Gun Control and the City by Christopher Paul Meyer In 1991, I began studying Karate in New York City’s West Village under Seiko Shihan Shigeru Oyama. I first studied Capoeira in 1993 under Mestre Cigano at Capoeira Dos Palmas in the run-down, heroin-riddled Alphabet City section of Manhattan’s lower East Side. I share this with because I’m making a point about gun … [Read more...]
Chris Mintz: “Rough Men” Still Have a Place in Our Society
Chris Mintz: "Rough Men" Still Have a Place in Our Society by Christopher Paul Meyer “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” — George Orwell [Editor's Note: This article first appeared in The Havok Journal October 28, 2015. It is republished as the issues discussed are just as relevant … [Read more...]
Semper Fight: A Former Marine and the Bar Fight Scene
Semper Fight: A Former Marine and the Bar Fight Scene Note: The following is adapted from a chapter of Christopher Paul Meyer’s memoir, Icarus Falling: A True Story About the Broken Dreams, Broken Heart and Broken Bones of a Nightclub Bouncer in LA. _____ The summer with its heat and partying and overtime was over. Now the days were cooler and the nights were cold. The … [Read more...]
The Death of a Civilian: The Day I Joined the Army
The Death of a Civilian: The Day I Joined the Army Note: The following is adapted from a chapter of Christopher Paul Meyer’s memoir, Icarus Falling: A True Story About the Broken Dreams, Broken Heart and Broken Bones of a Nightclub Bouncer in LA. _____ He was about 6’2 and 220 pounds. “When you step out of this bus, you will see two yellow lines.” He spoke quietly but each … [Read more...]
The Craft: The Importance of “Presence”
The Craft: The Importance of "Presence" Note: The following is adapted from a chapter of Christopher Paul Meyer’s memoir, Icarus Falling: A True Story About the Broken Dreams, Broken Heart and Broken Bones of a Nightclub Bouncer in LA. _____ The longer I stayed in Hollywood, the more I understood what it meant to be a cowboy. I wouldn’t get (and didn’t deserve) the same … [Read more...]
The Soft Landing, Part II: Customer Relations
The Soft Landing, Part II: Customer Relations Note: The following is adapted from a chapter of Christopher Paul Meyer’s memoir, Icarus Falling: A True Story About the Broken Dreams, Broken Heart and Broken Bones of a Nightclub Bouncer in LA. You can read Part I here. _____ One block away, I entered the large glass doors of The Standard Downtown. It was no dive … [Read more...]
The Soft Landing, Part I: Landing A Security Gig
The Soft Landing, Part I: Landing A Security Gig Note: The following is adapted from a chapter of Christopher Paul Meyer’s memoir, Icarus Falling: A True Story About the Broken Dreams, Broken Heart and Broken Bones of a Nightclub Bouncer in LA. _____ I spent most days at the internet cafe on Sunset and La Brea where I’d try to find an unoccupied seat among the transients, … [Read more...]
Dave Petraeus, Chris Kyle, And… Me? When Soldiers Lie
[Note: This article was originally published on 6 MAR 2015 at www.christopherpaulmeyer.com.] This is a tough one for me to write. Liars have always been high value targets to the media. But there have rarely been this many high-profile ones caught lying all at the same time. Brian Williams told a whopper. There’s a debate over whether Bill O’Reilly did. Robert … [Read more...]
Muslim Veterans Speak Out, Part III: The War Within Islam
When it comes to terrorism, US foreign policy, US military operations, the true nature of Islam and the extent of Islamic radicalization, there are no shortages of opinions. As a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and a former US soldier, I certainly had my own. But when it came to discussing Islam intelligently, I had more questions than answers. Frustratingly, most interviews I’ve … [Read more...]
Muslim Veterans Speak Out, Part II: Women’s Rights and Islam
When it comes to terrorism, US foreign policy, US military operations, the true nature of Islam and the extent of Islamic radicalization, there are no shortages of opinions. As a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and a former US soldier, I certainly had my own. But when it came to discussing Islam intelligently, I had more questions than answers. Frustratingly, most interviews I’ve … [Read more...]
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