So, someone whose opinion I value put together a piece on the "Sheepdog" concept.
Many of you may be familiar with it, for those who aren't:
LTC (RET) Dave Grossman popularized the term when describing one of the the roles that a Vietnam veteran described to him. Essentially, normal society consists of sheep. Then you have the wolves that prey on the sheep and the sheepdogs that protect the sheep.
For more details you can go here:
On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman
I'd also recommend watching this: YouTube - "The Sheepdog Concept" by Nutnfancy
I know some don't like him, but I think he nails it in his usual long winded round about way.
Sheepdog is a term that has become much more common in firearms forums like this one and even more-so among the firearm community on youtube. Unfortunately, the term is being perverted by some in the community because some people refer to themselves as sheepdogs and those not familiar with the term see all of their "Tacticool" gear and listen to them brag about all ther cool stuff and come to equate the two.
This person was trying to explain this and make the point that sheepdog and mall ninja were not synonymous but he kind of lost his focus and missed the mark.
I figured I would give my opinion in a more illustrated format.
I my opinion, sheepdog is a state of mind. It is about being prepared and having the mindset that when a challenge arises, you step up and make a difference. In the firearm community, obvious examples are the police, military, etc. In my mind, a sheepdog can also be a civilian. An example would be someone who obtains their CHL, carries a weapon at all times, and has trained in the use of their firearm. If this type of sheepdog had been present during the recent shooting in Arizona, the outcome would have been different. Ideally IMO, half the crowd would have been sheepdogs, but I digress.
At this point, I think it is time for some illustrative examples.
This is not a sheepdog
Neither is this:
And neither is this:
However, if you are a LEO, you could be a sheepdog and look like this:
And if you are active duty, you could be a sheepdog and look like this:
However many people that look like the above two examples especially while walking around Walmart, are not sheepdogs so I understand that it can get confusing.
Let's continue.
The vast majority of sheepdogs may look like this:
Off-duty cop Feris Jones hailed as hero for foiling beauty salon shooting; NYPD IDs suspect
Or this:
Off-Duty Officer Shoots Robbery Suspect at Norms | NBC Los Angeles
Sometimes you dont even know what they look like:
Police: Homeowner Opens Fire, Shoots Burglar - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis
Man pulls own gun on armed robbery suspects - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports
Store Clerk Kills One Robbery Suspect and Injures Another | Charlotte News | Weather | Carolina Panthers | Bobcats | FOX Charlotte | NC News
Police: Gun-carrying couple stops beating
And being a sheepdog isn't always about guns. Some other fine examples of sheepdogs:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/nyregion/03life.html
Motorcyclist meets man who saved his life - Orange County Register
And some that don't need stories:
Hopefully that explains my opinion. I'd love your comments.
Many of you may be familiar with it, for those who aren't:
LTC (RET) Dave Grossman popularized the term when describing one of the the roles that a Vietnam veteran described to him. Essentially, normal society consists of sheep. Then you have the wolves that prey on the sheep and the sheepdogs that protect the sheep.
For more details you can go here:
On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs - Dave Grossman
I'd also recommend watching this: YouTube - "The Sheepdog Concept" by Nutnfancy
I know some don't like him, but I think he nails it in his usual long winded round about way.
Sheepdog is a term that has become much more common in firearms forums like this one and even more-so among the firearm community on youtube. Unfortunately, the term is being perverted by some in the community because some people refer to themselves as sheepdogs and those not familiar with the term see all of their "Tacticool" gear and listen to them brag about all ther cool stuff and come to equate the two.
This person was trying to explain this and make the point that sheepdog and mall ninja were not synonymous but he kind of lost his focus and missed the mark.
I figured I would give my opinion in a more illustrated format.
I my opinion, sheepdog is a state of mind. It is about being prepared and having the mindset that when a challenge arises, you step up and make a difference. In the firearm community, obvious examples are the police, military, etc. In my mind, a sheepdog can also be a civilian. An example would be someone who obtains their CHL, carries a weapon at all times, and has trained in the use of their firearm. If this type of sheepdog had been present during the recent shooting in Arizona, the outcome would have been different. Ideally IMO, half the crowd would have been sheepdogs, but I digress.
At this point, I think it is time for some illustrative examples.
This is not a sheepdog
Neither is this:
And neither is this:
However, if you are a LEO, you could be a sheepdog and look like this:
And if you are active duty, you could be a sheepdog and look like this:
However many people that look like the above two examples especially while walking around Walmart, are not sheepdogs so I understand that it can get confusing.
Let's continue.
The vast majority of sheepdogs may look like this:
Off-duty cop Feris Jones hailed as hero for foiling beauty salon shooting; NYPD IDs suspect
Or this:
Off-Duty Officer Shoots Robbery Suspect at Norms | NBC Los Angeles
Sometimes you dont even know what they look like:
Police: Homeowner Opens Fire, Shoots Burglar - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis
Man pulls own gun on armed robbery suspects - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports
Store Clerk Kills One Robbery Suspect and Injures Another | Charlotte News | Weather | Carolina Panthers | Bobcats | FOX Charlotte | NC News
Police: Gun-carrying couple stops beating
And being a sheepdog isn't always about guns. Some other fine examples of sheepdogs:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/nyregion/03life.html
Motorcyclist meets man who saved his life - Orange County Register
And some that don't need stories:
Hopefully that explains my opinion. I'd love your comments.