3 Questions To Stay Alive

Many people train regularly, but there’s more. You need to ask: “Is this situation worth risking
my life for?” This isn’t the kind of question you need to be debating with yourself in the middle of a fight.

Your first response to danger should be avoidance and escape. Not being involved in a confrontation is the easiest, safest path to victory. You do everything possible to avoid/escape trouble. Yet, there are situations where that either fails or isn’t an option. “But,” you ask, “how do I know when it’s time to fight, to use aggressive force to stop the threat?” My response involves three other questions. Do I know the details? Am I going to contribute to solving the problem? Is it worth risking my life?

Do you know the details? Most violence is sudden, unexpected and dynamic. Unless it actually involves you, it can be difficult if not impossible to know exactly who is doing what to whom, and why. Under stress, a cocktail of chemicals dumps into your body. You experience tunnel vision, auditory exclusion and the brain distorts time and distance. Your mind will even play tricks by filling the gaps in short-term memory. For instance, what just took place two seconds ago — may get changed to what it thinks probably happened based on previous experiences and memories.

You see a “grungy, biker” assaulting a young lady. He slams her to the ground. You draw your pistol, rushing forward to save the day. Except the undercover officer you’re about to attack is trying to keep the female suspect from stabbing him. This probably isn’t gonna’ go the way you thought it would.

Without knowing the specifics — who did what and why — you can’t and shouldn’t intervene. Again, if it doesn’t involve you, retreat to a safe area. You never know when an isolated, focused event may bleed over into your safe zone and snare you. Before becoming entangled in a violent situation, first ask yourself, “Do I know the details?” And as always, notify the appropriate authorities as needed.

Problem Solving?

Next, ask yourself, “Am I going to contribute to solving the problem?” While shopping at Huge-Mart you hear gunshots, screaming and yelling somewhere in the store. With all the noise bouncing around inside the large warehouse it’s difficult to tell exactly where the action is. You and 13 other law-abiding concealed carrying citizens draw your pistols, moving toward the trouble, clearing and searching the aisles looking for threats.

Law enforcement arrives. They’re looking for threats too, and they have to treat everyone with a weapon — including all the “good guys” — as potential threats. You haven’t contributed to solving the problem; in fact, you’ve made it more difficult for the professionals to work out a solution.

First, you don’t know the details, so don’t go looking for trouble. You may find it. Unless you know you’re going to affect the outcome in a positive way find a safe place that if necessary can be easily defended. I think about it this way. There’s a fire in my kitchen. I grab the extinguisher and put it out. If I see a building ablaze, I’m going to a safe area and call the professionals.

Tiger lives in the country and his defensive plan includes a long gun. As you ask the hard
questions like “What am I going to defend?” — you need to consider what type weapons you’ll have.

The Big Question

Is this worth risking my life for?” At my age, this is an incredibly short list. As a younger man I didn’t take insults lightly — Scotts Irish with some Cherokee. Now, I don’t argue with anyone, no matter what they say or do. Can you imagine shooting someone — very possibly killing them — simply because you couldn’t ignore an insult? I’m not willing to die, or be forced to use my weapon against someone over a piece of property they’re trying to steal. All of that can be easily replaced.

“What am I willing to die for?” isn’t a question you should ask when angry. Think about it, the worst decisions you ever made where when you were mad. Regardless of what they say or how they act don’t let it bother you. The only reason I’m going to get involved is when it’s absolutely necessary. If someone attempts to physically take control of me or Gretchen, or assault one of us — now that’s a different question.

What are you willing to risk your life for? Only you can answer this question. But, I recommend asking it in advance. Remember, fighting is problem-solving at high speed. The more questions you can answer in advance the more efficiently you arrive at a solution.

There are enormous responsibilities associated with owning/carrying a firearm for defensive use. You go out of your way to be polite with everyone, no matter how big a jerk they are. When you do see signs of possible trouble you avoid and escape. And, before becoming involved in a violent situation you always ask, “Do I know the details? Am I going to contribute to solving the problem? Is this worth risking my life?”

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