Where I live in the northern foothills of the Appalachians, meth and heroin are rampant and jobs are often scarce. Many people have little to lose and they come in all age groups, genders, races, etc. With that in mind, I'd like you to think about what a violent criminal looks like in your head. You're probably thinking of a young male adult who looks intimidating and may have a stocking or a ski mask covering his face. That's not always the case. See this local news story from Steubenville, OH where several kids, ranging in age from 11 - 15, discharged a firearm in a movie theater. Are you prepared to defend your family against a 12 year old boy? Have you considered the mental trauma that you could face in the aftermath of having shot and possibly killed a child - even in self-defense?
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Fresno, CA retiree struggles with female attacker. |
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The "Granny Ripper", Tamara Samsonova |
There are numerous instances during the US military's time in Iraq and Afghanistan of attacks on military personnel by women and children. I was once on a patrol that was attacked by a young boy of about twelve who was hip firing an AK-47. Fortunately, he didn't hit any of us and was in such a hurry to get out of Dodge that none of us had time to engage him with accurate fire after he expended his magazine and beat feet. We were, however, mentally prepared for that scenario and were not hesitant to engage anybody that posed an imminent threat to us.
That is not to say, though, that it would be easy to live with having done something like that, even if it was justified. The aftermath and its mental and emotional effect on you are also something that you should expect and prepare for. Good information on this topic can be found in Lt Col David Grossman's books, On Killing and On Combat. Not everybody agrees with his findings, but these books are worth reading so that you can make up your own mind.
The point of this post is not to be morbid or to scare anybody. I also realize that, even among violent crimes, these instances stand out as abnormal. The point is that you mentally prepare yourself to some degree no matter how remote the possibility. What are your thoughts?
I think this is a topic worthy of consideration. It seems most of the internet John Rambos see themselves utilizing perfect form, presenting their handgun from concealment, engaging a similarly aged/gendered perp, delivery three well-aimed shots and saving the day. There are ways to mentally prepare for a possible face-off against a kid or granny...but they are unsavory to say the least and will likely result in you finding yourself in the 'Skid Row' of the internet.
ReplyDeleteIt is an insurmountable responsibility that requires a particular mental agility to effectively respond to any threat with a firearm.
Great post.
Thanks, brother. Great comment. In line with what you said, I also don't want people to think that going to guns is always and/or the only solution. If you can run away, there may be times that is your best defense. Don't fall into the trap of viewing every problem as a "nail" because you only know how to use a "hammer".
DeleteI think I just found a future bog post ;-)
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