http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=63220&ran=14153

Wrestling with someone if they have a gun is FUCKING STUPID. I would not resist an armed attacker if all they wanted was property.

Yes, I agree with you.
To resist an armed attacker (and with a gun!) it's almost certain suicide...
But I think that the key to those cases may be found in the last line of this quotation:


Gump’s fear was subsiding, and he thought about other instances when he and his fiancee had been mugged. The police had never arrested anyone. He didn’t want these men to get away

Whoa, that is some pretty crazy ass stuff.

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!

Originally posted by JKDChick
Wrestling with someone if they have a gun is FUCKING STUPID. I would not resist an armed attacker if all they wanted was property.

Mostly agreed. With respect, what if they wanted your body?

I agree with blankslate. Property is one thing - it can be replaced.

But if someone comes for you, with the intent to do you harm, then you have the right to do whatever you can to stop it...even (as a last resort) if it means killing him.

After all, it's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.

If an armed attacker wants my property, they can have it.

If they want to hurt me or people I care about, they die.

If all they want is my wallet, take it. It's not like I've got a lot in it. If I think my life, or the life or health of someone else, is in danger, then -- well -- that's why I learn a "street" art.

whats a street art?

Property I'd part with. Most property, that is. I do have things that I would be willing to risk my life to keep, but I would not, in general, carry them around with me.

There is also a limit to how far I can be pushed as far as personal dignity is concerned. Here in the US, there is a sentiment that if you're getting raped, you should relax and try to enjoy yourself. Fighting back, you see, can get you hurt or killed, so we should all pull our pants down and bend over upon first request.

Don't be a hero.

I am exagerating a bit, the point stands. I value my life and I do not have a death wish. However, there are things that I would not be willing to do to preserve it. There, it becomes a standard risk/reward scenario. If I am confronted by hundreds of machine-gun weilding ninjas, and resistance=death, I would be less willing to take the chance than if it's a cracked out punk with a rusty folding knife.

Originally posted by fernando
whats a street art?

Not TKD.

*drum rimshot*

Something that's about defending yourself, not looking pretty. I mean, I do JKD and Kali -- the first principle is run away. The second principle is hurt'em so bad, they can't chase you.

Good article, especially liked the point about possible prosecution if you become the aggressor. Most people don't think about that.

In a self-defense situation I am most concerned about going home alive with the least amount of damage to myself, physcially or psychologically. I will comply with demands if I believe they increase my likely-hood of going home in one piece. The moment I think they are going to hurt me anyway, I act, hopefully in a way that is appropriate. Ending up in jail is not my idea of a positive outcome.

Originally posted by HAPKO3
Property I'd part with. Most property, that is. I do have things that I would be willing to risk my life to keep, but I would not, in general, carry them around with me.

There is also a limit to how far I can be pushed as far as personal dignity is concerned. Here in the US, there is a sentiment that if you're getting raped, you should relax and try to enjoy yourself. Fighting back, you see, can get you hurt or killed, so we should all pull our pants down and bend over upon first request.

Don't be a hero.

I am exagerating a bit, the point stands. I value my life and I do not have a death wish. However, there are things that I would not be willing to do to preserve it. There, it becomes a standard risk/reward scenario. If I am confronted by hundreds of machine-gun weilding ninjas, and resistance=death, I would be less willing to take the chance than if it's a cracked out punk with a rusty folding knife.

I don't think anyone here'd dispute that point, HAPKO3.

But what if the assailants were trying to kill you or harm you? Whether it's a group of machine-gun wielding ninjas or some maggot crackhead with an exacto knife, it kinda makes sense to fight - seeing as how they're probably gonna kill you anyway.

Anything you do in combat can get you killed - including doing nothing.

Unfortunately none of the options in a confrontation can be predefined the "right" one, we can only speculate as to which option is more correct than the rest. In my oppinion the main problem to arise is that most people have precious little (if any) experience in dealing with a real or simulated situation like this, and hence their analysis of their current situation is based primarily on information that is at least second hand and often comes from sources such as television and stories told by their freinds (usually these stories are told for the reason of entertainment rather than being informative, and hence they are slowly changed to suit the former).

I would liken such a confrontation to a conversation with someone you dont know, there is no universal line of conversation you can take with them, you just have to pay attention and act accordingly and even then it might end up awkward. The problem with most people is they dont even speak the language.

Is it considered impolite to ask a mugger if they will just take the money and leave your license so you don't have to go get a new one? I hate going to the license branch!