440 – Pro-Gun Psychology with Dr. William Aprill

Who is Dr. William Aprill?

William Aprill is a licensed mental health professional with over 15 years experience across the continuum of care. He presently maintains a private practice and consultancy specializing in post-traumatic interventions and other disciplines.

William is a former deputy sheriff (Orleans Parish, LA, Criminal Sheriff’s Office) and Special Deputy US Marshal (Eastern District of Louisiana). He is a decorated competitive shooter and has taught civilian, law enforcement, and military personnel in various fighting skills since 1990.

William maintains an active schedule both as student and teacher, having been instructor-rated by several top-tier trainers and studying under many of the most influential members of the combative arts community.

Under the auspices of Aprill Risk Consulting, William has presented his material on violent criminals and their decision-making, defensive incident aftermath, mindset development and defensive preparedness locally and nationally, including at the Annual Conference  of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI), Rangemaster Tactical Conference, Tactical Response Alumni Weekend, and at Paul-E-Palooza, the memorial conference and fundraiser for the family of the late Paul Gomez.

Links related to William Aprill

Aprill Risk Consulting

ARC on Instagram

Main Topics of Today’s Episode:

I was really looking forward to Talking with William about how and why the Who is America crew finds success in manipulating conservative leaders. We look at how we can avoid this type of a confidence game and what the victimization of these folks might say about the firearms industry.

• Who is America – Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat, Ali G – manipulating and embarrassing people for what seems to be political gain? What are your thoughts when you see this type of “comedy”?
• Many of the folks That have been targeted have been conservative in political leanings and many from in the gun world. This has of course brought attention to the show from several angles. What is the cost of this? What are the likely consequences that a duped person might experience?
• How is it that such successful and intelligent people can be goaded into doing such silly, nonsensical things?
• Examples from SSA Podcast
• The Milgram Experiment. Can you briefly describe it and what was learned from it.
  • Why would this experiment be considered unethical to conduct today?
  • How is what Cohen and Showtime are doing different?
• The Netflix Documentary The Push
  • Uses some simple screening to select people that tip toward compliant behavior
  • Would you expect that Who is America is using screening like this to increase compliance?
• What does it say about our culture in general and maybe more specifically about the firearms industry that some of our leaders are being duped this badly?
• In one of the Who is America Clips a scientist avoids getting sucked in. Why do you suppose she is able to avoid the pitfalls?
• What does the firearms industry need to change to help people not be so silly?
• How can the average person avoid being manipulated by a salesperson, a business associate, a con, a violent criminal?

Important links related to today’s show:

• The Push Trailer
• Newsweek Is the Push Fake?
• The Milgram Experiment –
  • Full Film
  • Short Take – Under what circumstances will a person follow the directions of an authority figure even when the directions violate common sense, ethics and even morality
• Who is America Links
  • Cohen Bio
  • Georgia House Speaker David Ralston
  • Illinois congressman turned radio host Joe Walsh
  • Jason Spencer | Ep.2 | Who Is America?
  • Sacha Baron Cohen: Who is America? Childrens Gun Advert
  • Philip Van Cleave Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League
  • Gun-rights backer Philip Van Cleave is criticized for being duped by Sacha Baron Cohen
  • Scientist doesn’t get sucked in.