Tuesday, June 15, 2010

El Presidente

One of my heros Col. Cooper created the El Presidente drill to test gun handling skills.

It required 6 rounds in the gun, 2 shots in a target on the left, 2 shots on a center target, and 2 shots on a target on the right.

RELOAD and REPEAT.

It occurs to me, as modern defensive weapon trainers (who admittedly owe a lot to Col. Cooper) decry the "El Pres" that this drill was not intended to be really defensive... its a last ditch drill.

It's Jim Bowie or Davie Crockett at the Alamo, putting as many shots on targets as they come up. It doesn't train to defend a person as much as to make a last stand.

I know its not the best way to train for an actual criminal assault.... But there are worse things to prepare for...

Fight Club

Looking back at the movie Fight Club (I admit to failing for never reading the book) I think it has overtones that might resonate with the brethren.

One of the key "rituals" is the burning of acid... Knowing, not fearing, knowing that you will die.

In the car crash scene, the Tyler character asks each of the men in car what they would miss if they died today.

Both remind me of the hourglasss.

"We're a generation raised by women... I wonder if another woman is really the solution"

"It's a therapy group for men only"

The ritual to join Tyler's army reminds one of the Templars, a uniform and burial money.

Just thinking... maybe the undercurrents of manhood run so strong that even Hollywood can't keep them under the surface.