| Particularly since 9-11-2001 there has been | | | | the police your side of the story. The person |
| an increase in discussion of self defense in | | | | who attacked you may well know the law far |
| our country and others. Southern Delaware is | | | | better than the police do and say, do or |
| wonderfully safe, secure and peaceful but | | | | encourage you to say and do something that |
| there is still some discussion of self | | | | will make you the victim of the law instead |
| defense and self protection issues here. Our | | | | of him. |
| senior citizens and single people of any age | | | | |
| are often first to feel threatened and that | | | | |
| makes the single senior citizen the most | | | | |
| concerned according to my experience. A few | | | | Cops know that you shouldn't talk. And they |
| years ago I spent a year or so helping to set | | | | must remind you, but they don't always |
| up and manage a couple of very large | | | | remember. Do not make the Cops job harder by |
| Neighborhood Watch and Community Watch groups | | | | talking and saying something they must repeat |
| in areas of predominantly older singles and | | | | on the witness stand in front of the bad |
| senior citizens. | | | | guy's free attorney. If you ever do have to |
| | | | shoot someone just say you need to speak to |
| | | | an attorney and nothing else. If they force |
| | | | you to say something; say only that you were |
| I am active in several national and | | | | in fear of your life and had no other way but |
| international forums where professionals from | | | | to STOP the person trying to kill you. Then |
| all walks of life, interact and correspond. | | | | say nothing else. Make certain you have a |
| Here are some self defense ideas that are | | | | good attorney now. In our case, we have the |
| currently being discussed on a philosophy of | | | | Pre-Paid Legal Services; which gives us a top |
| self defense, weaponry and martial arts forum | | | | attorney in any American jurisdiction with |
| that I have been quite involved with | | | | one call to one 800 number. You should |
| recently. I've used the ideas and discussion | | | | seriously consider Pre-Paid Legal services as |
| of the forum to guide my writing but the | | | | a defensive staple for your own benefit and |
| opinions and observations here are my own, | | | | that of your family and your future. |
| alone. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 10. Do NOT change anything at the crime |
| 1. Let's start with the most basic concept. | | | | scene. Don't do something foolish such as |
| The first and most important self defense | | | | moving the body or putting a weapon in his |
| tactic is to NOT BE THERE. And if one is | | | | hand. Science is quite well developed these |
| THERE then the next most important thing is | | | | days and in most cases they can detect and |
| to NOT COMMUNICATE. You will find that the | | | | reconstruct exactly what happened and if |
| first two methods a top attorney uses to | | | | anything has been tampered with or a |
| defend his client is to try and have an alibi | | | | "throw-down" knife, gun or weapon has been |
| for that client (showing the client was not | | | | placed, you are in terminal trouble. If you |
| there) and to instruct the client to not say | | | | mess with the crime scene -- you will have |
| anything but have an attorney handle all | | | | little chance of success in staying out of |
| communications. There is a maxim in | | | | jail for life, even if you were right in |
| philosophy that there are only two crimes in | | | | shooting the attacker. |
| the universe; being there and communicating; | | | | |
| and that all crimes are just different | | | | |
| mixtures of those two ingredients. In | | | | |
| addition that same philosophical doctrine | | | | 11. Now back to MIND SET again. Mindset is |
| establishes that the only way out of that | | | | key. My personal opinion, as a lay student of |
| trap of criminality is to Be There ever more | | | | these matters with no formal qualification |
| effectively and to Communicate ever more | | | | but some experience (to be discussed below) |
| effectively as the greatest crime of all is | | | | is that your brain will react in one of four |
| not being anywhere (death) and not | | | | ways: |
| communicating at all (death again). So let's | | | | |
| take this philosophical position and | | | | |
| extrapolate it toward effective self defense. | | | | |
| | | | A) Numbness -- You'll try and muddle through |
| | | | in your standard every-day state of vacant |
| | | | relaxed mind and consciousness. This is |
| That is, stay away from or get out of | | | | definitely Not preferred! You won't be |
| dangerous neighborhoods, groups and | | | | thinking fast enough, emotions and |
| situations if there is any possible way to do | | | | preconceptions of safety and apathetic |
| so. Only if cornered or not able to get away | | | | complacency will get in the way. A criminal |
| or if in your own home or if with a child or | | | | attack is ugly and your customary, civilized |
| elderly person that eliminates the | | | | thinking and attitude will usually get you |
| possibility of getting away -- should one | | | | hurt or killed. It is important to realize |
| stand and argue, fight, use any sort of | | | | that being hurt is often worse than being |
| weapon or shoot. | | | | killed; remember that. Rape, dismemberment, |
| | | | disfigurement, permanent mental disability, |
| | | | spinal and neck injuries, brain damage |
| | | | blindness and severely damaged facial |
| And then, if there is no other way out and | | | | features are not usual results from an |
| only then... fight to the death and hopefully | | | | attack. The criminal attack is usually |
| only the death but at least FIRST the death | | | | preceded or even caused by a failure to |
| of the attacker. Only police have the luxury | | | | perceive the problem fast enough in the first |
| of partially disabling an attacker and that | | | | place, and once you do you're still in danger |
| is often only when the law enforcement | | | | of being in a "state of denial" as the |
| officers heavily outnumber the person | | | | attacker begins to stab, punch, kick, slice |
| attacking SOMEONE ELSE. When a law officer is | | | | and beat you or even shoot you. |
| attacked by a person it is usual that the law | | | | |
| enforcement officer acts to totally and | | | | |
| quickly stop the attacker - that often takes | | | | |
| the form of several lethal shots from a gun. | | | | B) Panic -- Fleeing or freezing in terror is |
| When there are two or several police | | | | a common mental reaction to attack. Rational |
| "handling" one somewhat disruptive | | | | flight is fine, in fact rational flight is |
| individual, then sticks, cuffs, and holds are | | | | the best defense, blind panic isn't. |
| used. As individuals we don' t have that | | | | Certainly panic stricken paralysis is of no |
| luxury and it makes no intelligent sense to | | | | use. When fleeing, if that can be done |
| even consider trying to partially control an | | | | rationally, it is best to keep the attacker |
| attacker - as the result will be an | | | | in sight at all times and be aware if he has |
| escalation of the attack and increased danger | | | | a gun, other weapon, and accomplice. Etc., |
| to you. | | | | and no matter what keep going and going and |
| | | | going and going - but not blindly into |
| | | | another danger. This is the sort of reaction |
| | | | that has people jumping out of hundred story |
| 2. There is great importance in training. | | | | buildings to get away from fire - not a |
| Consistent training in the method of defense | | | | survivable solution. |
| will develop an automatic response that will | | | | |
| take over in time of deadly trouble. It is | | | | |
| important to consider that any and every | | | | |
| attack must be considered either potentially | | | | C) Rage - Berserk attacking venomous rage. |
| lethal or of not enough importance to engage | | | | I'm of the opinion that this is very close |
| the attacker. Most potential attacks can be | | | | overall, to panic, as it is not controlled |
| defused with a calm, certain, non-combative | | | | and is just an out of control reaction toward |
| but UN-fearful verbal and physical retreat. | | | | the attacker instead of away from the attack. |
| If the attack is not likely to be lethal then | | | | It is running in fear toward the attack |
| the only sensible response is to quietly and | | | | instead of away from it. This is another |
| effectively leave the situation without a | | | | possible blind, animalistic reaction. In |
| comment, except perhaps a timid apology and | | | | forest fires the timid deer are apt to run |
| immediate, ready to act, retreat. | | | | straight into the fire and their death when |
| | | | they can outrun any fire with their |
| | | | swiftness. Rage is usually characterized by |
| | | | rapid aggressive attack with no thought |
| 3. Prepare mentally. One must mentally | | | | towards self preservation. If this berserk |
| prepare oneself regarding a willingness to | | | | rage is under your control, but the enemy |
| not be a victim of attack. This mental | | | | doesn't know it, it can be a great tool. This |
| preparation is senior to all else. One must | | | | is what I have used against animals and have |
| consider what to do if attacked - to punch, | | | | used it to good effect against a trained |
| shoot and KILL or bite and kill or cut and | | | | police attack dog and even against a pair of |
| kill or stab and kill or kick and kill or | | | | trained and deadly giant wolves. Tunnel |
| punch and kill or all of these things | | | | vision, raging blackout and total memory |
| together. If one must defend oneself, it is | | | | blackout isn't uncommon. In a fistfight, it |
| insane to do anything other than go for the | | | | can work pretty well although still isn't a |
| most deadly and certain points. | | | | preferred survival method. In a gunfight, |
| | | | it's completely anti-survival to charge a |
| | | | flaming gun unless you are one in a million |
| | | | in your training. Likewise in a knife attack, |
| There should be no warning and no gradient | | | | charging the knife wielding assassin in a |
| use of force when fighting for one's life. | | | | rage is not likely to save your life. If |
| The counter-attack should be surprising, | | | | attacked by a group of thugs the raging |
| sudden, sequential, continuous, overwhelming, | | | | charge can work if you run through the |
| fast, furious, and with each thrust, blow, | | | | weakest person and keep on going - but that |
| shot or kick intending to permanently end all | | | | is a calculation and not the blind |
| fight in the attacker. Here we sometimes | | | | reactionary rage I speak of here. |
| discuss the difference between the | | | | |
| Commandment "Thou Shalt NOT murder." And the | | | | |
| erroneous and suicidal "Thou shalt not kill". | | | | |
| There is a world of difference between murder | | | | D) Super Human Emergency Overdrive - is a |
| and killing; especially killing in defense of | | | | mental state characterized by a feeling of |
| family or self. That is, and it is horrible | | | | "the world slowing down because you're |
| to contemplate; one must plan and prepare to | | | | speeding up". This is used by sports figures |
| shoot for the head; punch for the nose; gouge | | | | and is a purposeful, goal oriented effort |
| to remove or burst the eyes, kick to break | | | | that contains within the calculations no |
| the knee and crush the groin. Fingers, keys, | | | | possibility of failure. Emotions go flat, you |
| pens, pencils, thumbs or anything handy | | | | often feel very calculating and calm, and |
| should be thrust into the eyes, throat, | | | | perhaps even a slight self assured smile |
| mouth, nostrils, entrails and any soft or | | | | comes to the lips. This is perhaps what Davy |
| delicate part of the body of an attacker -- | | | | Crocket's famous Grin was about, that struck |
| DEEPLY enough to gouge the organs, nerves and | | | | fear into man and beast, including numerous |
| even the brain to as far as the finger or | | | | warring wild Indians and an attacking Grizzly |
| implement may reach -- several inches deep. | | | | Bear. Morality, intelligence, ethics, reason |
| Yuck, we don't like to even read this... but | | | | and analytical thought don't go out the |
| it is true. | | | | window; accurate targeting and execution of |
| | | | trained actions remain. Reasoned flight, |
| | | | dodging, ducking, jumping, falling, and going |
| | | | over, under, around and through are all part |
| And keep shooting, kicking, biting, gouging | | | | of this mind set. Memory afterwards may be |
| and punching until the attacker is no longer | | | | spotty, but perhaps adequate to sort out what |
| moving. If one stops, that attacker is likely | | | | happened - but not always! Inability to |
| to do shake off your counter-attack and | | | | accurately report the number of shots fired |
| commence something even more torturous and | | | | in a gun fight is very common. Inability to |
| worse than he first planned or had already | | | | accurately describe the number and size of |
| started. And, if another is with you, the | | | | assailants in a gang attack is usual. |
| attacker may go for the other, your child, | | | | |
| wife, mother or friend, in order to weaken | | | | |
| you and make you despair. One must consider | | | | |
| what can be done and how and do all the | | | | It seems that the mind is speeding up and |
| thinking before hand so that there is an | | | | concentrating by eliminating unnecessary |
| automatic mental condition to take over in | | | | thoughts. The body seems to go into a sort of |
| case of need. | | | | shock. The manifestations can include |
| | | | short-term memory recording, emotions, color |
| | | | vision, absence of sounds and elimination of |
| | | | peripheral vision and even motion vision or |
| 4. Make certain you have one or more of the | | | | any vision other than tunnel vision, God only |
| best tools you can have and have them with | | | | knows what else. Moving objects can appear to |
| you when you need them. Since you never know | | | | be stilled; motions of the attackers can be |
| when you may need them, have them always with | | | | predicted and dodged or handled before they |
| you. Here, is the place to consider training | | | | arrive. Police officers often report being |
| for and obtaining a license to carry a deadly | | | | unable to hear gunshots. People unfamiliar |
| weapon if you wish to defend yourself and | | | | with the experience may even assume their |
| those near and dear to you. You should study | | | | guns are non-functional, and keep on pulling |
| and learn how to use tools and weapons | | | | the trigger over and over and over again as |
| properly and be willing to use them and have | | | | they don't hear or even feel the gun jumping. |
| them in best condition to use them. That | | | | |
| means; muscles strong and fast, gun loaded | | | | |
| and quickly accessible, knives razor sharp | | | | |
| and quick to get to and open or bring to | | | | This mind set is triggered by necessity, fear |
| ready. Pepper spray can be handy but is the | | | | or concern for somebody else's life, but once |
| most likely to work against you as it blows | | | | triggered the adrenaline surge seems to be |
| back at you or fails to stop the attacker | | | | just right and often leaves only a shocky, |
| quickly enough and angers him into far worse | | | | shaky feeling when the job is done and the |
| and faster and more aggressive attack upon | | | | danger is handled. It is important to realize |
| you. | | | | that the body is effectively in shock. Try to |
| | | | remember to look around and check your body |
| | | | quickly. Shock can be a good thing for a |
| | | | while as it eliminates pain and curtails |
| 5. Be very certain that the situation | | | | blood flow. But, when it's over - pain |
| requires deadly force before starting the | | | | sensation returns and blood begins to flow. |
| lethal act against your attacker. You must | | | | If you have been hurt, lost a limb, been shot |
| attack only to stop the attack and in order | | | | or cut, you have a few seconds to fix things, |
| to stop that attack you must totally STOP it. | | | | apply a tourniquet, etc. before the shock |
| Half way measures are not useful. The | | | | ends. |
| attacker is likely quite used to giving and | | | | |
| receiving pain and might even be used to | | | | |
| being stabbed, cut, shot and sprayed with | | | | |
| pepper spray, enough that he is not easily | | | | In my "personal" experience, fine motor |
| dissuaded or even slowed down once you start | | | | control was either unharmed or outright |
| protecting yourself - unless you totally | | | | improved. I base this on several experiences; |
| remove his will, ability and possibility of | | | | one was a very high speed crash on a |
| moving against you at all. | | | | motorcycle, once a too low opening of a |
| | | | parachute, a couple of incidents with being |
| | | | attacked, and several dangerous emergencies |
| | | | and near disasters with automobiles, farm |
| 6. Hit him back first. If you are certain you | | | | equipment, bad dogs, mean horses, mules and |
| are going to be attacked and there is no way | | | | bulls, etc. Overdrive is without question the |
| out. Him back first. If he is armed with a | | | | mind set that is preferred for survival! The |
| knife, club, or gun. Do not warn him verbally | | | | exact pattern of "special effects" varies by |
| first. If you are certain you must shoot to | | | | individual. The first couple of times I hit |
| keep yourself or your loved one from being | | | | it, I was "physically fried, exhausted and |
| harmed or killed. His first sight of your gun | | | | beat" afterwards. In the latest example, I |
| should be as it spews flame and a series of | | | | was fully functional afterwards. Some have |
| bullets into his chest, neck, groin and head. | | | | talked of uncontrollable shakes afterwards, |
| | | | vomiting; loss of bowel and bladder control |
| | | | and even sobbing after the danger is handled. |
| | | | Some, just dance with cockiness like a |
| | | | winning ball player or fighter. |
| Remember, most bad guys know that they can | | | | |
| cross 20 to 30 feet of ground with a knife | | | | |
| and kill you, even if you have the gun in | | | | |
| your hand. This stunt is done against armed | | | | 12. In my research on armed self-defense, the |
| cops every single day; with the cops using | | | | error I've read about and heard about most |
| guns loaded with paint balls against a knife | | | | often is someone who sees a burglar breaking |
| wielding police instructor. He always gets | | | | into his car, grabs his gun, and goes outside |
| lots of macho, well trained and convinced | | | | the house to confront the guy. Then the bad |
| cops who will bet him that they can shoot him | | | | guy starts to run and the car owner shoots |
| before he cuts them with his rubber blade. He | | | | him. in the back. That puts the car owner on |
| covers the 30 feet and cuts them several | | | | quicksand legally. In many cases (depending |
| times across the face and stabs them several | | | | on where you live), the car owner will be |
| times and never gets hit by the paint ball | | | | brought before a grand jury. Usually, he's |
| ever. His knife is rubber and covered with | | | | not convicted. Occasionally, depending on the |
| lipstick. He leaves lipstick cuts and stabs | | | | jurisdiction, he'll be convicted of |
| all over the chest, groin, eyes and face of | | | | manslaughter or some other crime. Or he might |
| EVERY cop, every time. Lessons are learned! | | | | get sued by the perpetrator or his relatives. |
| | | | Some cases have resulted in the owner being |
| | | | in jail for years awaiting trials and being |
| | | | bankrupted by attorney fees, losing the wife |
| 7. Make absolutely certain of your target. | | | | and kids being placed in foster homes. |
| Make absolutely certain of who you are | | | | |
| shooting at or even spraying pepper spray at. | | | | |
| Sometimes things are not what they appear. | | | | |
| Don't ever shoot through a door, into the | | | | The criminals always get a free attorney and |
| bushes or into the dark, at a possible | | | | they often use the maddening technique of |
| intruder. Make certain it is not the | | | | being sick a couple of minutes or an hour |
| neighbor, your child, or a spouse who is | | | | before the court case which draws out the |
| perhaps scared or drunk or terrified of | | | | time and attorney fees for months each time, |
| something and trying to wake you up, get your | | | | or even years. In any case, harming or |
| attention or get inside for safety. | | | | attacking or hurting in any way a bad guy |
| | | | that has turned his back or is running away |
| | | | is not a smart thing to do and results in bad |
| | | | things happening to the owner. In fact any |
| 8. Make certain you have enough weaponry, | | | | time the bad guy has taken off, it's not a |
| ammunition, skill and choices in size, | | | | good idea to do anything except get a good |
| effectiveness and quantity. You never know | | | | description, perhaps a tag number and keep |
| what the situation may be, there may only be | | | | good track of where he goes then when he's |
| one deadly or prospectively deadly situation | | | | out of site get on the phone and give it all |
| in your entire life. Make certain that the | | | | to the 911 tape recorder and officer - even |
| cane, stick, bat, knife, gun, ammo and point | | | | if it takes them several minutes to answer. |
| of aim are sufficient to stop the attack. | | | | If you have a gun, don't shoot a person who |
| | | | is going away or has his back turned to you, |
| | | | unless you know for certain that he's going |
| | | | for a gun or going to run you down with his |
| What if there are 6 bad guys? That is not | | | | car, etc. Shooting a bad guy in the back will |
| unusual these days. What if they are wearing | | | | usually get you in jail for a long time, |
| bullet proof vests? That is not unusual these | | | | destroy your finances and remove all your |
| days either. Many bad guys do wear bullet | | | | family, friends, and job prospects for the |
| proof vests, just like all the cops do, in | | | | rest of your life. |
| fact they often wear the exact same quality | | | | |
| vests, and you can't see them. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 13. Cell Phone; or even a regular phone. The |
| | | | primary purpose of the cell phone is NOT ONLY |
| Cops usually carry a gun with 15 to 20 | | | | the call to 911 for help. It is not unusual |
| bullets in it and usually have two or three | | | | for the Police to take an hour or more to |
| extra magazines of 15 to 20 bullets each on | | | | arrive and you may only have 1 or 2 seconds |
| their belt in addition. Police also carry an | | | | left to live if you have someone breaking |
| extra hidden gun, knives, clubs, and cuffs | | | | into, already in your home or attacking you |
| and even then THEY call for reinforcements if | | | | on the street. You must act and dial fast. |
| they have any slightest inkling that there | | | | The purpose is to make the call to 911, and |
| will be ANY resistance at all. They also have | | | | be sure of Keeping The Phone ON so that there |
| the uniform, badge, and authority which are | | | | is a taped recording of what happens as you |
| not available to you. | | | | yell "STOP - DON'T KILL ME - STOP - GO AWAY - |
| | | | GET OUT OF HERE - DON'T HURT ME - GET AWAY |
| | | | FROM MY HOME - GET AWAY FROM MY CHILD - BANG, |
| | | | BANG, BANG, STOP, BANG, BANG, STOP, BANG, |
| 9. DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE OR ANYONE ELSE | | | | BANG." You get the idea. Sadly we live in a |
| AFTER AN INCIDENT. JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, | | | | world where the criminals have far more |
| SAY NOTHING AT ALL, ASK FOR YOUR ATTORNEY AND | | | | rights than the honest citizen and often the |
| A CALL TO YOUR MOST EFFECTIVE FAMILY MEMBER | | | | fact of the matter is that unless you know |
| AND SAY NOTHING AT ALL. EVEN IF YOU DON'T | | | | the laws as well as the criminals do - you |
| SHOOT THE PERSON AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T | | | | will find yourself in the position of Guilty |
| KILL THE PERSON (ALWAYS AN ERROR THAT MAY | | | | until proven innocent, instead of the other |
| HAUNT YOU FOREVER), don't say anything. | | | | way around. So just make certain that you |
| | | | stay alert and stay out of trouble - then the |
| | | | modern difficulties of self defense won't |
| | | | likely be a terrible part of your life and |
| Even pulling a club, bottle, knife, cane or | | | | future.And remember, the first and best form |
| gun to stop an attack can land you in jail | | | | of self defense is to not be there, in a |
| and court, especially if you talk and tell | | | | dangerous place. |