From PoliceOne.com:

By Dr. LaMaurice Gardner
Oakland County (Mich.) Sheriff’s Office

What would you do if in the middle of Catholic Mass, on one of the holiest days of the year, someone yelled out “Allahu Akbar?”

It was late Christmas Eve and my 17-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son were preparing to leave for midnight Mass at Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church in Royal Oak, Mich. The church is quite a distance from our home and the weather was bad. Worried about drunk drivers on the holiday eve, my wife was hesitant to let our newly licensed daughter drive so far so late. But our daughter was persistent and my wife gave in.

I had my own apprehensions. Having read books and attended terrorism lectures by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and John Giduck — as well as hearing from numerous Israeli and UK terrorist experts at IACP conferences — I was sensitive to the vulnerability of American houses of worship to terrorist attacks, especially on high-profile religious holidays. A good 10 minutes behind my kids, I decided to leave too and catch up with them for the service.

At the church, my daughter greeted me with, “What, you don’t trust me?” I blamed my surprise attendance on my wife’s paranoia, and we all settled into my favorite pew in the back of the sanctuary. At midnight, a procession of altar boys and priests entered, followed by the executive priest, a monsignor. Mass began and the spirit of the season filled the capacity crowd.

I felt a little odd this Christmas Eve, because for the first time I was wearing a chain badge beneath my sweater. I always carry my gun off duty, a practice I learned in a Street Survival Seminar 10 years ago that has been further emphasized time and again in Dave Grossman’s lectures (“Never be a sheep when you are a trained sheepdog”).

That night, I considered the chain badge added protection against possible friendly fire in case the shit hit the fan. Having seen one of my captains as well as a K-9/SRT deputy at services before, I knew I was probably not the only LEO present, not to mention veteran and active-duty servicemen from Iraq and Afghanistan.

This midnight Mass was typical of previous years: song, ceremony, apostolic readings, a reading of the gospel. After the gospel, with everyone seated both in the audience and at the altar, there was a brief lull, then suddenly, from nowhere, came a shout: “Allahu Akbar!”

My world froze. Those two words are the common war cry of Islamic Jihadis. Immediately I went to condition orange. One hand was on my weapon, the other prepared to push my kids to the floor for their protection. I scanned the church for a target, anticipating an imminent explosion of flying shrapnel or gunfire. In my head I heard my SRT sergeant’s range command echo, “Two to the head!” No thought of body shots on a suicide bomber.

When I couldn’t identify a primary target, I looked for anyone in the crowd who followed suit and yelled the same homicidal chant. Everything was in slow motion and what was milliseconds seemed like minutes. I didn’t know if the dead silence was my auditory exclusion or shock from the parishioners. All I knew was that I was a sheepdog on automatic pilot.

Then the orator of the death chant stood and identified himself: the monsignor. He followed his striking words with, “I bet you didn’t expect to hear that!” He then went on with a homily about the greatness of God.

I didn’t hear a word that came out of his mouth for the next 10 minutes. Adrenaline rushed through my bloodstream, and my heart was racing. Not to mention I was pissed. I was ready to push my kids to the floor, jump over the pew, and run toward the perceived threat with the intention of taking it out — or die trying. I would hope that every officer/warrior at that service had also been ready to engage.

I suppose training, discipline, and FATS-machine shoot/no-shoot scenarios paid off, because no aggressive action took place. The sermon went on and the sheep went on grazing. But my daughter knew. She looked at me and recognized the combat mode. She asked, “Isn’t that what the terrorists say?” I responded, “Yes, it is.”

I calmed myself with deep breathing and convinced myself the monsignor really didn’t understand what he had done.

Eventually the service ended and the monsignor said, “Go in peace.” As I left the church, I saw him at the door. I calmly explained the threatening nature of his words and suggested he try to choose his words more wisely. He just laughed off my comments and went about his way.

I guess the saying is true, “No one understands the coliseum’s ring as clearly as the gladiator.” We do live among a community of sheep. Only those of us who have been there or who are trained to be there understand the terrorist threat we are under. I seriously doubt that anyone would have escaped with the “Allah Akbar” statement unchallenged in Israel or the UK, where sensitivity and awareness are much greater.

Although the outcome was benign, this Christmas Eve experience seems important to share for two reasons. First, to let the warriors who are protecting us overseas know that there are warriors here too, protecting your families and friends from terrorist threats on the home front. And to remind officers nationwide to be prepared. I was lucky, but I was trained and prepared in mind and body.

This time it was a false alarm. Next time it could be real. Pray for peace but prepare for war.

About the Author
LaMaurice Gardner, Psy.D., is a Veterans Affairs psychologist who also serves as a psychologist for several law enforcement agencies in Michigan, including Detroit P.D. He is a SRT hostage negotiator and reserve lieutenant for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Pontiac, Mich.

Any time of the year, any time of day, any point in time, the naivete of Americans can be absolutely staggering.

BZ

P.S.
What is a Sheepdog? Go here.

It’s interesting to note that Thursday’s Hugh Hewitt show turned the entire second hour over to callers responding to the question: “Should John Boehner be retained as GOP Speaker?”

The massive bulk of callers said, clearly, NO.

There were perhaps three feeble exceptions.

With this current caving by Speaker Boehner, he’s now placed himself and then gone out of his way to cement himself into the “I‘m Irrelevant” category in the minds of those persons who are truly Conservatives. Myself included.

John Boehner’s got to go. Period.

And YES, we CAN change horses in the middle of the stream.

Boehner has nice hair, a deep voice, an even tan, but that’s where it ends for me.

I call on MY 4th District Fornicalia Congressman, TOM McCLINTOCK, to actually pull the Major Big Red Political Handle and marshal whatever forces and favors he possesses in order to step into Boehner’s massively proven-incompetent shoes.

Too much Business As Usual. Too much “bi-partisanship.” Too much “compromise.” It’s time to stack bodies and rack wins. In order to try to save this wonderful sovereign nation.

Boehner’s got to go.

I am, essentially, calling for a GOP Putsch.

The New Breed of Freshmen Republicans were elected because of their — OUR — mandate that November. They listened, they are working, and Boehner was multiply incensed because they wouldn’t trundle their carts in precisely the path that he ordained. As far as Boehner is concerned, the TEA Party doesn’t factor. Never did. There is no principle, no line drawn.

Those days, I submit, must be over.

I’ll make it clearer than clear:

Congressman Tom McClintock, I call on YOU to step up, rally the troops, rally your forces, rally your Freshmen, pull whatever political stops you must — and step into the Speakership.

I can’t be more blunt than this: there is no more logical, deserving, educated, professional, knowledgeable, incisive — and READY — individual than yourself to fill the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

If we have to go Night of the Long Knives, politically speaking, then I’m for that.

I suggest: this is your chance.

It is yours for the taking.

I submit: it isn’t a matter of pulling politics for personal aggrandizement. It is a matter of pulling politics for the sake of the nation.

BZ

From 1972, the Santa Monica Civic Center:

And from that

From the Los Angeles Times:

Kiss heard ’round the world: Lesbians chosen for Navy tradition

December 22, 2011 | 1:08 pm

133

A public embrace between two female sailors from California is being hailed as “the kiss heard ’round the world” by activists who fought for a repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.

Gaeta was chosen to have the honor of the “first kiss” as part of a raffle in which sailors bought $1 tickets to raise funds for a Christmas party for military children. Gaeta said she bought $50 worth of tickets.

Navy officials said it was the first time a same-sex couple was chosen to have the first kiss. The first-kiss is a Navy tradition for ships returning to port.

Of course, this reminds me of a joke that’s been rebounding amongst squids and marines for multiple years:

Q: Why are there Marines on board every naval vessel?
A: Because sheep would be too obvious.

Please don’t kill me now.

Come on, doesn’t anyone have a sense of humor any more?

BZ

You may never know where you’ll meet your next good friend.

I met a new friend today, a man who moved from service responder to acquaintance to friend, all in the span of one day. When we began speaking to each other, we recognized that we actually shared much in common. Starting with my Gadsden flag outside.

One of those items involved Oath Keepers.

Which made me realize: I haven’t made much mention of Oath Keepers here on my blog.

I’m a member of Oath Keepers. And Oath Keepers, as they describe themselves, “is a non-partisan association of currently serving military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, Peace Officers, and Fire Fighters who will fulfill the Oath we swore, with the support of like minded citizens who take an Oath to stand with us, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God. Our Oath is to the Constitution

Our motto is “Not on our watch!“

I have made a like vow: I will defend to the death the oath I swore as a peace officer. I don’t take that oath lightly, and neither should any other peace officer in my state — California — or any other city, county, state or FEDERAL law enforcement officer.

These are trying times for those of us who defend this nation on foreign shores: our US military personnel — and on domestic lands: our civilian peacekeepers.

ROEs — Rules of Engagement — seem to change on a monthly, perhaps even daily basis. They certainly change with each new administration, new Chief, new Sheriff, new President. Our Peacekeepers, military and civilian, keep that line drawn and defended as clearly as possible. Because there are Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs. We, my civilian and military brothers and sisters, are the Sheepdogs.

The state and federal courts don’t do much to keep things simple either, in terms of search and seizure, arrest and contact opinions — as well as civil torts.

Peace officers, it is little recognized, can find themselves subject to not just double jeopardy, but triple jeopardy: tried criminally in state courts, tried criminally in federal courts, and then sued in civil courts. And, further, subject to internal agency investigations. Quadruple jeopardy, anyone?

Unlike the rest of the civilian population.

That said, I joined Oath Keepers to support the TEN ORDERS that I will NOT OBEY:

1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.
2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people.
3. We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.
4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.
5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.
6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.
7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.
8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control.”
9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.
10.We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

Some people may think this is actual heresy. Frankly, I feel sorry for them.

Because these points are but only based upon the foundational documents of this nation when it was young and revolutionary itself.

Some people, my new friend included, believe that my clear posting of this and other information will place me on the various scopes of federal monitoring. To that I say: been there and done that. And I am not impressed.

If believing in the core foundational documents of this nation places me into the category of a potential “terrorist” then I am comfortable with that. Because when my moral, legal and professional oaths conflict with any temporary administrations fleeting wants, there is essentially no conflict whatsoever.

Because my philosophical tendencies are based upon what is right, proper and moral in consideration of this sovereign nation’s history and its creational documents.

Because the bottom line is this. And it should be the most frightening aspect of any inner or outer corruptive influence: in order to do your potential Bad Works, you absolutely require the “buy-in” of your military and civilian law enforcement bodies.

Because if they refuse to cooperate, your plans are failed.

Which is why Oath Keepers had to be created in the first place.

I am an Oath Keeper.

BZ

P.S.
Thanks to you, Jeff, for enlightening and invigorating me.