Light a Candle

"One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure (and in some cases I have) that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy."

Col. Jeff Cooper, "Cooper vs. Terrorism", Guns & Ammo Annual, 1975  

Candles are nice, but self-defense is better. Thanks to Weerd Beard for the notion (and also some really pretty photographs which make mine seem half-assed in comparison!)

For more in-depth analysis of why a candle, why a gun, and why today, I recommend the following blogs which are more experienced than I at explaining the politics of firearms and self-defense:

• Candles... with Fire Support by Linoge
• I Light My Candle For...  by Miguel
• Light a Candle Against the Dark by Brigid

To summarize my feelings on the issue (and because I am more than a little bit nerdy) I shall paraphrase from one of the great sci-fi epics of our time, Babylon 5:

We are the sheepdogs. We stand between the predator and its prey.