June 22, 2025

by John Cylc

This is potentially one of the most dangerous times in United States history. Four years of wide-open borders allowed strangers from all over the world to flow into our country’s interior. Unvetted, Unchecked, Uncontrolled, and Unmonitored. Now, with the US military conducting strikes on Iran, sleeper cells, plants and just ungrateful immigrants may start trying to punish our citizens as revenge. Are you ready to protect yourself? Or your family? Or your community? You’d better get prepared.

While writing this opinion, I became aware of an attack on a Christian church in Michigan where a man started shooting during a Sunday service. Thankfully, an armed guard ended his life, and the threat. Had that congregation not been prepared, it could have been a horrendous ending. Although many religions preach peace and are opposed to armed citizens attending their services and functions, I urge people to either re-evaluate the church you attend or the rules that you willingly follow. I am not advising anyone to break the law. I am asking you to consider how you could respond to a similar incident as the one mentioned above. I have always been a firm believer of “I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6”. That statement should also reflect that it could be one of your loved ones being carried by 6, and that you failed to even attempt to stop that from happening.

I live in Constitutional Carry state of Tennessee, but prior to that happening I had a concealed carry permit for the last 15 years since I moved here. I had one in the state of Florida prior to leaving there in 2009. As a husband and father, I consider it my role to do what I can to protect my family, but I also consider my friends and other members of my community (even strangers) to be worthy of my possible protection.

I want you to read the following and share it with your family and friends, in person and on social media:

• My advice to anyone who does not own a firearm is to BUY ONE NOW. A firearm is merely a tool. It is always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Research and talk to the firearm advocates and professionals.
• My advice to anyone who has minimal or no firearm training is to GET PROFESSIONAL TRAINING NOW. Practice may not make perfect, but lack of training will guarantee unpreparedness and may actually increase the danger in which you find yourself.
• My advice to anyone who does not understand their state’s carry laws is to SPEAK TO LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT WHAT IS REQUIRED TO CARRY. Get a permit if required. Familiarize yourself with state and local laws. Follow them.
• My advice to any reader who does not carry regularly is to START DOING SO NOW. You will NEVER get advanced warning of the time that you will need to be armed, so you MUST ALWAYS be ready.
• My advice to anyone who feels that they could not kill any threat to themselves or their family, is to strongly RECONSIDER THAT THOUGHT PROCESS NOW. Your family may need you to be mentally prepared to defend them.

You cannot count on the government to protect you, even if they increase their presence. Average police response time is @3 minutes. A lot of people, including you or your family, could be harmed in that small amount of time. Remember, in a bad situation, Y-O-U are the actual “First Responder”.