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