Free Burma Rangers in the Middle East

Two years ago today, I published a post about the Free Burma Rangers, a group dedicated to the security and safety of the persecuted ethnic minority groups in Miyanmar (Burma). David Eubank, their leader has expanded their work beyond the borders of Burma into Africa and the Middle East.

The video below details their activity in Mosul, earlier this year. An incredible sheepdog ministry.

Sheepdogging It

I drove my wife and daughter to English Country Dancing last night. The past few months they have gone without me. As an introvert, I get pretty much all the social interaction I need living with my wife and an adult daughter.

Earlier this week, though, Laura mentioned to me her concerns over security during the Friday evening dances. I told her that I would drive and watch the door from the parking lot. During my time in the ministry, I had pulled quite a few security gigs, to support my family (and my preaching habit), so I knew the job description.

I took along my laptop, figuring to connect through the free WiFi at McDonald's right next door to the Baptist Church building where they held the monthly folk dances. The signal proved too weak for me to access the web, so I settled in to spend the next three hours just watching.

There's a big difference between watching and just waiting. When you watch, you notice things.

I had picked a spot where I could monitor the one unlocked door as well as the fenced-in area behind the building. A couple of boys, whose parents had come to dance, played outside, occasionally joined by some other children from inside. I noticed, disapprovingly, that the gates on either side of the area stood wide open.

I knew from past experience that pedestrians sometimes cut through that yard as a shortcut. Did their parents not see the open gates? Did they not think to close them before turning their sons loose outside? Well, no matter. I was there. Standing watch.

Laura later told me that the boys' father kept looking out to check on them. He still should have closed the gates.

After a while, the thunder and lightning started. (Why do we say, "thunder and lightning?" The lightning always comes first.) The boys went inside, and I changed my vantage point. Then came a bright flash followed by loud CRACK, and the lights went out.

The traffic light on the corner still worked as did some stadium lights a little way off, but the parking lot lights had gone black. I got out of the van as the rain began to fall more heavily. I had my flashlight in case folks needed to see to exit the building. When I got to the glass door, I could see through the window in the inner door that the building had not lost its lights.

When I looked up, I could see the sodium pole lamps already starting to come back on. I returned to the van, pelted by cool drops that felt good after the humidity and triple-digit heat of the day.

In the course of the evening, some cars pulled into the lot to drop off late comers. One lady exited the door, got into a car and drove away, evidently after dropping off passengers. Then she returned later to pick them up. I wondered if any of them saw me.

I wondered if any of them questioned the presence of an old guy sitting in a van in the lot, just watching. Did the warning light flash in anyone's head? Not likely. Most folks pass through the parking lot the way they pass through life. Things around them never register.

Last night I stood watch. Not for pay. Not because anyone asked me. I stood watch because . . . it's just. . . what I do.

Free Burma Rangers: Mission in the Midst of War

In 2010, I wrote about the Christian tribal people of Burma fighting to survive a genocidal war waged by the central government of that country. (see Christian Freedom Fighters in Burma & the sequel)

The interview below reveals the testimony and ministry of former Army Ranger and Green Beret, David Eubank. It tells of his calling and present work among the beleaguered ethnic minorities of Burma.

The video will engage you, and you will count the half hour it takes as well spent.



To learn more, click here: Free Burma Rangers

Church Violence in Charleston

The official said the assailant methodically kept firing and reloading. (From an L.A. Times article)

My barber emailed me about this incident and called the shooter "another robot". It seems these lone gunmen go off the reservation at times a little too convenient to the liberal anti-gun agenda. Yes, my barber is a little paranoid. It's one of the things I really like about him.

Aside from all the impassioned liberal propaganda that will try to take this tragedy and turn it into political hay, I think we need to face some tactical realities. Below you will find the text of an email I sent to my pastor a little while ago.

Pastor,

I'm sure you are aware of the terrible incident at the AME church in Charleston where a white man shot nine people at a Wednesday evening service. Although that particular shooting probably had racial motivations, it serves to underscore the fact that shootings happen more often in churches than in schools.

http://www.carlchinn.com/Deadly_Force_Incidents.html

As you know, the session of our church has given me express permission as a CCP holder to carry concealed in our church building. I have done so faithfully, and I want you to know my standard security practices.

I sit in the back row for a reason. From there, a simple turn of the head allows me to see whenever I hear one of the rear doors to the sanctuary open. Nevertheless, I think I will move back to the first row of the alcove where T__ & B___ used to sit. This will allow me an even better vantage point for all three entrances to the sanctuary.

Just so you know, I worship tactically. I have tried to cultivate the habit of always holding my hymnbook in my left hand, in case I need to access my weapon with my right. Any time I hear movement during prayer, I open my eyes to find the source. While I'm not a great multi-tasker, I believe the Lord will not count it against me if I spend a little more time during the service with my eyes open.

I also want to make this pledge to you: To show up at services both ready to worship my God and to serve as a sheepdog for His flock. To come with both my heart and my weapon clean and ready, and my skills current.

I realize that I am not present at every church function, so I would like to suggest that you bring up to the session the need for security plans, procedures and policies along with sufficient training to implement them.

As we recently discussed, our society finds itself shifting in a negative attitude toward Christians in general. It is my hope that you and the session will give church security some serious thought in light of this. Let me know if I can help in any way.

For Crown & Covenant,

In case you haven't figured it out, protecting the flock isn't just something you do; it involves who you are on a deep level. 

Sheepdogs and Wolves in Uniform, 2

Sexual misconduct is the second highest of all complaints nationwide against police officers, representing 9.3 percent in 2010, according to an unofficial study.

In 2010, 354 of the 618 complaints involved non consensual sexual acts, and over half of those involved were minors.

Earlier this month we reported on an officer in charge of a rape case who is accused of stalking and sexually harassing the victim.

Last month Oklahoma made headlines with three serial rapists in 3 weeks, all officers, as well as one police chief molesting children.

In July, a former New York Police Department officer convicted of planning to kidnap and rape women before killing and eating them was set to go free after a federal judge overturned his conviction. (From article, "Former Cop Headed to Trial for Raping a Child While Other Officers Watched")

Continued from "Sheepdogs and Wolves in Uniform"

(Wikimedia Commons photo by Gunnar Ries)

Violent predators in uniform: we might call them wolves in sheepdogs' clothing. And deployment overseas gives them ample opportunity to act out their sickest fantasies while operating amid the chaos of war. 

The gun and the uniform provide the wolf with the power and the illusion of legitimacy he needs to get away with his crimes. Because of expediency or ignorance, his superiors may even find his service commendable.

When the wolf in uniform returns to civilian life, he has choices to make. If he continues his sociopathic behaviors as a civilian, he risks exposure, prison or even death. But one option remains open.

Most, if not all, police departments, give preference to hiring veterans. The violent, predatory vet thus has a better-than-average chance of gaining what he wants and needs most: power over the helpless wrapped in a blanket of legitimacy. In other words, society offers him a gun and a badge.

Col. Dave Grossman makes the point that sheepdogs gravitate toward careers in law enforcement. Sadly, it's only natural for wolves, as well.

Back in the 1970's, the movie Serpico highlighted the career of an honest cop who made his stand against corruption in the New York City Police Department. Nearly 80 now, Frank Serpico has written an article about the problem of criminal officers and the police culture that protects and nurtures them.

Serpico's article unfolds against the backdrop of the recent North Charleston, SC incident in which Officer Michael Slager shot Walter Scott eight times in the back, and then he dropped his Taser near the body to bolster his claim that Scott had wrested control of it from him.

The article makes some telling points:

If you think that what happened in North Charleston is a unique case, it is not. Only recently, in another case, a policewoman in Pennsylvania first Tasered a black man, then shot him twice in the back as he lay face down in the snow. She was chasing him for an expired parking sticker. There were five seconds between shots. She said she feared for her life. It was captured on her own Taser camera.

I’ve been saying this for a long time, ever since I spoke before the Knapp Commission investigating corruption in the NYPD more than 40 years ago: Unless we create an atmosphere where the crooked cop fears the honest cop, and not the other way around, the system will never change. Unless honesty is rewarded more often than corruption, the police will lose credibility altogether. I wrote a letter to President Bill Clinton in 1994 addressing this very issue, saying that honest cops have never been rewarded, and maybe there ought to be a medal for them. He wrote back, but nothing changed.

Now, in the era of citizen videotaping, police credibility is at stake as never before. If enough testi-lying is uncovered, then who is going to believe the police even when they are telling the truth? They will be seen as crying wolf.

Until now, the shoot-first-in-fear-of-my-life mantra has eliminated any cause for concern in the taking of life by police. When a civilian commits a crime, every nuance is looked at, the better to “throw the book at” the suspect. When cops err, it is the opposite reaction. Eyes are averted, aggravating circumstances are ignored. And now the public is learning about this every time a new videotape emerges that undermines the official police story.

There is only one solution: The good cops really have to step up, and the system needs to reward them, rather than punish them. (From article: "When Cops Cry Wolf", Politico Magazine)

Okay, what's the bottom line, here? I would like to see my fellow conservative Christians adopt the following principles and apply them in the way they react, think and speak about accusations of police violence.

1) Although not all police accused of brutality are guilty, neither are all innocent. Do not automatically take up a side when accusations surface.

2) We see enough corruption in the ranks of the police to know that they will lean much further toward justifying one of their own than bringing charges against him. Do not uncritically accept official statements that justify an officer's actions.

3) Recognize that, "With great power comes great responsibility." If anything, the powers granted to an officer should require higher standards of behavior than those imposed upon the average citizen (e.g.,  If a private citizen should burn for shooting a suspect in the back, the same should hold true for law enforcement -- perhaps more so.)

4) Commit yourself to the truth rather than opposition to the other end of the political spectrum. If the knee-jerk liberals automatically assume an officer's guilt, don't take the opposite position out of misplaced loyalty to your party or your ideology. Don't fall into the trap of making each individual police act a political issue. It's an issue of truth and justice, not politics.

For further reading, I recommend Frank Serpico's article, "The Police are Still Out of Control".

Sheepdogs and Wolves in Uniform

As a youngster, I would watch a war movie and ask my dad which were the good guys. My dad, a WWII vet tried to explain to me that it's not that simple.

Consider the following quote:

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) indicates that the incidence of "anti-social personality disorder" (that is, sociopaths) among the general population of American males is approximately 3 percent. These sociopaths are not easily used in armies, since by their very nature they rebel against authority, but over the centuries, armies have had considerable success at bending such highly aggressive individuals to their will during wartime. So if two out of three of this 3 percent were able to accept military discipline, a hypothetical 2 percent of soldiers would, by the APA's definition, "have no remorse about the effects of their behavior on others.

. . . . The presence of aggression combined with the absence of empathy results in sociopathy. The presence of aggression combined with the presence of empathy, results in a completely different kind of individual from the sociopath. (Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Killing, pp. 182-183)

The foregoing passage introduces Col. Grossman's most famous and oft-quoted portion of his book that gave us the term "sheepdog" to describe the protectors among us who can kill the bad guys and still live with themselves. My barber brought me a copy of this book just a few months after its publication and said, "Here, read this. We're in here."

When I got to these pages, I knew exactly what he was talking about. My purpose in this post, however, arises from a desire to further explore the phenomenon of wolves in uniform.

(Wikimedia Commons photo by Gunnar Ries)

The U.S. has maintained its war footing in the Middle East for over a decade. Therefore, by Col. Grossman's analysis, it seems likely that the military includes up to two sociopaths out of every hundred troops. In addition, they probably field one or two sheepdogs out of every hundred deployed.

We would like to think that no one in the U.S. military would disgrace his uniform by committing war crimes and atrocities against the civilian population. Others among us would like to think that all those in the military rape, murder and torture on a daily basis.

The truth lies in the extremes. A small percentage of those fighting overseas can kill the enemy with no crisis of conscience. Up to half of that number occupy the role of sheepdog. The rest function as violent predators.

Sheepdogs and wolves both serve as critically useful assets on the battlefield. Off the front lines, however, the predators become a liability as they use the confusion of war to cover their crimes against prisoners and civilians.

In the armed forces among the 98% or so who do not kill easily, you will find as broad a spectrum of personalities as in the general population: dependable & undependable, ambitious & lazy, brave & cowardly, truthful & liars, givers and thieves, honorable & knaves. Among the 2-3% who can kill without the reprisals of conscience, you will find two basic types: protectors and predators.

Why do I bother to point this out? Because, in our polarized society, you can find hardly anyone indifferent to the military. To one side, all in uniform are heroes, while to the other, all are murderers. Conflict between these two opinions serves to further polarize society on the issue.

I assume that most of my readers lean toward associating the uniform with heroism. This simplistic view, however, can blind you to some realities that bear fearful consequences not only overseas, but at home, as well.

When we project our naive view onto all men in uniform, we set the stage for tragic consequences that include both individual victims and society at large.

(Continued Here)

Potential Epidemics and the Sheepdog

Sheepdogs protect sheep. You want to protect the judicially innocent in general and those you care about in particular. For this you have prepared yourself in terms of your physical skills (combatives, emergency medicine, etc.) and your gear.

At this point in time, the orcs that threaten you and your loved ones do not all walk on two legs. Some of them look like this:

I want to protect my family from the Ebola virus as much as you do yours. I have been praying to that end. In addition to trusting the providence of God, I have a couple of principles in mind. that I want to pass on to you:

1. Officialdom and the media will lie to you. Their #1 priority is to prevent panic, no matter how dangerous the situation becomes. Powerbrokers lust for control, and a panicky populace threatens that control.
2. Before society in general panics, you need to take steps in terms of "controlled panic". Map out your priorities and work toward them systematically.
3. In order to plan effectively, you need reliable information. 

In the interest providing you with info, I recommend two articles. The first deals with the CDC's inconsistencies and unanswered questions.

HazMat Suits, Ebola, and 100% Safe Air to Breathe

One of the most informative (and longest) articles that I have read about the Ebola phenomenon draws not only from a variety of news sources, but also from an off-the-record bioweapons expert and geneticist. Good, rational assessment and conclusions.

Ebola: First US Diagnosis of Ebola Amidst Growing Concern

I may publish more on preps that I'm undertaking, in the days ahead.

Interview with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

I read Grossman's On Killing not long after it was published. My barber said, "Hey, Bro, you've got to read this book. We're in it." I knew exactly what he meant when I got to the page that talks about sheepdogs.

Earlier this week, a man that has followed this blog since he was a teen sent me a link to Brett McKay's interview with Col. Grossman. McKay is the persona behind the online magazine, The Art of Manliness.

I have a couple of caveats. First, near the beginning of the interview, you will hear an extended discussion of sex as it relates to killing. Some of you will find it crude and offensive. Second, Grossman interprets everything in terms of a non-christian, humanistic worldview. The Christian Martialist will benefit most from this who has cultivated a strong, epistemologically self-conscious mindset.

THIRD, IF YOU ARE A YOUNGSTER, YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO THIS PRESENTATION UNLESS AND UNTIL A PARENT HAS SCREENED IT FIRST.

The Real Answer to Violence

I saw a blog post by Jay Adams on the Institute for Nouthetic Studies site. The author entitled the post, "The Only Real Answer to Violence".

The entry is short and basically says that God has given us standards in Scripture that should shape our behavior as individuals and societies.

I have no argument with Adams' post. I believe his premise, and I further believe that God will bring about such changes, in time. Obedience to God's Law represents the only ultimate solution to the problem of violence.

In the interim, we need not only disciples who live righteous lives but Christian sheepdogs who will stand against violence -- indeed, against evil in every form -- and protect the flock from the predators who lurk among us.

In Memoriam: A 9/11 Sheepdog

A 9/11 Sheepdog

To read my post about a sheepdog who may have given his life to cut the number of potential victims at the twin towers in half, click the link above.

Committees of Safety

I was interested to see the following article by Amelia Foxwell in Guns & Patriots:

Americans Take Back Their Country with Committees of Safety

What interests me is that I wrote on the topic two-and-a-half years ago, with the idea of an order of Christian warriors who would each take a neighborhood under his wing. You can read my post here:

Christian Vigilance for the 21st Century

Church Security: Armed? Licensed?

Sad that the state considers it necessary to license and regulate the protection of innocent lives. In most jurisdictions, you dare not do it -- under penalty of law -- without official sanction.

My barber sent me the link to this thread on the Sigarms discussion forum:

Church Security

Hard Lessons

DLR sent me the link to an online article at Guns Magazine called "Hard Lessons at the University of Hard Knocks". His email said, "An interesting perspective from a veteran sheepdog."

What goes through the mind of an experienced warrior when a young boy asks him about his shrapnel-disfigured legs?  Read "Hard Lessons" and find out.

Boston Sheepdog Saves Doctor's Life

An off-duty security officer saved the life of a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital on October 27th. Providentially, Paul Langone was there as the violent scene played out, and he was armed.

When he saw a psychiatric patient repeatedly stab a female doctor, Langone drew his weapon and ordered the patient to drop the knife. Here's a description from the Channel 7 WHDH News Site:

"He produced a weapon and ordered the suspect to drop the knife, and when the suspect did not comply, he shot him," said Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis.

Sources told 7News that Langone hit Canciero three times and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Another article says that officials confirmed that the suspect sustained two wounds to the torso and one to the head. Think about the mindset and focus required for that kind of performance.

Then compare that to the average police shooting in which officers routinely miss suspects and put bystanders and victims at risk from stray rounds. (See my post, FBI Report)

Here is a link to an interview with Paul Langone. He comes across as a guy you'd like to have for a neighbor, and who seems a little uncomfortable with the media attention.

WARSKYL salutes Paul Langone, sheepdog.

Warrior's Dilemma, 3

Continued from "Warrior's Dilemma, 2"

I have presented Hans to you for your consideration. Now, I'd like you to meet his younger brother, Georg (pronounced GEY-org).

Georg also sees himself as a warrior. He's younger, though, and does not carry a lot of the personal baggage (lust for revenge) that weighs Hans down.

He knows from family discussions that Hitler is leading them down a path to war that is immoral and unjust. Nevertheless, He feels that he has always been called to military service.

He eventually enlists and is accepted into the elite Waffen SS. He inwardly responds to the call to battle and wants front-line duty.

Here's the question:

If he lines up sights on another mother's son and pulls the trigger, is he guilty of murder?

Continued in "Warrior's Dilemma, 4"

Warrior's Dilemma

David Grossman says that sheepdog/warriors long for righteous battle. Many Christians who respond to the warrior calling share that longing.

Here's a question those Christian Martialists must answer (prompted by a recent email from deolexrex): "When the opportunity to do battle arises, does the rightness of the cause really matter?"

The answer seems obvious . . . at first. Of course the righteous warrior must fight in a cause that is right. Otherwise he wouldn't be a righteous warrior, right?

Before jumping to any hasty conclusions, you might consider a hypothetical situation.

The scene is Germany in 1936. Hans is a Christian in his late teens who knows in his heart that he is a warrior.

Hans knows that his country has suffered humiliation and economic ruin unjustly at the hands of England and the United States after World War I. He also knows that his nation has emerged from misery under its charismatic Fuhrer who inspires real patriotism in the people.

On the other hand, Hans has read Mein Kampf, which contains Herr Hitler's blueprint for his regime. Taken literally, the book portends evil days ahead.

Here's the dilemma: Hans is a Christian warrior. Does he join the German Wermacht, as he harbors the hope to fight those nations which have so ill-treated his family, friends and neighbors? Or does he oppose Hitler because he sees the evil that may come about?

How would you advise Hans? Do you have a Biblical basis for your advice? Please share your view in the comments section.

Continued in "Warrior's Dilemma, 2"

The Scottish Games & Highland Festival

On Saturday, my wife, my soon-to-be-eighteen-year-old daughter and I attended the 4th annual Greenville Scottish Games & Highland Festival. We've attended all four, and each year it gets better.

As a Christian Martialist, I felt at home . . . stepping into a warrior culture. I would have liked to see more representation of the Scots' Christian heritage, however.

We watched burly men in kilts toss the caber while others tossed the sheaf. Then came a border collie demonstration that would raise the standard for all you sheepdogs out there. The dog was tirelessly persistent, marvelously skilled, and singlemindedly loyal to the shepherd.

One disappointment was that there had been an unannounced change of schedule, so we missed the massing of the bands. It is always a thrill to see score upon score of pipers marching onto the field, filling the arena and saturating the soul with the stirring skirl of bagpipes.

It's little wonder that the English outlawed the warpipes. As this fat old man has listened to the pipes, he's been ready to pick up a great-sword and follow them into battle.

We managed to catch a concert of traditional Scottish music played by a hammer dulcimer, fiddle and Celtic harp. The harpist played a piece that was used in an episode of Firefly. (When she asked who was familiar with the show, only my daughter & I raised our hands.)

We also watched some of the competitions for the "sword dance". Mostly young girls, although one competitor was a teen-aged guy. Since it's a traditional warrior's dance, it would be good to see more young men take an interest.

I also caught two presentations by the European Medieval Arts of Arms group from Greensboro, NC. As always, their unchoreographed fights and duels were impressive, and the knights were friendly, courteous and eager to answer questions (like mine about how the European staff technique compared to Japanese bo).

Sprinkled among the attendees were many who wore kilts, some bearing swords and/or dirks. A refreshing respite from the hoplophobic spirit of our national culture.

Another interesting feature of the Festival was the appearance of a few black folk in attendance. One young black man wore a kilt. (The first year, there was a black girl in the Highland dance competition.) I see this as a positive, wholesome cultural influence, and I can only hope that it will grow in time.

Now, if only they would put Christ's crown & covenant at the center, add Psalm singing and honor Scripture, they'd have a true Christian Martialist festival.

Speed Punching Exercise

I just received a link from Keith Pascal to a page with a speed punching exercise on it. Since it leads into an offer for "The Home Study Punch e-Course", I don't think he'll mind if I share it with you.

Speed Punching Exercise

I'm sure you will immediately see how adaptable this exercise is to palm heel strikes, judo chops and why not even kicks?

Confronting Gun Violence at Church

(Thanks to deolexrex for sending me this report)

"Confronting Gun Violence at Church: Practical Strategies to Protect Your Ministry" is a 22-page report prepared by Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company. I like it enough to send a link to my own church's pastor & session. (Note: In Presbyterian Churches, the governing body of the local church -- composed of ruling elders -- is called the session.)

(Some have reported that the above link does not work. For that reason, I have uploaded the pdf file & you should be able to download it from here.)

The report does have some highly quotable material like this:

“Churches are really easy pickings if you think about it,” [Dale Annis, a church security director,] said. “You’ve got several hundred people, all in one place with their heads down and their eyes closed. I tell my security team to pray with their eyes open.”

I would have expected a white paper like this to dismiss entirely the option of an armed presence during the church service. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they saw armed security as a viable option.

Then I was unpleasantly brought back to the fantasies of corporate lawyerspeak and the fear of liability when the report said that law enforcement personnel or a contract security firm should be the only ones allowed to carry firearms in church.

Here is is the statement as it appears in the report:

If you decide that your church needs an armed security team, please allow weapons to be
carried only by active or retired law enforcement officers who receive regular weapons
training. As you can imagine, a person who may shoot accurately at a firing range or while
hunting might not perform as well when faced by a gunman threatening a congregation.

This is the politically correct type of verbiage that the Mutual Brotherhood hopes will keep them from getting sued. It flies in the face, however, of real-world facts.

For a glimpse at the bitter truth about the nationwide inadequacy of police firearms training, see my post entitled "FBI Report". Also, in "Christian Martialist as Sheepdog, 4" I cite a statistical analysis that shows the abysmal hit rate of law enforcement officers involved in shootings.

And from firsthand experience, I know that armed security receives less training than the police.

A church security ministry does not need "professional" help as much as it needs godly, motivated sheepdogs who will put in the training time on their own to master the tactics, weapons and mindset to keep the flock safe.

Sheepdog Chef Foils Would-Be Robber

My barber drew my attention to this news story. His only comment was that "this has you written all over it!!!!" I wonder what he means by that?
;-)

The incident took place in Waukesha Wisconsin. Here's the account as related in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

According to a criminal complaint and restaurant employees, a man wearing a black motorcycle helmet and black leather jacket entered Williams Supper Club, S76-W17745 Janesville Road, about 10 p.m. Friday from the rear kitchen entryway, grabbed an employee by the arm and said, "Give me the money or I will shoot you."

The complaint says the man, later identified as Geraci, also told restaurant employees he had a knife. When one employee asked Geraci who he was, Geraci replied: "Would you want to die? I have a gun," the complaint says.

Bartender Terri Blight pulled two bags of cash from behind the bar and gave it to Geraci, the complaint says.

. . . . The chef, Erik Minor, and a cook, Andrew Tess, realized what was happening and fought back, Blight said.

The chef hit Geraci on the helmet with a large metal spoon, and the spoon broke in half, according to the complaint.

The chef then grabbed Geraci, put him in a headlock, dislodged the helmet and wrestled him to the floor. A customer and Tess helped pin Geraci down until police arrived, the complaint says.

Minor on Monday said he at first didn't realize Geraci was robbing the restaurant. He said he went after Geraci because Geraci had an employee by the arm.

"I wasn't going to let someone manhandle an employee," Minor said. (emphasis added)

Chef Erik Minor's motivation and reaction was that of a sheepdog.

He gets an "A" for attitude & mindset, and also for improvised weaponry. Let's also not neglect to mention his grappling skills.

Kudos as well to the unnamed customer and to Andrew Tess, the cook who helped restrain the robber until police arrived.

I'm not sold on the idea of using a headlock on a man who claims to be armed. But thank the Lord, the crook was bluffing.

Does this remind you of Under Siege (caution: movie contains language & nudity)? As you may recall, Seagal's character was a ship's cook who put the hurt on a bevy of terrorists who had hi-jacked a nuclear-armed navy vessel.

You just never know who may be wearing that white apron and poufy hat.