Posted on 01/29/2018 7:01:32 AM PST by real saxophonist
Each instructor has his or her own style, but Andy Stanford put a unique spin on teaching shooting. “I used to play the accordion and sing ‘The Gringo Pistolero’ after each of my shooting courses.“
The anecdote reveals the two contradictory sides of Stanford’s personality: A championship shooter, Stanford had been a combat marksman since 1977; years later he turned his back on shooting and focused on music.
“I started shooting at an early age,” he said. “When I was 15 I started combat pistol competition. My mom would drive me two hours.“
The hobby was good for him, he said. “Here’s an irony, combat pistol shooting kept me out of trouble because I had a focus.“
Stanford, whose father was a China Lake physicist, eventually went to work as a military operations analyst at NAWCWD at China Lake.
He continued shooting, however. In 1994 he took first place in the National Tactical Invitational Shooting Competition. “I didn’t put in any special training for this event,” he said at the time, “because real gunfights are come-as-you-are affairs. I used this event as a gauge of my current survival skills.“
Many years of shooting and teaching followed. Stanford said he eventually moved to Florida and became a full-time combat small arms trainer. Along the way he published scores of articles and wrote the books Surgical Speed Shooting and Fight at Night, which were published by Paladin Press.
But things changed.
“I realized I was a pacifist and I quit doing it,” Stanford said.
It wasn’t an easy decision. Stanford said he’d been struggling with conflict for as long as he had been shooting guns.
“About every six months I’d get a violent hangover from doing my job. I’d do some soul searching.“
Stanford said he tried to use his job to do good. He said repeatedly emphasized the following sentence: “Your No. 1 option for personal security is a commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.“
He said, “I always preached to avoid trouble, but nevertheless I was teaching people to shoot holes in other people.
“They had a gun anyway, it wasn’t like if I didn’t teach them they were going to throw away their guns.“
Still, his profession weighed on him. “To do my job I had to study violence. I taught people how to fight with guns.“
Stanford said he quit abruptly.
“I needed something to do,” he said. One thing he found was music. He had always played the accordion and had been singing for years. Stanford honed his skills at Open Mic nights at the USO building and did a concert of Frank Sinatra songs. He also studied with well-known local opera teacher David Hodgson.
Hodgson praised Stanford’s musical chops and creative vision. “In some ways, he’s as authentic an artist as Ridgecrest can claim,” Hodgson said.
Stanford’s challenging and highly original CD “Autonoir” by Andy Stanford, et al, came out this year. It was recorded primarily in Inyokern, he said, and he’s having a CD release party at Casey’s Steaks and BBQ at 9 p.m. Saturday May 9.
“People ask me what kind of music is on it and I tell them all kinds. Its very eclectic. There’s evidence of my career on there. I have a song about the Marine Corps and a song about the cops.“
Stanford said, given his story, he is a bit of a contradiction.
“You can say I’m a sheep in wolf’s clothing,” he said.
Sad. Mental illness is not a good thing.
Good for this man, that he has found an outlet for his skill set and creativity.
I still buy CD’s, but then, I’m over 60.
He may want to sell his music in other formats too, online playlists such as Spotify. I don’t know much about them, and don’t use these formats, but many people under 50 do.
Some online playlists give payment to the artist, and some don’t.
Don’t knock the guy for sincerely held beliefs, especially because they are completely rational.
I could make the same case, but keep practicing and carrying just to piss off liberals.
Going to the range today.
I’m a certified pistol instructor basically because I like to get on the libs nerves.
Hey, I’ve got no problem with this guy. If he wants to do something different, that’s fine. So long as it isn’t made into some sort of anti-gun statement, what’s the big deal, right?
One thing I particularly remember is him showing me a letter from Tom Clancy after Andy had apparently criticized/corrected something regarding ballistics in one of Clancy's writings. Clancy's response was...um...terse, let's say. But a detailed rebuttal. He did not apparently like criticism.
“…but nevertheless I was teaching people to shoot holes in other people.”
You are right, of course. Sincere, yes; and whatever his rationale, it is definitely his call.
Fortunately for society, most instructors would say: “I was teaching good people how to not surrender themselves and their families to murderers.”
Wait so now he’s an accordion playing pacifist?
I don’t have much respect for pacifism, and there’s nothing at all rational about it. Putting holes in bad guys is infinitely preferable to letting bad guys put holes in good guys.
Was Christ a pacifist?
You could ask the money-changers in the Temple. They might be able to offer you some insight into the matter.
Or you could consider His own words: “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” (Luke 22:36)
So “NO”, Christ was not a pacifist.
Pitiful citations for your conclusion.
How did Christ react when his personal health and welfare were at stake?
I gave you an answer. If you don’t like it, that’s your problem.
You found an excuse to hide behind.
You have no answer to my last question.
Like I said, I gave you an answer. You just don't like it.
That's OK ... you don't have to.
He told His disciples to arm themselves. That's good enough for me.
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