Confederate Colonel

If we set aside the spiritual aspects and just look at the practical, the use of tools is what separates man from the animals. These are three of the most important tools that every man should own and carry.

Knife - Before the nanny-state took over, practically every boy in America - or at least every boy in The South - carried a pocket knife in his pants pocket on a daily basis. It was as normal and natural as wearing the pants that carried the knife. The usefulness of a good quality knife gives it the top spot on our list.

For most people, a medium size pocket knife is the best choice. Fixed blade knives are sturdier and better suited for many tasks, but a pocket knife is far more likely to be carried and available when needed. My own choice is the Buck Stockman.

Flashlight - The ability to see in the dark is a wonderful thing. From finding the right key and using it to open a car door, to reading the fine print in poor light, to identifying that noise you heard just before slipping off into a good night’s sleep, a good quality LED flashlight makes the number two spot on our list.

My choice for the flashlight that I carry at all times is a Fenix brand LED light powered by a single AA battery. My favorite all-purpose light is the Surefire A2. I am somewhat of a flashlight nut, so I will be quick to point out that the A2 is overkill for many folks. The Fenix or similar model would be an excellent choice.

Sidearm - The world includes a large number of truly evil people, and that number seems to be increasing at a steady rate. As society continues on its race to the bottom, the need to protect ourselves and our families and other innocents becomes ever greater. When it comes to effective personal defense, there is simply nothing that even comes close to a good quality pistol or revolver. Tasers and pepper spray have their place, but when your life or the lives of those you hold dear are being threatened, no other tool can match a sidearm in the hands of someone trained and practiced in its use.

My own choice for a personal weapon is the Smith & Wesson Model 640 - a 5-shot stainless steel revolver in .357 magnum. The caliber packs plenty of punch, yet the all-steel construction  means that recoil is still quite manageable. The rounded edges of a small revolver make it easy to conceal beneath clothing. Its internal hammer means that there is nothing to snag on clothing and makes it the ultimate in simplicity. There is nothing to think about other than safe handling, and identifying and hitting the target. It is the original point and click technology.

Something that each of these tools have in common is simplicity and reliability. Each must do its assigned task flawlessly. Make sure that you put quality first when purchasing important tools. This cannot be emphasized strongly enough. A poorly made knife will not hold an edge and can fail under stress resulting in a very nasty cut. A flashlight will not seem like such a bargin if it leaves you in the dark (it should go without saying that keeping good fresh batteries is a part of owning a flashlight). Hearing “click” instead of “bang” when you squeeze the trigger of a garage-sale bargin gun is going to leave you regretting that decision in the last few seconds of your life. Quality always pays when it comes to basic tools. There are places in life to scrimp - these are not among them.

How would you like to win one of the five new products from Vision Forum? We’re giving away one of the following (winner’s choice) to a Confederate Colonel forum member chosen at random. Please see the details at the end of this post.

*True Beauty: 8 inspiring CDs recorded at the 2008 Father and Daughter Retreat

*The 2008 Witherspoon School of Law and Public Policy: an up-to-date look at the most important constitutional battles we face, an overview of the biblical and historical foundations of Western law, and a training tool for Christians who aspire to speak with precision to the great ethical and apologetic battles of our day. This album includes 24 CDs.

*Let Freedom Ring: 13 CDs from the Philadelphia Faith and Freedom Tour

*Lights, Cameras, Action! Highlights from the 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy

*History Has Been Made: Moments and Messages from the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival: Featured Speakers & Performing Artists Include: Kirk Cameron, Dean Jones, Stephen Kendrick, the Von Trapp Children, Charlie Zahm, Voddie Baucham, R.C. Sproul, Jr., Doug Phillips, George Sarris, Kevin Swanson, Chuck Bentley, Jon Erwin, and Ted Pittenger.

How to enter

1. If you are not already, become a registered member of the Confederate Colonel forum.
2. Post to the Vision Forum Giveaway thread no later than Friday, February 27, 2009. Please do not post more than once in that thread. (Not this blog - you need to post on the forum thread!)
3. We will select one post from the thread by using the Random.org random number generator to select a post number. We will post the winner and contact him or her by the email address used during the forum registration.

Today, Barack Obama signed into law $787 Billion worth of socialism. In his comments, he said what will likely come back to haunt him:

“I don’t want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems. Nor does it constitute all of what we have to do to turn our economy around. But today does mark the beginning of the end,” the president said.

While a good argument can be made that the beginning of the end started long ago, today will surely go down in history as a major milestone in this nation’s race to the bottom.

This is what celebrity worship looked like in the 1960’s as young girls screamed and worshiped a band called The Beatles. This same group of celebrity worshipers ushered in the era of radical feminism, abortion, disdain for the traditional family structure, the “sexual revolution”, rebellion against legitimate authority, and a feminized media.

This is what celebrity worship looks like today when Obama comes to town. Draw your own conclusions.

What does your heritage mean to you? Do you see it as a part of what makes you who you are, or is it just irrelevant history? I thought about this while watching an old episode of The Waltons. It was about a Jewish family who had escaped to America from Hitler’s Germany. Out of fear, they hid their Jewish heritage until it was almost completely removed from their lives. The story, as you can imagine, revolved around rediscovering their heritage and taking pride in it.

Our heritage makes us who we are - or it does if we allow it to. By the same token, we are free to shed a negative heritage. In the SCV camp that I used to belong to, we had a true Southerner-at-heart who had a very thick yankee accent. He had rejected his yankee upbringing and adopted The South as his own. Just as an adopted child becomes a full member of his new family, he overcame his yankee heritage became a Southerner by adoption.