Do You Want To DEFEND YOURSELF With AGun?

Do you really want to defend yourself with a gun? Do you truly understand what itmeans? This report will hopefully open your eyes to the harsh reality of carrying a gunand the ramifications involved.

I started carrying a handgun at the age of twenty while I was in the military. As I traveledacross the country alone I wanted to be able to defend myself against the unknown"scaries" that may threaten me.

At that time, I had my little Raven 25 in an IWB tucked away in my boot or waistband. Iwas concerned about carrying a concealed weapon but was more concerned about theability to defend myself. So I carried.

Later in life I moved from the "big city" to the somewhat open desert of southernCalifornia. My wife and I wanted to be horse people, so this was an obvious benefit.

As we were avid trail riders in the desert, there was a need to have a weapon with us forprotection from any number of beasts in the wild. This was fine then because "opencarry" was legal in California. I carried my Ruger Blackhawk in a western holster or mySP101 in a nylon belt holster.

When I became a mobile salesman, I found myself in some pretty rural areas of thedesert with a very valuable cargo and quite a bit of cash. This was when I got moreconcerned about my safety and the legal aspects of carrying a handgun.

I wanted to carry concealed and the open carry laws in Ca. were about to change. So Ijumped through the hoops to get a CCW. This is when I started to be more interested inwhat to carry and how to carry it. So I began buying more handguns and holsters.

It's amazing how many ways people have found to carry personal defense weapons.They say the holster is just as important as the gun you put in it. You will end up with abig box full of holsters for different needs and ways to carry. I sure did.

I even started to design my own holsters and make them out of kydex at home. I havemade a few for myself, but I still buy another one once in a while.

The Root Word Is "Fight"

by KEVIN MICHALOWSKI , editor of Concealed carry Magazine, FEBRUARY 5,

"Gunfight is a compound word, but the root word is “fight.” It just so happens that youare using a gun to assist you in this fight. This is something anyone who plans toengage in self-defense of any type MUST understand.

Contrary to popular belief, fighting is a thinking person’s activity. Yes, there is a physicalaspect to the act of fighting. Yes, sometimes it can be brutish and gory. But the first stepis making the decision to fight. You have to think about it. Your body cannot go whereyour mind has not been.

No piece of equipment will help you in a fight if you have not accepted the idea thatthere are times when you must fight. Only you can make the decision as to when youwill fight. For legal reasons, you have to be correct when you make that choice, sosome will tell you to err on the side of caution. I have said many times: the best fight isthe one you are not in. But the other side of that coin is this: you must win every fightyou cannot avoid.

Must win. Let that sink in. Must win.

The reason I say “must win” is because when good people like you or me get involvedin a fight, it is because we have already exhausted all other means of safe escape.Doing things like active conflict avoidance is what makes us good people. We don’t golooking for fights. So, when fights come to us, we can be reasonably assured that thingsare deadly serious. That means losing the fight will result in death or great bodily harm. Idon’t know about you, but those are two things I really want to avoid. I will try to avoid afight, but I will fight to avoid death or great bodily harm.

If you are not thinking about the consequences of your actions, you’re doing your self-defense plan a disservice. Or, as the kids would say, “You’re doing it wrong.”

First up, know the laws in your jurisdiction. Understand what you can and can’t legallydo. Be sure of what you know. Don’t ask buddies at the bar. Talk to a lawyer. Invest thetime and money.

Next up, engage in some serious soul-searching. Don’t ask yourself the generalquestion, “Would I fight back?” Instead, be specific. Ask yourself, “What would make mefight back?”

Then, drill down even deeper. Would you fight back if…(fill in many, many alternativeshere). Sadly, there is no way you can even begin to imagine all the scenarios available.Scumbags are nothing if not creative in their efforts to take what does not belong tothem. You need to think about your possible reaction if…(once again, fill in the blankwith lots of alternatives).

None of us want to fight. None of us are looking for a fight. But if you don’t think aboutwhat it means to fight, then train to fight effectively, you will be caught off guard andyour chances of survival will be reduced.

It all starts in your head. Your body cannot go where your mind has not been."

https://youtu.be/DST9GnjpNWw

What Is Self Defense?

First you should be able to recognize the meaning of self-defense as it relates toprotecting yourself and your loved ones; or even strangers in jeopardy.

Wikipedia says:

"Self-defense is a countermeasure that involves defending the well-being of oneself orof another from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for theuse of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretationvaries widely."

Physical

Physical self-defense is the use of physical force to counter an immediate threat ofviolence. Such force can be either armed or unarmed. In either case, the chances ofsuccess depend on a large number of parameters, related to the severity of the threaton one hand, but also on the mental and physical preparedness of the defender.

Unarmed

Many styles of martial arts are practiced for self-defense or include self-defensetechniques. Some styles train primarily for self-defense, while other martial or combatsports can be effectively applied for self-defense. Some martial arts train how to escape

from a knife or gun situation, or how to break away from a punch, while others train howto attack. To provide more practical self-defense, many modern day martial arts schoolsnow use a combination of martial arts styles and techniques, and will often customizeself-defense training to suit the participants' lifestyles, occupations, age groups andgender, and physical and mental capabilities.

Armed

A wide variety of weapons can be used for self-defense. The most suitable depends onthe threat presented, the victim or victims, and the experience of the defender. Legalrestrictions also greatly influence self-defense options In many cases there are alsolegal restrictions.

While in some jurisdictions firearms may be carried openly or concealed expressly forthis purpose, there are also jurisdictions with tight restrictions on who can own firearms,and what types they can own. Knives, especially those categorizedas switchblades may also be controlled, as may batons, pepper spray andpersonal stun guns and Tasers - although some may be legal to carry with a license orfor certain professions.

Mental

Mental self-defense is the ability to get into the proper mindset for executing a physicalself-defense technique. Many martial arts schools and self-defense classes focusprimarily on the physical nature of self-defense and often neglect the mental aspect. Ifyou are skilled in the physical aspects of a defensive technique, but lack the mentaltoughness and tenacity to execute it, you will not be able to perform - especially underduress. There is a very real need to be able to enter the proper "warrior mindset" if oneis to have a realistic chance of surviving a potentially deadly encounter. This warriormindset is the ability to focus purely on the successful outcome of a situation withoutbecoming concerned with the consequences. The ability to go over, under, around orthrough any obstacle is the essence of this "never quit" mindset. Self-preservation is avery powerful motivator and it is essential for ensuring that one has the mentaltoughness and proper mindset to emerge the victor in an encounter with one or moreattackers/aggressors.

Avoidance

Being aware of and avoiding potentially dangerous situations is one useful technique ofself-defense. Attackers will typically select victims they feel they have an advantageagainst, such as greater physical size, numerical superiority or sobriety versusintoxication. Additionally, any ambush situation inherently puts the defender at a largeinitiative disadvantage. When avoidance is impossible, one often has a betterchance at fighting to escape. Understanding the 'mindset' of a potential attacker is

essential if we are to avoid or escape a potentially life-threatening situation. Stayingsafe in any city in the world requires an alert mind. A mind that is attuned to potentialdangers and threats. We should empower ourselves with an intellectual sharpness thatlets us perceive a potential threat then remove ourselves and our loved ones from thatthreat.

De-escalation

Verbal Self-Defense is defined as using one's words to prevent, de-escalate, or end anattempted assault. It is a way of using words as weapons or as a shield. This kind of'conflict management' is the use of voice, tone, and body language to calm a potentiallyviolent situation before violence actually ensues.

Personal alarms

Personal alarms are a way to practice passive self-defense. A personal alarm is a small,hand-held device that emits strong, loud, high-pitched sounds to deter attackersbecause the noise will sometimes draw the attention of passersby. Child alarms canfunction as locators or device alarms.

Self Defense Classes

Self-defense techniques and recommended behavior under the threat of violence issystematically taught in self-defense classes. Commercial self-defense education is partof the martial arts industry in the wider sense, and many martial arts instructors alsogive self-defense classes. While all martial arts training can be argued to have someself-defense applications, self-defense courses are marketed explicitly as being orientedtowards effectiveness and optimized towards situations as they occur in the real world.

The Legal Aspects Of Self Defense

The self-defense laws of modern legislation build on the Roman Law principleof dominium where any attack on the members of the family or the property it ownedwas a personal attack on the pater familias. In Leviathan (1651), Hobbes argues thatalthough some may be stronger or more intelligent than others in their natural state,none are so strong as to be beyond a fear of violent death, which justifies self-defenseas the highest necessity. In his 1918 speech Politik als Beruf (Politics as aVocation), Max Weber defined a state as an authority claiming the monopoly on thelegitimate use of force within defined territorial boundaries.Modern libertarianism characterizes the majority of laws as intrusive to personalautonomy and, in particular, argues that the right of self-defensefrom coercion (including violence) is a fundamental human right. In this context, notethat Article 12 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home orcorrespondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right tothe protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Combined with the principle of the state's monopoly of legitimate force, this means thatthose authorized by the state to defend the law (in practice, the police) are charged withthe use of necessary force to protect such rights. The right to self-defense is limited tosituations where the immediate threat of violence cannot be prevented by thoseauthorized to do so (in practice, because no police force is present at the moment of thethreat). The right to self-defense granted by law to the private citizen is strictly limited.Use of force that goes beyond what is necessary to dispel the immediate threat ofviolence is known as excessive self-defense (also self-defense with excessive force).The civil law systems have a theory of "abuse of right" to explain denial of justification insuch cases. Thus, in English law, the general common law principle is statedin Beckford v R(1988) 1 AC 130:

"A defendant is entitled to use reasonable force to protect himself, others for whom he isresponsible and his property. It must be reasonable."

Similar clauses are found in the legislation throughout the western world. They derivehistorically from article 6 of the French Penal Code of 1791, which ruled that"manslaughter is legitimate if it is indispensably dictated by the present necessity oflegitimate defense of oneself or others". The modern French penal code furtherspecifies that excessive self-defense is punishable due to "disproportion between themeans of defense used and the gravity of the attack" defended against.

The evaluation of whether use of force was excessive in a given case can be a difficulttask. The British Law Commission Report on Partial Defenses to Murder (2004) Part 4(pp78/86) recommends a redefinition of provocation to cover situations where a personacts lethally out of fear. This reflects the present view of psychiatrists that most peopleact in violent situations with a combination of fear and anger in their minds, and toseparate these two types of affect is not legally constructive. In practice, self-defenselaws still do make this distinction. German criminal law (§ 33) distinguishes "asthenicaffect" (fear) from "sthenic affect" (anger). Excessive self-defense out ofasthenic affect is not punishable.

Outside of the western world, justifiable self-defense tends to be interpreted moreloosely, including the right to defend against any criminal act, without limitationsto reasonable or proportionate use of force based on the magnitude of the crime.Instead, it may simply be the minimum amount of force required to stop the criminal,which may be lethal even for relatively small crimes. Thus, the Intermediate People'sCourt of Foshan, People's Republic of China in a 2009 case ruled as justifiable self-defense, the killing of a robber who was trying to escape, because "the robbery was stillin progress" at this time.

Understanding Violence

In order to fully appreciate the reality of violence, you must first recognize that the attacker has no

remorse or feelings of guilt. He will do whatever it takes to put you down and have his way with you,

whatever that way may be. Victims have been beaten with baseball bats, steel pipes, and anything

the attacker has available at the time he decides to choose a victim.

The reality is; if you are to defend yourself against this kind of mentality, or lack thereof, you must

recognize the need for violence in your own behavior. The only thing that will counteract the violent

acts of the criminal is more violence than he is capable of dishing out to you. Or at least as much,

directed toward him to 1) take his mind off the attack on you, 2) stop the attack. The primary purpose

of the defensive violence is to "stop the threat" being directed toward you.

Targeted Violence

Target Focus Training is a self-defense technique developed for the strict purpose of stopping the

threat of an attacker in a violent situation. It was developed by Tim Larkin, founder and creator

of Target Focus Training, the world leader in personal- protection training. For more than 25 years

he has taught everyone from Navy Seals to regular citizens how to survive unavoidable violent

attacks.

The reason I bring this up is to make you aware of the realization that you may not be able to defend

yourself with a gun even if you have one with you. In a case like this, which is very likely if you are

attacked in close quarters, you must be capable of thwarting the attack before you can draw your

handgun and use it. You should resign yourself to the fact that extreme violence could be the only

thing to save your life.

TFT teaches their students to not only resist the attacker, but incapacitate him to the point of being

incapable of continuing the aggressive behavior. In some cases, this can lead to the permanent

disability or death of the unwanted aggressor; by your hands. Performed correctly, you could kill

someone in 5 seconds or less. Is this something you are prepared for?

On Killing

There is a book written by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman entitled "On Killing". This book isabout the psychological realities of one human being killing another.

The normal person in our society is opposed to killing in almost any form. There are thehunter/gatherers who kill for food, and there are the sport hunters. The majority of thehuman culture will choose to die themselves rather than kill another human in anaggressive act. This was prevalent in the wars fought over the centuries throughout theworld. In order to fight off a violent attack, one must overcome this natural tendency tosuffer rather than cause suffering.

You will Need Some Training

The training you get for acquiring the CCW is extremely minimal compared to what youreally need to perform to the capacity needed for self-defense. In Calif. and mostjurisdictions around the country is limited to basic gun safety, handling of the gun, andjust a little marksmanship.

All they really want to see is that you know how to handle the gun in a safe manner andshoot it without hurting yourself or the folks around you. They expect you to further thetraining later on as your time and finances dictate. I joined a local gun club where Icould use the range for practice and buy the accessories I had to have.

One source of information for the beginner is a book by Jake Maloney; How to Shoot a Handgun: Step-by-Step

Pictorial Guide for Beginners, available at Amazon.com.

The real training can be quite expensive. I purchased training at the Front SightFirearms Training Institute just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. There are many guntraining academies and schools all around the country, and most of them are fineschools with excellent instructors. I have heard of a few not so good training facilities,but most are pretty good. Just look around in your area.

If you can get the time to travel or vacation time, I do recommend Front Sight. I gotworld class training and had a blast doing it.

After your initial instruction you'll want, or need, to get ongoing training since this ismostly what is called "muscle memory" training and it is "perishable". Muscle memoryfades with the lack of use, so it's imperative you continue training as long as you areplanning to carry a gun.

The following is an excerpt from an article written by Mark Walters of "ArmedAmerican Radio". In this piece, I believe he is right on point.

"There are a few things we must come to grips with in our own minds. First andforemost we must realize that evil is real, that it exists among us and that we can’tlegislate it away or stop it with a sign any more than we can wish it away. The fact of thematter is that there are bad people who live among us who do bad things to people likeus.

They don’t care that you may have just found out that you are pregnant, that you arefinally graduating college tomorrow, or that your family depends on you for theirlivelihood. They will rape you, kidnap you, rape you again, and then burn your body andtoss you over a bridge…sometimes for no more than the change in your pocket.

Once you have accepted that reality and understand that bad people do bad thingsregardless of what area of town you live, work, or play in, then you are ready to take thenext step in actually living an armed lifestyle: Refuse to be a victim.

Refusing to be a victim isn’t actually as easy as it may sound. Simply saying that yourefuse to be a victim won’t quite cut the mustard. It requires action on your part. Itrequires that you spend money, get your gun and a permit to carry it.

Depending on where you live, getting your permit may require you to search for aqualified instructor and actually disrupt your normal day to day routine to take thenecessary classes as required by your state. In other words, it actually requires actionon your part and includes hours spent training and the funds to do so. It requiressacrifice.

Now you have realized that evil exists, you have taken the necessary steps to obtainyour permit and a weapon. You have made the decision not to become a victim and thatrequires you to make a commitment—not a partial commitment, but a total commitment.Think about it. You have accepted that evil exists and decided that you do not want tobecome a victim, but unfortunately for you, evil chooses the time and place.

It is incumbent upon you to be prepared, and being prepared to meet evil and defeat itrequires a total commitment to be ready if and when evil strikes wherever you may be.

This can only be accomplished by being armed wherever you are, every day; all daywithout ever taking a break and that requires you to live an armed lifestyle".

[ Mark Walters is a NRA certified instructor, co-author of the book “Lessons fromArmed America,” and a vocal Second Amendment activist. He is the nationallysyndicated host of Armed American Radio, which airs Sunday evenings at 8-11pm EST (5-8 pm PST) from coast to coast. Mark encourages fans to write himat mark@armedamericanradio.org. Visit him atwww.armedamericanradio.org ]

Concealed Carry Is A Lifestyle

Have you or are you considering changing your lifestyle? Concealed carry is a lifestylebecause it is not something that should be taken lightly. It is something people shouldlearn about, embrace, participate in, and grow with. Carrying a gun is not something youjust “do,” like driving a car or cooking lunch. It is something that requires thought,training, obligation, and commitment.

Choosing to carry a gun means you are accepting the responsibility of protectingyourself and your loved ones. This lifestyle is complete with its own peer groups,activities, and even language.

How will you dress?

In order to effectively conceal a firearm, you have to select appropriate attire. You mustdress to your chosen firearms. This means wearing looser fitting pants if you choose tocarry in an IWB holster. If you are wearing a suit, there are options for carrying OWB orin a shoulder holster. This makes it necessary to keep your jacket on at all times.

There has to be a blend of your present wardrobe choices and the new ways of dress toaccommodate the firearm you decide to carry and method of carrying it. Consider howyou will carry your gun and how easily ( or not) it will be to draw that gun if necessary.Always remembering that it must be hidden from the normal view of anyone you comeinto contact with.

T-shirts will be worn much looser than normal, and a cover shirt will more than likely beleft untucked ( unless you choose a tuckable holster). I have been known, at times, towear a t-shirt with a cover shirt left untucked and unbuttoned. Ankle holsters can beworn effectively under pants with a "baggy" leg, but usually only as a backupweapon. You can see from this that you may have to change the way you look or, atleast, modify your look.

Alter Your Behavior

Without going into great detail. I'd like to bring into the conversation the fact that yourbehavior will be transformed just the way your attire will. You'll be much more aware of

behavioral patterns in other people as well as yourself. Your patterns will change,hopefully for the better.

Choose Your Weapon

When you have made the decision to carry a gun, you'll have to "choose your weapon", as they say. This will

not be an easy choice because of all the options that are available. Do you want a 9mm, a .45 or something

smaller with less 'kick"? The deciding factor here will probably be - How much stopping power do you want? or

think you may need?

Another choice you have to make will be the size of the gun. Along with this decision is the method of carrying

the gun you choose.

A good reference for the decision-making step of the process is this book by Brad Fitzpatrick; Handgun

Buyer's Guide: A Complete Manual to Buying and Owning a Personal Firearm. It's availabe at Amazon.com

Another good resource for buying, or deciding to carry a handgun is this book;

The Concealed Handgun Manual – 6th Edition by Chris Bird

This book is also available from Amazon.com.

The Final Decision

Deciding which gun to carry and how to carry it is, without a doubt, a major decision. However, it's probably the

last decision in the process. The initial question must be answered first and foremost; Do you want to defend

yourself with a gun? This question should be made with the assistance of your spouse, if you have one, and

your other immediate family members since they will be a part of the change in your lifestyle.

I hope this report has enlightened you to the most senior ramifications of carrying a concealed firearm. It's not a

decision to make lightly. And this must be said; it's a decision only the most responsible minds should make.

If you aren't one of the best society has to offer, then maybe you shouldn't be considering making this change.