It Starts with You. We are on the verge of a critical movement in this country, one where each individual will start to recognize how easy it is to make a difference in the security of our country. This collective consciousness will change the face of national security. This is why it is important to understand that YOU, as well as every other US citizen, can make a difference.

Very few Americans are aware of the fact that 12 million violent crimes are committed per year in the United States, with an estimated one fifth of the population falling victim to these crimes. Aside from that, it is well-known that the threat of terrorism is always prevalent, allusive and in many cases, “invisible”.

We have domestic threats from criminals, as well as foreign threats from terrorists. But how can an individual citizen make a real difference in the protection of America? It can be done and it is easier than you think.

Liberty and security do not compete in a zero-sum game. Our freedoms are the very foundation of our strength and security. But the very definition of security usually requires a few questions that need to be answered before security measures are put in place. Who or what are we trying to protect? Who or what are we trying to protect it from?

It stands to reason that, in light of the recent shootings, bombings, and other acts of violence, we have a lot more to protect than just ourselves. We have families, neighborhoods, communities, businesses, and the nation that all need our attention. That's why it is so important for us to rededicate efforts to our personal and national security to ensure that what transpires in the course of our daily lives is protected.

There exist various types of safety. There is personal safety and there is community safety, the latter of which falls under local, state, and national security. To begin with personal safety, experts for decades have long studied what makes an individual more likely to be the target of any given crime. As for national security, those aims and targets are more difficult to see, but can also be deterred with the same awareness.

I want to help you understand one main foundation of personal and community safety, which exists in all of us. It's that innate feeling we have when we know something isn't right in a situation or an environment. It is the hair that stands up on our neck when we know that danger is imminent. I call this our “sixth sense”, which is the ability to intrinsically perceive possible threats without consciously knowing where that threat is coming from.

Think about it. How many of us have the ability to naturally sense when something feels “off”, yet these feelings are often dismissed or mocked? Humans are the only animals who sense danger, yet walk right into it.

Rather than offend the person who has triggered our fear instinct, we usually choose being polite over being safe. For example, we might politely enter an elevator with a person who, for some unknown reason, has triggered our fear instinct rather than risk appearing rude and waiting for the next elevator.

What people do not know is that there is now solid scientific evidence that their “sixth sense” can save their life. “Instinct Science” is a rapidly emerging branch of research that studies the connection between subtle feelings and impending danger. Consider that even the US Navy includes the word “6th sense” in their combat training briefs, citing that some soldiers use it to feel danger before an enemy attack.

This may sound contrary to your conditioned beliefs of practicality and polite well-being, but how many times have you heard crime victims report having a “gut instinct” or warning prior to the actual incident.