Ignatius Piazza
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ignatius "Naish" Piazza (born 1960) is the founder and director of the Front Sight Firearms Training Institute
in Pahrump, Nevada
. He lives near Santa Cruz, California
.
and attended Livermore High School
, where he was a varsity athlete. He later became a doctor
of chiropractic
and owned a practice in California
.
In lectures and presentations, he relates the story of the evening his home was the target of a random drive-by shooting. Escaping injury, he realized that the firearms he owned did him little good as he had no real training in their use. He made the decision to become the best he could be in the defensive use of his firearms, and wanted to teach others how to do the same. Ultimately, this led to his founding of Front Sight near Bakersfield, California
in 1996, to "positively change the image of gun ownership in our lifetime".
In 1998, his concept expanded to include a complete "world-class" resort, like a "Disneyland for gun enthusiasts" and a town, Front Sight, Nevada
, envisioned as "the safest community in America". Since this time, he has been working to build this resort about 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
. His efforts have been covered by local news and gun enthusiast periodicals, but notably have received international exposure as well in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune
, LA Times, BBC
, Playboy Magazine, USA Today
, San Francisco Chronicle
, CNN
, Washington Post, Forbes
, and a piece by Diane Sawyer
.
Piazza established a philanthropic project called Helping Those Who Help Others. The goal of this project is to focus on and contribute to charities with a proven track record, similar to a charitable trust. A list of charities which have been supported can be found at the project homepage.
In 2003, Piazza produced a documentary entitled Innocents Betrayed. The purpose of this documentary was to show the point of view that, historically, gun control has been used to disarm populations for the purpose of government sponsored genocide.
In 2006, Piazza created and began producing the reality television series Front Sight Challenge, airing on the Versus Network
. Front Sight Challenge is now available for online viewing.
Through Front Sight, Piazza was involved in preparing actor Mark Wahlberg
for his role in the 2007 film Shooter.
Piazza has been dubbed Millionaire Patriot for providing millions of dollars in firearms and training to help citizens protect themselves and their families.
, although he disagrees with some of the NRA's methods and certain positions on some issues. For instance, Piazza does not agree that the message of gun ownership should be watered down by claiming that guns are only for hunting, a claim to which anti-gun activists may respond by asking why someone needs an AK-47
to shoot a deer; he believes that the simple and honest message that firearm ownership is protected by the 2nd Amendment
is enough (reference: Front Sight promotional DVD, 2005).
In November 2009, in response to the Fort Hood shooting
, Piazza gave away 500 AK-47
-pattern rifles with the purchase of a $995 Front Sight Lifetime Membership.
with suggestions on how to prevent this type of event from happening in the future. His proposed solution was to arm all airplane pilots, and to this end he promised free training to all airline pilots in his "Arm Our Pilots Campaign". At the time this was viewed incredulously in some circles, but has become a more plausible response in political discourse with the passage of time. Piazza takes pride in being a leader in promoting this type of answer to violence and terrorism (reference: Front Sight promotional DVD, 2005).
, Piazza announced that free firearms training would be offered for up to three teachers or administrators at any school in the United States.
In April 2007, in response to the Virginia Tech massacre
, Piazza announced that free firearms training would be offered to any teacher, administrator, or other school staff member designated as school safety monitor.
lifted the ban on students carrying concealed weapons. Piazza announced that a 5-day course on carrying and using a concealed handgun would be offered free to every student there. Having taken this course and received a concealed carry permit, any Utah student would be able to carry concealed in 30 US states due to reciprocity laws. Furthermore, the student's diploma from the university would carry the designation CWP (concealed weapon permit). Piazza stated, "If our university students are old enough to fight for our freedom and die in Iraq with a machine gun in their hands, then with Front Sight’s responsible training under their belts, they are certainly old enough and intelligent enough to carry a concealed handgun on college campuses to protect themselves, classmates, and faculty from the next homicidal and suicidal psych drug failure."
sheriff, a fairly common practice in rural counties. This commission was rescinded in light of new county laws by newly elected county sheriff Tony DeMeo in 2003.
instructor Dean Gamburd for libel. The basis of the suit was literature which Gamburd had distributed linking Piazza and Front Sight to Scientology. The case was apparently settled.
In 2002, Front Sight, Inc. and Piazza individually sued Diana Hsieh for libel. The case was settled out of court. This lawsuit was in effect a complaint that Diana Hsieh had linked Front Sight with Scientology in a manner which Piazza believed to be unfair. The complaint accused Hsieh of linking the company to "hateful, bigoted and untrue statements" concerning Scientology.
In 2006, Piazza and Front Sight were sued in a class action by certain members of the "First Family", an exclusive membership to the Front Sight facility, for failing to deliver on expectations made when the memberships were purchased. On May 11, 2009, Front Sight was put into receivership by the judge in this case for failing to abide by some of the court orders.
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, also known as Front Sight, is a privately owned and operated facility for training people how to safely operate firearms in both recreational and self-defense settings, also referred to as "comfort of skill at arms". It was founded in 1996 by Dr...
in Pahrump, Nevada
Pahrump, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 24,631 people, 10,153 households, and 7,127 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 82.7 people per square mile . There were 11,651 housing units at an average density of 39.1 per square mile...
. He lives near Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
.
Biography
Piazza grew up in Pleasanton, CaliforniaPleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
and attended Livermore High School
Livermore High School
Founded in 1891, Livermore High School is a public high school located in the city of Livermore, California, USA, and is part of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District . In 2007, it was chosen as one in four schools in Alameda County to receive the California Distinguished School...
, where he was a varsity athlete. He later became a doctor
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
of chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
and owned a practice in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
In lectures and presentations, he relates the story of the evening his home was the target of a random drive-by shooting. Escaping injury, he realized that the firearms he owned did him little good as he had no real training in their use. He made the decision to become the best he could be in the defensive use of his firearms, and wanted to teach others how to do the same. Ultimately, this led to his founding of Front Sight near Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
in 1996, to "positively change the image of gun ownership in our lifetime".
In 1998, his concept expanded to include a complete "world-class" resort, like a "Disneyland for gun enthusiasts" and a town, Front Sight, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, envisioned as "the safest community in America". Since this time, he has been working to build this resort about 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. His efforts have been covered by local news and gun enthusiast periodicals, but notably have received international exposure as well in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, LA Times, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Playboy Magazine, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Washington Post, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
, and a piece by Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
.
Piazza established a philanthropic project called Helping Those Who Help Others. The goal of this project is to focus on and contribute to charities with a proven track record, similar to a charitable trust. A list of charities which have been supported can be found at the project homepage.
In 2003, Piazza produced a documentary entitled Innocents Betrayed. The purpose of this documentary was to show the point of view that, historically, gun control has been used to disarm populations for the purpose of government sponsored genocide.
In 2006, Piazza created and began producing the reality television series Front Sight Challenge, airing on the Versus Network
Versus (TV channel)
Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...
. Front Sight Challenge is now available for online viewing.
Through Front Sight, Piazza was involved in preparing actor Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
for his role in the 2007 film Shooter.
Piazza has been dubbed Millionaire Patriot for providing millions of dollars in firearms and training to help citizens protect themselves and their families.
Political activism
Piazza is a life member of Keepandbeararms.com and the NRANational Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, although he disagrees with some of the NRA's methods and certain positions on some issues. For instance, Piazza does not agree that the message of gun ownership should be watered down by claiming that guns are only for hunting, a claim to which anti-gun activists may respond by asking why someone needs an AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
to shoot a deer; he believes that the simple and honest message that firearm ownership is protected by the 2nd Amendment
Second Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights.In 2008 and 2010, the Supreme Court issued two Second...
is enough (reference: Front Sight promotional DVD, 2005).
In November 2009, in response to the Fort Hood shooting
Fort Hood shooting
The Fort Hood shooting was a mass shooting that took place on November 5, 2009, at Fort Hood, the most populous U.S. military installation in the world, located just outside Killeen, Texas. In the course of the shooting, a single gunman killed 13 people and wounded 29 others...
, Piazza gave away 500 AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
-pattern rifles with the purchase of a $995 Front Sight Lifetime Membership.
Arming pilots
Piazza was among the first to respond to the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
with suggestions on how to prevent this type of event from happening in the future. His proposed solution was to arm all airplane pilots, and to this end he promised free training to all airline pilots in his "Arm Our Pilots Campaign". At the time this was viewed incredulously in some circles, but has become a more plausible response in political discourse with the passage of time. Piazza takes pride in being a leader in promoting this type of answer to violence and terrorism (reference: Front Sight promotional DVD, 2005).
Arming school employees
In April 1999, in response to the Columbine High School massacreColumbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
, Piazza announced that free firearms training would be offered for up to three teachers or administrators at any school in the United States.
In April 2007, in response to the Virginia Tech massacre
Virginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
, Piazza announced that free firearms training would be offered to any teacher, administrator, or other school staff member designated as school safety monitor.
Arming students
In 2007, University of UtahUniversity of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
lifted the ban on students carrying concealed weapons. Piazza announced that a 5-day course on carrying and using a concealed handgun would be offered free to every student there. Having taken this course and received a concealed carry permit, any Utah student would be able to carry concealed in 30 US states due to reciprocity laws. Furthermore, the student's diploma from the university would carry the designation CWP (concealed weapon permit). Piazza stated, "If our university students are old enough to fight for our freedom and die in Iraq with a machine gun in their hands, then with Front Sight’s responsible training under their belts, they are certainly old enough and intelligent enough to carry a concealed handgun on college campuses to protect themselves, classmates, and faculty from the next homicidal and suicidal psych drug failure."
Civilian deputyship
Piazza was previously granted a special deputyship by the Nye County, NevadaNye County, Nevada
-National protected areas:* Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Death Valley National Park * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest * Spring Mountains National Recreation Area -Demographics:...
sheriff, a fairly common practice in rural counties. This commission was rescinded in light of new county laws by newly elected county sheriff Tony DeMeo in 2003.
Litigation
In 2002, he sued former Front SightFront Sight Firearms Training Institute
Front Sight Firearms Training Institute, also known as Front Sight, is a privately owned and operated facility for training people how to safely operate firearms in both recreational and self-defense settings, also referred to as "comfort of skill at arms". It was founded in 1996 by Dr...
instructor Dean Gamburd for libel. The basis of the suit was literature which Gamburd had distributed linking Piazza and Front Sight to Scientology. The case was apparently settled.
In 2002, Front Sight, Inc. and Piazza individually sued Diana Hsieh for libel. The case was settled out of court. This lawsuit was in effect a complaint that Diana Hsieh had linked Front Sight with Scientology in a manner which Piazza believed to be unfair. The complaint accused Hsieh of linking the company to "hateful, bigoted and untrue statements" concerning Scientology.
In 2006, Piazza and Front Sight were sued in a class action by certain members of the "First Family", an exclusive membership to the Front Sight facility, for failing to deliver on expectations made when the memberships were purchased. On May 11, 2009, Front Sight was put into receivership by the judge in this case for failing to abide by some of the court orders.