BUSCH'S THEORY OF RELATIVITY
Including
A NEW APPROACH TO CONCEALED CARRY
By Richard Busch. March 31, 2021
JPFO Ambassador,
FOAC Life Member
Albert Einstein had his famous Theory of Relativity. And now it seems, I have mine. Simply put, Busch's Theory of Relativity is a step-by-step guide to how, why and what we all think, the stages we all pass through whenever we choose to carry. Hopefully, this study will help us all make smarter, more honest choices. Read along with me. I'll speak right into your ears.
AC + DC/AD ---> EDC = RDC
AC + stands for Accessible Concealability plus.
Whenever we carry, whatever we carry, and wherever we conceal it, we must be able to get to "it" quickly. With dedicated practice, we can, hopefully as close to flawlessly as possible. We have to because there is always Bad News on the horizon - The Bad Guy always has the advantage since he already knows what he's going to do, when and how he's going to do it, and in fact, is already doing something to force us into a defensive action. This sad fact is worth repeating: The Bad Guy always has the advantage! But all is not lost.
The legendary Wyatt Earp was quoted as saying "Fast is fine, but Accuracy is everything. In a gun fight, you need to take your time and be slow in a hurry." I would add the obvious, that without some speed, that all-important Accuracy may not matter! Any kind of fumbling or hesitation could prove to be, G-d forbid, injurious to one's health. Earp's good friend Bat Masterson referred to "deliberation." To quote Bat, "What I say is it's the ability to make good decisions under stress. And you don't get more stress than when somebody's shooting at you." The truth is, Wyatt Earp was not the fastest gun in the West. But he was remarkably cool under fire and that allowed his Accuracy to reign supreme. The fastest draw all by itself can easily miss the mark, and as a result, that shooter may well suffer dire consequences. Speed alone is rarely enough. The fact is, even pure blazing speed, without a great many other skills or sheer luck, always loses! Only shooting first with Accuracy, always wins!
Carrying concealed gives the Good Guy this one and only advantage ... anonymity leading to surprise. And yet, we Good Guys must pay for it by practicing to achieve a smooth, flowing, "slow in a hurry" but controlled draw and presentation, so we may combine it all into a package from accessible concealment, to draw and deployment, and then perform all the various skills to back it up and make them all count, with Accuracy. But skills are highly perishable! Perhaps the truth is found in a combination of these two very old jokes: (1) A tourist in NYC asks a LEO for directions: "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" The famous reply is: "Practice, Practice, Practice!" And (2) "If you don't use it ... you'll lose it!" Both old jokes. Both 100% true. And that's no joke!
DC/AD stands for Desired Comfort over Acceptable Discomfort.
Virtually everyone who chooses to EDC would like to do so with a high level of Desired Comfort. Absolutely true! Who wouldn't? In fantasyland, wouldn't it be great if one could carry a .45 ACP with 15 rounds and magically have the sidearm be the size and weight of a .380 ACP? If only this were possible! But alas, when we wake up from that dream each morning, we are left with reality and the laws of physics. Everyone who carries, without exception, must find a level of Acceptable Discomfort that they are willing to endure, and still be willing to carry. This level is entirely subjective as we all have different body types, ages, health considerations, etc. The rule is "carry as big as you can, and still be willing to EDC." Big, heavy "house guns" are meant to be at home or at the range. Considering that big, heavy house gun that you love to shoot your carry gun, is calamity waiting to happen. Inevitably, it will be left at home where it can't help you. This could be the biggest mistake of your life! When? On the very day when you really need it the most. Why? Because your DC/AD was not realistic. Why? Because your house gun is not a carry gun! It's too big, too heavy, not accessible, not concealable, etc. See the pattern?
We all must find our own DC/AD balance and find a greater mental comfort in knowing that when we go forth into a very dangerous and uncertain world, we do so with a higher degree of personal responsibility and safety. After all, we truly are our own first responders, and for the people we love and are with.
---> EDC = stands for implies that Every Day Carry equals
RDC stands for Relative Daily Compromise.
And that's exactly what we do. Everything about EDC is RDC. There are no exceptions. Virtually every carry choice we make today, and will ever make tomorrow and the day after that, will be a RELATIVE COMPROMISE. But they have to be honest relative compromises or else we will give up, not bother, and go out today or tomorrow, unprotected. And that G-d forbid could very well be that once in a lifetime day you train and practice for, and yet hope and pray never comes!
Our goal is to always EDC everywhere it is legal to do so. AC + DC/AD is so true! Our own subjective balance that we will actually accept and live with, plus the greater mental comfort from EDC, will be the glue that keeps us carrying all day, everyday, everywhere we can legally carry.
So many factors make it relative from one day to the next, from one person to the next, from one season to the next. Is it wintertime or summertime? Are we wearing trousers or shorts, a tee shirt or a suit coat? What is our body type? How strong is our back, our waist, our shoulders? And so forth and so on.
A young and strong, tall and thin person may well be able to accept and carry a larger semi-auto in a quality abdominal holster. An older, weaker, shorter guy with a rounded tummy ... no! There really are so many relative factors to honestly think about. EDC really does = RDC!
Carrying a "comfortable" sidearm you can handle and regularly train and practice with, plus your choice of some secondary backup tools, is a chosen way of life. It comes with a lot of responsibilties and constantly requires smart decision making!
Even if you are wearing shorts and a tee shirt, there's pocket carry (with a good pocket holster that covers the trigger guard and allows for a good master grip), a belly band holster, a deep concealment (down the leg) holster, or with a very light vest for cover, a shoulder holster or any kind of IWB or OWB holster, all good choices. If you can't carry a sidearm because of where you'll be going, I do advise always having at least "something" legal on you, even if it is only a back-up's back-up to a back-up. Even "just" a tactical pen and pepper spray (which is very popular with the ladies) or a high lumen tactical flashlight, a folder and/or neck knife, even a belt-buckle knife are all some good, better than nothing, somethings. And something is always better than nothing, to save a life. Just keep it legal and kosher, no matter how bad, irrational, and idiotic the laws may be. Elections have consequences.
But no matter what, your most powerful weapons of all, of course, are your own two eyes, two ears, plus your ever vigilant situational awareness to AVOID, AVOID, AVOID in the first place. And then, your two legs to either walk or run away. That's positively always your best option and best choice! That advice, I promise you, you can bet your life on.
AC + DC/AD ---> EDC = RDC
Accessible Concealability + Desired Comfort / Acceptable Discomfort
---> Every Day Carry = Relative Daily Compromise
So, that's my Theory of Relativity. But it's much more than a theory. It's functional. It's purposeful. It's a living, breathing part of you.
As I wrote before "Our goal is to always EDC everywhere it is legal to do so. AC + DC/AD is so true. Our own subjective balance that we will actually accept and live with, plus the greater mental comfort from EDC, will be the glue that keeps us carrying all day, everyday, everywhere we can legally carry." And that's true. But might there be a shortcut, an easier way to help us access and maximize the glue, to achieve all our aims? Indeed there is.
A NEW APPROACH TO CONCEALED CARRY
Here is a great fact and wisdom to treasure: Any thought that is truly meaningful to you in a personally important, powerful and potent way, will inevitably trump any weaker, lesser thought. In this case, minor physical discomfort. There is long-standing science and clinical, experiential wisdom behind this! In three simple words: DOMINANT THOUGHTS WIN! This is how our mind and mind/body work, how we are wired, so to speak. For our purposes, the power of your locked and loaded thoughts, when supported by your personal imagery, emotional involvement, and expectation of you and your family being safer because you EDC, when this combination is intense, your DOMINANT THOUGHTS will always trump minor physical discomfort!
I invite you now to turn your best attention to the following mental exercise. You'll need to do it a few times, every day. And, it's vitally important that you do it with all your heart. Positively no multitasking allowed! Otherwise, I guarantee you, it's going to be a complete waste of time. OK? Are you ready to learn? Oh, feel free to slightly alter these suggestions, as you wish.
Focus all your attention on how EDC makes you feel deep inside. Think about what personal security and a higher degree of relative safety are worth to you and your loved ones. What do 2A freedom and liberty mean to you? How would you feel if it was all unconstitutionally taken away from you by a tyrannical regime? Remember and honor, by picturing in your mind, the millions of fellow patriots in their blood soaked graves who gave up their lives so you would have the freedom and liberty to live as you do today, as a unique human being, a dynamic individual who lives in the greatest country in the world. You are a law-abiding citizen who loves his country, the flag, and the constitution that protects all our rights and liberties. You never forget to honor our veterans and wounded warriors who gave up so much for us. You always thank them for their service and take an extra few moments to speak with them, listen to their story, and really connect with great American heroes.
Your 2A is a symbol of your immense pride in the Two P's: Patriotism and Protection. Right as you are experiencing your highest point of involvement by visualizing and feeling the emotion of the above, tap your holstered sidearm twice, and immediately allow all those Two P feelings to resonate in you, and through you! Soon you will learn to actually feel these feelings every time you tap your sidearm twice. You really will feel it! In time, this will dramatically strengthen you and add to your resolve to overcome what used to be minor discomfort. Do this many times each day. Really learn to appreciate how this makes you feel. The time will come when this will not only guide you in making your best EDC choices, but you'll actually find yourself wanting to carry more often and longer, because it just feels so right.
Focusing on this behavioral pattern with all the imagery and feelings, with repetition, will help save lives because it will help you to make smarter, more realistic choices and stay with it longer, every day, perhaps all day! Let no man or bad law ever take away our G-d given, inalienable rights. Feel this bond and how it lives, deep inside you. It's very real. Be very proud!
Allow my suggestions, to you, to come alive, in you. How? With the repetition of your very own high powered, tactical imagery! Just reading the words here once will change absolutely nothing. You may as well be reading Chinese fortune cookies, in Chinese. If you are really serious about experiencing real change and improvement, that you will genuinely feel, then go over this many times. Really do it. Then learn to let it, do you! Feel it. Live it. Allow your own thoughts and feelings to change you! With desire, it'll happen automatically, unconsciously, out of your awareness. No need to force anything. With repetition, this process really will become a very important, vibrant part of you. And why not? It is you communicating to your own, powerful, inner self.
I am very proud, patriotically proud, to share this very insightful, hypnotic meditation with you and the 2A community, probably something new to the vast majority of you. As a retired Ericksonian clinical hypnotherapist for over 40 years, I've changed thousands of lives, in part, with this sort of mental magic. I look forward to hearing all about how your own well-aimed, high-caliber thoughts will strengthen and fortify your personal EDC habits, needs, and concerns. This is my very special tactical gift, to you. And remember ... aim well, and always keep those loaded tactical thoughts of yours, in the 10 ring!
May you never need to take any serious action when you EDC! When it comes right down to it, self-defense tools are like fire insurance ...
You should have 'em!
You should carry 'em!
Never leave home without 'em!
And hope and pray, you never need 'em!
All of our inalienable rights, including the right to self-defense, come from G-d, not man. These self-evident rights including Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness must never be allowed to be taken away by bad, man-made law nor those who would fancy themselves by being on the wrong side of it.
"In a lawful way, we will resist." ... Mark Levin
Live Well. Live Safe. Live Free.
And always remember ...
'NEVER AGAIN' IS A VERB
A CALL TO ACTION TO SAVE LIVES!
© 2021 Copyright Richard Busch
