I was at a grocery store reading some gun magazines sometime within the past year and there was an article about the importance of using the safety on weapons (in conjunction with the other firearm safety rules, such as keeping the finger out of the trigger guard, keeping the weapon pointed in a safe direction, etc. In the article, they reference people who claim they don't need to use the safety on their weapon, like "Hoot" in the movie Black Hawk Down. The article makes fun of people who use hollywood to justify their firearm safety. However, Norm Hooten did actually say this, at least according to the book Black Hawk Down (which I've read):

In the book "Black Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden, chapter 11 page 210 reads: "...Steele was standing in line with his men at mess, and spotted Delta Sergeant Norm Hooten carrying a rifle with the safety off." "He tapped the blond operator on the shoulders and pointed it out." "Hooten had held up his index finger and said, 'This is my safe.'"

I believe the article goes on to say that the reason the weapon was on fire, not safe, was because the hammer was down and the chamber was empty, and AR-15/M4/M16 type weapons can't be put on safety while in this state.

Has anyone seen this article and know what magazine and month/year it's from?

I agree it's important to keep weapons on safe, I'm not arguing that, just looking for the article.

I appreciate any assistance people can provide.

Hoot!

Norm Hooten's name sounds like an amateur Nebrasken porn star.

From a safety standpoint a rifle hammer down with no round chambered and safety off is safer than safety on with hammer back and round chambered.  The former cannot possibly fire whereas the latter could if something caused the firing pin to strike the primer or the hammer somehow released.  Juuuuuuuust sayin.

Does the OP count..?