Quote:
Originally Posted by Hooper
The thing with drawing a weapon is, you better be ready to use it, both physically and mentally or be prepared to have that weapon used on you. Having a gun is great, but do you have the stones to protect yourself when the chips are down and your life is in serious danger, which in this situation, it clearly was? I have not a doubt in my mind that I will use deadly force to save my life, I have held that mindset since the age of 18 when I served in the infantry and now as a patrolman, I have to live, I have to win each confrontation, period. Anything short of that, weapons are useless and could be dangerous.
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That's how I feel as well and it's why I like my visible (without actually holding it) baseball bat. Once you're wielding a knife, something is either already happening or likely to happen or at the very least the police will pay you a visit wondering why you were wielding a knife. It's just more drama then I need. Then again, so is getting whacked in the head with a rock, which is why there is logic to a gun.
I just feel with the bat I can clearly be a discouraging target, without actively doing anything. Head things off before they get to a confrontational level. If I'm in a spot I'm feeling vulnerable, I just make sure the bat is visible in the light of my trunk or that I shine the light on it in the bed of a truck. It passively gets the message across without escalating a situation.
Tough subject, and tough to get the balance of safety and defense right...