Setting Sights

Decades ago, Malcolm X eloquently stated that communities have the legitimate right to defend themselves “by any means necessary” with any tool or tactic, including guns. This wide-ranging anthology uncovers the hidden histories and ideas of community armed self-defense, exploring how it has been used by marginalized and oppressed communities as well as anarchists and radicals within significant social movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Far from a call to arms, or a “how-to” manual for warfare, this volume offers histories, reflections, and questions about the role of firearms in small collective defense efforts and its place in larger efforts toward the creation of autonomy and liberation. Featuring diverse perspectives from movements across the globe, Setting Sights includes vivid histories and personal reflections from both researchers and those who participated in community armed self-defense. Contributors include Dennis Banks, Kathleen Cleaver, Mabel Williams, Subcomandante Marcos, Kristian Williams, George Ciccariello-Maher, Ashanti Alston, and many more.

Decades ago, Malcolm X eloquently stated that communities have the legitimate right to defend themselves "by any means necessary" with any tool or tactic, including guns. This wide-ranging anthology uncovers the hidden histories and ideas of community armed self-defense, exploring how it has been used by marginalized and oppressed communities as well as anarchists and radicals within significant social movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Far from a call to arms, or a "how-to" manual for warfare, this volume offers histories, reflections, and questions about the role of firearms in small collective defense efforts and its place in larger efforts toward the creation of autonomy and liberation. Featuring diverse perspectives from movements across the globe, Setting Sights includes vivid histories and personal reflections from both researchers and those who participated in community armed self-defense. Contributors include Dennis Banks, Kathleen Cleaver, Mabel Williams, Subcomandante Marcos, Kristian Williams, George Ciccariello-Maher, Ashanti Alston, and many more.

"The Land Warrior (LW) system is the Army's future system for the individual soldier. The LW consists of five subsystems, with the weapon subsystem the focus of the training research. The training of two platoons in preparation for a LW operational test was observed. Four sights and devices were trained (the close combat optic, two aiming lights, and the thermal weapon sight), plus a bore light. The training adequately prepared the soldiers to qualify on the M4 carbine with the close combat optic and the thermal weapon sight. Qualification standards were extremely difficult to achieve with the aiming lights on the M4, due to environmental conditions typical of Army ranges, not to lack of firer expertise. A standardized technique for boresighting all the devices was developed. Diagnostic skills needed by trainers and soldiers to effectively hit targets with each device were identified. The findings have immediate applicability to the Army, as the devices are currently being fielded. The report describes what contributes to quality training on the devices, and what should be integrated into marksmanship programs of instruction, technical manuals, and the training and doctrine literature." -- Stinet.

This book brings us inside the deepest thoughts, fears and feelings of a yeshiva student turned soldier.