On Sheeps, Wolves, and Sheepdogs--by Dave Grossman

Note from Kellene: Today, I'm going to post a different kind of recipe--a recipe for the necessary mental fortitude one must have to be properly prepared.

While I love the analogy overall I should say that I don't believe that the author is correct in any inference that "all law enforcement, government security personnel, or military persons" are "sheepdogs." We all know that there's not a one of us who have ever looked up to and appreciated a TSA person, a cop who thinks he's God, or a military person who embarrasses this nation with acts that are cruel and inhumane. This isn't piece isn't about that though--this piece is about putting a good description on what it means for those of us who step up to the plate and instead of waiting for someone else to take care of us, we're willing to take care of ourselves and thus others and protect them from the wolves in our life.

(Dave Grossman is the author of a great book I've read called "On Killing" as well as another one called "On Combat". I agree with nearly every single syllable in this article he wrote and feel it's very appropriate for our reader base.
Enjoy and share.)

On Sheep,Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman
By LTC (RET) Dave Grossman, author of "On Killing."
Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending
those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may
mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always,even death itself. The question
remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for? - WilliamJ. Bennett - in
a lecture to the United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997
One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me:
"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one
another by accident." This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated
assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to
hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a
tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million
Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a
hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the
actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.
Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times
in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are
not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and
gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue
shell. Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect
will grow into something wonderful.? For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the  predators.
"Then there are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do
you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There
are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so,
you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

"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

Let me expand on this old soldier's excellent model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the
sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world.
They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire
alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools.

But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children
are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep's
only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is
just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial.
The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for
violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Any
sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot
work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would
prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in
camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray
paint himself white, and go, "Baa."
Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.
The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary
circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just
had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the
rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the
little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.
Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how
America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel?
Remember how many times you heard the word hero?
Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also
understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the
breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young
sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the
sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones.
Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the
sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in
America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I
wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly
transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to
be able to make a difference.
There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only
one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the
population. There was research conducted a few years ago with individuals convicted of violent crimes. These
cons were in prison for serious, predatory crimes of violence: assaults, murders and killing law enforcement
officers. The vast majority said that they specifically targeted victims by body language: slumped walk, passive
behavior and lack of awareness. They chose their victims like big cats do in Africa, when they select one out of
the herd that is least able to protect itself.
Some people may be destined to be sheep and others might be genetically primed to be wolves or sheepdogs.
But I believe that most people can choose which one they want to be, and I'm proud to say that more and more
Americans are choosing to become sheepdogs.

 

Seven months after the attack on September 11, 2001, Todd Beamer was honored in his hometown of Cranbury,
New Jersey. Todd, as you recall, was the man on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania who called on his cell phone to
alert an operator from United Airlines about the hijacking. When he learned of the other three passenger planes
that had been used as weapons, Todd dropped his phone and uttered the words, "Let's roll," which authorities
believe was a signal to the other passengers to confront the terrorist hijackers. In one hour, a transformation
occurred among the passengers - athletes, business people and parents. -- from sheep to sheepdogs and together
they fought the wolves, ultimately saving an unknown number of lives on the ground.
There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men. - Edmund Burke
Here is the point I like to emphasize, especially to the thousands of police officers and soldiers I speak to each
year. In nature the sheep, real sheep, are born as sheep. Sheepdogs are born that way, and so are wolves. They
didn't have a choice. But you are not a critter. As a human being, you can be whatever you want to be. It is a
conscious, moral decision.
If you want to be a sheep, then you can be a sheep and that is okay, but you must understand the price you pay.
When the wolf comes, you and your loved ones are going to die if there is not a sheepdog there to protect you.
If you want to be a wolf, you can be one, but the sheepdogs are going to hunt you down and you will never have
rest, safety, trust or love. But if you want to be a sheepdog and walk the warrior's path, then you must make a
conscious and moral decision every day to dedicate, equip and prepare yourself to thrive in that toxic, corrosive
moment when the wolf comes knocking at the door.
For example, many officers carry their weapons in church.? They are well concealed in ankle holsters, shoulder
holsters or inside-the-belt holsters tucked into the small of their backs.? Anytime you go to some form of
religious service, there is a very good chance that a police officer in your congregation is carrying. You will
never know if there is such an individual in your place of worship, until the wolf appears to massacre you and
your loved ones.
I was training a group of police officers in Texas, and during the break, one officer asked his friend if he carried
his weapon in church. The other cop replied, "I will never be caught without my gun in church." I asked why he
felt so strongly about this, and he told me about a cop he knew who was at a church massacre in Ft. Worth,
Texas in 1999. In that incident, a mentally deranged individual came into the church and opened fire, gunning
down fourteen people. He said that officer believed he could have saved every life that day if he had been
carrying his gun. His own son was shot, and all he could do was throw himself on the boy's body and wait to
die. That cop looked me in the eye and said, "Do you have any idea how hard it would be to live with yourself
after that?"
Some individuals would be horrified if they knew this police officer was carrying a weapon in church. They
might call him paranoid and would probably scorn him. Yet these same individuals would be enraged and
would call for "heads to roll" if they found out that the airbags in their cars were defective, or that the fire
extinguisher and fire sprinklers in their kids' school did not work. They can accept the fact that fires and traffic
accidents can happen and that there must be safeguards against them.

 

(I just had to interject here...doesn't this sound familiar to how you're treated by others when it comes to your preparedness efforts who think that there's no need for anything else? How crazy are you for being prepared?--Kellene)
Their only response to the wolf, though, is denial, and all too often their response to the sheepdog is scorn and
disdain. But the sheepdog quietly asks himself, "Do you have and idea how hard it would be to live with
yourself if your loved ones attacked and killed, and you had to stand there helplessly because you were
unprepared for that day?"
It is denial that turns people into sheep. Sheep are psychologically destroyed by combat because their only
defense is denial, which is counterproductive and destructive, resulting in fear, helplessness and horror when the
wolf shows up.

Denial kills you twice. It kills you once, at your moment of truth when you are not physically prepared: you
didn't bring your gun, you didn't train. Your only defense was wishful thinking. Hope is not a strategy. Denial
kills you a second time because even if you do physically survive, you are psychologically shattered by your
fear helplessness and horror at your moment of truth.
Gavin de Becker puts it like this in "Fear Less", his superb post-9/11 book, which should be required reading for
anyone trying to come to terms with our current world situation: "...denial can be seductive, but it has an
insidious side effect. For all the peace of mind deniers think they get by saying it isn't so, the fall they take when
faced with new violence is all the more unsettling."
Denial is a save-now-pay-later scheme, a contract written entirely in small print, for in the long run, the denying
person knows the truth on some level.
And so the warrior must strive to confront denial in all aspects of his life, and prepare himself for the day when
evil comes. If you are warrior who is legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that
weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that the bad man will not come today. No one can be "on" 24/7,
for a lifetime. Everyone needs down time. 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."

This business of being a sheep or a sheep dog 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. Since 9-11 almost everyone in America took a step up that continuum, away from denial. The sheep
took a few steps toward accepting and appreciating their warriors, and the warriors started taking their job more
seriously. The degree to which you move up that continuum, away from sheep-hood and denial, is the degree to
which you and your loved ones will survive, physically and psychologically at your moment of truth.

 

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Comments

I dont entirely agree with your analogy , i am none of these , not a preator nor a sheep and have never been a member of any government service but have come across many wolves in sheepdog clothing, we are as individual as snow flakes, the way God intended . If we live by the law and show courage when needed then the barks as good as the bite.

Where in the world are all of you people getting the impression that a sheepdog is a member of government service? Where did you guys come from? Some anti Preparedness Pro group or are you all just having a bad day and as such bark at anything that moves? You baffle me, you really do.

Just wanted to point out that EVERYONE in our country is "legally authorized" by our Constitution to carry weapons. Maybe not concealed, but they don't necessarily need to be concealed. Quite the case could be made for carrying openly all the time both as a method of de-sensitizing the sheep to the presence of the sheepdogs (since they've been brainwashed over the last hundred years to the anti-gun sentiment) and to affirm our Constitutional rights.

This has to be most eloquent way of saying what most of us believe I have ever read. I too have been laughed at for preparing, and attempting to teach others how to prepare for the worst, yet hoping for the best. Any one who has ever served in the Armed Forces knows or should know that you always train for worst over and over. If the worst never happens you have learned how to survive, most importantly though you can train others so they can protect their families and friends. Never put off what can be done today, for tomorrow many not come. Thanks for a having put together such a great site God Bless you all.

Hi, great article and really gave me something to think about.
In response to Larry on Sept. 15th: It seems that you have a total disregard and disrespect for others. You know, the TSA, police, flight crew; those you would scream loudest about NOT protecting you if something did happen! These people are doing their job as best they can, dealing w/ huge amounts of people, under-paid, under-staffed and Under Respected! I recently flew due to a family illness, everyone (and I mean everyone) at the airports I was in were polite, helpful, kind and well trained. Larry, maybe yours is a case of "you get what you give"

WoW! Excellent analogy.
Hi everyone,
I am Dorothy, a grandmother of 6 and a Vietnam era veteran (military police).
My first comment here; but I have been reading all the archived posts to catch up over the last week.
I believe this post falls under the first two steps of the “Ten Principles of Preparedness”.
Before I joined the military, I took the time to work through the concept of would I be able to use my weapon and actually shoot someone.
I had to work through the issue of my faith and my metal process (I had never seen a weapon before I joined the military). I continue to access and discuss the scenario with my husband this each time we hear of some wild event happening.
I encourage you, to ensure you will be a sheepdog; take the time to prepare for this now.
I assure you, as for me and my house we are sheepdogs.
Looking forward to getting to know all you better.

There are GREAT spiritual applications here as well!
I received my CCDW a couple of weeks ago and my weapon has yet to leave the nightstand....that changes today. Thanks for the reminder that it's not just a privilege, it's a responsibility. I honestly hadn't really thought that way before now. Thanks for being a great sheepdog trainer!

I've been working more toward prepping in the last few months, both stocking extra food in the pantry, and researching more techniques for self defense, other than just concealed carry (which I am licensed for); always trying to be aware of weapons of opportunity (stick, rock, key, pen, etc) - it's amazing the amount of damage you can do even without a firearm. My husband isn't on board with prepping, but he was an MP in the Marines, so if the wolf ever comes knocking at our door, we will enjoy a nice warm wolf pelt ;) Thank you for this excellent post!

I agree wholeheartedly with this post except for the part where the author wrote:

"Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16."

My issue with this line is that not all military and police officers are being used as legitimate sheep dogs. They are often used for aggression, oppression, and the infringement of rights of their fellow sheep and sheep dogs. In this great irony, oftentimes, sheep dogs are the ones in denial. They believe they are "protecting" the sheep when in fact they are doing the opposite. Take for example The Patriot Act- legislation passed under the Bush administration and re-passed under Obama's. It effectively eliminated everyone's 4th amendment rights guaranteed in our Bill of Rights:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

As Benjamin Franklin put it:

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

...And, I might add, they WILL lose both. When we give the government too much power they will abuse it. The abuse ultimately comes through otherwise honorable sheepdogs and a few wolves in uniform.

Most of our sheep dogs take the orders of their masters. Luckily for us, there is a growing trend of them who question the orders or policies they have been asked to carry out. We need sheepdogs, its true. But we also need sheepdogs who have correct morals and principles- ones who will recognize when they are being told to act like wolves.

Other examples could include many of the wars our country has been engaged in over the past fifty years. Our "masters" have taken our sheepdogs and sent them to do some honorable things but also some not so honorable things.

For these reasons I'm not exactly disturbed by the sheepdogs themselves (I believe the majority of them are courageous and honorable) but I am disturbed by many of the things their masters order them to do.

Jim, I'm going to have to give you an A+ on that comment. I couldn't agree more. That's the ONLY Portion of the piece that I didn't agree with but felt that it was dishonest to edit any of his piece.

I was bothered by the part where the author states that the sheep dogs need to remove the harming sheep dog after hurting the sheep... Well, if the sheep dog were policing themselves and not being jack booted thugs at every turn.. Well. maybe then I would agree with this guys opinion. Then there are us sheep dogs, whom do not feel the need to CONTROL others and be revenue collection thugs.. We are able to take care of ourselves and really resent these self proclaimed helping dogs, taking liberties with our liberties. I do feel bad for the sheep and have often throughout my life protected one of them when a wolf was bothering them. I would never and I mean NEVER be like the armed thugs on our streets that only protect the rich. So yeah sheepdogs that are bred to protect their owners (RICH) sheep so that the sheep can continue to produce. Sorry, but this whole article is just another dog trying to tell me that I need them. Come on dude. Really, the Man standing in MY airport with a gun, telling me I am not allowed to move freely or to protect myself. Sorry Dont need your type "protecting" me. I will protect myself and my own damned sheep.

Roger, I think you're getting way mixed up as to what a sheepdog is. You're assuming that all military and police, etc are sheepdogs. Boy, that couldn't be further from the truth. I look nothing like a decked out Marine, I'm always challenging the authority of police--meaning that I don't just assume that what they say is accurate and I suspect that they are ALWAYS trying to trample my legitimate rights, and so on and so forth. Have you never seen the movie Delta Force? It's a typical Chuck Norris is invincible kind of movie, but regardless, it denotes a time when someone in our airport armed would be a good thing. I think it's a mistake to take the ONE sentence in which he provided his own misguided perspective on what a sheepdog does and throw out the incredible merits of the rest of the piece. Very big mistake indeed.

I have met with and trained with LTC Grossman on several occasions. He understands us better than anyone I've ever met, studied or trained wIth. He is bright, blunt, God fearing and Good. I trust all of his writing and can verify of his correct principles in his training. I would invite and encourage you to continue sharing his information because with knowledge there is power and preparedness. If your prepared..."ye shall not fear". Kellene, Contact is ok if you choose.

Very though provoking article, it has left me wondering about our family's state of preparedness where protection is concerned.
If I’m not mistaken, you have at least written once about your neighborhood as if all were preppers, my husband and I don’t have anything close to that luxury. We only have a couple of neighbors and like us, they are very to themselves.
We’ve discussed the mentality of starving and desperate people in a crumbling society and realize the importance of protection as an important part of prepping. The problem is for us that the two of us, or possibly three, would essentially have to take shifts, guarding not only every corner of our home but our garden, including overnight, or electrify a high fence around our property when energy will be like gold (that’s if we could even part with that much of an energy source), otherwise we will be stripped by looters.
Would it even be logical to think that 2 or 3 adults in our household that had no support groups around us could hold the masses off? One adult would have to tend the garden while the second tries to make sure that neither of us are shot in the process? Every time we went outdoors to work we would be putting ourselves out in the open and easy prey.
If we store up a year's worth of food but are limited on how we can protect it, we wonder if we are really storing it up for thieves and murders:(
My hubby made another observation that was disconcerting and said to me, "Honey, you know when you are baking that bread, you can smell it coming up the road." Cooking odors, especially if you are having to do a lot of cooking outdoors carries a ways on the wind. I think when you are hungry your sense of smell is heightened as well. We might as well ring a dinner bell:(
I can't imagine not trying to be prepared as much as possible but at the same time, we just can't help but think a lot of us won't have the man power to survive even if we have the whole nine yards prepared to survive.
It's not the most logical or easiest thing to do to go up to Joe Smo and say, "Hey we are preppers, what do you think about prepping? Don’t you want to become a prepper and join forces with us?" If they think we are crazy now, they won't when it hits the fan, they will think, "Wow, they were right! I know where I can get food and more now!":(
So my question is....how do people, who by their very nature, that have lived somewhat reclusive, expect to survive on their own?

I think I've written about a Utopia environment when all neighbors are preppers. The hubby and I are so frustrated by how few are and who should definitely know better. :-/

I did write an article that even a 4 man team would be exhausted in a "need to guard the home" kind of scenario. You'd have to have an awful lot of technology helping you to make something like that work. I say get as prepared as you can and let the Lord handle the rest. But I also wholeheartedly encourage reaching out to create and TEACH other like=minded individuals and reach out to bring others in when the time is appropriate. Even my hubby and I, as aware as we are and as well trained as we are could NOT do it alone.

I agree that this article is about the obvious message, but boy howdy does it have some great insight into folks being just plain prepared for what will come their way and also a message related to spiritual preparedness.

Excellent article! I am currently transforming from sheep to sheep dog, and DO carry at church! My husband questioned that, even though he's on board with prepping and self-defense. Places of worship, I believe, are bigger targets than most places...and so I am READY. Locked, loaded, and praying!

Just to be clear, you can NOT be comfortable carrying a gun, not yet be skilled in such and STILL be a sheepdog, though this article is obviously "pro-gun".

kellene ~ this would be a great article to be read in church ~ it's high time for the sheep to wake up and see the wolves edging ever closer to sneek in for the kill ~ the sheep need to make their choice NOW whether they will continue to be sheep and die, or step up and become sheep dogs, and defend, protect and preserve their homes, families and those around them. i appreciate so much your efforts to educate and motivate through your articles and research. you are a great inspiration to so many of us, and i have been working hard to bump up my preparedness ever since i was introduced to your website. please, please, please, keep up the great work! you are amazing!

Maybe I have been unlucky ,but these words are true. I have had to pull my weapon 3 times in my life firing only once. Looking back I should have fired all 3 times. Two bad guys got away to cause harm again.
I was in a restaurant many years ago in Lawrence Indiana and had two brothers come in to do their harm to others. First and last time I have ever left my weapon in my car. These two shot a little boy and then the man that went to his aid. I was to far away to rush the two and having to sit there and being unable to do anything ,has stayed with me for decades .
I was a reserve police office at the time and a Special Forces troop on active duty.
Never again,I carry in Chuch also.
RangerRick

I have not personally been in a situation in which I had to draw my weapon, but I have two personal friends (military and civilian) that have quickly found themselves in life or death situations. The first was surrounded at night by armed thugs (wolves) that definitely meant to do harm and he was able to fend them off only because he was armed. The second friend had two instances; the first involved thugs that targeted him and his wife in broad daylight. He was armed, but was also able to evade the attack without firing a shot. His second incident was literally a charging Pit Bull attack in which he was able to draw and fatally wound the dog with just an instant to spare. Turns out the dog belonged to some gangster thugs down the street that had trained the dog to attack and the dog was wandering the 'hood. The point is, you can never know the moment you are going to need to act.

Wherever I go, I'm on constant look-out for suspicious people, exit locations, and think through what-if scenarios. I've had some tactical firearms training and hold a concealed carry license, but I've never been in the military or police (with some regrets). I'm definitely NOT looking for trouble, just on guard to protect my wife and five children. I always have my weapon, but sometimes leave it locked in the car - that will stop today based on your post. I do ((usually) carry in Church, and wonder how some people would react if they knew. I'm sure one or two others carry at any given service, because we are near a major military base and have quite a few military personnel in our parish.

I'm not a sheep, I'm a man. I go through my day doing sheepie things, though; the banking, the shopping, looking for a new read at the bookstore. I blend in. I lay low and live and let live.
I see the wolves all around. They stalk like predators and don't realize that this sheep-looking man sees them, maybe stalks them while they, in turn, stalk the pretty lady-oblivious to their presence while she loads her mall goodies into the SUV.
They see me and move on, because even a vigilant sheep is a danger to them if he bleats and alerts the flock.They derive strength from their stealth. Shine a light on them and they become worse than sheep. They become freightened and scurry for the underbrush again.
I like being a stealth sheepdog and would never want to be the guy advertising to the world that he's 'their protector' dressed in cammies, M-16 at the ready or bundled up in police officer's badge, uniform, gunbelt and nightstick. All arrayed for battle and sticking out like a sore thumb. Much better to bled in with the flock and should the wolf strike, suddenly bare fangs and see the predator's horror when he realizes he just messed with a meateater.
I guess I'm a sheepdog in sheep's clothing. Beware the armed sheep, he just might turn the tables and have a wolf sandwhich for lunch.

Hmmm... that's interesting. I'm a sheep dog and yet no one sees my firearm, and I never wear cammies except when training others. To each his own. The element of surprise is my greatest asset.
Yeah, my first thought is that you are a sheepdog, you just have a little misunderstanding as to what a sheepdog is

Great article, reading the posts on here I see a lot of you carry and that's a good thing. I attended a school on carrying a fire arm (post level 2&3) and will never forget what the instructor stated about making up your mind about drawing your weapon and having to shot someone. "the choice is simple, do you want to be on the stand telling why you shot and kill him or do you want him on the stand telling why he shot and killed you?" I didn't find it hard to make up my mind, but I know if I ever have to face the fact that I killed another human being it will not be any easier than living with the knowledge that I should have and didn't. Will I do so if the need presented itself? You can bet on it! Don't carry it if your not sure you will use it! Your hesitation can cost you and others around you to be hurt or killed with your weapon if taken from you by the assailant! Think about living with that!

@Ms bishop. I read this article this evening I I think Jim summed it up rather nicely. I too loved what I was reading until it got to the part about police,military and government officialism. Is it not obvious that most of the sheep out there aren't too fond of our police and government officials? I flew from Oklahoma to Boston this week and here is the list of wolves I encounteredo on my trip to and fro.

Wolves:
TSA.. screaming at everyone in line to not be so stupid and to remove their ziplock bags of Toothpaste and deodorant from their luggage(Boston). They yelled and screamed in the into the crowds with aggression and arrogance. It took me 1.5 hours to clear through security.
Boston Police:
As i waited for my hotel shuttle at Boston Int l. The enforcers bullied and microphone any car that tried to pick-up a family member. They pointed their fingers and screamed and yelled at people. They flashed their lights and tailgated these dangerous sheep.

Flight Attendants:
They were ready to pounce if you did not turn your cell phone off in time or headphones were on your head or in your ears. They were going to let you have it. Never once was there a please or would you mind. Just jack booted thug mentality. The Flight Attendant actually grabbed the guy next to me by the shoulder and woke him up to bark at him about his headphones on his head.

..you see Ms. Bishop, I don't believe that everyone believes that this article is stating that all sheepdogs are military or govt thugs. But when you talk about sheep and herding, I think that hit too close to home with a lot of people.
As Lord Acton once said, Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Thankyou Kellene

While this is a nice "feel good" storybook analogy, it is much too simplistic to portray the real-world intentions and actions of individuals in our human society. And the story completely leaves out two important characters...the shepherd and the owner of the flock. Although these two positions can be filled by the same person.

The shepherd's job is to train and direct the sheepdogs in guarding the flock and moving it from place to place for the best grazing. The sheepdogs spend much more time herding the flock around than they do in fighting wolves.

Which brings us to the owner of the flock. The only reason he even has sheep is so he can shear them for the yearly wool crop, and maybe send some of them to the slaughterhouse.

The analogy makes it all sound so simple...black or white...good or evil...strong or weak. But in reality, if you look at humanity as a spectrum you would see about 1% black at one end, 1% white at the other end, and the balance made up of infinitely varying shades of gray from almost black to almost white.

I think the spectrum will hold true for humanity as a whole, and for each individual person as well. Which of us is all good or all bad?

We do not fit in a box to be labeled a sheep, a sheepdog, or a wolf. At different times, under different circumstances, and by different people, we could be considered to be any one of the three.

To be perfectly clear, I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Had we followed our Founders' advice and maintained our citizen militia we would have far less crime and little to fear from any foreign force invading our country. And even less fear of tyranny by our own government. Before anyone disagrees, please research the initial intention, design, and function of our original militia.

But we are where we are, and I have to agree with Kellene's statement, "I say get as prepared as you can and let the Lord handle the rest. But I also wholeheartedly encourage reaching out to create and TEACH other like=minded individuals and reach out to bring others in when the time is appropriate."

Unfortunately it seems we have no sheepdogs in the upper ranks of the military willing to defend our Consitiution...the fence.

Thank you Kellene for publishing this excellent article.
I appreciate the message from Cheryl on being alone in her prepping situation. That describes my family exactly and my similar fears on a worst case scenario.
I have kind of felt like Noah when God told him to build the ark. Just keep on doing what the Lord is motivating you to do and later He will show you why He ask you to do it.
For me that has meant storing, reading, and learning to be self sufficient. I know our small family can't do it all alone if the worst times come, but I know He will keep us safe and lead us in the direction He wants us to go.
Just have faith and carry on!

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