Ups and Downs

So this blog post will be a tad more personal.

I had a very exciting day today.  I got to finally see the blue prints for the new Masada Tactical, and with that I got to start ordering many of the new items for the new space, including mats, towels, more fitness equipment, office supplies, and the list goes on.  It was energizing.  I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

I am truly excited for this new venture.  I am stressing about it because I want to make sure it is just perfect.  But I am happy that I have the opportunity to do this.

Those who know me for a while know that the new Masada Tactical facility is pretty much what I always dreamed of.  There is nothing missing from this place...at least in my mind.  But as I am looking into a bright future, excited about the opportunities, I can't help but think back at the past six and a half years.

How we are still around in beyond me.  We opened Clinch and Masada in 2007, just as economy began its downward spiral.  As if that wan't enough, we faced many other obstacles, from professional to personal.  It seemed as though we were doomed from the get go.  And as much as I would like to say that it was nothing more than the fight in me that kept me going, I must admit that most of the credit goes to those who surrounded me those days and kept telling me it is all worth it.  Not sure I would have been able to make it alone.

For someone with zero management knowledge I must have done something right, because not only did we beat the statistics of most new business going under in the first three years, but we flourished and grew.  We had to relocate to accommodate the growing number of members and programs.  A "problem" we face now again as we once again grew to the point that in order to keep providing the quality of service we pride ourselves on, we must expend again.

Rocky said: "It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.  How much you can take and keep moving forward.  That's how winning is done!".  And if you won't listen to Rocky, who will you listen to?!?

We got hit.  A lot.  Financially, emotionally, physically.  But we never stayed down.  We got up and kept moving forward.  And I am proud of our collective accomplishments, because Masada isn't about me.  It is a collection of people from all different backgrounds and goals, who managed to find a passion and a family within Masada and with each other, in order to build something great.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank those who helped, supported, and held that safety net when I needed it and continue to do so today.  I want to thank Vince and Ber for making it fun to go to work every day.  I want to thank Steve for keeping me straight and focused when I needed to.  I want to thank Darrell, Cy, Ben, Josh, Billy and all of the other instructors we had over the years.  I couldn't have done it alone.  I want to thank Zalman, Shelton and Angie for doing a fine job at the reception desk.  And I want to thank Phaygi for not only being a sounding board at work, but for putting up with me at home as well...not an easy task. 

 

Lastly, I want to thank our members.  At the end of the day this is all for you.  I am privileged and humbled that you want to learn from me and our staff.  Everything we do is to better our products and services so you never doubt your decision to trust your safety, health, fitness, and happiness in us.  We do what we do because of you.

I want to leave you with this quote.  Unfortunately I don't know where it originated, but I refer to it regularly to remind myself what I stand against:

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone telling you that you are wrong. 

There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. 

To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage, dedication, perseverance, and the will to fight through knowing you are right.  

YOU WILL SUCCEED."

So come to the gym on Monday, and take a look at the blue prints for the new space.  Let us share with you the next chapter of our journey.  And we look forward to spending many more classes, happy hours, cups of coffee, and other occasions with you all.

Stay safe,

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein

Masada Tactical

Prepping...not just against zombies anymore

When people ask me about preparedness I admit that I try to do some advance planning.  I am not building bunkers, or moving "off the grid", but I do think that some general safety precautions are most definitely required.

No, I truly don't think the living dead will be coming after me.  At least not in the sense that the media has had us think of it.  Reality is that "zombies", as in mindless ravenous entities, are already among us, trolling within arm's reach of the general populous.

For me zombies are those who in a whim will not hesitate to think twice about breaking an entry, stealing what they need, and possibly hurting those in their way.  I am talking about drug addicts, mentally disturbed individuals, and even those who suffer from poverty and who, when cornered, may need to fend for themselves to survive.

There are many reasons why a person, who may under most circumstances be law-abiding, will become a predator.  Most will do so out of a protective drive.  Out of the need to protect themselves and the ones they love.  Others will just do it to take advantage of a situation that affords little protection to those they can prey on.  But what will cause a person to cross that line?  History teaches us that it doesn't have to be a viral attack that leaves these people mindless.  We have seen occurrences happen after most every social, economical, political, and environmental collapse.

Remember Hurricane Katrina?  Massive flooding left thousands stranded, stores abandoned, and a playground for those who took advantage of it.

How about the economic collapse of 1929?  Again, many were left homeless, desperate, and with little to lose.

Examples go on and on.  It seems as though almost daily we hear about a natural disaster in one place or another, from floods to storms and fires.  We hear about civil uprising which isn't that civil after all, leaving people raped, beaten and stripped of all belongings and dignity.  We hear about stock markets crashing, tribal wars, racial discrimination, and many other ailments of our modern lifestyle that one can see how simple it is for a person to go over the edge.

So how can you defend yourself, without resorting to shooting a zombie in the head?  Well, you can invest a little in enhancing your home security.  Make sure that your house is not the one broken into.  Get a dog.  make sure that crucial items are always stocked and secure.  Make a plan to leave town if the situation warrants it.  Know where you will go and how you will get there.  Find like minded people to help you.

The CDC used Zombies as means of educating the general population on general safety and preparedness.  Follow some of their tips to enhance your current safety level.  

So invest a little time and effort in pre-planning for what is more likely and inevitability rather than a probability.  Have a plan to remain safe when the rest of civilization is starting to feed on your like.

Stay safe,

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein

Masada Tactical

The Benefits and Limitations of Self-Defense tools

Last week a news crew came to Masada Tactical to discuss our opinion of a new self-defense tool that hit the market.  It is a cellphone that doubles as a stun-gun.  This is not a new invention.  We have seen many fake phones that are actually stun-guns, as well as cases for cellphones that act as stun-guns.  But for whatever reason, this one has been making some headlines.

The question was straight forward: do we think, as self-defense instructors and professionals, it is a good idea?

As the case often times is, the answer could not be black or white, but rather a shade of grey.  Reality is that most tools out there have their benefits and potential risks.

For all intensive purposes the discussion is not limited solely to "cellphones gone wild", but is extended to OC sprays (pepper sprays), knives, batons, and an array of other products that have been developed and marketed as the ultimate self-defense tools.

Following are my two cents on the subject.

First and foremost, no matter how effective the tool may be, if you, as the defender, have little to no resolution to win the fight, the tool is pointless and will do you little good.  If at the moment of truth you freeze, fail to utilize your skills and tools, or just assume the fetal position and wait for the nightmare to be over, having a tank at your disposal won't help you.  As the saying goes:

Next, we must understand that every tool we carry and are ready to deploy can be taken away from us and used against us.  This is especially true to knives and stun guns.  An integral part of any training program that teaches how to use those tools must include lessons in retaining it.  Once taken away from a person trying to defend him/her self, the tool will most likely be used against him/her.  in the case of OC spray, the tool doesn't even have to be taken away from the defender.  Once the spray has been released it will disperse in whichever direction the wind blows, contaminating everything and everybody around...including the defender!  If you carry OC but never got sprayed you are up for a rude surprise when you decide to use it.

Next come the understanding of how your self-defense tool actually works, and as importantly what the different measurement units are.  OC spray is measured in Scoville Units.  Most are 2,000,000 units...but not all.  And out of that the percentage (concentration) varies as well.

People always discuss stun guns and their voltage, but reality is the voltage matters much less than the amperage they actually transmit.  Do you know the differences, or what each means?  research it...I don't have enough space to cover it all.  You may think you have the best tool out there, when in reality it may just be a very good marketing ploy by the seller.  Do your homework.  Don't fall prey to this guy...!

Lastly, did you consider the legal aspect of using the tools?  Are you allowed to use a "less than lethal" weapon?  Pay attention, the language does not state Non-Lethal, but rather "Less than Lethal".  A chance still exists that your actions can take another person's life.  As a general rule you are expected to use a level of force equal or less to that used against you.  Unless you can articulate your actions, we may have an issue.  

In your research of the differences between voltage and amperage you should take a second and also research your state's opinion regarding the Castle doctrine and the Stand Your Ground provision.  Hint: MD is not very accommodating to either.

Are you even allowed to carry a self-defense tool? Here's an example: OC is legal in MD, however, Baltimore City proper has a city ordinance that prohibits carrying it.  Are you aware of the legal right to carry and use the tool you so choose to have on you? What if your assailant has a reaction to the tool (allergy, cardiac, etc.) and dies?  Can you support your case in court? 

Can you live with yourself?

The goal of this blog is not to scare you or tell you that you shouldn't carry any tools.  Those who know me know that I am armed, and I am a big fan of tools that can keep me safer.  But I take the time to train with each tool I carry, understand the legal ramifications, and know when I should and when I shouldn't utilize it.

So what should you do?  Begin by training your mindset.  Our classes are designed to make warriors. Skills are secondary to mindset.  Then learn to use your personal weapons: hands, feet, etc.  You may or may not have your taser/stun-gun/OC-spray/knife/club/bazooka/B-2 bomber on you when you get attacked...but hopefully you always have your limbs.  And if you choose to carry a weapon, learn how to use it properly, retain it, and use judgement in utilizing it.

Join us on Sundays at 11:30 for our weapon classes.  Learn how to use knives and sticks to protect yourself.  And learn all the "other stuff" that goes around it too!

As always, Stay safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical

Going Biblical

Our gym has a couple of biblical sayings painted on the walls. They are there for a reason as they represent the mindset and philosophy of what we stand for. The sayings are:

"The Guardian of Israel will not sleep nor slumber" (Psalms 121), and "My rock that trains my hand for war, my fingers for battle" (Pslams 144).

It is easy to get caught up in the religious and metaphysical aspect of any biblical statement, and especially these two. But if we take a second look, can we actually learn something practical from them? The answer of course is: yes we can!

Think about what we do at Masada each and every day. We train. We train hard. And we do so with a purpose. Many heard me speak of the Sheepdog mentality, a term coined by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman who spoke of sheep (general populous), wolves (the "bad guys") and the sheepdogs (the protectors of the sheep from the wolves).

We teach skills that can hurt, maim, and even kill another human being. But we never take it for granted, and furthermore we teach how to utilize those skills in order to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community. It may not be Israel in the pure sense of the saying, but for us, Israel refers to our brothers and sisters here in the USA, just as much as it does in Israel the country.

To drive this point home even further: we have all heard in recent days about the "Knockout Game".  What few realize is that the game has been around for a while. It is not a new thing. And it is not a game, but rather a racially motivated hate crime. Targets are black people, Jews, and other minorities. Our "Israel" is right here in our back yards, and we vow to guard the people we care about.

But it is one thing to want to guard and protect, and another to have the skills to actually do it. At the end of the day, that is what we do at Masada. We train. We train your "hands and fingers" for war. We provide you with skills, a gym to get stronger, and drills to improve your situational awareness  and tactical analysis abilities. We train. We teach you how to strike and kick, and how to defend against various types of attacks. We train.

So we dug deeper, can the scripture, that has been handed down from generation to generation give us actual skills? We found out that the list was long, from describing strikes to weapon fighting skills, and even tactics for how to wage war. But we liked one specifically. This one is taken from the Talmud, which is the basis for Judaic law. The statement is Aramaic and reads "דבתר רישא גופא אזיל" which translates into: After the head the body goes. Or, the way we say it in classes, where the head goes the body follows. When trying to control another person, control their head and you can take them down, pick them up, or take them out all together.

So stay sharp, train your hands for combat and your fingers for war and guard your "Israel".

As always, stays safe. 

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein

Masada Tactical

Soft, Hard, or in between?

Fighting, at its core, and as we concluded after watching thousands of hours of videos and reading reports from police, military, and other experts, boils down to brawling.  Thats pretty much it.  One can spend years practicing an art, but when the moment comes, and that primal instinct kicks in, we do what every animal has always done: we brawl.

When we teach self-defense in our classes we realize a few critical things:

1. For most, the minimal training they receive by us is all they will ever get.  
2. Most people won't, nor should they, ever get into a fight.
3. Many of our members, even after all of our best intentions and efforts, will just not be as proficient as others.

Reality is that when we teach a skill we try to make sure two things happen: 1) our students cause as much damage on their opponent as they can, and 2) they cause as little damage as they can on themselves.  Because at the end of the day, when you fight you will get hurt.  It's the nature of the encounter, and we must expect it, accept it, deal with it, and move on.

Our body, as is that of your opponent, is comprised of different types of tissue, from hard substances such as bones, to soft components such as organs, and some are in between such as muscle tissue (which some have more than others).

whoever designed our bodies (I will not dwell into evolution, creation, or other theories here) did a pretty awesome job.  It's amazing to learn how everything works, and how every little aspect of our being has a function and a goal.  For example, our skull is designed to protect our brain.  It is a strong bone.  It does a pretty good job at its intended mission.  Which is why punching at the skull makes little sense…unless of course you want to break your hand.  

Going back to our previous point, if you want to create as much damage on your opponent as possible, while minimizing how much damage is done to you, you must be accurate in your delivery of strikes.  You must allocate the right tool to the right target.

Hence our rule: if you are targeting something hard, hit with something soft.  If you are targeting something soft, hit it with something hard.  A few examples: if you are striking at a bone, hit with a meaty part of your limb (palm, bottom of your fist, etc.).  If you are hitting at a soft target, like someone's gut, then hit them with a hard weapon, such as your fist or knee.

Hitting a hard surface with another hard surface will degrade the fight into a physics equation where the more dense material will remain intact while the less dense will break.  It is as simple as that.

Lessons to take away:

1. when your instructor tell you to strike in a different manner, or to defend in a slightly different angle, listen to him/her!
2. stop punching at your partner's head.  you'll break your hand if that was a real fight.
3. don't punch at their behinds either…it's sexual harassment…not an effective target.
4. there's a reason we say a proper punch should be executed with the top two knuckles.  Avoid that boxer's fracture.
5. wear your shin pads!

As always, stay safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein

Masada Tactical

Is that a gun in your pocket? ...Or are you just happy to see me?

Staring down at the muzzle of a gun is scary.  There are few things that would get you blood to freeze faster than facing an armed assailant.

We teach weapon disarms, from edged weapons and blunt objects to firearms, including handguns and rifles.  We even teach how to disarm a person armed with a hand grenade…although, if you get to that point you probably signed up for it and your hazardous pay increase is making sense just about now.  But the reality is that whenever possible we prefer you didn't use them.  There is always an inherit risk when attempting a disarm, and although we have absolute faith and confidence in our skills, we prefer you don't have to prove us right.  As a side note, we have a few documented incidents of members executing our skills and live to talk about it.  To date we have zero failures…we don't want you to be the first though.

There are several steps you can take to avoid facing an armed assailant to begin with, because as you know, prevention is always better than having to deal with the situation…says the father of two.

The first thing you should keep in mind is that the more you know about a location, route, or person the better decisions you can make.  For example, you have no business walking around certain neighborhoods on Baltimore City late at night, unless of course you are making a buck in the process, in which case, it's all on you buddy.  If you don't put yourself in those situations to begin with, you are decreasing your chances of having to deal with an unfortunate event.

Decreasing the chances doesn't mean eliminating them though.  As we know, misfortune can strike anywhere and at anytime, targeting anybody.  Just because we tried to avoid trouble, doesn't mean trouble will avoid us.  Mr. Murphy is a pain in the behind, isn't he?  Yet, once again, prevention is key.  Situational awareness is a skill you should master.  There are various steps you can take to improve your situational awareness, but the best is always to practice it.  when you go out, make an effort to notice people, places, points of interest and points of egress.  Do you recall what the person standing by the entrance wore?  or what car was parked next to yours?  How many guys had their pants below their butt level?  And when did the last stripper leave the club?  By practicing these skills you'll become better at it.

So you tried to avoid entering a bad situation.  You even maintained a high level of situational awareness.  Yet, someone gets in your face and seems pretty agitated.  It turns out you were looking at his girlfriend for a second too long, or at least so he thinks.  No need to A-frame kick him just yet…remember, he may have a weapon, and kicking him may just agitate him even more.  Verbal de-escalation skills are a good tool as well.  They don't always work, but they sure do worth a try.  Get creative, make them laugh, don't argue, and avoid combative phrases.  Hopefully he will leave you alone and go back to his girlfriend, that is by this point truly impressed with you…but we won't tell the guy about that right now.

It's just not your day!  You did everything right and yet you find yourself staring down a muzzle, which from your angle seems the size of a cannon.  This is when remembering the difference between a primary crime scene and a secondary crime scene may come in handy.  As your memory flashes to what BK was talking about in class the other day, you remember that if demands are made at the initial point of contact, yet there is no effort to relocate you, your chances of survival are pretty high if you comply.  Turns out assailants are, at the end of day, just bullies hiding behind a gun.  They really don't have the guts nor do they want to shoot you anymore than you want to get shot.  give them your wallet, your car keys, your 1980 calculator watch.  None of that is worth the potential aftermath.  However, if your mugger decides he wants to move you, be it into an alley, into a car, into your house, or into the Playboy mansion, wherever, something bad is brewing (well, maybe not so bad at the mansion).  DON'T GO!  Your chances of survival as it turns out are greater if you fight them right there and then.  once moved to a secondary crime scene those survival rates drop significantly.

This is not the time nor place to learn how to execute the many types of weapon disarm.  However, if you remember the following two rules you are likely to survive the encounter:  when facing a firearm, make sure to get out of the line of fire (redirect the muzzle off of you), and stay out of the line of fire (control the weapon).  By following these rules and being as violent and aggressive as you possibly can, you will live to see your family and loved ones!

As always, stay safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical

Who is Mr. Hick?

In our classes, whether at the studio or when training professional warriors, we often times refer to "Hick's Law". But what does this law say, and how does it apply to us?

At its simplest form and definition the law simply states that the more skills a person know the slower his/her reaction time.  Mr. Hick came at this conclusion when he was timing a student who only knew one way to defend a strike. The defense was instinctive and rapid because the defender knew no other response option. As soon as the student was shown a second way to defend a strike the reaction time slowed. The defender now had a choice to make, and even though we are talking about fractions of a second, it is still a slow down of the response time.  By further extending and increasing the number of defenses taught to the student, Mr. Hick was showing a correlation between the number of skills known and the response time, essentially showing that response slowed down exponentially as the number of options grew.

The way we train matters. We must keep in mind that in a true violent encounter many of the "luxuries" we take for granted in training will not be available to us, including: a compliant partner, ultimate environmental setting (gym), and most importantly: Time. The time it may take your brain to process an attack and figure out the right response option may be too long. And that just isn't acceptable. In order to overcome this issue we must follow a simple rule in training: Hick's Law. We must teach the least amount of skills possible that we can use in the most amount of situations. Thus, if and when attacked, our brain retrieves the necessary defense in a relative swift manner.

There are self defense systems that teach multiple ways to defend against different attacks, even when those attacks are similar and could be addressed in one cohesive manner. For example, there are systems that teach one defense against a choke from one direction, a different defense if the choke is being placed from a different angle, yet another if the choke involves a push, pull, or an object. The se are too many variables to consider when your life is measures in milliseconds. Again, time is a luxury not available to those who are faced with a need to preserve their lives NOW.

In ICS we take every step possible to evaluate and re-evaluate, and change our curriculum to keep simplifying response options, so when the need arises and our students are faced with a true threat then the response is immediate. Using choke defense again as an example, we teach only one way to defend against it, regardless of direction, obstacles, momentum, etc., it's always the same: stab one arm straight up, and turn to place that arm between you and the opponent. In addition to being one skill only we also assure that the skill is not strength dependent, that it is gross motor skill oriented, and that it is easy to recall under stress. Hick's Law in action.

So next time you evaluate a skill ask yourself "Is it in line with Hick's Law?"  If you learn one skill that you can apply in multiple situations you are one step ahead of the curve.

Thank you Mr. Hick.

As always, stay safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical

When things go wrong

You all know me,I don't shy away from statin my views on a wide array of topics.  And this blog post was about to go the route of another political rant. But the honest truth is that the points below have nothing to do with politics, zombies, or the world coming to end. It has everything to do with our mission here at Masada Tactical.

Masada Tactical was established to provide people from all walks of life with the tools to protect themselves. We obviously began by teaching ICS as means of providing everybody with the tools to defend themselves and their loved ones when facing violent encounters. But we have since grown to teach so many additional tools to truly make you safer in any situation.

As 2013 comes to an end we can see turmoil brewing all over the world. We can also expect weather and climate to continue to be crazy with unpredictability. Maybe zombies are coming after all.

As means to enhance the safety of our members and friends we continue our tradition of self-protection seminars with some excellent informative classes that truly get you thinking, planning and prepared to whatever your perceived threat/risk may be.

We will be holding a Basic Handgun Seminar, followed by an Advance Hndgun Seminar. We are also holding an Emergency Medicine Seminar, and our famous SERE Seminar. The knowledge you'll gain from taking these classes may just save your life one day.

For more information Contact Us

As always, stay safe.
Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical

State of the Union...sort of

It's been a while.  I apologize.  Not to make excuses, but things have been busy...very busy.  So here I am, back here to give you a recap of where I've been, what the company has been up to, and most importantly where we are heading and what that means to you.

On a personal level, I have been busy with my growing family.  Last January we welcomed our new son,and things haven't been the same since.  You should all look forward to seeing him teaching classes at the gym in let's say...2-3 years?  Maybe a tad longer...maybe.

Professionally things couldn't have been better.  For those who don't know yet, the gym had been expanding to the point that some classes are beyond capacity.  This doesn't mean we have been turning people away.  Not at all.  Rather we looked for ways to make the experience even better for our members.  So, we found a new space, over twice the size of our current space.  The new space will have multiple training rooms, so we can run more than one class at a time.  The exercise gym area will be larger.  We are looking to put a dedicated classroom, babysitting service, larger pro-shops, and...showers!  We are moving up in the world.

With this expansion we have a challenge for our members: as you walk into the gym you will see a "Thermometer".  We set up a goal of 100 new members to make the move to the new space smooth, fun, and most of all keep energy level up.  We ask that every member refers one new member to join.  If you like the classes, think self-defense and health and fitness are important, then share your experiences with a friend or family member, drag them with you to try a class, and help us grow so we can add classes, amenities, and much more.

With the above "Thermometer" you should also remember that for every member you refer and joins you will be getting a FRRE month of membership.  If you refer six new members the next year is on us!!!

Moving on to other aspects of the company.  In 2013-2014 Masada Tactical will be teaching classes at at least three of the most prestigious tactical conferences.  We will also continue teaching Instructor courses and assuring that police officers and military personnel have the best skills possible to defend themselves and protect the public.

 

 

In an effort to assure safe work environments we have created new programs for hospitals.  We now teach clinical staff at multiple hospitals how to better protect themselves against violent attacks.  We also work with several schools on designing and implementing security measures to better defend and protect against mass-shooting events.  If your organizations, regardless of the industry, would like us to assist you with your workplace violence prevention programs just let us know.

Our security division has just finished running the forth Dignitary Protection course.  We have one more scheduled in 2013.  We are currently working closely with a few different clients on providing security and dignitary protection services worldwide.

As we continue pushing on we look forward to keep providing the best training, facilities, and programs for all of our members and clients.

As always, stay safe!

Sincerely,
Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical

Politically Incorrect

I took a little leave of absence. Much of it was due to necessity as many good things happened in my life: we had our son, the company has been growing, I was traveling, etc.  

In addition, during the past few months events took place worldwide that I thought my commenting on would be pre-mature or inappropriate.  

I will not go here on a rant about my feelings about gun control, how I think we should address school violence incidents, or the truly unstable situation in Syria. I have made those points clear in the past. What I do want to discuss is what many consider taboo, and that is my political inclinations. I believe that by stating my opinions many of my actions and views would become clearer. 

I am a conservative. I am a republican. I am a patriot.

I am a republican not because I believe they are without their faults, but rather because they are less of "an evil" to me than the Democratic Party. Reality is that if there was a more moderate center in the United States it would possibly be a better fit, specifically in regards to social issues. However, the American way dictates two strong parties, thus not allowing smaller ones to truly influence their agenda. So one is forced to choose, and to choose one must. Because saying that neither is good and not voting at all, or just sitting in the corner whining about it isn't an option either. 

Here is why I am a Republican:

I am a capitalist. I am a small business owner who has worked hard to build what I have and I would like to keep it. I don't believe my hard work should pay for those less fortunate. I don't believe that taxing me more to pay for illegal immigrants, homeless people, and to support all those inner city thugs is the right way. 

There are people who are truly poor and need assistance. But the majority of people on social aid are those who learned how to "work the system." I see pimps with their Mercedes Benz and latest smart phone use food stamps. I see illegal immigrants go to school on full scholarships. And I wonder who pays for all of that? We have a bankrupt economy who works hard to support those who make little effort to contribute, on the expense of those who do. 

Immigration is fine. I did it. But I did it legally. I went through the process. And I am a contributing citizen to this country. We are the only country in the world that supports illegal activity. Not to mention that much of that activity is now associated with gangs (MS-13 from El-Salvador for example), drugs (Mexican cartels), human trafficking, and more. 

I believe the United States can stop spending money on those who don't deserve it and instead put processes in place to encourage small businesses to grow, reward those who contribute (like our GIs), and place better checks and balances on who is getting social aid. If you are on drugs, a criminal, or otherwise a threat to society, then the government should not be the one bailing you out so you can spend your drug earned money on...well, more drugs. 

I am a Realist. Realism is a school of thought in international relations. It is based on the projection of Power. Power can be exerted via different means, from military power to economical manipulation. It is how the United States became a super power to begin with. 

There was a time that nations around the globe listened to what we had to say. They worked hard to gain our support. Today, they don't care. Today we have nations like Iran threaten the USA on a regular basis. We have a president who bows to foreign rulers (such as Japan and Saudi Arabia)...which is against the code of conduct. We have a weak nation that still thinks it is a super power but in reality is the mocking joke of the world. 

In years past if someone threatened the USA, the president bombed them. If someone took a stand against the USA or its policy, we took away their financial aid. Today we provide terror groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood with F-16s. This makes little sense to me. Does no one think that these sophisticated war machines can be used against the USA or America infrastructures in the Middle East?

I am a Patriot.  True, I wasn't born in this country, but ever since I moved here I have done everything I can to support it, and specifically it's military and peace keepers. I train many of them, often times for free. I assist, consult, and donate to the best of my ability. When the US Armed Forces are criticized from within, when events such as the Benghazi attacks are swept under the rug as if nothing wrong was done, and when US soldiers are used as bargaining chips, it bothers me. When the president says he killed Bin-Laden it bothers me. Mr. President, you didn't kill anyone.  SEAL Team 6 did. 

I don't even want to go into all of our veterans coming back and the government turning its back on them. Yes, I believe we can use them, as in putting them to protect our schools. You get professionals who need a job and we can save money on trying to enforce legislation that has been proven in other countries to not work. It's a win-win.

Our founding fathers were a smart group of individuals. Much smarter than me, much smarter than you, and by far smarter than our president. The constitution and the bill of rights were written in a deliberate manner and with a purpose. The main objective of the constitution was to provide the American people with FREEDOM. Freedom to practice religion, freedom to say what the hell they want, and freedom from overly intrusive governments. 

The government is suppose to provide processes so that we, the citizens, can make our own choices, make our mistakes, enjoy the fruits of our labor, or suffer the consequences of failure. When I am taxed to no end to support those who choose to not work, or when my right to bear arms is limited in any way shape or form, or when I am not allowed to say "Merry Christmas" (even though I'm Jewish) because it may be politically incorrect,I find it to be an issue. 

Personal accountability and over sensitivity have gone too far. Let me live my life and I won't interfere with yours!  

So...to sum it up: let me keep the money I work hard for, and set better processes to eliminate social waste.  Start acting like a super-power again before it is too late and for God's sake, let me keep my guns and second amendment rights as a law-abiding citizen.  Start enforcing the laws that are already in place!