What strikes me most odd is the reliance of a firearm on the body to defend yourself. Time and again, I hear people talk about what guns they carry, and I don't fault this as I do it. However, it is critical to our well-being that we realize that a sidearm is not the first line of defense.
In a post further down, there is talk about a gang of fools that went through Central Park terrorizing tourists and how they wouldn't have if said tourists were packing. Unfortunately, this is a bit off the mark.
Consider this: Did the tourists have warning enough to draw a weapon? The experts say you need about 1.5 seconds to present a weapon from concealment and that you would have to recognize the threat while it was still about 40 feet away - it takes about 1.5 secs to cover 40ft.
More than likely, the tourists never saw it coming and were swarmed before they could draw. This leaves us with what is always the first line of defense: empty-hand fighting.
If the French husband, who was restrained, had reacted immediately with a heal stomp to the bg's instep or a spear-hand thrust to the larynx, he might have been able to get clear for weapons presentation or move in on the bg's doing bad things to his wife.
Where was the knee to the groin? Why aren't the attackers marred by fingernail gouges down their faces? Why can their knees still operate? Why do they still have eyeballs in the eye sockets?
There are a lot of things that should be considered before the gun simply because they are more available than the gun. This isn't to say that you shouldn't get that weapon out as fast as you can, but...
Most important of all is knowing that you are going to kill. In a situation such as described, there seems to be missing any knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. You don't have to be a ninja master to get out of trouble, you just have to be ready and willing to inflict serious, PERMANENT, bodily harm to the person attacking you.
I stress permanent harm because too many people don't really want to hurt anyone, for any reason. This is wrong. You can decide what level you want to take things to, but you HAVE to be willing to take it all the way. That mindset is what will keep you alive. It might seem effeminate to rake your opponent's face with your fingernails, but if it wins the fight, who cares? All you want is to win, not look macho doing it. It might seem disgusting to thrust a finger or thumb through someone's eyeball, and it is disgusting, but you didn't seek out this confrontation and all you should be thinking about is getting home to the family. Don't be concerned with the fact that this animal will never see out of that eye again. It might sound cruel, but remember that you are the good person here. You are the one trying to do good in the world and by rights, you are the one that should go home.
In my line of work, I see all too many people that are not serious about fighting and it is scary. That your timidity or ignorance might get you killed is on you (call it suicide-by-apathy), but that it gets me killed is unacceptable. Practice with your gun, run IDPA matches. But carry an Emerson Commander clipped to you pocket because it can be presented faster and in tighter confines. And when TSHTF, let it all out. There are no Marquess of Queensbury rules in the real world. No quarter, asked or given.
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When Reason Fails.....
In a post further down, there is talk about a gang of fools that went through Central Park terrorizing tourists and how they wouldn't have if said tourists were packing. Unfortunately, this is a bit off the mark.
Consider this: Did the tourists have warning enough to draw a weapon? The experts say you need about 1.5 seconds to present a weapon from concealment and that you would have to recognize the threat while it was still about 40 feet away - it takes about 1.5 secs to cover 40ft.
More than likely, the tourists never saw it coming and were swarmed before they could draw. This leaves us with what is always the first line of defense: empty-hand fighting.
If the French husband, who was restrained, had reacted immediately with a heal stomp to the bg's instep or a spear-hand thrust to the larynx, he might have been able to get clear for weapons presentation or move in on the bg's doing bad things to his wife.
Where was the knee to the groin? Why aren't the attackers marred by fingernail gouges down their faces? Why can their knees still operate? Why do they still have eyeballs in the eye sockets?
There are a lot of things that should be considered before the gun simply because they are more available than the gun. This isn't to say that you shouldn't get that weapon out as fast as you can, but...
Most important of all is knowing that you are going to kill. In a situation such as described, there seems to be missing any knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. You don't have to be a ninja master to get out of trouble, you just have to be ready and willing to inflict serious, PERMANENT, bodily harm to the person attacking you.
I stress permanent harm because too many people don't really want to hurt anyone, for any reason. This is wrong. You can decide what level you want to take things to, but you HAVE to be willing to take it all the way. That mindset is what will keep you alive. It might seem effeminate to rake your opponent's face with your fingernails, but if it wins the fight, who cares? All you want is to win, not look macho doing it. It might seem disgusting to thrust a finger or thumb through someone's eyeball, and it is disgusting, but you didn't seek out this confrontation and all you should be thinking about is getting home to the family. Don't be concerned with the fact that this animal will never see out of that eye again. It might sound cruel, but remember that you are the good person here. You are the one trying to do good in the world and by rights, you are the one that should go home.
In my line of work, I see all too many people that are not serious about fighting and it is scary. That your timidity or ignorance might get you killed is on you (call it suicide-by-apathy), but that it gets me killed is unacceptable. Practice with your gun, run IDPA matches. But carry an Emerson Commander clipped to you pocket because it can be presented faster and in tighter confines. And when TSHTF, let it all out. There are no Marquess of Queensbury rules in the real world. No quarter, asked or given.
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When Reason Fails.....
