What should a free man do?

Does anybody really know what time it is?

In case you're not up to speed on the latest news viz the terrorists living and plotting among us,  read this, and follow the links there for the full story.

Take a good look here for further insight as to why you need to be more than just aware of your surroundings, but always alert and proactive in your daily life, no matter where you go, no matter with whom you spend your time or  call a friend.

With a crisp salute to Daniel Pipes, here are some ways to recognize sleepers.

... ways do exist to distinguish the likely sleepers from other Muslims. To begin with, all known sleepers until now have been young men. (The only women arrested for Al-Qaeda activities were two Algerians producing fake credit cards and passports in Leicester, England.) Perhaps the militant Islamic networks will one day go beyond this self-imposed limitation, but for now it appears to be one way of winnowing down the pool of potential suspects.

It is hard for sleepers to maintain a perfect cover. Connections to foreign countries offer one set of warning signals:

• Arrival from countries where violent militant Islamic groups (such as Al-Qaeda) are known to operate;
• Long, unexplained absences; or absences for vague purposes of religious education, charity work, or pilgrimage;
• Travel to hot spots where Muslims are fighting non-Muslims (Bosnia, Chechnya, Lebanon, Kashmir);
• Travel to countries where militant Islam rules (Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan).

Sleepers much prepare themselves for their operations, and this can leave telltale indications:

• Study of technical subjects (such as electrical engineering or computer sciences) that would help pull off an operation.
• Collecting information on subjects (e.g., crop-dusting planes) that could help in carrying out an operation.
• Working in an area (such as import/export) that serves as a cover for preparing for an operation.
• Engaging in para- or military training, perhaps under guise of preparing to do security work (e.g., serving as a bodyguard).
• Physical training.
• Possession of such artifacts as detonators and a protective suit against chemical and biological weapons.
• Purchase of chemicals and other dual-use materials.
• Scouting out military bases, government buildings, and other potential targets; practicing routines; and otherwise rehearsing for an operation.
• Possession of instructions for conducting of either a spiritual nature (how to prepare for one's suicide death) or a practical nature (how to smuggle detonators).

Some attitudes raise red flags:

• Support for militant Islamic groups and fronts.
• Outspoken support of Muslims in combat against non-Muslims.
• Excusing violence against Americans on the grounds that American actions provoked the problem.
• Disparagement of Western civilization in favor of Islamic civilization.
• Fury at the West, for reasons ranging from the personal (unemployment) to the global (policy toward Iraq).
• Bigoted statements against non-Muslims in general ("infidels") or specifically against Jews, Christians, or Hindus.
• Seeing moderate Muslims as apostates from Islam.
• Conspiracy theories about Westerners (e.g., the CIA arranged for the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center to boost its funding levels).
• Accusing the West of trying to destroy Islam.
• Hoping to apply Islamic law in the United States.
• Disregard for the U.S. legal system where it prohibits something permitted by Islamic societies (such as polygamy or the "honor" killing of women).

Problems having to do with identity are a further indication:

• Fraudulent personal identities, sometimes with inconsistencies. (Zacarias Moussaoui presented himself as French, but when spoken to in French not only could not reply but became belligerent.)
• A cover story that does not ring true. (A young Arab, recently arrived in Spain, wants to buy a watch repair shop and the owner agrees to sell, but something seems not right—"He had fat fingers, so how was he going to fix watches?")
• Evasive about his background ("I'm from the Middle East" rather than giving a country name).
• Losing passports or other documentation so as to get new ones.
• Acquisition of multiple identities and their careful use. ("The only time [the shoe-bomber, Richard] Reid appears to have used his real name is when flying.")

Social activities can offer clues:

• Membership in militant Islamic groups or front organizations.
• Financial support for those groups or fronts.
• Active involvement at mosques known for their militant Islamic orientation.
• Close friendships or family ties with other suspects.
• Immersion in a purely Muslim environment.
• Avoiding contact with the larger society: "friendly but standoffish," in the words of a former assistant U.S. attorney. "Say 'hello' but don't talk. Let people see you, but don't bring attention to yourself," in the words of an Al-Qaeda advisory.

Other miscellaneous pointers to look for include:

• Choosing to live in areas where many cultures are represented and an easygoing attitude toward different customs is evident (northern New Jersey, southern Florida, Leicester or Bradford in England, Hamburg in Germany).
• Sending or receiving large amounts of money.
• A preference for cash transactions.
• Criminal activity, especially reliance on counterfeited money and smuggling.
• A promising career that failed, descent into drugs and alcohol, then redemption through Islam.
• An offer to work for the enemy's intelligence services.
• Enrolling in university studies in the liberal arts, then switching to engineering or the sciences.

These are admittedly imprecise indicators; a Muslim who exercises and makes anti-Hindu statements cannot automatically be suspected of planning a suicide operation. Rather, the above signals must be seen in the context of a whole personality and a wider pattern of behavior. Precisely because the legitimate search for sleepers is open to abuse, it requires an unusual degree of common sense, sensitivity, and restraint.

Good stuff, huh?  Remember to report your suspicions to law enforcement as quickly as you can. Be thorough in the information you provide and make sure you get the name of the person to whom you give the information, and a reference number of the report, if there is one. Follow up on your initial report to see what's being done and if you come across more information.

Get tough, unerschrocken; it's not over and it's gonna get worse before it gets better.

When the roll is called up yonder

I've been thinking the past few days about soft targets.  We've discussed them here before.  If you missed that, then you need to look  'round here and get up to speed.

Soft targets are generally these: schools, shopping malls, churches, mass transit vehicles such as buses and trains, hotels/resorts/family vacation spots. Some would define soft as a target having no security personnel on site.  As you may have noticed, having a security "force" does not in any way suggest anything or anybody there is secure or safe. 

By whatever terms we define soft, it's just a darn good thing we never go to or even near any of these targets and that there are so very few of them in this country.  Eh?

Fer sher.

Softest of all targets might be churches, especially those with community out-reach programs such as a Free Store or weekly free hot meals. I've thought it through and have in mind very particular details as to what I'd look for if I were a terrorist looking to explode a church, but I won't list the details here.  In fact, I can think of exactly which churches I'd hit here in town if I was of such a mind.

It really can happen here, don't you see.  The lady in this story blew up her own kind and her own kid because she believed it would please her god.  You think there are no true believers in the US? As this shows clearly, we've got American-born and educated people willing and able to attack churches.  Why wouldn't a misunderstanding immigrant?

I wrote here a while back about the potential dangers we face from the hapless homeless and it's self-evident from what you can read here that terrorists know how to play on the good-will of people, even their own. 

Soon state-side civilians will be targets.  You and me.  You and those you love.

You.

Under the "leadership" of the current, enlightened administration, there will be much less proactive, preemptive counterterrorism action taken against potential terrorist plots and plotters than there was with President Bush. We will see a switch back to the Clinton days of pursuing terrorists as violators of the law and not as enemy combatants, as people trying to kill us and destroy our way of life.  The results of this stupid policy switch will be horrific.  Soon.

I actually wrote the paragraph above several days ago, as a draft, so there was no real evidence that the FBI would be put back in charge as the lead agency in counterterrorism.  But here you can read... it's official.

Be that as it may, let's get back on track: there is absolutely no reason to believe terrorists already here or soon to come won't try to soften up the "compassionate" and trick them to their deaths.

Churches are already high on target lists. Here's how a terrorist might try to fool you and turn as many of you as possible into pink mist:

A very pregnant woman comes to the weekly free lunch at your church.  She speaks pretty good English, and isn't in dire straits financially, but will be soon. Sez she. She might be dressed in Western clothes or in the long robes worn in other parts of the world.  She takes time to meet a couple workers or church members who are there serving the food or in some other capacity. She might mention a growing desire to convert to Christianity but express a vague hesitancy, even a fear. She'll come back to the free meal deal the next week and say hello to those she met the time before, building the "friendship" a bit more.  She will explain that she's still interested in leaving her religion but is a bit scared now since men and women from her local "church" have found out about her desire to convert and are making not-so-veiled threats to kill her if she does.  This makes the protective urge even stronger in your church folk.  She will try to keep her contacts to just the women at your church, staying away from the naturally more suspicious men. After a couple visits, she might come back one more time the following week, trying to stir just a little more concern and compassion in your ladies.  Somewhere during the second or third visit, she will ask when your Sunday services are and tell you she'll be there next Sunday.

Once she shows up for Sunday service, she's got her foot in the door. A level of trust will grow and any doubting members will be hushed by the more "spiritually sensitive." The bomber will make some new friends that first Sunday she attends and promise to attend the next Sunday, because she's nearing decision-time viz a conversion experience.  Sez she.

The next Sunday, she'll show up looking neat and clean in whatever she's wearing, probably something appropriate for hiding the bomb she's carrying.  When the altar call is given, this still obviously "pregnant" woman will go forward for prayer and to get "saved". Once she's been led through the "sinner's prayer", she'll rise, probably in tears, and turn around to look for her new found lady friends in the congregation.  She'll motion them forward and give them warm, teary hugs when they join her.  The congregation will be focused on this "miracle" and some may even move forward to welcome her to the family of God.

When the "convert" has the most people around her that she thinks she can get, she'll detonate her belly bomb. 

I don't know what this woman will look like in terms of ethnicity or race.  And it doesn't matter. Whoever she is, whatever she looks like, here's what you do:

You're looking for wires that hang or protrude from whatever she's wearing.  You might also see wire printing under her clothes ~ like panty-lines under tight jeans ~ you can see what appear to be wires under taut clothing. 

Where do the wires go?  From the wrist, up the sleeve to the armpit, then down the side and over to her belly? And does the wire hang out from the end of her sleeve with a button switch attached?  Ouch.  That's going to be a bomb.  Pretty much for sure, I'm thinking.  But she won't be wearing tight clothing.  Depending on the weight of the bomb, her shoulders might droop lower than normal for a pregnant woman, and what should be bra straps might actually appear to be straps for a back-pack, about 1"-2" wide and maybe padded.

As she rises from her "salvation experience", she might keep one hand beneath her clothing, or reach there and not withdraw her hand.  Is she holding the detonator switch?  I don't know.

If I saw this scene and knew the woman met most or all of the characteristics I listed above, I'd have to conclude that she had murder on her mind, not living forever with Jesus.

If you're going to go on defense at that moment; be sure to yell to the congregation to get down as you are assuming the position.  What's the position?  Face down with something that will stop shrapnel between you and the bomber lady.  If you can't find cover, then get down flat with your feet pointing away from said bomber lady because, as we all know, the leather on the bottom of your shoes stops flyin' bomb stuff better than the gel in your hair.

You decide what you're going to do, not me.  If after all the moral wrangling you decide to go on offense and you have taken the time and care to be sure you're within all the legal parameters set up by your jurisdiction, then you might want to consider taking a look at this and further deciding for yourself what you're willing to do.

I have no axe to grind with you, whatever it is you might decide; here and now or there and then.

I don't have anything like a premonition or an impression or a revelation of any sort that this type of attack might be attempted.  It just occurred to me several days ago that such an attack would be relatively easy to pull off.  If someone is out there planning this mayhem, I'd feel sorta strongly that we should not let that person succeed.

But that's just me.  And I could be wrong: maybe she really is just responding to the love of Jesus she sees in your baby-blue eyes.

Here are some additional thoughts.  Hey, let's be careful out there.

When push comes to shove

Take a good listen and look at this video of a gay man being taunted by Somali Muslims in Minneapolis.  But what's wrong with this picture, other than the obvious fact that these yoots feel enabled and protected enough that they literally chase down a public street someone they hate, because he defies the constraints of their religion... merely by living his life the way he wants to live it.  I think there was supposed to be a question mark in there somewhere, don't you?

The gay guy ~ let's call him Bruce ~ literally laughs the entire episode off, saying over his shoulder that's he's not afraid. Believe me, he was scared. If he wasn't, then he's just stupid.

Whatever his mental state at the time, the point is that he walked on, willing to take shit from those maggots without a word of protest. 

Bullshit!  In most jurisdictions the little song and dance perpetrated by those punky ass-hats is called Breach of Peace.  It's a crime.  A crime for which those barbarians-in-waiting can be arrested. And prosecuted. And punished.

One more thing wrong with this picture appears about 59 seconds in, as what turns out to be a security officer walks by.  Initially I thought he was a cop and had committed a gross error in not at least admonishing the gang. Believing this, I sent a brief but curt email to the Chief of Police in Minneapolis... aaaaand an apology when I realized I was wrong.  Ouch.

Anyway, the security guard there had no legal duty to act ~ even if the thugs were beating poor Bruce to death, he could have stood there watching and no action could be taken against him ~ unless Bruce was beaten to death on property the guard was paid to protect.  In that case, there could have been civil charges of Inadequate Security a/o Inadequate Supervision made against the officer a/o the company he represented. 

Still, the guard could have made a citizen's arrest of any participants in the crime he was witnessing, the dirtbags he observed as being most guilty of the charge of Breach of Peace. But he didn't.  Why?

• Because he didn't know he can. 
• Because he knows he can when on duty but thinks that authority is limited to on-the-job activity.
• Because he doesn't know the elements of proof of the crimes committed in his presence. 
• Because he believes he will be fired if he does anything other than observe and report.
• Because he doesn't care. 
• Because he doesn't have any fuckin' idea that an innocent, harmless gay man being pursued, taunted and assaulted by a gang of loud, pissy, arrogant thugs is in deep shit.
• Any or all of the above.

As a private citizen who just happened to be dressed at the time as a security guard, he could have asked the gang what they were up to or asked Bruce if he was okay, if he wanted the police to be called. Asking questions like that while in a security uniform, or while dressed as Wyatt-fuckin'-Earp for that matter, does not necessarily constitute an act committed under the color of authority.  The guard had a right to be where he was at the time.  The fact that he was an armed guard in full uniform does not mean he purposely represented himself to be a police officer.  If he asks a question or offers a benign statement such as, I think you need to knock that shit off right now, and the thugs do so because they think he's a cop, then there is no legal harm done.

But you and me and any civilian who observed the taunting and rock-throwing, a clear breach of peace and possibly an assault, could have done a citizen's arrest as well. Just so you know.

Check here for some good, basic advice on making a citizen's arrest. And, here is some more info.

Of course the situation was just some "kids" teasing a some gay fella. This time.  This is what could have happened, and, I predict, will happen with more andmore frequency here in the US, as it's becoming commonplace in the EU ~  young men taking out their hateful aggression on targets of opportunity. (Undaunted note: I have no knowledge as to the religious beliefs of the attackers in the video depicted at the link in this paragraph.)

Here is another example of thugs, who evidently appear to be Muslims, threatening and assaulting people who are clearly within their constitutional rights to peaceably assemble.  Cops told the Christian guy he could shoot some video at the festival, no restrictions according to US law.  But... non-Christian security guards said they had no right to even be in the area.  Michigan law requires that security agencies be licensed and that each guard be licensed through their employing security company. I don't know what happened when the video stopped rolling but the local cops should have questioned the guards and demanded to see their individual licenses, company license, and all training records. They might have been able to plainly see or even conjure up some probable cause whereby they could see if any of the festival guards were carrying weapons, such as firearms, and determined if they were properly licensed and insured. These thugs were clearly outside the boundaries of legal security work and the state of Michigan needs to shut them down, pronto.

To the thin blue line: Being kind to strangers from other lands is not a suicide pact.  You guys need to be alert for this kind of mini-mayhem and maybe kick a little ass when it shows its ugly ahead around you.  If you don't, we might feel compelled to act in our own defense.  We don't have to turn the other cheek.  When shit like this happens, when our safety and lives are threatened, then we are the first responders, not you.

Okay, another thought and then I gotta take off; if you're going to fight back, the most effective way is probably Krav Maga.  Take a look here to find instructors near you.  

More coming this evening: How to push back when they shove.

Okay, where were we? Ah, yes... shoving back.

When you're in a potentially dangerous conversation, you need to be on defense, but fully ready to strike preemptively as well. Here's how you do that:

In any chat that might go south, remember not to stand there with your feet close together or your legs crossed like you gotta take a leak. You should be in a subtle fighters stance, your feet spread about 12" apart, right foot dropped back so the toes are about even with the left heel.  Reverse that if you're left handed.

When you're talking with someone who appears to be friendly or neutral, keep your hands about waist level, palms up, moving slightly with no sudden motions.  If possible, try to stay outside the reach of his or her legs so it will be harder to strike you with fist/foot.  If the person moves inside that safe zone, be careful.  It might be preparatory to an attack.  When they step or slither close enough to touch you in a way that you consider to be threatening, raise your hands to just below your chest level, palms facing the person, as though you're getting ready to push him away.  Continue to speak but more loudly so the aggressor and bystanders can hear what's going on, with your hands moving calmly and slowly back and forth, up and down, as you speak.  You're letting the guy get used to seeing your hands moving so if you have to strike, it won't be a sudden move but will flow from arms and hands already in motion and not seen as a threat by your potential attacker. Yet.  In that middle position your hands can also come up quickly to block punches and begin to grapple and break holds.

By the way, during the chat you're having with this person, be as careful as you want to be in terms of intentionally provoking him or her. 

When some dipshit behaves in a manner that makes you, an entirely reasonable person, believe you're about to be attacked, then raise your hands up into a fighter position, about neck-level, but don't clench your fists. Continue to try to talk to the person through your up-raised hands. Speak more loudly than before so there's no doubt as to what you're saying, unless of course you only want the bad guy to hear what you're saying. Hands in that up position, with palms facing out, tend to show a defensive intent, rather than the offensive pose indicated by clenched fists. But, lucky you, it's still possible to slap the shit out of a deserving someone with an open hand.

Here is a good demonstration of the neutral stance and a fighting stance. Although it doesn't exactly fit what I just wrote above, it helps you get the idea. In the conversational setting we're discussing, you wouldn't bend your knees until you're about to slap or punch or block incoming blows.

I won't discuss punches or fighting now.  I've written a little bit on that at other posts here and you're free to search those posts out if you'd like. If you're serious, I believe it would be better for you to check out the Krav Maga link above and go from there. If you can't do that, then check out the many other Krav Maga demonstration training video clips shown here again.  You can google Krav Maga and come up with several free video training courses.  That's the nice thing about Israeli Krav Maga; they don't care if you come to their gym to learn it for a fee, they just want you to learn it ~ though taking the training with a qualified instructor is best. 

A few thoughts on slappin' the shit out of someone; when they've got it comin', of course.

Your hands are up in the I'm-a-reasonable-person-and-I-believe-that-asshole-right-in-front-of-me-is -going-to-assault-me defensive position. Keeping your hands moving as you're talking, step forward quickly and drive your strong hand up and into his neck, squeezing a little as you make contact so he doesn't slip away. Keep pushing out with your hand, don't bend your elbow, as your feet drive forward. The guy will be off balance and with that you can push him down to the ground, kinda like what the Las Vegas police sergeant does in this clip. Notice the right hand of the sergeant.  Masterful. That stupid white-boy got his ass beat by a tactically smarter man and then hauled off to jail, no doubt.  If you do that to ssomeone, your choices then are to run away or get on top of him and try to restrain him, which might look like you're beating the shit out of him.  You should be yelling for the cops the whole time. Perhaps you can tell him you're placing him under citizen's arrest and will be detaining him until the police arrive.  Good luck with that one.

Another basic move is to just slap the bad-guy across the nose.  Hard. His hands are low enough so you can strike, so swing whichever open hand is best for you right across his or her face, striking the nose from the side.  Hit hard and the nose will start bleeding.  Most people will stop to assess the damage and to wonder aloud Did you see what that mother-fucker just did? Oh. My. God. 

While he's doing that, you get the hell outta Dodge. And then call the cops, if someone hasn't already.

As always, these thoughts are just that: things that I've come to know through my training and experience that I choose to share with you.  I'm not saying you should do any of these things. Ever. What you do is entirely your decision and you bear the consequences for your actions.

I do know this: I'm not going to let anybody of any religion push me or anyone else around the way the Muslims did in the Minnesota and Michigan clips. I have no idea as to the religious persuasion of the stomp-killers.

These fuckers want holy war?  They can have it