State Of Mind, Part 1

With almost any endeavor, your mental outlook is a key to success.  If you think something is worthwhile, you'll generally put forth the effort to make it work.  If you're wishy-washy about a project, chances are you'll look for the first excuse that presents itself to scuttle what you're doing.

Many people recognize that putting together an emergency preparedness plan, or taking their self-defense seriously are good things.  They may go as far as drawing up a plan or even taking some classes on these subjects.

While these are great first steps, they're not enough.  You have to have the mental toughness to act on what you've learned.
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Self-defense.  At almost every firearms class I teach, the question comes up about actually firing a gun at an intruder.  A surprisingly large number of people will make a statement along the lines of, "I could never kill someone.  I would just shoot to wound them and call the police."

I want to scream.  But I don't.

I take a deep breath and remind them that someone has entered their home, or followed them to their car or taken some other action which has alerted them that the bad guy is a threat.  You are nothing but a pay day, a piece of ass or some part of a twisted fantasy to these thugs.  They will have no hesitation in taking your life if necessary.  Criminals show no pity.

You need to have the same mental determination to save your life as the criminal will have in taking it.

And it doesn't matter if the bad guy has a gun, a baseball bat or a knife.  No decent person EVER wants to take another life.  But if you command them to retreat or to leave your home, and they advance on you - and you don't shoot - you are unnecessarily putting your life at risk.
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Take a look at this excellent review and update of the old Tueller edged weapon defense study.  It has to do with using a gun when your attacker is within 7 yards of you with an edged weapon.

Bottom line: Within a 21-foot perimeter, most officers dealing with most edged-weapon suspects are at a decided - perhaps fatal - disadvantage if the suspect launches a sudden charge intent on harming them. "Certainly it is not safe to have your gun in your holster at this distance," Lewinski says, and firing in hopes of stopping an activated attack within this range may well be justified.

The average attacker was able to travel the 21 feet in 1.5-1.7 seconds.  The fastest attacker was able to do it in 1.27 seconds.  I sure as hell hope you have your weapon in hand and ready before they get that close to you.

If YOU want to try and "wing" them ala a Hollywood movie, go right ahead.  I'm shooting until they stop.

Accept The Challenge

You MUST mentally walk-through multiple threat scenarios before they happen.  If you are serious about your self-defense, you must be willing to accept the (unwarranted) guilt and the potential scrutiny of your friends, family and the media.

By running through scenario after scenario, you are much more likely to make the right decision in a time of crisis.  You don't shoot the kid or the drunken neighbor playing a prank at 3am, but you do protect your family when it's an actual threat.

A final thought:  If you shoot someone - even an attacker in your own living room - you may very likely be arrested, especially in a state such as California.  Be prepared to deal with that as well.

As the old saying goes, "I'd rather be tried by twelve than carried by six."

Tomorrow:  The Preparedness Mind Set

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