VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE 76
AIR DATE 06 28 2019
FULL TRANSCRIPT
OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Active Shooter Training
((SOT))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner, Instructor, T4Tactics))
We go to businesses, churches, schools, hospitals and we teach them active shooter response or how to respond to a violent workplace attack.
((Animation Transition))
((SOT))
I really don’t care for guns too much but I still want to learn about them. I have four kids.
OK.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
After Parkland
((SOT))
((Woman))
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
Our son is a victim of gun violence. He got shot four times and died. Bang, bang, bang, bang.
((Open Animation))
BLOCK A
((ANIMATION EXPLAINER -- W/ GFX, CAPTIONS, PHOTOS))
SECOND AMENDMENT
A paragraph in the U.S. Constitution covers gun rights.
It’s called the Second Amendment:
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The Second Amendment and other freedoms spelled out in the U.S. Constitution were intended to calm fears that the new government could engage in tyranny.
Some legal scholars believe the amendment was meant to protect the right of states to use militias for self-defense, but the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Second Amendment establishes gun ownership rights for private citizens.
((PKG)) ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING
((Banner: Preparing for the Worst – Part1))
((Reporter/Camera/Producer: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Map: Lynchburg, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
So, Palestine Baptist church came to us after the Texas church shooting and wanted to get a safety team together. This church has hired me to come in and teach them how to identify, prepare, be aware and respond to an active shooter or a violent attack. So, during the service, I'll walk around and I'll be looking for locked doors, the situation of the nursery, the pre-school, the Sunday school with the kids, and then just get a general feel of the property.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
Their pastor is a retired police officer. They’re just trying to be one step ahead to keep that property secured and safe.
((NATS))
That’s what we have been instructed to do.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
So, we'll go around and we'll check where the kids are, and we'll see how that's locked down and see if we can just walk in there right now.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
Locked doors are a good sign.
They've got it locked down which is perfect.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
There’s no open door where I can just walk in to where the kids are. And that's a vulnerable area, is our kids, not only for an active shooter attack, but for an abduction or any other incident that could occur. So, they've got this whole facility locked down. Service has started. Facility has locked down. It's perfect. Perfect.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
A lot of people would look at this and, maybe, you see beautiful countryside, but I see running out of the church, because there’s an active shooter inside, and I see snipers all up in that wood line, starting to take people out for a secondary attack. But let's just go with today. It's a beautiful countryside.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
I'm Marko Galbraith and I am the owner of T4Tactics in Lynchburg, Virginia.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
If I'm sitting in the congregation right now, sitting here, and I stand up and I want to take a shot at the pastor, it's not run, hide, fight. It’s attack me, attack me, attack me.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
We go to businesses, churches, schools, hospitals and we teach them active shooter response or how to respond to a violent workplace attack. We also teach self-defense classes and firearm safety classes for conceal permit and multi-state conceal permits. I've been a police officer in the Daytona Beach area for 22 years. During that time, I was assigned to task forces, homicide investigations, violent crime investigations, special unit investigations. I was a hostage negotiator for 12 years. So, with that, you have to study a lot of human behavior and that's what this is all about. How people are going to respond to an attack and then, how the attacker is going to carry out the attack. ((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
Most of the knee jerk reaction to the horrible Texas church shooting was people are arming themselves in churches. That may not be the answer.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
How many concealed holders do we have in here? Good. Wow, good. We have to have a plan about concealed holders. The knee jerk reaction to the Texas shooting was ‘let’s arm everybody in church.’ Bad. Really bad. So, have a plan. So, we don’t just want everybody standing up and shooting because we are going to have a lot of injuries and deaths from cross fire.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
It’s not right for me to go in and say if this happens, this is what you do. Pulse nightclub was planned differently than San Bernardino. San Bernardino was planned greatly, much differently than the Las Vegas attack. But what I do is I throw a lot of scenarios at them and say, if they come in this door, this is what you do. If they come in this door, this is what you do. If the attack is like this, here’s what you do. You may be in one room at the church and this is the plan for that room. You move to another room with different dynamics, different locations, different stairwells, different exits, different windows, and the plan totally changes.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
I need a volunteer. Come on up. Oh, one from the back. So, she’s the bad guy. Hold that gun. Good. Yeah. So, she’s the bad guy. We’re locked in a room and here she comes. And I know she’s getting ready to come in this door. So, I get one person on this side, and this is why we train as a church. So, when she comes through the door, I grab under here. Now she can’t pull the gun away. She can’t pull it forward because I’m grabbing it. I reach under here, and I just drop. You feel how that just gets out of your hand. Now, you try it. One arm goes under here. Yeah, all the way under and then, wrap this like you own it, and then drop. I can’t get that gun out. There’s no way I’m getting that out. The other person jumps and we go to business on that guy. Give her a hand.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
My business is doing well and from a business standpoint, I’m very pleased. I wish that there were not as many active shooter events. So, it’s kind of bittersweet when I get busy. I always get busy after an active shooter event. I’m glad people are being trained, but I don’t like to see what’s happening in the country.
((NATS))
((Pastor))
We’re so glad that you came and spent time with us. We do live in a different day and a different time. And so, all you sheep dogs out there, now is the opportunity to identify and train. That’s what we need to do.
Let’s pray. Father, thank you for this evening. And I pray as our brother goes and instructs other communities of faith, other churches, other businesses, God, that many lives would be saved just because of the proactive nature of being able to try to distance ourselves from any potential harm. But if harm should come, we’ll have a plan. And it’s in the mighty name of our savior, I pray. All God’s people say, Amen. Hey, y’all have a great evening. Thank y’all.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
Come here! Come say hello. Hi baby. Hello.
I have people that speak to me and they’re one hundred percent against firearms. That’s fine. I understand that and I respect that, but for me, I want to carry one. And maybe it’s because I was a retired police officer, but in the business I’m in. But for me, I want to carry one for my own personal protection because the reality is, we’re having attacks all over this country. I’m pro-second amendment and I feel that we should keep the right to carry, responsibly carry, firearms.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
Feeling Safe
((SOT))
((Woman))
As a woman and a mom, it is frustrating because my first tactic is going to be to defend my children, to protect them, and I can’t protect them by running.
BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
BLOCK B
((PKG)) ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING….contd.
((Banner: Preparing for the Worst – Part 2))
((Reporter/Camera/Producer: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Map: Lynchburg, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
One of the classes that I teach, and this is really fun, but in date night, we, kind of, transform the classroom into a nice setting. Candlelight, non-alcoholic wines. We don’t want to mix that with firearms. And my wife is the server. She plays waitress. She really gets into it and we have a good time.
((NATS))
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
Come on in. Welcome to the date night. Have a seat.
Why did you guys take the class? What was the reason for you taking the class?
Man: I want to know what she needs to know, so I can help her.
Woman: I really don’t care for guns too much but I still want to learn about them. I have four kids.
Marko Galbreath: So, I tell a lot people, somebody breaks into your house and comes in and takes your TV, you can't shoot them because you can’t use deadly force to defend your own property.
Woman: It’s just me and my kids, that’s stupid!
Marko Galbreath: In Virginia, I can’t use deadly force on somebody to protect property.
Woman: As a woman and a mom, it’s frustrating because my first tactic is going to be to defend my children, to protect them, and I can’t protect them by running, because they are in the opposite side of the house, you know.
Marko Galbreath: Well, yeah, and that’s good.
Woman: Especially if they are coming to my house. I’m not going to, I’m pretty much not going to use it for any other time except for my home.
Galbreath: But think about the judge and the jury. Do you leave your house and leave that person in the house with the kids or do you go to your kids down the hallway? I’m going to go to the kids down the hallway and lock myself in the bedroom or barricade myself in bedroom and say, ‘I have a gun. Don’t come down that hallway. I have kids in here. You’re scaring me.’ Call 9-1-1. 9-1-1 calls are recorded. Get that recorded. You're warning that person. ‘Put the knife down. Stay away from me. Don’t come in this room. I have a gun. You're scaring me. I don't like how you're approaching me.’ You know, stuff like that. But I don't know that you’re going to get scolded for leaving your kids. You’re protecting yourself. So, we’re going to go through the class. What's your level of experience with guns?
Woman: I’ve had a gun class before, but, you know, I’ve questioned whether I need a concealed carry permit at all. Anyways, because I don't plan on concealing it and I don’t plan on carrying it.
Marko Galbreath: So, these are basic fundamentals of shooting. Trigger squeeze is probably one of the biggest keys in hitting the target. If I have too much finger on the trigger, because it’s a small gun, I got big hands, when I go to shoot, I’m going to go right or I’m going to the left, because the trigger squeeze isn’t right.
Marko Galbreath: If we’re at the 10-yard line shooting and I move the barrel that much, it’s going to be this much at the target, and the further back you go, the less forgiving it is. So today, when we go to the range, if you’re not hitting where you want, really think about that trigger. So, with trigger squeeze, it should be when you're first starting out, big breath in, let half of it out, slowly just squeeze until it goes off.
((NATS))
Marko Galbreath: Have you shot your Glock 43?
Woman: I’ve shot it twice but because the recoil and the jerk action on it, I just put it away and I don't want to touch it no more.
Galbreath: Let’s rent that one, the 43, and then a 22.
Woman: It’s pretty identical.
((NATS))
Galbreath: Have you loaded one of these before?
Man: No, actually I haven’t.
Galbreath: So, you start in the front. Get on target. Big breath in, let half of it out and just squeeze as you’re lining up through there.
((NATS))
Galbreath: That’s good. I think all of them are in the gray area. From where you hit, from the 15-yard line, that’s really good shooting.
Man: He still died. I lived.
Galbreath: You’re up.
Woman: That’s what I’m afraid off.
Galbreath: Get a good grip on it and remember always finger of it down. Even though it’s unloaded, we always keep it pointed downrange.
Woman: How many you want me to put in there?
Galbreath: Put all of them in.
Woman: Okay, so do I spin it or anything?
Galbreath: When you put it in, just close it. So now, it’s ready to fire.
Woman: OK.
Galbreath: And just slowly pull the trigger. Good. So, if you’re shaking, if you take that deep breath in, you’ll cut down a lot of those shakes.
Woman: Am I shooting anything?
Galbreath: You did really good. Look where you hit.
Woman: No way.
Galbreath: Yeah, right in here. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He’s been neutralized.
Woman: I got him in the neck.
Galbreath: Yeah.
Woman: He’s going down.
Man: This is our second date. Can I get number three?
Galbreath: Yeah, this one is going to be hard to beat.
((Marko Galbreath, Owner/Instructor, T4Tactics))
That was their second date and it’s going to be tough for him to beat that one. As far as skill and doing something unique, it’s going to be hard to beat that one. Dinner, gun class, and shooting range. That’s just fun.
((ANIMATION EXPLAINER W/ GFX, CAPTIONS, PHOTOS))
National Rifle Association
A U.S. special interest group focused on gun ownership issues.
It claimed nearly 5 million members in 2013.
It was founded in 1871 to encourage marksmanship.
It continues to provide hunter education, safety classes, and marksmanship training for its members and other services.
It also wields considerable power in federal and state legislatures.
The NRA opposes most gun control legislation.
It tries to stop laws before they pass.
It also files lawsuits to overturn regulations.
It is considered one of the most successful lobbying groups in the U.S.
TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up….
((Banner))
After Parkland Shooting
((Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate))
The March For Our Lives movement is a prime example for millions of children around the world, that children are change makers.
BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))
((PKG)) AFTER PARKLAND -- Part 4
From Ashes to the Canvas
((VOA Russian))
((Banner: Aftermath of a School Shooting))
((Producers: Beth Mendelson, Tom Detzel, Cliff Hackel))
((Camera: Mike Burke, Sean Lunski, Alexander Gilles, Adam Greenbaum))
((Map: Parkland, Florida; Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Locator: Parkland, Florida, February 14, 2018))
((VO Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
Our son is a victim of gun violence. He got shot four times and died. Bang, bang, bang, bang.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((VO Manuel Oliver)): And I saw the Parkland kids turning into March For Our Lives.
((David Hogg, March For Our Lives))
And there are people who stand against you because you’re too young. We say no more.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): It’s not easy to use your son’s images to, to give messages when your son was shot. The legend of my son needs to have a big impact. I owe that to Joaquin. I owe to Joaquin that he becomes
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
that person that is fighting from the other side and people start listening to his message.
((VO Manuel Olive)): It’s not about my message. It’s about Joaquin’s message. The mural that we did today here in DC, it’s pretty special. We’re getting closer to Congress. We lost our son but we are
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
proud parents of a victim that is becoming an activist.
((VO Manuel Olive, shots of Patricia and Manuel Oliver)): and he won’t stop doing what he’s doing. We follow the kids. We believe in them. They are going to change these things. And every time I think about it, I see Joaquin as part of them.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
And that’s where the being proud of my son comes from.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): I don’t have another job now. This is my job. This is my future and my present. I was able to find a connection between what I used to do and what I’m doing now, which is good.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
This is my comfort, uncomfort zone.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): This is more activism than art. This is not about the art piece. It’s about the moment that you have, to make a statement.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
I used to paint wearing all the wristbands of the organizations and they became uncomfortable at some point, with a lot of them, and I wanted to support all of them together. So, since then, I decided to put them on the shoes, on Joaquin’s shoes. So, every time I have an event or something, I will just wear these shoes. I want to feel like I’m walking in his shoes.
((Courtesy: Manuel and Patricia Oliver))
((VO Manuel Oliver)): It’s an extension of Joaquin. He can still be here.
((Locator: Election Night 2018))
((CNN Announcement)): Even though some House races remain undecided, CNN can now make this projection with a very....
((VO Matt Dietsch)): I was really reserved on election night.
((Matt Dietsch, Chief Strategist, March For Our Lives))
I wasn’t a part of the really intense emotion that a lot of my friends were having and I told them because
((VO Matt Dietsch)): we’ re still figuring this out. I was like, look, like, this is the first election cycle that we invested anything in, and this voting bloc of young people is radically different than any generation in the way that we see these issues.
((NATS))
And I just can’t wait to see what the future holds.
((VO John Della Volpe)): We found that school shootings
((John Della Volpe, Director of Polling, Harvard Kennedy School))
was the one issue that most highly correlated with young people participating
((VO John Della Volpe)): and has been the highest level of participation at least in the last 32 years and likely going beyond that.
((John Della Volpe, Director of Polling, Harvard Kennedy School))
It was young people voting overwhelmingly Democrat. That essentially accounts for two percentage points in the national vote.
((VO John Della Volpe)): There are at least ten congressional races where the margin was less than two points. So, you can easily make the case that young people were decisive in about ten congressional races.
((VO Ed Goeas)): Did the Parkland kids motivate
((Ed Goeas, Republican Pollster/Strategist))
the higher turnout? Not necessarily. They were again one of the brushstrokes, message wise, that it did get young people
((VO Ed Goeas)): looking to vote a certain way. Can they feel good about what they did on adding to that increased involvement and turnout?
((Ed Goeas, Republican Pollster/Strategist))
Absolutely. Can they take credit for being the sole motivator? I just don’t see it in the numbers.
((Michael Hammond, Legislative Counsel, Gun Owners of America))
The reason why Ron DeSantis won the governorship of Florida and why Rick Scott won the senate seat was because pro-gun people were activated in revulsion for the anti-gun rhetoric being spewed on them by the Parkland people.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((Locator: Road to Change Tour, Los Angeles, California, July 20, 2018))
((VO Matt Deitsch)): Manny always is Joaquin’s father
((Matt Dietsch, Chief Strategist, March For Our Lives))
and I feel like when he’s with us, he’s a March For Our Lives activist.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
Get involved and that'll be a great way to fight it because we’re going to be have a lot more soldiers on our side.
((Matt Dietsch, Chief Strategist, March For Our Lives))
He loves just being part of this with us.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((Locator: Road to Change Tour, Orange County, California, July 21, 2018))
((Matt Dietsch, Chief Strategist, March For Our Lives))
We have a very special guest here who has put a lot of work in working with March For Our Lives and with the community coalition. So, we just want to invite the Olivers to come up here and share some words with everyone here today.
((VO David Cullen)): There’s also an amazing kind of relationship between the March For Our Lives kids and Manuel Oliver.
((Dave Cullen, Author, “Parkland: Birth of a Movement”))
Manny is the only adult that they allow into their meetings.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((VO David Cullen)): He’s the exception.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
Joaquin was fighting for this before I even had an idea that this could become an issue.
((VO David Cullen)): Manny’s also the surrogate there for Joaquin who Manny feels
((Dave Cullen, Author, “Parkland: Birth of a Movement”))
like would definitely have been a part of this.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
We do not have Joaquin at home, but we have a bunch of kids out there. Now it’s our duty to march for your lives. Thank you very much.
((VO John Della Volpe)): When those generational coalitions can be built, that is
((John Della Volpe, Director of Polling, Harvard Kennedy School))
the foundation for something that extends beyond a one issue or one year campaign into a real movement.
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((David Hogg, March For Our Lives))
We can and we will change the world.
((VO John Della Volpe)): As I think about 2018, I can think of no one who deserves more credit for youth participation, for this awakening of civic participation in electoral politics than the young students, the families, and the community members within Parkland.
((Source: The International Children’s Peace Prize))
((Locator: The International Children’s Peace Prize, Cape Town, South Africa, November 20, 2018))
((VO Manuel Oliver)): South Africa was a great event. The kids were nominated to receive the kids’ Peace Prize Award.
((VO Matt Deitsch)): Joaquin was going to be on stage with us when we accepted the award.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): They wanted me to talk about them, this Parkland movement.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
It’s an honor to be here.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): So that was a privilege for me.
((Manuel Oliver, Parkland Parent))
You push it and you move it forward and you succeeded, and then you decided that you could be an option for parents, like Patricia and myself, to feel better to find a light on that nightmare. And guess what? You succeeded. Let me get closer to him.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): I took the 3D sculpture of Joaquin with me so he was next to me while I was giving my speech. Desmond Tutu was there and I asked Desmond Tutu to bless the sculpture and he did.
((Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate))
The March For Our Lives movement is a prime example for millions of children….
((Source: March For Our Lives))
((VO Desmond Tutu))....around the world, that children are changemakers. They demonstrate that if you work together, trust each other, and build on one another, you can move the world.
((Source: The International Children’s Peace Prize))
((VO Manuel Oliver)): And this is just the beginning. You, the young people, you have a white blank canvas.
((VO Manuel Oliver)): Let’s draw it the right way.
((NATS))
CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect
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BUMP IN ((ANIM))
SHOW ENDS