On the Mic with Mike!

Latest Episodes:

You Pulled It… But Can You Keep It? Lessons from the CTA Pink Line Shooting Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

A tragic incident on Chicago’s CTA Pink Line revealed a hard truth many gun owners don’t want to confront: having a firearm does not mean you can control it.

In this episode of On the Mic with Mike, Instructor Mike breaks down what really went wrong when a suspect with a knife was able to take a gun from a passenger and use it — killing one person and injuring another. This is not about sensationalism. This is about reality, responsibility, and restraint.

We talk honestly about:

• Why simply “having your gun on you” does not make you safe

• How quickly a firearm can be taken in close quarters

• Why drawing a weapon too early can turn you into the victim

• The difference between possession and control

• The dangers of overconfidence and under-training

• Why CTA environments make firearm deployment especially risky

• The uncomfortable truth about gun retention, distance, and decision-making

This episode is a reality check for anyone who carries — or plans to carry — a firearm. It challenges the fantasy version of self-defense and replaces it with something more important: training, humility, and judgment.

Because the question isn’t “Do you have a gun?”

The real question is:

“If you pull it… can you keep it?”

🎙️ On the Mic with Mike

Real talk. Real training. Real accountability.

You’ve been trained.

Karmelo Anthony and the Jury: A Thing to Consider Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

Many people are discussing the racial makeup of the jury in the Karmelo Anthony case. Some are asking why there are no Black jurors. Others are questioning whether he is truly receiving a trial by a jury of his peers.

But there is a deeper question worth asking:

How are jurors selected in the first place?

In this episode, Instructor Mike explores civic literacy, jury selection, voter registration, and why understanding systems matters. This is not a discussion about guilt or innocence. It is a discussion about participation, preparation, and responsibility.

If jurors are often drawn from voter registration records, driver’s license databases, and other public records, what happens when communities fail to teach young people how these systems work?

What does “a jury of your peers” actually mean?

Can a former police officer be objective?

Can an educator be objective?

Can anyone truly leave their life experiences at the courtroom door?

Join Instructor Mike as he examines a difficult question:

Are we upset with the system, or are we upset because we never learned how the system operates?

Diggins & McDade: The Two Cases Every Gun Owner Must Know Dec 26, 2025

Show notes

Illinois gun law has evolved through confusion, court battles, and the lived experiences of everyday people simply trying to travel safely with their firearms. In this episode of On the Mic with Mike, Instructor Mike breaks down two landmark cases — People v. Diggins and People v. McDade — that every responsible gun owner needs to understand.

From whether a center console counts as a “case,” to whether your gun case needs to be locked, these decisions shaped the way Illinois interprets safe firearm transport. And if you’re a FOID card holder, a concealed carrier, a security officer, or someone who just wants to stay on the right side of the law, this is essential training.

Instructor Mike cuts through the legal jargon and gives you clear, real-world guidance:

• ✔️ What Diggins really decided about vehicle consoles

• ✔️ Why McDade changed the meaning of “enclosed” forever

• ✔️ The difference between “closed” and “locked”

• ✔️ How these cases protect responsible gun owners

• ✔️ How people get arrested because no one ever trained them

Understanding the law is part of being a responsible firearm owner — and too many people are under-trained, not criminal. This episode keeps you informed, empowered, and prepared.

This is not legal theory. This is practical knowledge that keeps you free.

“This is Instructor Mike — and you’ve been trained.”

Not Just Armed. Prepared. Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

Today, we resurrect the On the Mic with Mike Podcast with today’s episode about not just being armed but being prepared. Prepared for what? Preparing our children for the world that lies ahead. Are we just waiting for the next school shooting to talk about the gun and grabbers who want to grab our firearms or are we being active mitigators and violence interrupters? Take six minutes out of your day and let’s talk about it.

Let’s Talk USCCA and Kayla Giles and Alan Colie: Coverage Dropped but Did You Know This?! Dec 29, 2023

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So by now you probably heard about the controversy surrounding the USCCA and the two cases of their members whose coverage for self-defense liability insurance was dropped. You got people spontaneously bandwagoning dropping their coverage as well. Hold off for a minute. Here is what you might not have considered. Get your own understanding because someone else’s decision to influence your actions won’t help you. This is well worth the listen.

Chicago Police Officer failed to clear firearm malfunction under fire Oct 20, 2023

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What the heck happened to the tactics needed to survive a deadly traffic stop or a violent encounter? Let’s talk about it with an on-view street stop on 99th and Ewing in Chicago.

Chicago security officer shoots man who shot another person Aug 06, 2023

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Join Instructor Mike as we talk about a Chicago security officer who shot at a man who shot at Subway on the 7100 block of Jeffrey in Chicago. Would it be too much trouble to sign off with your thoughts?

Charlotte North Carolina Bus Driver Shoots Man Defending Self: Was he Wrong? Jun 01, 2023

Show notes

Yes I know. Buses can be dangerous. Especially if you live in inner cities like Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, Charlotte North Carolina? Well, it happen here like it can happen anywhere. You’ll hear tonight of what the driver did to defend himself. Was he wrong? Was he right? Yes. We know that a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun, Asterix. What does that Asterix mean? There are conditions that must be met and what’s this cloak of innocence that you have to be draped in? Let’s talk about it tonight on Instructor Mike. Audio courtesy of ABC7 Chicago.

Did Jersey Village, TX Police Threaten Black Man on Traffic Stop? Mar 18, 2023

Show notes

Community activists are demanding that a Jersey Village police officer be fired immediately and face criminal charges after a traffic stop that quickly went south. What actually happened? Let’s talk about it!

Chicago Loses Another Police Officer Saving a Life: What K*lled Him? Mar 04, 2023

Show notes

Chicago Loses Another Police Officer Saving a Life: What K*lled Him? Per the Chicago Sun Times, Prosecutors disclosed new details Friday about the fatal shooting of Chicago police officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso near a playground at a grade school in Gage Park this week, including the domestic violence call that led to the deadly confrontation. What killed him besides the offender? Let’s discuss. Like this? Get more! Want to purchase books, get CCW Safe Concealed Carry Insurance, get an awesome gun safe, sign up for classes, or get merch? Graciously click the links below. Classes: https://www.MikeBrownsClasses.com Merch: https://www.MikeBrownsMerch.com Books: https://www.MikeBrownsBooks.com Self-Defense Protection After-Event: CCW Safe: www.CCWSafe.com/sectracon Gun Safe: Vein Pattern Technology Gun Safes - https://maxsafes.com/sca_ref=2430491.RJMSSbXBHf Follow Instructor Mike on his various social media platforms. Instagram: Instructor Mike - https://www.instagram.com/YesMikeSaidIt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/instructormike YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/instructormike Twitter: https://twitter.com/instructormike1 Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1432621 TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdruGSCd/ Locals: https://instructormike.locals.com Want to support the channel? PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/sectracon Cashapp: https://cash.app/$WhatITellMyselfFirst Disclaimer: All views expressed on this video and comments made verbally or written do not reflect the views of anyone and are that of my own. FAIR USE NOTICE: This video may contain copyrighted material; the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available for the purposes of criticism, comment, review and news reporting which constitute the fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law (17 USC sec. 107). Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work for purposes such as criticism, comment, review and news reporting is not an infringement of copyright. Get to FREAKIN’ practice, YOU! Thoughts? “Train hard for the day may come.” - Ed Mohn, VP IL Tactical Officers Assn.

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