Sometimes the only answer is to Attack Back

I often discuss the legal aspects of defending oneself. It is an important part of the equation. However, one should remember that sometimes when faced with violence, the only answer is to attack back with overwhelming violence in return.

Aggressive predators will hurt or kill you. You must have the attack back attitude and respond with violence to prevent them from getting their way. Yes, if the situation could have been avoided, that should have been your first course of action. But once it is too late, don't be compliant when confronted with a criminal attack. Attack back with everything you have. Sometimes this is the only answer!

Congratulations Adam!

Congratulations Adam!

You won The International Society of Close Quarter Combatants drawing in connection with my webinar on using the cane as a weapon. I will be sending out an autographed copy of the two video set Streetfighting Essentials compliments of the ISCQC.

Everyone can find out more about the ISCQC and the products and promotions they offer at:

http://www.survive-the-street.com/

Be sure to check out my webinar on weapons that discussed using the cane. I discuss the cane as a weapon in the upcoming book Attack Back, and I will be filming a video with Paladin Press on the cane as well. It is an excellent tool for self-defense in certain situations, and is something you can still take just about anywhere.

Check my website for reviews of Streetfighting Essentials and other resources for your safety and self-defense needs.

Keep tuned into this blog for additional information to help you stay safe!

Congratulations again to Adam. I look forward to hearing from you regarding the videos!

Webinar with The International Society of Close Quarter Combatants

I did a webinar with The International Society of Close Quarter Combatants February 2006. I discussed weapons for self-defense with an emphasis on the cane. Check it out at: http://www.survive-the-street.com/

Attitude

Your attack back attitude is one of the most important aspects to surviving an attack. In the book Real World Self-Defense, which I recommend, Jerry VanCook states:

"Col. Rex Applegate, an American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) command officer during World War II who was closely associated with Fairbairn and Sykes, explains this in his book Kill or Get Killed when he speaks of mental balance: 'The most basic fundamental of all is that of balance. Mental balance, or stability, is a state of mind that is necessary before physical balance can be achieved.' My interpretation of what the colonel calls 'mental balance' here is that in a violent self-defense situation we must each, in a sense, become two people. One of 'us' must be subjective, letting our natural fear and outrage provide the fuel for our defense. But the other one of 'us,' the objective 'us,' must keep that fear and outrage from going wild and spending itself on unproductive action. All of our efforts must remain focused on our ultimate goal - survival. And if we can break the mental balance of our opponent while retaining our own duality, we gain a tremendous advantage."

I had the oportunity to meet with Col. Applegate before he passed away, and I also highly recommend his books. This advice from the colonel and Jerry VanCook is something you should consider when mentally preparing to attack back if that day comes. Your attitude and "mental balance" will play an important role in being able to attack back and survice in a violent encounter.

Stay Safe!

Wisdom from Peyton Quinn

The following is a quote from Peyton Quinn's A Bouncer's Guide To Barroom Brawling. It is one everyone should pay attention to:

"I have come to suspect that everyone who has done some real fighting arrives at some, if not all, of the following conclusions. The first and most obvious is that fighting is no game. It has serious legal and medical consequences. The second is that most of the time it is possible to avoid the fight."

Avoiding fights and violence is one of the first lessons in Attack Back. Being aware and avoiding altercations is your first and formost means of defending yourself and keeping yourself from harm. Stay Safe!

When do you choose to fight?

This is a follow up to my post last week regarding the stabbing. When do you choose to fight and not acquiesce to an attacker? When do you attack back? You attack back and fight when the consequences of an attacker's actions are unacceptable to you. Only you can determine this. If you can, run, screem, yell, etc. You need to decide for yourself when you will fight back. Just remember, when you have decided it is worth attacking back, it's worth doing it with everything you've got. Stay safe!

No Nonsense Self Defense

If you Google self-defense, the top site that comes up is No Nonsense Self-defense. This is the site of Marc "Animal" MacYoung and his wife Dianna Gordon MacYoung. You can check the site out at:

http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/

Marc and Dianna are friends of mine, and they provide a tremendous amount of information related to self-defense on their website and through Marc's books and videos. Marc is mentioned in Attack Back, and his books and videos are in the resource section of the book.

You can also find out about the Animal List, an on-line community that I have gained much from in the areas of self-defense and attacking back, at this site.

Check it out, and Stay Safe.

Stabbed trying to break up fight

Today's Missoulian (local newspaper) reported an incident from Saturday night. An individual with his girlfriend outside a bar at closing witnessed a fight. He went over to intervene and the attacker turned his aggression toward him. He was stabbed and ended up in the hospital requiring surgery.

This illustrates how quickly things happen. He must of thought he would be able to separate the two and ended up in the hospital. If it is not your job to intervene, the safe thing to do is call the police and note everything you can about the situation to report to the authorities.

What if the person you want to aid won't make it until the authorities arrive? That's a tough call. In most jurisdictions, you do have the right to defend another person. It is a question that only you can answer. In the situation this last weekend in Missoula, the paper reported they were still investigating just what happened. The person who did the stabbing was arrested, but he is claiming self-defense regarding the guy he stabbed and put in the hospital. The police do not know the entire story yet. (and they may never know everything)

I don't have all the answers, but this should give you something to think about. I do believe there are times we need to intervene to help others. Those of us with training can better do this than those without training or ability to help. However, if we do intervene we must be aware that the situation can escalate and be prepared to act accordingly. I believe in helping others, but I also have a family to go home to. I would be more likely to help a woman being assaulted in a mall parking lot than two males engaging in a bar fight at 2:00 am outside the watering hole. You need to determine what you will fight for, so if the time ever comes you can act accordingly.

Stay Safe

Old Jujitsu demo

I'm always researching self-defense, martial arts and warrior traditions, values, etc. This was a clip I viewed this week that some people may find interesting. I do not think if it is actually from the 19th Century as it says, but rather from the earlier 1900s (20th Century). For those interested in historical SD training, it is an interesting clip.

http://videos.caught-on-video.com/Player.aspx?fileid=813FE2FA-2410-4A8F-B7E3-495DE755CD94&kw=143&p=5