The criminals are training...are you?

By Gerard Valentino

The entire nation is engrossed by the media coverage of the armed thugs that killed a Florida couple known for adopting developmentally challenged children. It seems that the criminals attacked and killed a truly generous and caring couple who had dedicated their life to helping the less fortunate.

What most people missed in the coverage, however, is that the criminals apparently trained for weeks prior to the home invasion, and it took place with near military-like precision.

All of the anti-gun loons out there who claim calling the police is the best option can't refute that the thugs who committed this horrible crime were in and out before anyone could respond.

From a report at Foxnews.com:

Investigators say the robbery was extremely well orchestrated.

"It was a very well-planned, thought-out, methodical operation," Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan told "FOX & Friends" on Wednesday.

Luckily, the video surveillance system was not shut off prior to the crime as the criminals had planned, or it is likely the perpetrators would have gone undetected. It was video evidence showing a red van leaving the scene that ultimately led to the capture of the alleged attackers.

It only took 10 minutes for the thugs to complete their heinous crime and get away. Unfortunately, that was enough time for two truly innocent and caring people to lose their lives.

The message for those in the self-defense community is that the villains are out there training, therefore we can't count on the fact that our attackers will use poor tactics. Instead, we are once again reminded that preparing for the worst is required in today's America.

The crime in Florida puts homeowners anywhere in America on alert that it can happen to them. It is also a reminder that criminals, whether skilled or not, lack remorse and are morally bankrupt.

Self-defense-minded Ohioans can learn a lot from the unfortunate set of circumstances that lead to the murders in Florida. For one thing, just having video surveillance isn't enough to keep you and your family safe. No longer is keeping a gun in the nightstand enough, it's required that homeowners keep a gun within reach.

The only way a gun is of value if you're the victim of an attack similar to the one in Florida is if it's literally in your hand when it happens. At worst, a gun holstered on your person is a requirement. There are some who will claim they would rather die than walk around inside their home with a gun. The sad fact is criminals are counting on unarmed victims and if you refuse to act accordingly the outcome of your attack is already assured.

Many self-defense experts have known for years that criminals are out there training and getting better at plying their trade. Law enforcement SWAT teams are at the tip of the spear in the battle on violent crime and know all too well how criminals are preparing to fight back.

That's why fighting for gun rights is so vital at this point in American history. If gun are outlawed, the type of criminal that trains for a home invasion will be empowered by knowing they don’t have to fear an armed victim.

Knowing that criminals are training so diligently is a wake-up call that sadly, most Americans won't heed. Just like disaster preparations are no longer a priority since Katrina has faded from consciousness, people will miss the true lessons of the attack in Florida.

The establishment media has completely ignored the implications of learning that such a large group of criminals trained vigorously. Which is a disservice to their audience but being good citizens has never mattered to the establishment media, so they are unlikely to care.

Using the Florida murders as a way to illustrate that criminals are ratcheting up their game is not exploiting a tragedy for political gain. Gun rights activists don't see the battle to secure the right to bear arms as a game to be won or lost. That distasteful way of handling these situations is left to the anti-gun groups who are willing to exploit every tragedy for their own gain.

In contrast, the pro-gun side grieves for the family and friends of the people killed, and see the event as a singular tragedy. The simple fact is banning guns wouldn't have stopped this crime and that is an undeniable truth.

The fact that criminals are out there training to such a high level should scare everyone, regardless of your views on guns, because they just might pick your house next.

All we can do now is remind everyone that when the boogey-man knocks at your door, no one can replace yourself as the first line of defense.

Gerard Valentino is the Buckeye Firearms Foundation Treasurer and writes for the ValentinoChronicle.com.