On Friday, we learned the awful truth of what many of us had suspected all week: That law enforcement in Uvalde, Texas, waited around unconscionably while a psychopathic gunman was given free reign over a classroom full of 10-year-olds.

The professional implications of this inaction alone are almost unthinkably huge. One should anticipate, in any event, that a great many public servants in Uvalde, Texas are on the verge of losing their jobs and potentially facing legal consequences of some kind.

Beyond that, however, the comprehensive failure of law enforcement in this scenario has underscored yet again one of the basic and incontestable facts of life: You cannot depend upon the police to save your life in a life-threatening emergency. You must take care of yourself, and those around you, yourself.

We live in a strange time where that sort of principle is regarded as dangerous, reckless and foolish, and that we should not expect the average American citizen to be prepared to defend himself outside of calling the police and huddling in the corner.

It is not clear how, or why, we have arrived at this point, where courage is discouraged and practical cowardice is hailed as a virtue. The end result of that worldview, of course, was on full display in Uvalde this week, as nearly two dozen cops crouched in a hallway while a madman killed child after child with impunity.

Here is some practical advice: Do not expect the police are able, or even all that willing, to save you. Police are valuable parts of any civilized society, but they are neither saints nor angels and they should not be treated as either. It is not unreasonable to assume the best while planning the worst: That the police will fail to protect you in a life-threatening situation, either through incompetence or cowardice, and that you will die.

In fact, America's Founding Fathers never had police in mind when they wrote the Second Amendment. The best way to prevent crime and tyranny was to have a well armed and well trained citizenry, just as the best way to protect against government corruption in the judiciary is to be judged by a jury of one's peers.

"The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole [police] are armed" – Not Noah Webster

"The [police] are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them."- Not Zachariah Johnson

In fact, this is what George Mason had to say:

I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers.

The next step is clear: Buy a handgun. Learn how to use it safely and well. Train regularly at the shooting range. Get a concealed carry permit. Push for constitutional carry laws. Keep the gun with you wherever you can. Get bigger and better blasters as needed. Practice unimpeachable gun safety 100% of the time.

Recognize that you will probably never have need to draw your weapon, let alone use it—but be prepared, always prepared, to do both to defend your lives and the lives of those around you.

The alternative, of course, is to be defenseless, to hope for the best, and—if a gunman should show up—to call the police and hope they show up in time.

Maybe they will and maybe they won't—and maybe they'll just end up hanging out in the hallway either way.

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