Forwarded to The Uninvited Ombudsman from anarchangel.blogspot.com
Earlier today, 9/25/06, Col. John Dean "Jeff" Cooper passed on from complications arising from an earlier stroke and heart attack.
His impact on the world of shooting was enormous. He is often referred to as "The Father of The Modern Techniques of Shooting," and he helped found the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), serving as the founding chairman and first president.
Jeff also founded the American Pistol Institute, called "Gunsite," in Paulden, Ariz., and through the school popularized what are now commonly known as "the four rules of firearms safety," and the "color codes" for alertness and situational response. His book, Principles of Personal Defense, is a stark standout in the field, not for the squeamish.
Jeff had 86 years on this earth; 70 or so as a shooter, and about 20 as a Marine. You can't sum up a life like that with a few sentences, but there's one quote that represents him quite well. When asked if violence did not simply beget more violence, Colonel Cooper responded, "It is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure -- and in some cases I have -- that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy."
Semper Fi Marine
Read about Jeff in his hometown newspaper: prescottdailycourier.com
Note: When Jeff came to speak at our Gun Rights and Safety Forum in 2001, he summed up the anti-rights efforts to lock up guns "for safety" in a piece of off-the-cuff wisdom I shall never forget, "A gun that's safe isn't worth anything."
RIP, Colonel. The world is a better place for your having been here for your 86 years. My hero for most of my adult life who provided me with the foundation for surviving 30 years on the streets of NYC. There will never be another like him ....
Posted by: Bruce | Thursday, October 05, 2006 at 12:27 PM