I want to introduce a new writer for SOFREP. Bart and I first met on my trip to Poland, where he found himself translating for me at a book signing event. We stayed in touch, and I asked him if he was interested in covering some European units for us. He’s a great guy, and I’m sure you’ll find his perspective interesting, and perturbing. Welcome to the family, “Sergei.”  -Brandon, Editor

Bart “Sergei” Norman is a Poland-based firearms instructor and security consultant. A proud member of the Tactical Beard Owners Club, Sergei graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University with a BA in Information Science (Social Media and Open-Source Intelligence), and from The Higher Banking School with an MA in Management Psychology (War on Terror as part of Political Marketing in the US after 9/11). Currently leading a quiet life as Polish Army reservist, Sergei’s main fields of study include: Psychology in Propaganda, Information Security, Open-Source Intelligence, Information Analysis, Conflicts in the Caucasus.

Dear Friends in America…

…I think I should bring your attention to a few recent facts that naturally escape the limelight of glory in the mainstream media. Facts of obviously lesser importance than The New Royal Baby, Zimmerman’s trial and Justin Bieber’s new hairdo, or are they really…

The events that we have all seen in the past months have drawn my inquisitive nose over the great pond and into your part of the globe. And I must say, what I see happening is giving me the creeps.

I do see a significant discrepancy between what you people take for granted yet allow to be step by step taken away from you, and what life is really like here in Europe and the rest of the world. It amazes me how easily people in your country let go of the strings of liberty still in your grasp for a promise of the illusive security and prosperity. Well, sorry ladies and gentlemen, security is only as impenetrable as you make it for yourself, and prosperity only as lucrative as you make it grow with hard work. And it is the same everywhere in the world. The only difference is the amount of difficulties imposed by third parties that make achieving security and prosperity tougher.

As for now, you are all pretty much well off compared to some other parts of this planet. Most of you probably never experienced the strife of living under an oppressive dictatorship or an extremist regime, and the rest probably do not even give a damn about this topic whatsoever. Ignorance is the key to any man’s demise and, sorry to say this, most of you have reached master level in ignorance and I-do-not-give-a-damnism. If it concerns other nations, sure, why should anyone be bothered by problems halfway across the globe! However, if those same problems start to arise in your back garden and you still remain ignorant as if nothing was happening, well in that case, you might as well dig your own grave and just lay down inside the hole because you are on a direct route to ending up there in the near future anyway.

Since it is a hot topic in the recent past, and will probably still be on the agenda for the next few months as well, we might start with firearms. I am a gun-owner, a licensed firearms instructor and an active sport shooter. I advocate for promoting safe use of firearms by responsible citizens I support pro-gun movements focused on familiarising the public with firearms to bust any media-made-up gun myths and so on. Sounds familiar? Good, but unfortunately this is where similarities between you and I end.

I did not get my guns with filling in a background check form, nor did I get any ammo from my local Walmart. Each and every gun that I own and piece of ammunition I have is sanctioned by a full licensing and registration process. The gun law says who can and who can not possess a firearm. By default, no one is allowed to have one unless they provide a legitimate reason to have a gun, pass a police exam, undergo full screening and a psychological health examination.In the end, if the guns are to be used for self-defence the Police Chief has the final say with every license given for self-defence, and the usual answer is a dismissal of the application.