Tactical Talk

Number 4) Avoidance: Do you live in a stand your ground state or a duty to retreat state? Not every retreat has to be as disastrous as Napoleon's from Moscow Let me suggest, that avoidance starts with some folksy wisdom. Don't go stupid places. Don't associate with stupid people, and don't play stupid games. Avoiding these situations will go a long way to preventing serious life changing events. Don't let ego involve you with things you don't need to be. Anytime you can avoid violence, you are ahead of the game. Your family will not see you as their champion if you shoot someone. Your co-worker will not rally around you. You yourself, assuming you’re a normal, moral person, will have issues. Tactically, the battle you don't have to fight is a battle won. Duty to retreat. Some states have that restriction. But most of us forget the conditional phrase that goes with it: if you ca...

But Your Honor! Part 3

I'd like to cover Terry Pitman's number 3, Proportionality. It this a proportional response? Proportionality is a difficult subject. It, like these other topics does not exist in a vacuum and is tied to other factors. Most of us want it to be tied to a weapon or act. "Can I use a 12 gauge slug in my house to defend myself? Can I carry a .44 magnum for defense? Can I booby trap the inside of the barn?" You get the idea. Actually, the last one is the easiest. No, you can't booby trap the barn or house and claim self-defense. Courts have in multiple cases said, no, setting lethal or less-lethal traps for people is illegal. Full Stop! on that. The best rational for using any weapon is, it's what I had on hand when my life was placed in lethal danger. Proportionality also deals with disparity of force. American law seems to want to addre...

But your Honor!....Part 1

Terry Pitman recently published a link on Facebook to his article on surviving the legal challenges of self-defense. It's a good idea. Too many instructors and students focus on the mechanical aspects: the draw, reload, Mozambique drill, moving and shooting - that’s where the fun is. But it is very likely you'll put yourself in expensive lawyer trouble if you are unprepared for the legal challenges, both civil and criminal. Your car. What do you want to do and what should you do? What you do could put you in jail. Let's look at his five elements of self-defense; 1) Innocent: not the initial aggressor, 2) Imminence: the threats must be happening now or immediately about to happen 3) Proportionality: the force you use must not be greater than the force used against you 4) ...

But Your Honor! Part 2

I'm not one to ignore the potential of other people's ideas. Terry Pitman's list of the five elements needed to survive the self-defense legal challenges is interesting. Imminent danger, agree? They are: 1) Innocent: not the initial aggressor, 2) Imminence: the threats must be happening now or immediately about to happen , 3) Proportionality: the force you use must not be greater than the force used against you, 4) Avoidance: do you live in a stand your ground state or a duty to retreat state, 5) Reasonable: your actions and decisions must be both subjectively and objectively reasonable. Number 1, Innocence, was covered in a previous posting. Let's talk about number 2, Imminence. I find it interesting that imminence and avoidance are linked. Avoidance is a great option and I'll have some ideas later. I...

The Cardboard Whisperer

Stay....Stay.....Easy boy!...

Pages

Home
The Editorial Knife
The Tactical Philosopher
List of Rules to Live By
Tactics
Veterans Day
Columbus Day
Thanksgiving Day
Independence Day
Memorial Day
About Me
9/11
American Flag

Past Entries

May 20262
April 20262
March 20261
January 20261
December 20251
November 20251
October 20251
September 20251
August 20251
July 20252

June 20251
May 20251
April 20251
February 20252
October 20241
September 20241
August 20241
July 20241
May 20241
April 20241
March 20241
February 20241
January 20241
December 20232
November 20231
October 20231
September 20231
August 20231
July 20231
May 20231
April 20232
February 20231
December 20222
November 20221
October 20221
September 20221
August 20223
June 20221
April 20222
March 20221
February 20221
January 20221
December 20211
November 20211
August 20212
July 20212
April 20211
February 20211
January 20212
December 20203
October 20201
September 20201
July 20202
June 20201
May 20202
April 20202
March 20202
February 20203
January 20202
December 20192
November 20192
October 20192
September 20192
August 20193
July 20192
June 20192
May 20191
March 20192
February 20192
January 20191
December 20182
November 20183
October 20181
September 20182
August 20181
July 20183
June 20182
May 20181
April 20182
March 20183
January 20181
December 20172
November 20173
October 20173
September 20173
August 20173
July 20172
June 20171
May 20173
April 20172
March 20173
February 20173
January 20171
December 20162
November 20162
October 20161
September 20161
August 20161
July 20161
June 20161
May 20162
April 20162
March 20163
February 20161
December 20153
November 20154
October 20153
September 20152
August 20153
July 20153
June 20154
May 20153
April 20152
March 20154
February 20152
January 20152
December 20142
November 20144
October 20144
September 20144
August 20143
July 20144
June 20141
May 20142
April 20144
March 20143
February 20144
January 20143
December 20134
November 20131
October 20135
September 20133
August 20131
July 20133
June 20135
May 20135
April 20132
March 20134
February 20135
January 20136
December 20126
November 20123
October 20125
September 20123
August 20123
July 20125
June 20122
May 20124
April 20123
March 20123
February 20122
January 20122
December 20113
November 20115
October 20113
September 20111
August 20111
July 20115
June 20115
May 20111