Gumshoe in his nascent police career developed some very good tried and true techniques while “suiting up” in the station’s locker room. One of Gumshoe’s personal protocols was to take a very deep breath, hold it, and then tighten the Velcro straps on his bullet “resistant” vests.
Civilian note: There is no such animal as a “Bullet-Proof Vest”. Large caliber rifle rounds can penetrate a vest or with their explosive impact, they will cause severe internal trauma. End of story, lights out to eternity. Amen!
The reason that Gumshoe would perform this “deep breath Velcro” ritual was to allow Gumshoe’s lungs to adequately expand and take in oxygen during the high probability of instant physical exertion. Believe it folks, ****happens!
Too tight of a ballistic vest would prevent the sufficient ability to breathe during a foot pursuit; a knock-down drag-out fight as well as other 911 high-stress police adventures.
A too-tight vest would also prevent Gumshoe from taking survival breaths that produce a collective calm during adrenaline-fed challenges.
Now some of you folks may be “a wondering” what in the heck does Velcro has anything to do with tolerance? Gumshoe will set you straight by quoting two notable distinguished figures.
Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky . . .” Tolerance will reach such a level that smart people will be forbidden to think so as not to offend idiots”.
And . . .
Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput . . . “Evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant, then it seeks to silence good”.
Look around dear readers and you will readily see the clear and present dangers of unfettered tolerance at our doorsteps.
Situational awareness! That’s what Comrade Fyodor and Rev. Charles were talking about.
Gumshoe fervently believes that everyday “salt of the earth” Americans have had their own collective Velcro straps pulled way too tight by leftist, Marxist hands.
God-fearing, Bible-believing, family-loving, law-abiding patriotic Americans need to “breathe free” against these so-called “tolerant” restraints that must be loosened.
Gumshoe says that anyone should never be so “open-minded tolerant” that their brains fall out!
Gumshoe prays that true American values will prevail just as long we still recognize that we are one nation under God.
Well, that’s Gumshoe diatribe for now gentle readers. Always remember to love the ones who love you and try to love the ones who don’t.
Coram Deo!
I remember putting on my vest every day and when I was in training, my last FTO? you know who you are: gave me great advice in how tight to wear the vest that would hopefully save my life. I never forgot
Your FTO gave you good advice Nightingale.
Great article Gum Shoe. Regarding the Bullet Proof Vest. My weapon and my vest were my best friends on the job but I also realized that the vest was only a tool that could help with survival if and when the crap hit the fan. Even though it was uncomfortable at times I always made sure that I put it on. Remember the Flak Jackets we were issued in Vietnam? I wasn’t really sure what type of ordinance they could stop.
As for tolerance I have no tolerance for those idiots that expect me to condone or go along with Boys wanting to be girls or Girls wanting to be boys. BTW I know this will not be looked on kindly but when a boy/man cuts his genitals off it doesn’t make him a girl I think the terminology is “Eunuch”.
Ken made some great points as well.
Thanks again Gum Shoe.
Semper Fi
Thanks my friend Tom for your witty reply. I do believe that a lot of our brainless leaders are really eunuchs without balls when they put themselves first and not our beloved country.
Flak jackets were too damn heavy but were weightless when bullets came up range!
Semper Fi!
Thanks Ken for your comment. I’m with you in your astute observations. America (in time of crisis) has by the grace of God been able to recover from buffoonery. We are a center right country with standards that keep our democratic experiment in self-government still percolating.
Tolerance, like many other things, is fine in moderation. Taken to extremes it becomes a problem. Of course where that line is drawn between moderation and extreme is the problem.
I have no problem with being tolerant of people with green hair, tattooed cheeks, or that have a different skin color or religion than mine. I do have a problem with people than want to dumb down our children, males using girl’s bathrooms and locker rooms or playing sports on female teams. I have a problem supporting illegal immigrants and looters and those that could work but opt not to.
I for one feel my tolerance and emotional Velcro straps have been sinched up far to tight and I long to e able to take a deep breath again.
Great article, Danny.