02Nov04

Sage observation from a good friend and colleague:

"This morning's news indicates that 'insurgents' surrounded and attacked a corporate facility in Baghdad, taking hostage (no doubt for later video beheading) several corporate employees, and killing two others, an Iraqi and an American security officer. However, one corporate employee, who was armed and 'fired back,' escaped capture.

This represents an important reaffirmation of things we already know to be true. Even if this corporate employer prohibited the carrying of firearms, as many do, and even if this employee is fired for doing so, he is, no doubt, glad to have been armed when he needed to be!"

Comment: At the 2004 NTI, one live-fire drill required participants to escape from a building during a terrorist attack. Even under these circums tances, many players still hesitated to open doors marked "No Admittance" or "Employees Only," when those directions clearly led to safe exits. They were blindly unable to shed the ubiquitous "Is it okay if I do this?" chasteness, even during a life-threatening emergency. Many, after the drill, were plainly embarrassed by their naive foolishness.

Once again, their world is defined by "rules." OURS ISN'T!

/John