Halifax Mass Shooting Prevented – This Time!

As a resident of Halifax I would like to say what a great job our law enforcement did in preventing these murders. Hats off to the men and women serving in Halifax Regional Police and RCMP. 

Now, onto the matter at hand… After Action Review (AAR) is a standard practice in the military and police forces world-wide. It is an analysis of everything that happened – why, where, how, etc., and the most important what can be learned from such experience to better meet the needs of the future. Here are some of my observations and proposals that people should consider:

1) PREVENTING SUCH ATTACKS & INDIVIDUALS IS VERY DIFFICULT. Luck is a major factor. In this case a tip was anonymously submitted to the police. If that tip had not came through the outcome would have been much more horrific. The fact of the matter is the law enforcement may not always be there to help. In this age of information, ideas spread quickly and easily making small size cities and towns just as likely targets. The public needs their own defence mechanisms that are legal, practical and effective.

2) THE FREQUENCY & THE NUMBER OF SUCH ATTACKS IS INCREASING. There is no indication that this trend will halt. Facts are facts – the population is growing, living standards are decreasing, lack of education is spreading, so are the mental illnesses. All social trends unfortunately indicate that we can expect more violence, not less. I don’t wish to be all “doom and gloom” here but we simply can’t look at the world through the rose coloured glasses, and wish for the best. Hoping that bad things won’t happen to you is not a strategy – it’s foolishness! And yet this is exactly how most people choose to live their lives.

3) POPULATION OF NORTH AMERICA IS EXPERIENCING UNPRECEDENTED MENTAL STRESS & DISORIENTATION. The public in the United States and Canada is under massive chronic stress. The demand for anti-depression and anti-anxiety drugs is higher than ever before. American self-identity and traditional value systems are disintegrating at an ever faster rate. Negative and fear based news have become the primary method of informing the public. Violence and beyond realistic brutality on television (ex. horror films) supercharged by modern technological achievements in cinematography (HD, 3D, Surround sound, massive screens, etc…) are downloaded into children’s brains before they can develop a stable psyche and self-identity. This is bound to create misguided individuals who will lash out at the society at times in a very gruesome way. Without decisively dealing with mental health of the population no amount of police will be able to provide adequate security. And once those mental thresholds of personal safety [that we all have] begin to be violated, society will start acting more irrational, more aggressive and more violent, in so creating a vicious cycle.

IDEAL SOLUTION: I firmly believe that a strong, intelligent and realistic government can solve all of these issues within 5 years or less. We do not have to experience this cycle of violence – we just don’t! So what is the solution? It’s quite simple to describe but no so easy to execute (mainly because our current leaders do not have inner strength to do it). Never the less here it is: INCREASE LIVING STANDARDS FOR THE LOWER AND MIDDLE CALSS, DECREASE SOCIAL STRESS AND CREATE UNITY WITHIN A NATION. That is it, and if done properly these measures will ensure lasting social cohesion for decades to come. Granted, our leaders will have to take a hard look at their policies that lead to such violent culture in the first place (I’ll gladly offer them my services free of charge if they don’t know what to do or where to start).

REALISTIC SOLUTION: With everything said above, I fully acknowledge that it’s highly unlikely such major social changes will take place anytime soon. Our politicians, be they in Canada or the United States, simply do not have the backbone to do it. So, my “more down to earth solution” is based on a simple reality – people who are committed to violence will find a way to execute their plans and they will always have the first strike advantage. Any police or military member will tell you this is very dangerous and deadly. Unfortunately to maximize our safety in this “brave new world” we have to learn to defend ourselves as well as acquire tools to do so. By now many of you have guessed that I’m hinting on using firearms for purposes of self deference at home and in public – legally of course. As of now this is prohibited by Canadian law, and further more I’m the first person to admit that this is not the best solution out there. I’m fully aware of the flaw in my own argument, that a mentally deteriorating nation should not be granted mass access to deadly weapons. And yet that is what I’m proposing. Why?

Because this has already happened, the nation has already been granted mass access to those weapons. Yes, I’m talking about strict Canada here (Americans – you got way more relaxed laws, for better or worse). Most people here up north have a notion that handguns which are the easiest to conceal, are illegal. THEY ARE NOT. Handguns are simply restricted, which means anyone who paid their $150 to do a firearms safety course, passed a police background check, became a member at a local shooting range –  can go into a store and buy a real handgun, along with very real bullets. After that your new “deadly toy” is your responsibility. By our Canadian law you are only allowed to keep this firearm at home or shoot it at a range. It cannot be taken anywhere else, therefore all of this is left to your own judgment and risk. This means anyone who has the brains to pass a course and does not have any criminal history can go and buy a handgun. Once it’s in your possession you’re the boss. By the way if you wish to buy a hunting rifle you only need to pass your safety course and police check, then off you go. Hunting rifles are purchased without any registrations, can be moved in a car anywhere you like and even carried outside if they are in a case.

So there you have it, guns are already given to the public and should someone wish to use them for criminal activities, there is nothing stopping them other than themselves! In light of this reality and the fact that our government is not likely to change in any substantial way, I see the only two options: keep doing what you’ve been doing or join the legal process to permit individuals to carry concealed weapons in public for self defence purposes. Mind you, individuals who did their safety course, passed a thorough police background check, I would even go as far as adding a medical exam for mental fitness. And just to be crystal clear – don’t start carrying handguns regardless of the law – that is illegal, and you will go to jail for that.

In addition to that, people of all ages should proactively take various self-defence and survival courses. Read literature and watch films that teach such techniques. There’s more than enough material and organizations out there to teach you the basics of surviving everything for a mall shooting to a kidnapping. Not only this is useful, interesting and challenging training that will give you newfound confidence and abilities, but one day it might save your life or those around you.

Lastly, I would like to admit that my proposition to carry concealed firearms in public is selfish. So what am I saying? I’ll put it like this – should I encounter a situation where the bullets start flying in a crowded public area I prefer to have the option of defending my self and people around me, rather than being left completely defenceless without any means of retaliation. Furthermore I prefer to be surrounded by trained and responsible people who are carrying firearms and know how to use them.

I would like to end this article with the words of a US Navy Seal, a host of a show “Surviving Disaster” Cade Courtley: “Hopefully you will never have to experience any of these disasters, but if you do you will be prepared. Will you be a survivor or a statistic? The choice is yours…”

Relevant articles:

• http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-shooting-plot-foiled-by-tipster-police-say-1.2957279
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_shootings_at_Parliament_Hill,_Ottawa
• http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/20/driver-who-ran-into-canadian-soldiers-near-montreal-was-known-to-counter-terrorism-officials-rcmp/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Moncton_shootings
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_sink