Thou shall not MURDER (it doesn't say KILL)
Redneck2 - You explained that in a much more educated manner than this uncouth country boy could have. Bravo!
DPSproles - You are thinking about this, contemplating this, which makes you a better person and better prepared for it. Prior planning and preperation prevents piss poor performance. There is a story that goes something like this... (dang, I wish my book was here at work rather than at home so I could do this story justice)
In Japan, there was once a Master Swordsman who taught many of the Emperor's bodyguards. As he was looking over his newest batch of students, one in particular caught his attention. The master asked the student to come to him.
The master asked, "Why are you here? I can see by your confidence and demeanor that you are already a master of the sword."
"No," said the student, "I confess that I have had no formal teaching in the way of the sword."
"Surely," said the master, "this cannot be true, for I have seen many master swordsmen, and you truely act and appear as they do."
"No," relented the student, "I have had no such training."
"Well then, you truely must be a master of some sort. Please explain," requested the master.
"Perhaps the only thing I can say that I am a master of is my death," explained the student. "From the time I was a small boy, I wrestled with the idea of death. I came to the conclusion that no matter what happened, I would strive to never fear death. Eventually, after many years of contemplation, the fear of death was gone, holding nothing over me, and encouraging not one negative thought."
"Be gone," commanded the master, "for there is nothing more I can teach you."
This story is great for so many reasons, but especially for the fact that it reinforces that the proper mindset is more important that particular tools or techniques (not that tools and techniques aren't important, just less so than mindset).
I've thought about how I would deal with violence thrust upon me, I've contemplated different scenarios, and I believe I am better armed/prepared for it. My primary weapon is my mind, and I intend to utilize it to the fullest in order to better guarantee my continued safety.