quietly sit on the sidelines and just hope things get better.    Get involved and if you can be sure to financially support these organizations that are fighting for you.

For more on this story check out BOULDER NEWS

To openly discuss this subject go to our FORUM POST 

Images courtesy of Pong/Stockimages - FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET

What is Operation Choke Point? By Chris Dixon

What is Operation Choke Point?

By Chris Dixon

What happens when you elect a power hungry gun hating super far left president?    You get to see what executive power looks like when the president does not believe the constitution pertains to him.    Our 2^nd Amendment rights are under attack and our fearless leader has decided to attack us from the back door.

I must give Obama some credit as I do believe he realizes he cannot take on gun control head-on.    He has been rather effective in hurting our industry by making it super hard to sell firearms and ammunition.   For the last several years we have seen companies like McMillan Rifle and Stock company and several others get dropped by banks that managed their banking and credit card processing because they sold firearms.    The firearms industry is one the US’s most grassroots styles of companies.    Obama is trying to destroy the industry which will in turn help further his agenda to get firearms out of the hands of the American citizens.

So what is “Operation Choke Point”?   Our president by executive order created the “President’s Financial Fraud Task Force” in 2009.     This task force working with the DOJ, FDIC, and CFPB and working outside of congressional approvals decided to go after targets marked by our administration.    They emphasized they were aiming at Payday loans, high risk companies, and others they deemed illegal.   Their targets includes the following…

 Highlighted you will see Ammunition Sales and Firearms sales.     These highly regulated legal businesses are lumped with Pornography, Racist Materials, Escort Services, Ponzi Schemes and the other listed styles of companies and activities.    This sheet is from a report dated 09/17/2013 and is for bank examiner education in a presentation given by the FFIEC.

This story is covered in greater detail on BREITBART NEWS and AMERICAN THINKER this information is all quite compelling and very disconcerting.   

There is good news as some of the business owners that have been dropped by the banks are actually fighting back.   One such business owner is Kelly McMillan that had Bank of American drop his company back in 2012.  This made national news and was just the first of many that we have read about over the last few years.    Kelly decided to take action and he created a new company called McMillan Merchant Solutions that launched in July of 2013.    MMS is unique even among the firearms friendly merchant service companies as it is the only one created by the firearms industry to serve the firearms industry.   Kelly has also made a commitment to donate a portion of everything his company makes to support foundations that are pro-2^nd Amendment.   It might be worth for time to check them out.   Here is a 12:25 minute Interview with Kelly McMillan talking specifically about Operation Choke Point.

If you are doing business with Bank of America, BankUnited, BitPay, PayPal/Square, Intuit,Authorize.net, GE Capital, and countless others then you are helping support companies that are working against the firearms industry.    If the 2^nd Amendment is important to you then work with companies that are Pro-2^nd Amendment.

Share this article with everyone you know in the firearms industry!

To view the original post or leave comments go to http://concealncarry.net/blog/what-is-operation-choke-point-by-chris-dixon.html

"One FREE Tip" by Chris Dixon

"One FREE Tip"

by Chris Dixon

I want to give you ONE TIP that can help draw FREE attention to you and your business....Quick Answer BLOGGING. Now I must be honest that just because you write a blog it does not mean you will suddenly get mega traffic to your site or have customers rushing to get your products but it is the first step. Next you need someone that has some experience getting the word out for you. I want you to do a simple task for me.....open a new tab and go to google to do a search.... enter this is your search.... "Why Bother?" by Lynn Sherwood. 

You will get a bunch of links to places where you can access this blog. I do want to take a second to compliment Lynn Sherwood as she wrote a great article from her heart and it resonated with both ladies and men. Check out the secret that helped here get more recognition. She had someone helping her get the article noticed on several gun forums and other sites. In this case the other person was me, but it could have easily been anyone else helping spread the word around.

Here is the core truth.....people that just post their own info will have a limited audience because they are in a social box that is hard to break out of. This is why networking is super important and you need to find ways to cross market your product and ideas. Be open to doing something for FREE to help someone as it my just pay you read money later. People are more open to help those that helped them first.

Final step... Today find 2 articles you really like and agree with and share them every place you can think (ie. facebook, linked-in, pinterest, forums, etc)

I truly believe good deeds come full circle.

Have a Blessed Day!

Chris Dixon

Link to Article.. http://concealncarry.net/blog/one-free-tip-by-chris-dixon.html

WHY BOTHER? By Lynn Sherwood

WHY BOTHER?

By Lynn Sherwood

Pondering whether to even brush my hair or just scrunch the wet mop out of site atop my head, don dirty yoga pants and flip flops or sturdy shoes and a sassy blouse, and whether the two extra minutes to swipe my lashes with mascara would be a good use of my time before my solo road trip last week, I thought “Why Bother?”

Women in bulky 90’s sweat-suits walk through airports across the country daily, go to the grocery store hiding their face and pray no one they know will see them, and do everything they can to look distracted when passing someone they know if they are not feeling ‘all they can be’ for a variety of reasons.  This approach works well for a lot of women.  I can DO this!  I’m going to get in the car and just not care what any stranger will think!!!

…And then I promptly brushed my hair and draped it gently over my shoulders, donned fitted professional clothing and sturdy shoes, and brushed my blond lashes with mascara for a trip during which (maybe!) 100 people in gas stations (whom I would never see again) would see me in the next two states…

Over my years, I’ve watched sweatpants stride through airports and flip flops glide through fast food chains in gas stations on road trips.  Yes, I’ll bet the folks wearing them might even be more comfortable squeezing into the little areas airlines call ‘seats’ and when they kick off the flops to let their toesies dangle out the window in the breeze along  the 101.  But I don’t SEE many of these people ~ I couldn’t tell you the color of the lady’s eyes or hair who passed me in the airport, if she wore a smile or had any identifyingly extraordinary or welcoming feature.  She swam past me in her oversized frumpy box store hoody as she texted her sister, not making eye contact or walking confidently as she sulked by hundreds of other people trying not to be noticed.  She succeeded – with me, at least;  I didn’t really see her.  She didn’t engage me to be her advocate.  As her chosen approach to face the world, I hope it worked for her.  And I hope that a bad guy did not interpret what I perceived as a lack of confidence and pre-occupation as ‘victim material’.

In pondering why I again took the time and energy to ‘gear up’ this week for my road trip, I realized that I tend to steer to the opposite end as I travel ~ and with purposeful intent.  Tennies, pumps or boots that I can run away in ~ functional in addition to being cute.  Clothing I look great in ~ so that I feel great in it, too!  My hair styled and eyes made up so no embarrassment about my excuse for appearance would lead me to not make eye contact with every single person I can connect with.  This is important, deep-seated work for me!  As I leave the cozy confines of my small home-town grocery store, in which on any given visit I’ll see and hug 22 old friends, I have to be more aware of my surroundings as I travel  and how I am perceived within them.  I WILL look you in the eyes as I assess my surroundings ~ you will KNOW I’ve got eyes on you, that I am confident and am nobody’s victim.  I WILL attract the attention of 49 ‘good guys and gals’ to help should a situation occur with one potential bad guy.

I realized that I WANT every single person in a given place to notice me ~ for protection’s sake!

If everyone in the gas station takes notice of this confident woman, the bad guy with mal-intent will be less likely to scope me out as a victim, in part also because everybody in there will have seen me.   I want these people to remember my smile, my confidence, my attitude.  Is attractive clothing and make-up the only way to do garner this attention?  Of course not!  In fact, it’s the tiniest, itty-bittiest percentage of WHY you will notice me.  (Remember this line if you start judging me as a stuck-up, vain witch with too much time on her hands while judging others. J )  In reviewing what others do for themselves, I’ve realized this is simply the final touch to my personal confidence-boosting routine.

Entering the gas station, you won’t know that I’ve spent hours practicing my four-point draw stroke last week, that I’m versed in situational awareness and that I’m a CrossFit maniac.  You won’t know that I’ve already prepared a path in my mind visualizing escaping a bad situation and engaging others if necessary to help stop a threat.  You won’t know that my will to live to hug my husband one more time and to be part of my grand-babies’ lives is as strong as it is.  You won’t know that I’m a strong businesswoman with critical thinking skills and outside-the-box creative ability that you might only dream about. You won’t know that I’m packing a gun, or three…

But as a bad guy, you WILL know that I am not going to be your submissive target.  You WILL see that 49 good guys and gals took note of me and might just get actively engaged to stop your bad ass if you try something stupid.  As a good guy or gal, you WILL know that ‘There’s something about that girl’ and might just be more interested in making sure I return from my bathroom venture down that long corridor to the rear of the station.  Will I actively engage the good guys/gals and prepare for the threat of the bad guy?  ABSOLUTELY and without apology.  And I’ve got your back, too!

WHY BOTHER?  In analyzing myself and why I ‘geared up’ before my road trip, I realized that adding the final small but tangible touches to my external presentation to the world as I travel, steering eyes toward me from the good guys rather than flying under the radar to only be ‘seen’ as a potential target by the bad guy, is just a part of my icing to my internal, confidently prepared self.

What’s YOUR modus operandi?  How do YOU present yourself to the world ~ and why?  Does it vary by circumstance, place and situation?  What final touches do YOU make and for what reasons??  Have you thought through how good guys and bad guys SEE you in various lights – and why?  Have you visualized your walk in this world, and your path out if you do find yourself in a sticky situation?

WHY BOTHER?!?  Why bother doing everything, EVERY THING within your power so you can remain in power??

Because we’re worth it.  

Lynn Sherwood is the founder of High Caliber Women.  She spends her time teaching women, men and youth to shoot defensively and for fun and enjoys working out in the wee hours of the morning to the grueling demands of her coaches.  She ‘walks the walk’ of a comprehensive approach to life and self defense with a mind-body-attitude connection.  Lynn is an NRA certified instructor for Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun and Refuse to be a Victim, and she co-owns and manages Jackson Hole Shooting Experience as a lead pistol, shotgun and archery instructor in this premier Luxury Entertainment Shooting Experience phenomenon.  She lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with her husband Shepard Humphries and her puppy Remington. Visit us at HIGH CALIBER WOMEN

Link to Article.. http://concealncarry.net/blog/why-bother-by-lynn-sherwood.html

“Ladies & Firearms” by Chris Dixon

“Ladies & Firearms”

by Chris Dixon

Most story’s we hear today talk about men and their guns.   I'm going to let you in on a secret, there are a huge number of ladies that like firearms as well.   I was at the Shot Show a few weeks back and the firearms industry has definitely started offering products that the ladies will love.    You can find pink pistols and rifles of every make, model, and size.   The firearms industry is drawing in a huge number of lady self-purchasers who enjoy shooting guns as much as the men do.    Interestingly, many of these ladies might surprise you with their experience and skill levels.  Did I forget to mention that many of these women are attractive as well!

I would like to bring to your attention Jacqueline (Jackie) Carrizosa. 

Jackie is a military veteran, model, fitness trainer, personal firearms trainer and is the founder and instructor at Firearms for Life, LLC.   She was recruited by director Peter Berg to personally train Rihanna in the movie Battleship.   I enjoyed the movie Battleship and as you might know Rihanna had a strong supporting role on that show.    Rihanna was playing a movie character that closely resembled the real life role of Jackie as a naval gunners-mate.  You can get more information on this story at “I taught Rihanna how to shoot” on MailOnline.   You can also connect with her on Linked-In at Jacqueline Carrizosa.

There are also 2 ladies that I would like to mention that compete in shooting sports and are world class champions.   Randi Rogers and Julie Golob are both professional shooters and national champions.  

Randi Rogers	Julie Golob

Take a minute to review all of the accomplishments they have achieved so far.  Here is a link to their BIO page.   You would think with their involvement in shooting sports life would be too busy to do anything else.   That is not the case with Randi and Julie as they also have a podcast called “Gun Girl Radio”.   Their show has been live for an entire year and Jan 2014 marked their 35^th show.    Be sure to check out their show.  You will be glad you did!

I wanted to share these stories of outstanding ladies in our industry.    The firearms industry is not just a bunch of grey haired older men…although that does actually describe me.     We are a huge group of men and women from all races and ages that enjoy exercising our 2^ndAmendment rights.  

To read more articles check out our BLOG page.   We also offer a large collection of Podcastersand Industry News on the Conceal & Carry Network.

Have a Blessed Day!

Chris Dixon                                                                                                                   Owner, Conceal & Carry Network

Link to Article... http://concealncarry.net/blog/ladies-and-firearms-by-chris-d-dixon.html