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