On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs

[baldeagle]

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/29/on-sh ... sheepdogs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

By the author of On Killing, Dave Grossman.

“Then there are sheepdogs,” he went on, “and I’m a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf.” If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.

[jmra]

Are we sheepdogs or just dogs? I like to believe I am not raising sheep and I would assume none of the members of this forum desire to raise or breed sheep. So, if we are not sheep and we are not raising sheep, are we really guardians of the sheep?
I could be wrong but it seems that every time a "what if" thread is posted the majority of the respondents throw the sheep to the wolves.
Does this sound familiar, "I got my CHL to protect myself and my family". Or, "If they're not shooting at me I'm looking for the exit, I've got responsibilities to my wife and kids".
"...and a deep love for your fellow citizens...". Not sure we are sheepdogs at all. I think we are more "survival of the fittest" dogs.
My desire is to be a sheepdog that converts the sheep. But, if I'm truly a sheepdog, I must be willing to defend the sheep.

[SF18C]

JMRA...your assessment is on point!

Case in point:
viewtopic.php?f=94&t=65651" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MotherBear]

Are we sheepdogs or just dogs? I like to believe I am not raising sheep and I would assume none of the members of this forum desire to raise or breed sheep. So, if we are not sheep and we are not raising sheep, are we really guardians of the sheep?
I could be wrong but it seems that every time a "what if" thread is posted the majority of the respondents throw the sheep to the wolves.
Does this sound familiar, "I got my CHL to protect myself and my family". Or, "If they're not shooting at me I'm looking for the exit, I've got responsibilities to my wife and kids".
"...and a deep love for your fellow citizens...". Not sure we are sheepdogs at all. I think we are more "survival of the fittest" dogs.
My desire is to be a sheepdog that converts the sheep. But, if I'm truly a sheepdog, I must be willing to defend the sheep.

I mostly want to carry to protect myself and my family, no denying that. I'm not enthusiastic about the idea of jumping into something that doesn't involve me, for quite a number of reasons. But there's also a for-the-good-of-society side to it, in my mind. Even without ever taking any action to defend society in general, I believe the fact that there are some people out there who are armed, and that we're otherwise just like everyone else (not government agents, etc.), is healthy for our society. It means that criminals and would-be tyrants are not dealing with unarmed masses. They have to think, whether consciously or not, about the possibility of armed resistance. The very existence of anonymous armed citizens provides a certain level of protection to the rest. It's not the same as actively protecting the sheep, but I do believe it's a factor.

Just my take.

[baldeagle]

If someone was drowning, would you dive in to save them? How is going to someone's aid with a gun any different? Is it the fear of dying? Is living as a coward easier than dying? I doubt I will ever have to save someone else's life, with or without a gun. But you can bet one thing. If lightning strikes, I will not turn my back on someone in need. Maybe the people who do that really are heroes. It sure seems like they're few and far between.

[MotherBear]

If someone was drowning, would you dive in to save them? How is going to someone's aid with a gun any different?

My concern is more about being fully aware of the situation. If I think someone is drowning and I jump in to help and realize I was wrong, odds are good there's no harm done. If I misunderstand a situation and shoot someone who didn't need shooting, it's a pretty big deal. If it were a clear-cut situation, I believe I would take action to the best of my ability.

[SpringerFan]

For me it's a balance. Yes, I have acted in situations when I felt the need for swift intervention and would do so again if the need arose, but I'm also a husband and father and my primary job is to be here for my family. Any time you involve yourself in a situation that could result in bodily harm or death, you risk losing the ones you love the most.

[howdy]

"But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself…”Baa.”

Best line in the article...

[jmra]

"But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself…”Baa.”

Best line in the article...

Unfortunately if I'm to fulfill what I believe to be my current calling, the gun must stay at home when I live the house for work.. But I get to make a difference in young peoples lives. Wish it wasnt that way, but worth the risk IMHO.

[howdy]

"But if you are authorized to carry a weapon, and you walk outside without it, just take a deep breath, and say this to yourself…”Baa.”

Best line in the article...

Unfortunately if I'm to fulfill what I believe to be my current calling, the gun must stay at home when I live the house for work.. But I get to make a difference in young peoples lives. Wih it wasnt that way, but worth the risk IMHO.

Same situation being a Paramedic.

[Beiruty]

There are real men that intuitively intervene when needed, and there are wimpy cowards who would run to their mama at the sound of the first pop!
Armed or otherwise, the above is still true.

[sawdust]

In my seminars and training sessions, I discuss the wolves/sheep/sheepdogs metaphor. But I have created another category for those who wish to attain a degree of "enlightened capability": I describe this group as "sheep with fangs".

[ShepherdTX]

This has always been one of my favorite articles, and this is the heart of it for me:

This business of being a sheep or a sheepdog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between.

As often quoted on this board, "A CHL is not a Batman license". Here is the difference between Batman and I. Batman goes out looking for trouble every night. He's in the worst parts of town actively searching out bad guys to take down. I go to work, I go home to be with my family, and I stay away from bad guys as much as I am able. I live my day-to-day life avoiding trouble, but at the same time I want to be prepared in case trouble shows up anyway.

As an example, let's say I am in a bank making a deposit. The only other people in there are the employees, a mother and her 7 year old daughter, and some guy who decides that its a good day to rob a bank. I've already made up my mind well in advance what I would do. I know there is no way I could ever live with myself if that little girl or her mother gets injured or killed knowing I could have done something about it. I am no fire-breathing, door kicking, LEO with tons of experience dealing with the worst people on earth. I've never been in a serious fight in my entire life. On the inside I know I will be as terrified and scared as all the other sheep. But on the outside, the wolf will see a German Shepherd with snapping jaws full of teeth and claws slashing with wrath and fury.

[jmra]

This has always been one of my favorite articles, and this is the heart of it for me:

This business of being a sheep or a sheepdog is not a yes-no dichotomy. It is not an all-or-nothing, either-or choice. It is a matter of degrees, a continuum. On one end is an abject, head-in-the-sand-sheep and on the other end is the ultimate warrior. Few people exist completely on one end or the other. Most of us live somewhere in between.

As often quoted on this board, "A CHL is not a Batman license". Here is the difference between Batman and I. Batman goes out looking for trouble every night. He's in the worst parts of town actively searching out bad guys to take down. I go to work, I go home to be with my family, and I stay away from bad guys as much as I am able. I live my day-to-day life avoiding trouble, but at the same time I want to be prepared in case trouble shows up anyway.

As an example, let's say I am in a bank making a deposit. The only other people in there are the employees, a mother and her 7 year old daughter, and some guy who decides that its a good day to rob a bank. I've already made up my mind well in advance what I would do. I know there is no way I could ever live with myself if that little girl or her mother gets injured or killed knowing I could have done something about it. I am no fire-breathing, door kicking, LEO with tons of experience dealing with the worst people on earth. I've never been in a serious fight in my entire life. On the inside I know I will be as terrified and scared as all the other sheep. But on the outside, the wolf will see a German Shepherd with snapping jaws full of teeth and claws slashing with wrath and fury.

I believe this is where I am also.