Honest folks have busy lives. We spend our time working to earn a living, taking care of our families, and trying to make our community a better place to live, to name just a few. We also try to live a positive life and prefer not to dwell on bad stuff. Unfortunately, this can make us a more appealing target for the criminal element. Here are three things people do that make the crooks smile.
1...MY HOME IS MY SAFE SPACE.
Too many people let down their guard when they are at home because that is where they feel the safest. This is the main reason that home invasions continue in our society. Your home is only your safe space when you have taken every precaution to make it a hard target for the criminal.
You should keep the doors locked even when you are at home. You should have good external lighting installed to make it safer to check out nighttime problems. A good watchdog is also an excellent early-alarm system. And you should always be near a defensive firearm if you have been trained in their safe and proper use. Finally, you should discuss a defensive plan with the entire family.
2...I ONLY CARRY MY DEFENSIVE FIREARM WHEN I THINK IT MIGHT BE NEEDED.
All you have to do is pay some attention to the nightly news to realize that a violent criminal attack can occur anywhere and without any notice. Violent crimes doesn’t just occur in the bad part of town. It happens in our homes, our churches, at movie theaters, music events and just about everywhere else that you can name. No one is able to accurately predict when and where they will be the victim of a violent crime.
If you went to all that trouble to get a carry license, you should carry everywhere that it is legal to do so. That is the only way that you will have a chance to protect yourself and your family.
3...THE LACK OF AWARENESS
The number one thing that makes crooks happy is the fact that too many honest citizens go through life without actually paying attention to what is going on around them until it is too late to do much about it. If these folks manage to survive a deadly encounter it is generally because luck has smiled on them. And luck, my friends, is a fickle lover.
Put that cell phone away. Keep your head up and pay attention to your surroundings. If you see something that doesn’t look right, keep an eye on it until it goes away or until you can go away. Be prepared to act, and have a plan, if that situation you are watching turns out to be an actual threat. Crooks will recognize this sense of awareness on your part and often go looking for an easier target.
