© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
Note, Warning, and Disclaimer: We assume no responsibility whatever for anyone’s use, misuse, or abuse of anything we describe in this article or in this Newsletter. The reader assumes 100% liability for his actions and behavior. We urge that those techniques we describe be employed ONLY in unavoidable self-defense, to prevent serious injury or death at the hands of a dangerous attacker.
ONE of the most decisive and effective unarmed combat actions that anyone can employ in a serious confrontation is a swift, powerful attack directed into the adversary’s eyes.
Obviously, such an action is extremely dangerous and is justifiable ONLY in legitimate self-defense. When you simply cannot avoid someone who is bent upon harming you or someone about whom your care, and when it is obvious that unless you take decisive action you may end up crippled or worse, then attacking the eyes should always be born in mind as a terrific counterattacking or preemptive move.
It is here in the advocacy of such techniques as will be the subject of this brief piece of instruction, that only the dishonest and/or the stupid can fail to see the complete difference between contest and combat. In no form of sporting contest is attacking the opponent’s eyes permitted, and it never ought to be. Such would be absolute madness, and those advocating or participating in such "competitive events" as did allow eye attacks, would be incredible fools or utter savages and barbaric thugs. (Let us hope that the sporting/competitive martial arts in this Country do not deteriorate even farther than they already have, and that we never witness lunacy such as eye attacks being regarded as "acceptable" in some variant of moronic "cage fighting" or "mixed martial arts", etc.).
On the other hand let us be forthright in our espousal of that which works decisively in real world self-defense. We see not the slightest reason to care about anyone who unjustifiably attempts to impose physical harm upon another — for whatever reason. Whether bully or gang member or mugger or rapist or home invader or car jacker or armed thug or "tough guy" or plain troublemaker, or you name it! Once someone decides that he will physically endanger, abuse, humiliate, torment, or otherwise violate another, HE HAS SIGNED HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE HUMAN RACE, AND DESERVES TO BE DISPOSED OF AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
We took a long time (too damn long a time, in fact) to arrive at this decision, and to formulate what is today our "martial philosophy". And we paid for being a "nice" person. It was a good number of years after our exposure to Kill Or Get Killed and Get Tough!, and other of the WWII classics before our studies (including those with Charlie Nelson) finally overrode the bullshit that ju-jutsu and karate and other “self-defense” training that we had been immersed in, had imposed upon us. By the age of 20 we had finally adopted the proper mindset and the kill or get killed attitude. Prior to that we thought like a "martial artist" (and, in consequence, were hard put to really defend our self well). Here’s an example:
When we were sixteen years of age and a high school student we had the experience — during what we thought at the time was a friendly conversation with a small gorup outside the apartment building where we lived — of being suddenly seized and thrown to the sidewalk by a scumbag (first name "Chuck") with whom we had had previous trouble. This scumbag was a bully. Much larger and stronger than our self — and some years older — this miserable excuse for a human being never liked us and (convenient as we were as a younger, weaker, smaller individual to victimize) this piece of s—t invariably enjoyed inflating his ego by endeavoring to push us around and intimidate us whenever he saw us.
Our "martial arts" training had taught us nothing about such surprise attacks, and we simply were thrown. Today, in a similar situation, we would almost certainly kill anyone who attempted to attack us in such a manner. First, because we have been drilling, conditioning, and training PROPERLY for decades since that unfortunate incident. Second, because we appreciate the potential lethality of being thrown to the ground and we are 100% uninhibited about resorting to lethal force when such is directed against us. We don’t "play” with violence. We are no longer brainwashed to the point of believing that we are obliged to “respond in kind” when attacked, using only similar measures as may have been used against us, and in a similar manner. Third, because once closed with a larger individual whose intention it is to throw us or to apply some submission hold, we would instantly bite a chunk out of his face, rip off his ears, jab into and — hopefully — gouge out his eyes, and KEEP ON ATTACKING HIM until he was absolutely and completely harmless to us, thereafter.
In a way that piece of s—t who bullied us when we were sixteen is fortunate. We can only hope, however, that if he is still alive today he lives in an iron lung or in a wheelchair, and that he needs to be fed and cared for by a keeper. Hopefully, he has suffered horrific punishment from someone else whom he chose to bully. We have never seen this bacteria’s face since our teenage years, so we can only hope. And we do!
Do not wait to be set upon before you learn. GO FOR THE EYES! This is as close to a "sure thing" in unarmed combat as you can get. You can do this immediately upon realizing that serious danger is imminent. Just open your hand, extending your fingers without tensing them, and stab them ferociously into the adversary’s eyes. It’s that simple. And it works. Followup by doing whatever is appropriate or necessary at the time. This may be escaping the scene, or it may be further devastating your would-be tormentor. A man who is momentarily blinded is a wonderful target for powerful kicks that smash into his testicles or that break his knee. He also may be shoved into traffic, smashed down a flight of stairs, punched in the sternum or solar plexus, or hit with an object-at-hand. Write your own ticket! Just be certain that you immediately take advantage of the opportunity you have given yourself when your opponent has been blinded by your eye attack!
"Suppose my arm or wrist is seized when I thrust at his eyes?"
If you train yourself to execute a straight-to-the-target UNTELEGRAPHED eye thrust it is nearly impossible for your action to be thwarted. Like a boxer’s untelegraphed left jab. If the opponent is within range he is going to get hit by the jab. However, if your wrist or arm is grabbed or deflected, then that is because it has caused the adversary to NOTICE and REACT to it. Fine. Break his knee with a side kick as he reacts defensively to your fingertips thrust!
Unfortunately, a straight, extended finger to the eyes thrust is not likely to result in your adversary being permanently blinded. It is a great technique, but this is one of its limitations.
For more permanent results the eyes can be attacked by deliberate, up close gouging. Drive the thumbs into the inside corners of your enemy’s eyes (it often helps to insert your middle fingers into his ears if you are able, when doing this, as it "locks" your gouging thumbs into place). Dig IN and rip OUTWARD with your thumbs. Your assailant will be completely neutralized. Note that when your thumbs are ripping into his eyes a knee to the testicles will snap his head more powerfully forward, deepening the thumb gouge. Also, when your thumbs enter the inside corners of his eyes, a powerful straight thrust forward, using your body weight and the push of both arms, will likely damage both of his eyes — or worse.
One thumb may be employed against one eye, with or without the opposite hand seizing the enemy’s head or neck or collar for stability.
The magnificent “Tiger’s Claw Thrust” as taught by Fairbairn is another terrific way to go after an enemy’s eyes. Again, however, permanent blindness is, unfortunately, an unlikely outcome.
Form the weapon by positioning the hand as for a chinjab smash. Now direct the open, clawed hand forward, and thrust the finger tips into the enemy’s face. Upon fingertips impact with his eyes and nose, the heelpalm of the hand "collapses" in a blow to the enemy’s face. If sufficient thrust has not been generated in a tiger’s claw attack, then simply CLAW and RIP into the enemy’s eyes and face with the hand — just like a wild animal might do.
The end of an umbrella can be thrust into an attacker’s eye (or at least thrust at his eyes, which sets him up for a kick, etc.). Any beverage can be used effectively as a distraction by tossing it into an assailant’s face. A handful of gravel, sand, small change, a handkerchief, food, sunglasses, etc. — virtually anything that cannot be used as a weapon — can be thrown into an enemy’s eyes and will momentarily disorient him.
The eye is a great target for any of those "legal size" (ie less than four-inch blade length, in most jurisdictions) lock blade folding knives.
A woman who is being targeted for sexual assault can often maneuver effectively — via the use of deception — into a position where she avoids being beaten by feigning compliance, and “gently embrace” her would-be rapist’s face as if to kiss him, then suddenly and without warning drives both thumbs into his eyes, proceeding with the gouging technique previously described.
Do not dismiss this advice and instruction lightly. Unlike what you may have been taught (or are being taught) at your local "dojo", "kwoon", or "dojang", this stuff works.
And, once you master it, to paraphrase the old saw, "THE EYE’S THE LIMIT!!”
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
More On Bullies
© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WE appreciate that some of our Site’s visitors have questions regarding how to teach their children (or where to send their children to be taught) self-defense. We almost never train children, our self. Our colleague Mark Bryans is an excellent teacher of children, and has conducted extremely successful childrens’ courses in the past. We frankly have little patience for children, and prefer adults only. Still, we are more than sympathetic with the problems that children have with troublemakers and bullies, and we believe wholeheartedly in parents preparing the little ones to protect themselves adequately, when and if necessary.
For whatever it’s worth, these are our thoughts on training children how to defend themselves against bullies:
• First, children should be taught unequivocally that bullies are scum, and that they (i.e. the intended victims of bullies) have every right on earth to defend themselves against these creatures, and to do so WITHOUT MERCY. This is, we know, unacceptable thinking for many "parents", who prefer fantasy and illusion rather than reality in their child-rearing endeavors. However, children who are bullied are being terrorized — and terrorism deserves MERCILESS retaliatory action.
• Second, whenever and wherever those worthless bums who pass themselves off as "school administrators", "teachers", and "school officials" forbid a child fighting back when bullied, parents should organize and confront the administration of that school facility and let it be known that their children have their permission to defend themselves. Those licensed child-abusers who would forbid children defending themselves — even penalize such action if and when it was undertaken — should be put on notice that they will personally be sued and held accountable by the parents if they dare to attempt to stop their children from acting in legitimate self-defense, when necessary. Forbidding a child to defend himself is like forbidding him to eat when he is hungry, get a drink of water when he is thirsty, or see a physician when he is ill. This is child abuse! And punishing a child as though he were equal in responsibility to his tormentor after defending himself against a bully, for the mere fact of having defended himself is nothing less than EVIL.
• Third, children should be taught no-nonsense boxing and judo-based self-defense skills. (Combato would be too severe, unless we are talking about gang type attacks and violent offenses such as those perpetrated by some middle and high school sociopaths who aspire to rise as gangbangers. In that type of predicament we have not the slightest problem with children learning battlefield skills. But we realize that there is almost no chance of persuading anyone else of the validity of our position).
• Fourth, children should be conditioned in the proper mindset. They must learn that there are times in life when violence, and only violence, will suffice to quell interpersonal problems. And whenever a child is set upon by a physical troublemaker from whom he cannot disengage without being attacked, THAT is one of those times. In such instances, the child must be taught, anything goes; and he is justified in dispatching his tormentor however he is able.
• Fifth, the child should be protected aggressively against the disgusting assertions made by those "adults" that fighting back is wrong, and he ought to be thus protected by having a proper dignity and warrior-spirit instilled in him. (A "warrior" in the noble sense and meaning of that designation is never a violent or troublesome person. He is a gentleman and a respecter of others’ rights and property. However, he is also the "first to fight" when and if threatened with unavoidable violence; and he stands up to evil and opposes it.)
• Sixth, as part of his moral education, every child should be taught to be gentle and kind to those weaker than himself, to those who are helpless, and to those who lack the capacity to protect themselves. He should be taught, as part of his moral and martial education, that it is the lowest act of unmanly cowardice to push others around, to bully, to start trouble, or to otherwise endeavor to lord it over other people. He should be taught to despise bullying, and bullies. He should be taught to respect and to admire strength and fighting ability that is properly controlled and utilized for the protection of those who are innocent and good.
We realize that we are a dinosaur. We also do not give a damn.
Children, just like adults, have every right to live free of the interference of predatory human garbage. When those adults who are responsible for their welfare and protection default on that responsibility it is reasonable and right that the children themselves should have the means of self-defense. Those who prey upon children — whether contemporaries or older scum — deserve no consideration or concern whatever. Innocent children deserve every consideration and all our concern.
In answer to the question, then, of what to teach children about defending against bullies, we say: Teach them first of all that they have an absolute RIGHT to defend themselves — and to do so ferociously — whenever anyone attempts to bully them.
Then, train them thoroughly in no-nonsense fighting skills that enable them to do just that.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WE appreciate that some of our Site’s visitors have questions regarding how to teach their children (or where to send their children to be taught) self-defense. We almost never train children, our self. Our colleague Mark Bryans is an excellent teacher of children, and has conducted extremely successful childrens’ courses in the past. We frankly have little patience for children, and prefer adults only. Still, we are more than sympathetic with the problems that children have with troublemakers and bullies, and we believe wholeheartedly in parents preparing the little ones to protect themselves adequately, when and if necessary.
For whatever it’s worth, these are our thoughts on training children how to defend themselves against bullies:
• First, children should be taught unequivocally that bullies are scum, and that they (i.e. the intended victims of bullies) have every right on earth to defend themselves against these creatures, and to do so WITHOUT MERCY. This is, we know, unacceptable thinking for many "parents", who prefer fantasy and illusion rather than reality in their child-rearing endeavors. However, children who are bullied are being terrorized — and terrorism deserves MERCILESS retaliatory action.
• Second, whenever and wherever those worthless bums who pass themselves off as "school administrators", "teachers", and "school officials" forbid a child fighting back when bullied, parents should organize and confront the administration of that school facility and let it be known that their children have their permission to defend themselves. Those licensed child-abusers who would forbid children defending themselves — even penalize such action if and when it was undertaken — should be put on notice that they will personally be sued and held accountable by the parents if they dare to attempt to stop their children from acting in legitimate self-defense, when necessary. Forbidding a child to defend himself is like forbidding him to eat when he is hungry, get a drink of water when he is thirsty, or see a physician when he is ill. This is child abuse! And punishing a child as though he were equal in responsibility to his tormentor after defending himself against a bully, for the mere fact of having defended himself is nothing less than EVIL.
• Third, children should be taught no-nonsense boxing and judo-based self-defense skills. (Combato would be too severe, unless we are talking about gang type attacks and violent offenses such as those perpetrated by some middle and high school sociopaths who aspire to rise as gangbangers. In that type of predicament we have not the slightest problem with children learning battlefield skills. But we realize that there is almost no chance of persuading anyone else of the validity of our position).
• Fourth, children should be conditioned in the proper mindset. They must learn that there are times in life when violence, and only violence, will suffice to quell interpersonal problems. And whenever a child is set upon by a physical troublemaker from whom he cannot disengage without being attacked, THAT is one of those times. In such instances, the child must be taught, anything goes; and he is justified in dispatching his tormentor however he is able.
• Fifth, the child should be protected aggressively against the disgusting assertions made by those "adults" that fighting back is wrong, and he ought to be thus protected by having a proper dignity and warrior-spirit instilled in him. (A "warrior" in the noble sense and meaning of that designation is never a violent or troublesome person. He is a gentleman and a respecter of others’ rights and property. However, he is also the "first to fight" when and if threatened with unavoidable violence; and he stands up to evil and opposes it.)
• Sixth, as part of his moral education, every child should be taught to be gentle and kind to those weaker than himself, to those who are helpless, and to those who lack the capacity to protect themselves. He should be taught, as part of his moral and martial education, that it is the lowest act of unmanly cowardice to push others around, to bully, to start trouble, or to otherwise endeavor to lord it over other people. He should be taught to despise bullying, and bullies. He should be taught to respect and to admire strength and fighting ability that is properly controlled and utilized for the protection of those who are innocent and good.
We realize that we are a dinosaur. We also do not give a damn.
Children, just like adults, have every right to live free of the interference of predatory human garbage. When those adults who are responsible for their welfare and protection default on that responsibility it is reasonable and right that the children themselves should have the means of self-defense. Those who prey upon children — whether contemporaries or older scum — deserve no consideration or concern whatever. Innocent children deserve every consideration and all our concern.
In answer to the question, then, of what to teach children about defending against bullies, we say: Teach them first of all that they have an absolute RIGHT to defend themselves — and to do so ferociously — whenever anyone attempts to bully them.
Then, train them thoroughly in no-nonsense fighting skills that enable them to do just that.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Make YOURSELF "Safer" (Part 3)
I've talked about being aware. I mentioned the illusion that there are "safe" locations where violence does not occur. I've covered the subject of environmental awareness. A cursory investigation into recent events should dissuade anyone from thinking that the police can provide protection to the private citizen. Even if they were mandated by law (and they MOST ASSUREDLY ARE NOT [1][2]) to provide such protection... they can barely defend themselves against violent criminals.
So brave traveler... you're on you own! Don't let this get you down. You have an advantage over law enforcement. That's right. In fact, you have more than one advantage:
1) You are under no obligation to "arrest" anyone. You need not worry about taking someone into custody for the authorities. In fact... YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO SO! Attempting to hold someone - at gun point or otherwise - until the police arrive is extremely dangerous for the private citizen to attempt. One of three things is likely to happen: either they get away from you and flee, they attempt to get away from you or attack you, in which case you're going to have to shoot them anyhow... or they manage to disarm and kill you. Lastly, as occurred in Phoenix a few years ago, the police arrive, see the home owner holding someone at gun point... and shoot them multiple times "accidentally". The citizens arrest methodology and the ridiculous "house clearing" training are some of the most absurd and dangerous scams ever foisted on the consumer.
2) You are not bound by any continuum of force malarkey. You can jump from being threatened right to using DEADLY FORCE... provided you are justified in doing so. If you LEGITIMATELY fear for your life... guess what? You are justified in doing so.
True... one must walk a fine line and be fully aware of the laws regarding the use of lethal force... the justification is actually fairly straight forward in all but the most draconian jurisdictions. If you are unfortunate enough to live in the type of metropolitan utopia that doesn't trust its citizens and coddles street trash with more rights and privileges than law abiding citizens... I suggest you move if possible. There are plenty of states and cities in this great nation that allow concealed carry and support the right to self-defense. Move to one! Any city that doesn't allow you the basic right to defend yourself isn't fit to live in.
When it comes to practical, effective, unarmed self-defense most martial arts get it HORRIBLY WRONG. Any system that emphasizes punching, high kicks, grappling, complicated throws or come alongs is a waste of time. Even if those methods were effective (they're NOT!) many of them take YEARS to master at the basic levels. The instructors who teach this garbage are well aware that they do not work or that they take a lifetime to master.... but it's about revenue more than it is about your ability to keep yourself alive.
A truly functional system should be able to provide you with useful techniques in a matter of weeks or months... NOT YEARS! It should not require you to drop to the ground to wrestle with your assailants. I say assailants... because we ALWAYS assume more than one attacker. WE also always make the assumption that said attackers are armed.
There are no rules... which is one reason that it's utterly futile to study a SPORT system of fighting. In order to prevail you're going to need to stack the deck in your favor and "get creative" with your knowledge of dirty fighting.
For instance, may female oriented self-defense schools and courses to confront aman male who accosts them by shouting "NO!" This is wrong for several reasons. Firstly, any individual who is likely to be discouraged by their victim shouting loudly probably isn't a significant threat to begin with. The milk toast could have been sent packing by an exclamation of "I'm not into you." Any VIOLENT individual who is truly intent on doing whatever the hell they want is either going to kill you for yelling or get even more excited because he thinks he has a "fighter" on his hands.
Instead of yelling... smile. Let him think you're into him and encourage his advances. Let him get good and close... then launch a knee strike up into his testicles AS HARD AS YOU CAN. Then do it a few more times. Chop him in the throat. If he has to make a choice between raping you or breathing he'll probably pick the latter. Then you can escape.
Let him bend in to "steal a kiss" and then ram your fingers into his eyes, stomp on his foot, crushing it and breaking bones then get out of there.
Don't bother trying to overpower the dirt bag. Cripple the worthless scum and then vacate the scene. You can call the popo once you're in a safer area. Don't hand around waiting for his buddies to show up.
If you've been paying attention to what's going on around you, you should be able to avoid trouble most of the time. Stay out of bars and taverns. I'm not talking about, clean restaurants that cater to civilized human beings. I'm talking about the kinds of crap houses that attract walking refuse with nothing better to do than drink cheap beer beyond their own physical tolerances and then become everyone else's problem. It's impossible to deal with morons like that, so don't even attempt it.
As I said, stack the deck in your own favor... and as high as you possibly can. There is no nasty, brutal, bloodthirsty technique that is out-of-bounds when you're looking at living or dying. Make it that losers worst day. You want him to be thinking "What the hell! I can't believe this is happening to me!" Give him a story to tell his friends. Or better yet, let them try to figure it out when they are identifying him in the morgue.
In regards to fear: EVERY SANE PERSON feels it when they are threatened. There may be a 1 in a million (or more) exception to this rule, but it IS a rule. Police officers, combat veterans, fire fighters... virtually everyone who has ever faced a life threatening incident will admit that they were in fear. Only idiots, sociopaths or the EXTREMELY RARE individual are "fearless".
So you cannot be "fearless". It's impossible. However, you do not want to lose that fear anyhow. You want to HARNESS IT! Fear is the motivator that launches you into action and gives you the adrenaline dump that helps you deal with that life-or-death moment. Use it! It is fear that's going to enable you to pummel that walking piece of human refuse into the sidewalk. It's fear that's going to turn the tables on your stalker and put him in a wheel chair for the rest of his worthless life.
The fight-or-flight response is a natural response. Freezing is NOT a natural response. As I said earlier... this is the direct result of being programmed into thinking that such horrible things do not happen to good people. This is ridiculous of course. Horrible stuff happens to "good People" all the time. In fact, these are the horrible things that you're most likely to hear about because frankly... nobody gives a damn when horrible things happen to people who are NOT good. That rarely makes the news.
Freezing should also obviously be the WRONG thing to do since it serves no purpose other that to facilitate whatever "horrible" thing is about to happen. Freezing on the train tracks or in the middle of a highway is almost guaranteed to get you killed. So is freezing when some crap bag produces a knife.
You were conditioned to freeze and you can condition yourself out of this. Test yourself in small things. Stress and exercise your self-esteem. (I assume that you are WORTHY of self-esteem.) Start drilling it into your head right now that you'll be harder, smarter and more brutal than the predators who are out there, be they stalkers, rapists, bullies or the average sidewalk pile. Put them on the bloody end.
[1] Warren vs. District if Columbia
[2] Linda Riss vs. New York City
So brave traveler... you're on you own! Don't let this get you down. You have an advantage over law enforcement. That's right. In fact, you have more than one advantage:
1) You are under no obligation to "arrest" anyone. You need not worry about taking someone into custody for the authorities. In fact... YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO SO! Attempting to hold someone - at gun point or otherwise - until the police arrive is extremely dangerous for the private citizen to attempt. One of three things is likely to happen: either they get away from you and flee, they attempt to get away from you or attack you, in which case you're going to have to shoot them anyhow... or they manage to disarm and kill you. Lastly, as occurred in Phoenix a few years ago, the police arrive, see the home owner holding someone at gun point... and shoot them multiple times "accidentally". The citizens arrest methodology and the ridiculous "house clearing" training are some of the most absurd and dangerous scams ever foisted on the consumer.
2) You are not bound by any continuum of force malarkey. You can jump from being threatened right to using DEADLY FORCE... provided you are justified in doing so. If you LEGITIMATELY fear for your life... guess what? You are justified in doing so.
True... one must walk a fine line and be fully aware of the laws regarding the use of lethal force... the justification is actually fairly straight forward in all but the most draconian jurisdictions. If you are unfortunate enough to live in the type of metropolitan utopia that doesn't trust its citizens and coddles street trash with more rights and privileges than law abiding citizens... I suggest you move if possible. There are plenty of states and cities in this great nation that allow concealed carry and support the right to self-defense. Move to one! Any city that doesn't allow you the basic right to defend yourself isn't fit to live in.
When it comes to practical, effective, unarmed self-defense most martial arts get it HORRIBLY WRONG. Any system that emphasizes punching, high kicks, grappling, complicated throws or come alongs is a waste of time. Even if those methods were effective (they're NOT!) many of them take YEARS to master at the basic levels. The instructors who teach this garbage are well aware that they do not work or that they take a lifetime to master.... but it's about revenue more than it is about your ability to keep yourself alive.
A truly functional system should be able to provide you with useful techniques in a matter of weeks or months... NOT YEARS! It should not require you to drop to the ground to wrestle with your assailants. I say assailants... because we ALWAYS assume more than one attacker. WE also always make the assumption that said attackers are armed.
There are no rules... which is one reason that it's utterly futile to study a SPORT system of fighting. In order to prevail you're going to need to stack the deck in your favor and "get creative" with your knowledge of dirty fighting.
For instance, may female oriented self-defense schools and courses to confront a
Instead of yelling... smile. Let him think you're into him and encourage his advances. Let him get good and close... then launch a knee strike up into his testicles AS HARD AS YOU CAN. Then do it a few more times. Chop him in the throat. If he has to make a choice between raping you or breathing he'll probably pick the latter. Then you can escape.
Let him bend in to "steal a kiss" and then ram your fingers into his eyes, stomp on his foot, crushing it and breaking bones then get out of there.
Don't bother trying to overpower the dirt bag. Cripple the worthless scum and then vacate the scene. You can call the popo once you're in a safer area. Don't hand around waiting for his buddies to show up.
If you've been paying attention to what's going on around you, you should be able to avoid trouble most of the time. Stay out of bars and taverns. I'm not talking about, clean restaurants that cater to civilized human beings. I'm talking about the kinds of crap houses that attract walking refuse with nothing better to do than drink cheap beer beyond their own physical tolerances and then become everyone else's problem. It's impossible to deal with morons like that, so don't even attempt it.
As I said, stack the deck in your own favor... and as high as you possibly can. There is no nasty, brutal, bloodthirsty technique that is out-of-bounds when you're looking at living or dying. Make it that losers worst day. You want him to be thinking "What the hell! I can't believe this is happening to me!" Give him a story to tell his friends. Or better yet, let them try to figure it out when they are identifying him in the morgue.
In regards to fear: EVERY SANE PERSON feels it when they are threatened. There may be a 1 in a million (or more) exception to this rule, but it IS a rule. Police officers, combat veterans, fire fighters... virtually everyone who has ever faced a life threatening incident will admit that they were in fear. Only idiots, sociopaths or the EXTREMELY RARE individual are "fearless".
So you cannot be "fearless". It's impossible. However, you do not want to lose that fear anyhow. You want to HARNESS IT! Fear is the motivator that launches you into action and gives you the adrenaline dump that helps you deal with that life-or-death moment. Use it! It is fear that's going to enable you to pummel that walking piece of human refuse into the sidewalk. It's fear that's going to turn the tables on your stalker and put him in a wheel chair for the rest of his worthless life.
The fight-or-flight response is a natural response. Freezing is NOT a natural response. As I said earlier... this is the direct result of being programmed into thinking that such horrible things do not happen to good people. This is ridiculous of course. Horrible stuff happens to "good People" all the time. In fact, these are the horrible things that you're most likely to hear about because frankly... nobody gives a damn when horrible things happen to people who are NOT good. That rarely makes the news.
Freezing should also obviously be the WRONG thing to do since it serves no purpose other that to facilitate whatever "horrible" thing is about to happen. Freezing on the train tracks or in the middle of a highway is almost guaranteed to get you killed. So is freezing when some crap bag produces a knife.
You were conditioned to freeze and you can condition yourself out of this. Test yourself in small things. Stress and exercise your self-esteem. (I assume that you are WORTHY of self-esteem.) Start drilling it into your head right now that you'll be harder, smarter and more brutal than the predators who are out there, be they stalkers, rapists, bullies or the average sidewalk pile. Put them on the bloody end.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Critical Moment
© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WE are an admirer of the late Sir Winston Churchill. Please consider the wisdom and counsel in his words:
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves". WINSTON CHURCHILL
Indeed, the great Statesman was speaking in the context of war; his words referred to the position that the allied powers needed to take in order to cope with the axis powers, in WWII. However, as we so often remind our students and readers, self-defense is war in microcosm. Those principles that sensibly guide and direct nations, generals, and armies in battle are as valid and valuable to individuals who seek to master the art of individual combat — for self-defense.
One problem that is either rarely if ever addressed, or that is addressed inadequately in training individuals for self-defense is the matter of knowing exactly when to go into decisive action. When is the "critical moment", and how can one make certain that, when it arrives, one will do that which needs doing?
The flip answer of course is, "Go into action when you are attacked." Yes, but it is not always clear just when that actually is, believe it or not. Unlike motion picture fight scenes or instances when giving a demonstration of self-defense techniques, the critical moment may go unnoticed in the real world, and a defender may waste precious seconds. By way of example, take self-defense situations as they pertain to females. A female is in serious danger the moment an unknown male (or a male that is known to her to have a history of violence) blocks her path and prevents her from exiting an area that she wishes to leave, or when he puts a hand on her, making unwanted, unencouraged physical contact. The disparity of physical size, strength, and usual fighting acumen makes it imperative that a female take vicious, aggressive action, and take it then! To delay is to permit a potentially serious threat to escalate.
"But suppose the guy who blocks a female from leaving a place, or who takes hold of her wrist or arm, or who places one or both hands on her has no real intention of hurting her?"
Our answer is this: No one is or ought to be expected to be a mind reader. Any male who is old enough to walk to school on his own and come home after school on his own should be expected to have been taught unequivocally to keep his hands off females whom he does not know, and NEVER to attempt to force his will in any way upon any female (or anyone at all, for that matter). In any instance where this fundamental component of civilized conduct has not been instilled in a male, he proceeds to "do as he pleases" at HIS peril; not at the peril of someone who may fear harm from him. Certainly no female should lose a fraction of a second wondering if this ape is or isn’t intending to harm her, before — upon being given the evidence of his willingness to encroach upon her freedom of movement and her person — she ferociously neutralizes him.
This is what we would teach our daughter. This is what we’d teach your daughter. This is what you should teach her. This is what every female should be taught, in our opinion. And males ought properly to be made well aware of the fact that this is exactly what they are being taught.
And, while perhaps slightly different for males, essentially the same concept should be instilled in them, and instilled at an early age: Whenever anyone makes it clear that it is his intention to interfere physically with you, or/and to actually initiate violent physical action against you, neutralize him! We only wish that, as a child, we had been taught this. We learned it, however; and thank God that we did. But we’d have better better off (and some putrid human scum would have been adequately dealt with) had we learned it before reaching our late teens).
In training and in preparing mentally for self-defense, the elimination of all of those blocks that might interfere with the split second decision to “GO!” when the critical moment arrives, must be a priority mission. Simplicity and clarity is what facilitates the accomplishment of the task.
Simply put: In any self-defense situation it is the intended victim of the attack, or the person who is acting on behalf of that intended victim so as to protect him, who is the “authority figure” and — in a manner of speaking — the "field commander". He, and no one else, is the one who must make the decision to trip the wire. Outside command elements do not exist. In military combat situations the decision and the command to attack comes from the person who is in charge. In an emergency that involves a direct threat to you or to yours, YOU are in charge. Act like it!
Having a MADE UP MIND and establishing well ahead of time that violence directed against you will trigger terrifying, overwhelming, mercilessly brutal and ferociously destructive violence immediately is what you need. Do not kid yourself. Trying to weigh and measure every nuance and degree of the "intended threat level" that some extralegal punk-bastard intends to pose will not work. Whether a bully, a gang member, a mugger, a troublemaker, a kidnapper, a home invader, or whatever you care to posit as the threat, the answer — once it becomes physical aggression — is fierce and relentless retaliatory violence, until the danger to your or yours is neutralized.
Keep it simple, please. There is too much depending upon you tripping the wire in time, and in adequate measure to do the job for you to complicate matters! Every fraction of a second that you delay driving into your attacker and finishing him is a fraction of a second longer that he has to beat, torture, rape, kidnap, stomp, or murder you — or to do that to someone you love.
Be clear about what you must do — before you need to actually do it. Trying to "control" or to "arrest" is the responsibility of the police officer. Your responsibility is only to avoid trouble insofar as you are able to do so, not to agree to fight with anyone, never to initiate any hostile action, and — if and when given no choice but to act in self-defense — to do so; to do so with decisive, adequate violence so that whoever has chosen to attack you is rendered incapable and unwilling to continue on his evil course.
Only simple and direct actions — destructive and injurious actions — will reliably enable you to accomplish the task before you in a dangerous emergency. This means techniques that are intended for WAR, not for contests. It means savaging the attacker’s most vital target areas, and continuing to do so with every ounce of strength, viciousness, and relentless, driving aggression you are capable of mustering.
DO IT RIGHT AWAY! You will get no second chance, and there is neither a “round two” or a rematch during which you may have a chance to compensate for having failed to drop your enemy straight away! This is the real world. This is what you must learn, practice and, if necessary, apply in a dangerous self-defense emergency.
If we again use the analogy of war:
Look at the methodology and philosophy of most so-called "self-defense" methods as being analogous to the Vietnam War. Look at the methodology and philosophy that we espouse as being analogous to the Six Day War.
The moment that Israel knew that a threat existed the forces of that Nation were unleashed totally, and there was an immediate plan and effort to completely eliminate the threat — NOW! The disgraceful leadership (or lack, thereof) that treated the greatest and the best of America’s young people as sacrificial pawns in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War resulted in our Nation failing to win a conflict that, had the proper leadership and command, coupled with the appropriate military tactical methodology been in force, would have been rather easily won within a year — if not within a month or two.
Having the knowledge and the power to do battle will avail you nothing if you lack both the WILL and the DECISIVENESS to use it fully, when necessary.
You must set this ahead of time. Establish that it will be the perception of imminent danger, manifesting in an overtly aggressive action by anyone possessing the apparent ability, the intention, and the opportunity to injure you, that will cause you to explode into action. All of this can be perceived within a fraction of a second, and — once it is perceived — may be acted upon with similar speed and decisiveness. See that you are prepared at all times to do this!
So many people train in the martial arts expecting that their increasing ability to do kata, to spar, to compete, to drill, to acquire encyclopedic technical repertoires, etc. will produce for them the confidence and the ability to do that which an emergency calls for if and when an emergency strikes. But these people are way off track!
Setting your mind so that, when the critical moment arrives — and not one fiftieth of a second later! — you go after your enemy like a ferocious, attack-trained guard dog, is the key! With a handful of good, battle-proven techniques you will almost always be able to wreak havoc on any adversary, so long as this mindset and decision is solidly in place.
See to it that it is.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WE are an admirer of the late Sir Winston Churchill. Please consider the wisdom and counsel in his words:
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves". WINSTON CHURCHILL
Indeed, the great Statesman was speaking in the context of war; his words referred to the position that the allied powers needed to take in order to cope with the axis powers, in WWII. However, as we so often remind our students and readers, self-defense is war in microcosm. Those principles that sensibly guide and direct nations, generals, and armies in battle are as valid and valuable to individuals who seek to master the art of individual combat — for self-defense.
One problem that is either rarely if ever addressed, or that is addressed inadequately in training individuals for self-defense is the matter of knowing exactly when to go into decisive action. When is the "critical moment", and how can one make certain that, when it arrives, one will do that which needs doing?
The flip answer of course is, "Go into action when you are attacked." Yes, but it is not always clear just when that actually is, believe it or not. Unlike motion picture fight scenes or instances when giving a demonstration of self-defense techniques, the critical moment may go unnoticed in the real world, and a defender may waste precious seconds. By way of example, take self-defense situations as they pertain to females. A female is in serious danger the moment an unknown male (or a male that is known to her to have a history of violence) blocks her path and prevents her from exiting an area that she wishes to leave, or when he puts a hand on her, making unwanted, unencouraged physical contact. The disparity of physical size, strength, and usual fighting acumen makes it imperative that a female take vicious, aggressive action, and take it then! To delay is to permit a potentially serious threat to escalate.
"But suppose the guy who blocks a female from leaving a place, or who takes hold of her wrist or arm, or who places one or both hands on her has no real intention of hurting her?"
Our answer is this: No one is or ought to be expected to be a mind reader. Any male who is old enough to walk to school on his own and come home after school on his own should be expected to have been taught unequivocally to keep his hands off females whom he does not know, and NEVER to attempt to force his will in any way upon any female (or anyone at all, for that matter). In any instance where this fundamental component of civilized conduct has not been instilled in a male, he proceeds to "do as he pleases" at HIS peril; not at the peril of someone who may fear harm from him. Certainly no female should lose a fraction of a second wondering if this ape is or isn’t intending to harm her, before — upon being given the evidence of his willingness to encroach upon her freedom of movement and her person — she ferociously neutralizes him.
This is what we would teach our daughter. This is what we’d teach your daughter. This is what you should teach her. This is what every female should be taught, in our opinion. And males ought properly to be made well aware of the fact that this is exactly what they are being taught.
And, while perhaps slightly different for males, essentially the same concept should be instilled in them, and instilled at an early age: Whenever anyone makes it clear that it is his intention to interfere physically with you, or/and to actually initiate violent physical action against you, neutralize him! We only wish that, as a child, we had been taught this. We learned it, however; and thank God that we did. But we’d have better better off (and some putrid human scum would have been adequately dealt with) had we learned it before reaching our late teens).
In training and in preparing mentally for self-defense, the elimination of all of those blocks that might interfere with the split second decision to “GO!” when the critical moment arrives, must be a priority mission. Simplicity and clarity is what facilitates the accomplishment of the task.
Simply put: In any self-defense situation it is the intended victim of the attack, or the person who is acting on behalf of that intended victim so as to protect him, who is the “authority figure” and — in a manner of speaking — the "field commander". He, and no one else, is the one who must make the decision to trip the wire. Outside command elements do not exist. In military combat situations the decision and the command to attack comes from the person who is in charge. In an emergency that involves a direct threat to you or to yours, YOU are in charge. Act like it!
Having a MADE UP MIND and establishing well ahead of time that violence directed against you will trigger terrifying, overwhelming, mercilessly brutal and ferociously destructive violence immediately is what you need. Do not kid yourself. Trying to weigh and measure every nuance and degree of the "intended threat level" that some extralegal punk-bastard intends to pose will not work. Whether a bully, a gang member, a mugger, a troublemaker, a kidnapper, a home invader, or whatever you care to posit as the threat, the answer — once it becomes physical aggression — is fierce and relentless retaliatory violence, until the danger to your or yours is neutralized.
Keep it simple, please. There is too much depending upon you tripping the wire in time, and in adequate measure to do the job for you to complicate matters! Every fraction of a second that you delay driving into your attacker and finishing him is a fraction of a second longer that he has to beat, torture, rape, kidnap, stomp, or murder you — or to do that to someone you love.
Be clear about what you must do — before you need to actually do it. Trying to "control" or to "arrest" is the responsibility of the police officer. Your responsibility is only to avoid trouble insofar as you are able to do so, not to agree to fight with anyone, never to initiate any hostile action, and — if and when given no choice but to act in self-defense — to do so; to do so with decisive, adequate violence so that whoever has chosen to attack you is rendered incapable and unwilling to continue on his evil course.
Only simple and direct actions — destructive and injurious actions — will reliably enable you to accomplish the task before you in a dangerous emergency. This means techniques that are intended for WAR, not for contests. It means savaging the attacker’s most vital target areas, and continuing to do so with every ounce of strength, viciousness, and relentless, driving aggression you are capable of mustering.
DO IT RIGHT AWAY! You will get no second chance, and there is neither a “round two” or a rematch during which you may have a chance to compensate for having failed to drop your enemy straight away! This is the real world. This is what you must learn, practice and, if necessary, apply in a dangerous self-defense emergency.
If we again use the analogy of war:
Look at the methodology and philosophy of most so-called "self-defense" methods as being analogous to the Vietnam War. Look at the methodology and philosophy that we espouse as being analogous to the Six Day War.
The moment that Israel knew that a threat existed the forces of that Nation were unleashed totally, and there was an immediate plan and effort to completely eliminate the threat — NOW! The disgraceful leadership (or lack, thereof) that treated the greatest and the best of America’s young people as sacrificial pawns in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War resulted in our Nation failing to win a conflict that, had the proper leadership and command, coupled with the appropriate military tactical methodology been in force, would have been rather easily won within a year — if not within a month or two.
Having the knowledge and the power to do battle will avail you nothing if you lack both the WILL and the DECISIVENESS to use it fully, when necessary.
You must set this ahead of time. Establish that it will be the perception of imminent danger, manifesting in an overtly aggressive action by anyone possessing the apparent ability, the intention, and the opportunity to injure you, that will cause you to explode into action. All of this can be perceived within a fraction of a second, and — once it is perceived — may be acted upon with similar speed and decisiveness. See that you are prepared at all times to do this!
So many people train in the martial arts expecting that their increasing ability to do kata, to spar, to compete, to drill, to acquire encyclopedic technical repertoires, etc. will produce for them the confidence and the ability to do that which an emergency calls for if and when an emergency strikes. But these people are way off track!
Setting your mind so that, when the critical moment arrives — and not one fiftieth of a second later! — you go after your enemy like a ferocious, attack-trained guard dog, is the key! With a handful of good, battle-proven techniques you will almost always be able to wreak havoc on any adversary, so long as this mindset and decision is solidly in place.
See to it that it is.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
There Is No “Nice Way” to Defend Yourself
© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
THERE are effective ways to deal with an extralegal physical aggressor, and there are effective ways to engage in and win hand-to-hand battles in a military or similar context, but there are no pleasant, nice, sporting and gentlemanly ways in which those objectives can be achieved. Idealistic "non destructive" methods of handling dangerous physical attackers may be entertaining to observe occasionally in the movies or on television, and in "martial arts demonstrations", etc.; and the practice of various skills that purport to enable those who master them to possess such a capacity to actually replicate the application of such skills against live, attacking enemies, may attract customers. However, the plain and simple truth is, physical violence is a dangerous activity. Those who initiate violence (as bullies, muggers, gang members, troublemakers, impulse-dominated savages, home invaders, rapists, etc.) pose what is ALWAYS potentially life-threatening harm to those against whom they act.
How often we hear that offensive bleat from some beast: “Oh, I didn't mean to kill him!” Or, “Well, I was just angry. I didn’t want to hurt him that badly”, etc. The gallows was and would still be the proper place to lead those out of control examples of human debris who "cannot help" but explode with violent fury against those whom they "don’t like", "feel insulted by", or "believe need to be taught a lesson", ad nauseum. Quite mainstream news and TV magazine shows have presented stories about children who were crippled or killed — or who were driven to suicide — by their contemporaries. “I (or we) didn’t mean it", means nothing after the fact
(and knowing how so many children are, we are inclined to believe that those who act as bullies or tormentors of their fellows DO and DID mean it, indeed. When not on camera or speaking with adult "authority figures" these miserable excuses for human beings laugh and snicker at having gotten away with their acts of evil. That these young bastards are not strapped in electric chairs after their conduct results in the death of an innocent child remains — as far as we are concerned — a disgrace.
One big problem in our society is that many have acquired a recreational view of violence. Most particularly today (during what many might identify as the end stage of Western Civilization, itself) we have the popularity of such bloodsports as cage fighting and related pastimes. Unlike what we personally see as legitimate martial sports (boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, fencing, kick boxing, etc.) the "challenge events", the so-called "anything goes" events, etc. are merely violent brawling contests in which individuals strive to win by injuring each other. And while we certainly believe that people must be left free to participate in whatever they wish to participate in (so long as the only individuals affected are consenting adults) we nevertheless have our personal opinion about that which they do. And "that which they do" in our opinion, is nothing short of stupid, mindless, adolescent, pointless violence. That’s our opinion. We are perfectly content to see those who disagree with us continue to either applaud others who participate actively in these events, or to participate actively, themselves. Personally, these people are no concern of ours.
We bring up this point, however, because we believe that it helps to clarify the point that we are trying to make.
If you wish to be a sporting competitor then be a sporting competitor. Adopt, accept, abide by, and live the rules of fair play, good sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, courtesy, non aggressive, dignified, and suitably civilized behavior. Forget about the brazen aggressiveness, the "let’s get it on, dude" attitude, the tattoos, the "tough guy" scowling, and the other assorted accouterments that have caught on in the unfortunately rapidly decaying world of competitive "martial arts". Those who have embraced this subcultural sewer-conduct are NOT practicing the martial virtues, and the physical skills with which they so enthusiastically pummel each other in the venues in which they perform, are not the best techniques for Mr. and Mrs. Typical Citizen (or for a typical soldier, sailor, or marine, for that matter!) to learn and to rely upon.
Preparing for self-defense is preparing for WAR. Perhaps it is not too surprising that many who feel the need for practical defense training fail to appreciate this fact; but FACT it is and fact it remains. And if anyone doubting that which we say will go to the trouble of speaking with someone who has suffered a home invasion, an attack by street scum, a mugging, a kidnap, a rape, or being set upon by some psychopathic trouble making bully and his cohorts, he will quickly come around. There is no "game" when violence comes down for real.
We have known, admired, and enjoyed the company of some really outstanding martial arts competitors. We have never met a single one who did not agree with us 100% about that which we say in regard to difference between that which wins contests, and that which saves lives. This, despite the fact that legitimate judo, karate, wrestling, boxing, and kick boxing men are all able to adopt, to some degree, that which they are able to do, to an emergency. They know all too well, however, that that which they compete with serves only to a degree to prepare them for action in a real world crisis. These men are at least aware of the inherent shortcomings of their respective arts, and do not deceive themselves. When one hears one of the current crop of "ultimate" fighters speak with an air of braggadocio however, one can only wonder just what the outcome would be if he were jumped by a gang, confronted by a knife-wielding thug, mugged suddenly by a lunatic, from behind, or taken by surprise in some context where the last thing on his mind was "winning a match".
Yes, the sporting fighters are tough. But their toughness relates to that which they are prepared for, willing to do, and experienced in doing IN COMPETITIVE CONTEXTS, AND AGAINST OTHERS WITH WHOM THEY COMPETE, IN A SPORTING VENUE. It’s something like a commercial airline pilot whose training and experience is centered around flying 747’s from city to city within the United States and occasionally overseas, and who possesses a perfect history of excellent flying in this venue, assuming that he therefore would have no problem getting into the cockpit of an F-35 Lightning II JSF, and flying it in air combat.
Real self-defense requires that you be prepared and willing, as Applegate said so perfectly in KILL OR GET KILLED, to "knock out, maim, or kill" when you close with your adversary. If you do not feel imminent danger to yourself or to a loved one, then it would be difficult to see how going into aggressive physical action against another human being could be justified.
"Aren’t there situations when a good controlling grip or hold would be appropriate?" some might ask. Certainly! For police officers, security guards, and others who are specifically charged with the responsibility of keeping the peace, and perhaps arresting individuals who, while not "dangerous" per se, are nonetheless uncooperative. Self-defense is undertaken when one is in DANGER, and its goal is to efficiently and decisively neutralize that danger by rendering the attacker incapable of and unwilling to continue endangering his intended victim.
It is justifiable to use destructive force against a human being ONLY when it is so imperative that he be stopped immediately from doing that which he is doing that it literally does not matter if he is seriously injured.— even killed. This is the correct, proper, and rational view that civilized human beings should be taught to take in regard to the employment of force against members of their own species.
Yes, predatory violence that is initiated by others is dangerous, evil, and must be stopped. That is precisely why defensive violence can never be "nice", "non-injurious", or "socially pleasant". It must be tough, brutal, savage, and dangerously destructive. Otherwise it’s a game.
And self-defense is no "game". There’s no nice way to "play" it.
Bradley J. Steiner
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
THERE are effective ways to deal with an extralegal physical aggressor, and there are effective ways to engage in and win hand-to-hand battles in a military or similar context, but there are no pleasant, nice, sporting and gentlemanly ways in which those objectives can be achieved. Idealistic "non destructive" methods of handling dangerous physical attackers may be entertaining to observe occasionally in the movies or on television, and in "martial arts demonstrations", etc.; and the practice of various skills that purport to enable those who master them to possess such a capacity to actually replicate the application of such skills against live, attacking enemies, may attract customers. However, the plain and simple truth is, physical violence is a dangerous activity. Those who initiate violence (as bullies, muggers, gang members, troublemakers, impulse-dominated savages, home invaders, rapists, etc.) pose what is ALWAYS potentially life-threatening harm to those against whom they act.
How often we hear that offensive bleat from some beast: “Oh, I didn't mean to kill him!” Or, “Well, I was just angry. I didn’t want to hurt him that badly”, etc. The gallows was and would still be the proper place to lead those out of control examples of human debris who "cannot help" but explode with violent fury against those whom they "don’t like", "feel insulted by", or "believe need to be taught a lesson", ad nauseum. Quite mainstream news and TV magazine shows have presented stories about children who were crippled or killed — or who were driven to suicide — by their contemporaries. “I (or we) didn’t mean it", means nothing after the fact
(and knowing how so many children are, we are inclined to believe that those who act as bullies or tormentors of their fellows DO and DID mean it, indeed. When not on camera or speaking with adult "authority figures" these miserable excuses for human beings laugh and snicker at having gotten away with their acts of evil. That these young bastards are not strapped in electric chairs after their conduct results in the death of an innocent child remains — as far as we are concerned — a disgrace.
One big problem in our society is that many have acquired a recreational view of violence. Most particularly today (during what many might identify as the end stage of Western Civilization, itself) we have the popularity of such bloodsports as cage fighting and related pastimes. Unlike what we personally see as legitimate martial sports (boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, fencing, kick boxing, etc.) the "challenge events", the so-called "anything goes" events, etc. are merely violent brawling contests in which individuals strive to win by injuring each other. And while we certainly believe that people must be left free to participate in whatever they wish to participate in (so long as the only individuals affected are consenting adults) we nevertheless have our personal opinion about that which they do. And "that which they do" in our opinion, is nothing short of stupid, mindless, adolescent, pointless violence. That’s our opinion. We are perfectly content to see those who disagree with us continue to either applaud others who participate actively in these events, or to participate actively, themselves. Personally, these people are no concern of ours.
We bring up this point, however, because we believe that it helps to clarify the point that we are trying to make.
If you wish to be a sporting competitor then be a sporting competitor. Adopt, accept, abide by, and live the rules of fair play, good sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, courtesy, non aggressive, dignified, and suitably civilized behavior. Forget about the brazen aggressiveness, the "let’s get it on, dude" attitude, the tattoos, the "tough guy" scowling, and the other assorted accouterments that have caught on in the unfortunately rapidly decaying world of competitive "martial arts". Those who have embraced this subcultural sewer-conduct are NOT practicing the martial virtues, and the physical skills with which they so enthusiastically pummel each other in the venues in which they perform, are not the best techniques for Mr. and Mrs. Typical Citizen (or for a typical soldier, sailor, or marine, for that matter!) to learn and to rely upon.
Preparing for self-defense is preparing for WAR. Perhaps it is not too surprising that many who feel the need for practical defense training fail to appreciate this fact; but FACT it is and fact it remains. And if anyone doubting that which we say will go to the trouble of speaking with someone who has suffered a home invasion, an attack by street scum, a mugging, a kidnap, a rape, or being set upon by some psychopathic trouble making bully and his cohorts, he will quickly come around. There is no "game" when violence comes down for real.
We have known, admired, and enjoyed the company of some really outstanding martial arts competitors. We have never met a single one who did not agree with us 100% about that which we say in regard to difference between that which wins contests, and that which saves lives. This, despite the fact that legitimate judo, karate, wrestling, boxing, and kick boxing men are all able to adopt, to some degree, that which they are able to do, to an emergency. They know all too well, however, that that which they compete with serves only to a degree to prepare them for action in a real world crisis. These men are at least aware of the inherent shortcomings of their respective arts, and do not deceive themselves. When one hears one of the current crop of "ultimate" fighters speak with an air of braggadocio however, one can only wonder just what the outcome would be if he were jumped by a gang, confronted by a knife-wielding thug, mugged suddenly by a lunatic, from behind, or taken by surprise in some context where the last thing on his mind was "winning a match".
Yes, the sporting fighters are tough. But their toughness relates to that which they are prepared for, willing to do, and experienced in doing IN COMPETITIVE CONTEXTS, AND AGAINST OTHERS WITH WHOM THEY COMPETE, IN A SPORTING VENUE. It’s something like a commercial airline pilot whose training and experience is centered around flying 747’s from city to city within the United States and occasionally overseas, and who possesses a perfect history of excellent flying in this venue, assuming that he therefore would have no problem getting into the cockpit of an F-35 Lightning II JSF, and flying it in air combat.
Real self-defense requires that you be prepared and willing, as Applegate said so perfectly in KILL OR GET KILLED, to "knock out, maim, or kill" when you close with your adversary. If you do not feel imminent danger to yourself or to a loved one, then it would be difficult to see how going into aggressive physical action against another human being could be justified.
"Aren’t there situations when a good controlling grip or hold would be appropriate?" some might ask. Certainly! For police officers, security guards, and others who are specifically charged with the responsibility of keeping the peace, and perhaps arresting individuals who, while not "dangerous" per se, are nonetheless uncooperative. Self-defense is undertaken when one is in DANGER, and its goal is to efficiently and decisively neutralize that danger by rendering the attacker incapable of and unwilling to continue endangering his intended victim.
It is justifiable to use destructive force against a human being ONLY when it is so imperative that he be stopped immediately from doing that which he is doing that it literally does not matter if he is seriously injured.— even killed. This is the correct, proper, and rational view that civilized human beings should be taught to take in regard to the employment of force against members of their own species.
Yes, predatory violence that is initiated by others is dangerous, evil, and must be stopped. That is precisely why defensive violence can never be "nice", "non-injurious", or "socially pleasant". It must be tough, brutal, savage, and dangerously destructive. Otherwise it’s a game.
And self-defense is no "game". There’s no nice way to "play" it.
Bradley J. Steiner
Friday, March 5, 2010
Old Posts Revisted...
I was just re-reading some blog posts from last year. Very interesting stuff... from my own perspective anyhow. These were essentially my thoughts on my own life, my planned career life change and how I was looking at the process. The best are from back in une of 2009.
I had quite a bit to say about the dichotomy between goals and dreams. They are not the same thing. A dream is a TIME KILLER and a waste of ones life. It is something one does when one has abandoned hope of achieving anything beyond their current station in life.
A goal is a target, a destination, something to be achieved through a precise process. Goals are not reached through happenstance. They are not stumbled upon. THEY ARE PURSUED! You identify the required steps and you take them.
I was revisiting these for inspiration. The goal of attending EP training has been a constant but the financial issue hasn't been an easy one to solve. I've reached the required deposit level several times and then slipped back due to various, unplanned expenses... and some portion of poor financial planning.
It's time to reengage the faculties and determination that I had in the beginning. I'm getting closer to making this a reality. I knew that I'd begin getting cold feet at some point and I know that this year will be challenging for me. Writing this way and accessing the old stuff helps revitalize.
Part of the problem is being sidetracked by the things I've been doing to prepare: including the Combato training and other things. One step I need to take as soon as possible is delineating the things I need to get done to complete the application process, like getting a physical exam and having the application notarized. I'm certain that once I've submitted the application (assuming it's accepted) things will change significantly as far as my focus.
I had quite a bit to say about the dichotomy between goals and dreams. They are not the same thing. A dream is a TIME KILLER and a waste of ones life. It is something one does when one has abandoned hope of achieving anything beyond their current station in life.
A goal is a target, a destination, something to be achieved through a precise process. Goals are not reached through happenstance. They are not stumbled upon. THEY ARE PURSUED! You identify the required steps and you take them.
I was revisiting these for inspiration. The goal of attending EP training has been a constant but the financial issue hasn't been an easy one to solve. I've reached the required deposit level several times and then slipped back due to various, unplanned expenses... and some portion of poor financial planning.
It's time to reengage the faculties and determination that I had in the beginning. I'm getting closer to making this a reality. I knew that I'd begin getting cold feet at some point and I know that this year will be challenging for me. Writing this way and accessing the old stuff helps revitalize.
Part of the problem is being sidetracked by the things I've been doing to prepare: including the Combato training and other things. One step I need to take as soon as possible is delineating the things I need to get done to complete the application process, like getting a physical exam and having the application notarized. I'm certain that once I've submitted the application (assuming it's accepted) things will change significantly as far as my focus.
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