VI – Self-Defense – SemperVerus

250th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord for American Independence

Saturday, April 19, 2025, is the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord of Wednesday, April 19, 1775, the first major military campaign of the American Revolutionary War.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Important US Dates to Commemorate ]

The English government had ordered its British military forces to seize the American civilian colonists’ weapons and gunpowder being stored in Concord, Massachusetts. However, the colonists’ resolute resistance resulted in an American victory and an outpouring of support for liberty and independence.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of SELF-DEFENSE ]

The battles were fought on the American side primarily by privately armed militias and individuals bearing their personal firearms, an act so indelibly impressed upon the colonists’ consciousness that, 16 years later, after the war was won and the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified December 15, 1791, the individual right to keep and bear arms (today known as The Second Amendment) was definitively prioritized and protected from American government infringement; esteemed enough to be considered one of the top two fundamental and vital civil rights on which to build the great American nation.

By semperverus
Posted on 04/15/202504/15/2025

Church Security: Most Church Attacks Occur During Activities Other Than Sunday Morning Worship Services

A three-year study by Concilium Inc. concludes that criminal attacks during church services and in church buildings, not motivated by robbery or theft, are usually foreshadowed by warning signs—erratic behavior, severe mental health symptoms (hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, depression, and suicidal thoughts), a major life stressor, communicated threats, or the harboring of a grievance against a church or member—which are visible to people the assailant knows.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of DE-ESCALATION ]

When these observable warning signs are reported, law enforcement and the potential assailant’s family members, friends, and peripheral contacts stand a good chance of preventing violence.

By semperverus
Posted on 04/13/202504/14/2025

US Dept. of Justice Creates 2nd Amendment Task Force

US Attorney General Pamela Bondi is creating a Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force “principally charged with developing and executing strategies to use litigation and policy to advance, protect, and promote compliance with the Second Amendment,” as stated in her memo posted April 9, 2025 on the Department of Justice website.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of the SECOND AMENDMENT ]

A federal law might have bearing on the word “enforcement” in the task force’s title. 18 U.S.C. § 242 makes it a crime for anyone acting “under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom” to willfully deprive another person of rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Over 86% of Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Support National Concealed Carry Reciprocity ]

“The prior administration placed an undue burden on gun owners and vendors by targeting law-abiding citizens exercising their 2nd Amendment rights,” Bondi says. “The Department of Justice’s new 2nd Amendment Task Force will combine department-wide policy and litigation resources to advance President Trump’s pro-gun agenda and protect gun owners from overreach.”

By semperverus
Posted on 04/09/202504/09/2025

Church Security Team Pistol Qualification Course

Keith Graves, founder and trainer of Christian Warrior Training, has developed the following 43-round course-of-fire pistol qualification for his church security team.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview with Keith Graves of Christian Warrior Training ]

Before allowing people to carry a firearm to protect the congregation, they must demonstrate competency with their weapon; at the very least, safe drawing and re-holstering, accurate shot placement, reloading magazines without prompting, and malfunction and stoppage clearing.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, What to Take to the Shooting Range—Including a Prayer ]

He says, “A proper annual qualification test is a non-negotiable requirement for church security. You know exactly where your incident will occur: in your sanctuary, your parking lot, your classrooms. Your qualification course should reflect that.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Firearms Training: A Directory of Shooting Drills ]

To qualify, he requires that all rounds must be verified on target; any miss from the target is considered a fail. If at any point a person’s firearm has a malfunction or stoppage, it’s up to the person to clear it and continue with the course-of-fire within the set time limit, otherwise it’s considered a fail. He allows 3 attempts to qualify; after 3 the person must practice and schedule another qualification session.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Organizing, Training & Running a House of Worship Armed Congregant Security Team ]

Watch him demonstrate the course-of-fire in the video below: