Flock.
Noun - A large group of people usually of a particular type.
Your flock may be your family, your co-workers or even your place of worship. And this is what we know for certain:
You and everyone in your flock have the undeniable right to be safe. Safe in your homes.
Safe in your schools.
Safe at your job.
Safe at your places of worship.
How we go about ensuring that level of safety varies.
Sometimes it’s in preparation and planning.
Sometimes it’s calling out or confronting the bully and taking a stand.
Sometimes it’s not going Stupid places with Stupid people at Stupid times and doing Stupid things (remember that one folks).
Sometimes our communication skills are our most effective tool. Sometimes our physical tools are our best assets.
And yet sometimes it takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. Yep, I said it. It’s true folks. There are people out there that are truly evil and there will be no reasoning with them.
The key to all of this: you must possess all the tools. You can’t pick and choose. A person without the ability to be violent when needed is not peaceful. They are harmless. And if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe you need all the tools. And yes, that means preparing for violent encounters.
Because you never know when your flock may need you.
Until next time…
Paul Beasinger
Keene Training and Consulting L.L.C.