Someone is physically harming your loved one. What do you do?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Let’s say someone or a group of someones is harming a loved one of yours.

What do you do?

Well, save them, obviously…but do you think you could?

If it was just down to you against another person bigger and stronger than you or you against a group of people (therefore outnumbered) and all any of you had was just your fists and anything around you, how do you think you’d do if you knew your loved one’s life maybe depended on it?

My friend and I had an interesting chat about it in IM and under the spoiler is that conversation. It’s long, but I think it’s an interesting read, so please take a look at it if you have a few minutes, and browse or read over it. Obviously it’s not needed to reply or offer your insight, but it might give you an idea of the kinds of examples we were talking about.

And yes, I got his permission to post this (I’m ChrisLeeNeal).

9:03 AM - Golem: What if I came up and said she’s a dumb slut? What’d you do?
10:04 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Who? You?
10:04 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I wouldn’t do anything
10:04 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Names don’t hurt me.
9:04 AM - Golem: so you don’t care if somebody insults her
9:04 AM - Golem: ?
10:04 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: To me? No.
10:05 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If he’s insulting her to me, it doesn’t hurt me.
10:05 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Now if he’s in HER face, calling her that…it’s a different story.
9:05 AM - Golem: what’d you do then?
10:05 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Tell him to stop…assume he’s either drunk or mentally disabled.
10:06 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Move away from the situation
10:06 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Maybe call the police.
9:07 AM - Golem: nah if it’s just some you know
9:07 AM - Golem: tough guy
9:07 AM - Golem: looking to have some fun
9:07 AM - Golem: and he sees you
9:07 AM - Golem: and her
9:07 AM - Golem: and wants to make fun of you
9:07 AM - Golem: because he likes that
9:07 AM - Golem: here you mean in your town?
9:07 AM - Golem: because that does happen in the usa
10:07 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I’m sure we’d both agree to move away then.
10:07 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Get out of that situation
10:08 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It’s just names.
9:08 AM - Golem: and if somebody was to hit her?
10:08 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Then I will reign down all the hellfire on earth that I can muster on them
10:08 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I will tear that motherfucker apart
10:08 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: with my teeth if I have to
10:09 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I will do everything in my power to end their life.
10:09 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: they will have to take 5 men to tear me away from the guy’s throat and eyes
10:09 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and that will be one of the first things I’ll go for.
9:09 AM - Golem: that is what you think, isn’t it?
9:09 AM - Golem: that you’ll do that
10:09 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If she’s in physical danger, yep.
9:10 AM - Golem: but what if you’ll go down in like one punch?
10:10 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Not going to happen
9:10 AM - Golem: I mean it’s one thing to imagine how you’ll act in a situation
9:10 AM - Golem: and another thing to actually experience it
10:11 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: You have a guy full of rage and adrenaline pumping all in their body and he’s over 300 pounds, they should be the one worried.
9:11 AM - Golem: in the safety of your home you think you’ll fight like a tiger
9:11 AM - Golem: of course
9:11 AM - Golem: but hey
10:11 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: When a person is in the middle of an adrenaline rush, they can lift cars.
9:11 AM - Golem: have you been in a real fight lately?
10:11 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and I can bet you it will be in my body, all over, if I see my gf get hit or in danger.
10:11 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Nope.
10:11 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Never been in one.
9:12 AM - Golem: have you experienced a well placed blow to your face?
10:12 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: No.
9:12 AM - Golem: well you see
10:12 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It’ll take a lot more than that to keep me down if a loved one is in physical danger.
9:12 AM - Golem: truth is your knees might begin to tremble
9:12 AM - Golem: you might actually be full of rage
9:12 AM - Golem: but scared also
10:12 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Not going to happen.
9:12 AM - Golem: if an opponent is physically strong
9:12 AM - Golem: or if there are many of them
10:12 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It doesn’t make a difference.
9:13 AM - Golem: it does
10:13 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: No.
9:13 AM - Golem: see
10:13 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If a loved one is in physical danger, I will do everything I can to main, kill, destroy
9:14 AM - Golem: any boxer will probably end you
10:14 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If I get destroyed in the process…so be it. That might happen… but I WILL take at least 5 with me, depending on how many there are…and if there’s just one…he’s as good as dead as I may be.
9:14 AM - Golem: because you need to have good pain tolerance
9:14 AM - Golem: hahah
9:14 AM - Golem: now that’s over the top
9:14 AM - Golem: at least 5
9:14 AM - Golem: please
9:14 AM - Golem: 2 guys can stomp ya
10:14 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and I’m telling you that sort of thing doesn’t matter when you’re a 300 pound person filled with nothing but rage and adrenaline.
10:14 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: You’re wrong.
10:14 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: On a regular night sure.
10:15 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Under regular circumstances, yes.
10:15 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If a loved one was in danger…I have ALL THE REASON IN THE WORLD TO TRY TO KILL
10:15 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: BECAUSE I HAVE A REASON TO FIGHT AND SAVE
10:15 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: They don’t.
9:15 AM - Golem: reason is good
9:15 AM - Golem: being physically fit is better
10:15 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: They’re just trying to survive so they can be jerks and hit a girl
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: In that situation…to cause physical harm to someone I love…all their reason is it to hurt or kill that peson
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: MY REASON IS TO SAVE THEM
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: AND DEPENDING ON MY LOVE
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: they’re dead.
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Now
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: if it’s a random night
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and two guys pick on me
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and I’m alone
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: and I try to fight them
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Yes, I’ll be beaten.
10:16 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Easily
9:16 AM - Golem: those sumo guys you know
9:16 AM - Golem: they never won any mixed fights
9:16 AM - Golem: ever wondered why?
10:17 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Because nobody ever puts their gf or wife in physical danger before their eyes?
10:17 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: This is a bad example…because you don’t seem to give much of a shit for your parents…but let’s say 2 guys had her being held down and were punching her.
10:17 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Would they be able to stop you?
10:18 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: What if two guys were kicking your cat around and laughing
9:18 AM - Golem: well that depends
9:18 AM - Golem: Im not gonna say I will go and destroy 5 of them
9:18 AM - Golem: I will try to stop them
10:18 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: See, man…it’s a different kind of rage
10:18 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Even just THINKING about it…you can tell
9:18 AM - Golem: but all I say
9:18 AM - Golem: that there is always a chance I’ll slip
9:19 AM - Golem: one good blow
9:19 AM - Golem: to your face
9:19 AM - Golem: and that’s it
10:21 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Here’s two sceneros…say two guys grabbed you and were insulting you and then hitting you. Would you be mad? Yes…probably very. Would you try to fight back? Maybe… and maybe you’d win. But who knows? You’d probably be mad…but that’s one kind of anger and rage.
10:21 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: NOW imagine if two guys were holding your cat down…like it was defenseless and being subdued SOMEHOW so that it couldn’t scratch them…and they were taking turns hitting it with a stick and you saw it. Yeah, THAT’S A DIFFERENT KIND OF RAGE YOU’D feel. Even just thinking about it, I bet you feel a different kind of rage. It’s a “Okay, NOW they’re dead” kind of rage that makes you KNOW you’d do everything you could…that you’d go ABOVE AND BEYOND THE NORMAL PUNISHMENT that you’d normally take in that kind of situation to help it…that it would take MORE than just a typical punch to keep you down THIS time.
10:22 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: That you might THINK and ACT out differently in your different rage…being willing to do things you NEVER thought before…dueto your mind in survival mode now.
9:22 AM - Golem: I get what you mean
10:22 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If it’s your life…meh, who cares?
10:22 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: If it’s someone you love
10:22 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: WATCH OUT
9:22 AM - Golem: but what I try to say
9:22 AM - Golem: is
9:23 AM - Golem: that’s only theories
9:23 AM - Golem: theories are there to be tested
9:23 AM - Golem: and sometimes proved wrong
9:23 AM - Golem: there have been cases
9:23 AM - Golem: that strong persons
9:23 AM - Golem: who thought themselves strong
9:23 AM - Golem: were not able to handle their shit
9:24 AM - Golem: you never know
9:24 AM - Golem: that’s what I’m trying to sat
9:24 AM - Golem: say
9:24 AM - Golem: there have been cases when strong guys didn’t do shit when their gf’s got attacked
9:24 AM - Golem: because they were scared
9:25 AM - Golem: same things goes for fathers of the family
9:25 AM - Golem: and Im sure they thought they loved their children/wives
9:25 AM - Golem: and they’d do anything to protect them
10:25 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Yes, and there are many cases, too, where people who are weaklings have been able to life cars and piles of rubble that are 200-300 pounds to save their kids or loved ones…and cases of people carrying them long distances, in their arms or on their backs, miles and miles.
9:26 AM - Golem: yup
10:26 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It’s because when you get that surge of adrenaline in your body…it could last a few minutes…and with that…SOMETHING THE BAD GUYS WOULDN’T HAVE at that moment…it’s strong.
9:26 AM - Golem: well I’m just gonna say that it remains to be seen how you’ll act
9:26 AM - Golem: you might be scared
9:26 AM - Golem: you might feel unwell
10:27 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Maybe. But I don’t think so. Even just thinking of it fills me with rage. I wouldn’t want to be the person to test it out on me.
9:27 AM - Golem: yes
9:27 AM - Golem: thinkng avout it
9:27 AM - Golem: in a comfort of your home
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: You keep saying that. It’s just a circle now…because I’ll keep saying “Yes, I know…but in real life, I’m pretty sure I’ll lay to waste anyone trying to hurt a loved one of mine.”
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Oh yeah
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: one other good point.
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: hurting a loved one is the top for me
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Hurting me? Ending my life? i DON’T CARE
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Loved one…no way
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: So as long as I do my best to save them…
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I don’t care if I die in the process
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: So wager that in too
10:28 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: SOMEONE WILLING TO FIGHT TO THEIR OWN DEATH TO SAVE
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I’M READY TO DIE IN THIS FIGHT
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: ARE YOU?
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: i’m reading to die if it means saving them
9:29 AM - Golem: you are ready
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: they won’t be, trust me.
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: They won’t be ready
9:29 AM - Golem: in our thoughts all of us are ready to be heroes
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: they will be trying to SAVE THEIR OWN LIFE
9:29 AM - Golem: to suffer and die for someone we love
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: THEY WILL BE DEFENDING THEMSELVES to save their own life.
10:29 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I won’t care about my life.
9:30 AM - Golem: that is what you think
10:30 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I’m saying that’s something y;ou need to majorly wager in, man.
9:30 AM - Golem: I think I’d give up my life to save others
9:30 AM - Golem: see
9:30 AM - Golem: I think that too
9:30 AM - Golem: however
9:30 AM - Golem: I know not to trust myself
10:30 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Someone who is full of adrenaline and who HAS NOTHING TO LOSE in that moment…is going to be MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANY. FUCKING. OTHER. PERSON. ON EARTH…
10:30 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: PERIOD
10:31 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: :slight_smile:
10:31 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Hell, I wouldn’t want to face a person weighing 50 pounds who was like that. :stuck_out_tongue:
9:31 AM - Golem: heheh
9:31 AM - Golem: alright man
9:31 AM - Golem: alright
9:31 AM - Golem: you know
9:32 AM - Golem: now I kinda want you to get in that kind of a situation
9:32 AM - Golem: just to see how you’d really act
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Haha
9:32 AM - Golem: but anyway
9:32 AM - Golem: you said you’d kill the guy right?
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I can tell you how it would end…realistically.
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I’d be going to jail :stuck_out_tongue:
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: For going overboard
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Killing someone or many people over just, like, a slap.
10:32 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: In fact
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I think NOT having been in a fight yet works AGAINST ME
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Because I don’t know how to hold back
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I don’t have the experience to know what is okay and what isn’t.
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I might accidentally kill someone
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: by hitting them too hard the first time
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: in the face.
10:33 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Never tested my own strength
9:34 AM - Golem: or you might as well get your face smashed
9:34 AM - Golem: well you imagine that you’d shrug off the hits
9:35 AM - Golem: just like that
9:35 AM - Golem: and if the guy manages to hit you first
9:35 AM - Golem: what if the first blow is right in your eye-socket?
9:35 AM - Golem: that’d stun you
10:35 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It doesn’t matter
9:35 AM - Golem: you don’t know how human physiology works
10:35 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: People under huge rage and adrenaline have been known to not even NOTICE life threatening injuries during the time they get them.
10:36 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Only later, after the situation, did they see things like gunshots and broken bones.
10:36 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: FACT
9:36 AM - Golem: still
9:36 AM - Golem: if he manages to get you in the eye
10:36 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I don’t think it’d slow me down.
9:37 AM - Golem: well you wouldn’t be able to see
10:37 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: But we can go on all day with “I think it would” “I think it wouldn’t”
9:37 AM - Golem: what do you do then?
10:37 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: It wouldn’t slow me down.
9:37 AM - Golem: so you’d do what exactly?
9:37 AM - Golem: run around swinging fists?
9:38 AM - Golem: you are right though
9:39 AM - Golem: this conversation if amusing is pretty pointless
9:39 AM - Golem: your words ain’t shit until you’ve been in an actual fight
9:39 AM - Golem: felt the pain
9:39 AM - Golem: and caused some
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Look…for one, you keep adding shit to the mix…you keep changing it to include EVERY circumstance, even ones that are 100,000 to 1 remotely going to happen… But just to play along this once…if someone is THAT CLOSE ENOUGH to me to be able to take out an eye, that means I’m going to be close enough to grab them and have them in my hands. and once that happens, I’m going to BASE MY LOVE’S LIFE on not ever letting go if I can ever help it. So even if BLINDED, I’m going to have a hold on that person, okay? It’s not going to make a difference. Now you can move the goal posts AGAIN if you want (I.E. change the circumstances AGAIN by saying something like “uh duhhh but what if they hit you and then move away fast??” or “What if you lose hold of them?”)…but the fact is…I’m not GOING to be looking to PUNCH OR KICK THEM…I’m going to be CHARGING THEM… looking to GRAB ON AND NEVER LET GO. So if they’re close enough to punch me well enough to tak out an eye, then they’re going to be close enough for me to grab an arm or SOME part of their body and bite into it…and all I need is half a second to grab…because from then on, I’m hanging on for dear life…because SOMEONE I LOVE IS IN DANGER.
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: So yet again
9:42 AM - Golem: too much text
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: “I don’t think that would happen” “I think it would”
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: We’re right back there. :stuck_out_tongue:
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I say nobody would stop me if a loved one was in danger.
10:42 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: You’re not gong to convince me different.
9:42 AM - Golem: ok
9:42 AM - Golem: he heh
9:43 AM - Golem: it’s not my job anyway
10:43 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Yep…and that sort of thing usually only happens in books, movies, and Batman: Arkham Aslyum.
9:43 AM - Golem: what sorta thing?
9:43 AM - Golem: You beating up 5 people
9:43 AM - Golem: ?
10:44 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: Pfft… I could take on 10-15 if my love’s life was in physical danger.
10:44 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I don’t like their odds.
10:44 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: I may die doing it…
10:44 AM - ChrisLeeNeal: but at least 3-4 others will as well.

TL;DR version: He doesn’t think I’d be able to A. Take on someone much stronger than I in a fight with just bodies and fists if a loved one of mine was in danger or B: Take on numerous (regular sized) guys (3-10) with just bodies and fists if a loved one of mine was in danger…
…and I think I could.

It was a very interesting discussion, though, and I enjoyed having it. I figured I’d share it all with you and get your opinions on the same subject.

Do you think you could successfully save a loved one in a fight with one or many people?

2

A lot depends on the attackers’ skills, right?

3

That is a good question and it does come up in real life now and then. Being street smart gives you a better chance of evaluating a situation. If the loved one is getting roughed up but the situation does not look to bad you may make it worse by aggravating it. If it looks real bad and you have no help available you almost have to jump in and you both get your asses kicked but you build some love and trust in the process once you heal. I have always been a good fighter and confident but I am 65 now, still strong and can hit hard but doubt I could last more than 2 min. I would give it my best shot if I had to.

4

Probably…the main question, though, is…do you think your will and determination of saving a loved one would make it more possible to win?
If you read the conversation we had, I put forth many good examples such as: The person would have adrenaline flowing through their body, they’d have a much better reason to fight, and might possibly be willing to give up their life in the process of saving a loved one (something an attacker might not want to do–give up their life in the process of being able to attack someone)—thus, I think a person trying to save would be more of a danger to fight against, even against a much stronger or skilled opponent or even many opponents.

5

Would I be able to win either fight? No. Would I fight anyway? To give those I love time to escape, yes.

But if this were America I would be armed and not hesitate to shoot.

6

This. The joy of concealed carry.

7

Yes, certainly, having the motivation to save a loved one gives you more of a chance to win than otherwise. You bet I’d do everything in my power to defend my loved ones.

From the IM exchange one thing I picked up was that your friend was wanting you to get into better shape and maybe also learn some skills like martial arts.

8

The OP says “What would you do if you had no gun”, though? Do you think you’d fight and win, fight and lose or not fight at all?

Maybe, although knowing him like I do, I doubt he cared much about that assomuch as just wanted to have a good debate, haha.

9

The problem is, criminals are often willing to do what it takes to win as well. They could be drunk or high enough to not respond to pain. They could be at “two strikes” on a “three strikes and you’re out” criminal history and unwilling to leave witnesses.

My husband is over 6’ tall, broad-shouldered, and pretty physically fit. I’m 5’9", and only moderately fit. If he was getting his ass kicked I’d have no chance. When I broke my wrist I had only a moment of clarity before I curled up in pain and sobbed. I’d like to hope I’d so something unlike the screaming helpless heroines in the action films who watch their love interest get beat up by the bad guys, but I have no illusions that even with the self-defense training I have, we’d both probably be fucked in that kind of situation.

10

Once, the father of 2 wonderful girls I was working with showed up on our doorstep, at the children’s home. He’d abused them in indescribable ways, they’d had to have operations.

When they heard his voice, they both hid under the bed and wet themselves in terror.

I took one of the older boys to the gate, with a machete. But I swear it was unnecessary. I was ready to rip his lungs out through his throat. I can barely type this because thinking about it makes me shake with rage. I never felt such strength running through me.

I told him to run. Then I set the dog on him.

Thankfully we will never know if I could have taken him. Thankfully for him, because I could. And those girls know it too.

11

I would call the police and deal with it through proper legal channels

there is never a reason for violence

12

Both my SO and I are big “football player” type guys. I’ve never been in a situation where I or my SO have been physically threatened. Part of it is probably because of our size and looks but we also tend to avoid places where it could be a possibility. I’ve never been in a physical fight in my life and would probably lose to someone stronger/more knowledgeable about fighting.

That said, I would definitely jump in if he was being physically assaulted. If someone was calling him names, I might say something or not. I have a feeling he’d get pissed if I stepped into it.

I’d also jump in if someone was physically harming anyone in front of me. A couple years ago I heard Phil Ochs’ song “Outside a Small Circle of Friends” where he references the Kitty Genovese murder. After that, I found that I feel compelled to step in if I think no one else will. A couple months ago, the bodega across the street from us was being burgled. I called the police and was videotaping it from my window as I saw the guy come out of the store. I ran out of the house in my bare feet trying to chase him down. My SO, not pleased by the fact that I ran after someone who potentially could be armed, stood there and watched me running down the street chasing after the getaway car. I’m not sure what I would’ve even done had I caught up to the car. But I do know that I feel better for having at least attempted to act upon it instead of just watching it happen in front of me.

13

I’d go for help. The only loved one I have who is still alive is my brother, who is a much better fighter than I am. If they can beat him, they can certainly beat me, so attacking them would be worse than useless; it would just ensure that no help is coming.

14

I been in precisely this sort of situation. Without getting into a long story, essentially my best friend was jumped and getting the crap kicked out of him by something like 6-8 guys. I distinctly remember a brief moment of panic before the fight or flight kicked in, and then my memory is very hazy about what happened after that and according to a couple bistanders, I took out the whole group, and I didn’t even have as much as a bruise. Admittedly, I was and am a fairly big, strong, athletic guy, and having played sports and took karate for a couple years at a young age, so I did have some trained reaction, but it was all in that instinct mode.

Ever since then, I’ve never had any sort of doubt when I hear about those sorts of “miracles” of people fighting off groups or people bigger and stronger or lifting cars to save people. Chances are there’s some combination of that survival mode kicking in, and probably a bit of exaggeration, intentional or not, involved.

Fortunately, since then, when in similar situations, I’ve managed to diffuse it or straight up intimidate an attacker before they went after a loved one. Still, I’m confident if something like that did happen, I’d react similarly. I also believe that that fight or flight reaction is a lot stronger than most people may realize, and depending on how they react to it, if they do fight, a lot of people may be able to overcome those sorts of odds. And, really, I think that’s the difference for me in the above situation, I was fighting for my friend’s life, the guys attacking him weren’t in that state.

15

i am not a violent person. I’ve been in very few fights. I remain aware of my surroundings and try to walk around in a mindset of “condition yellow”, a sense of awareness and possible need to act/react/move away. I’ve been good at avoiding violence all of my life (so far), and I’m not a small person.

Nevertheless I can envision a situation where my hand is forced, like me and my wife alone in a remote area, with nobody to help nearby, and people for whatever reSon (and it doesn’t matter what their reason is) insist on attacking us. Nowhere to run to, no place to hide. If I were to run for help, my wife would surely be injured, or worse.

You bet I would stand my ground and fight like a crazy man.

16

Hijack: As noted in that link, the media reports at the time were sensationalistic and wrong. People did hear, did call the police, but sadly no one saw the final, fatal attack which happened in a different location.

17

One guy? I would have no qualms about picking up something heavy and beating him till he stopped whimpering. Knees, nuts, noggin, everything is in play.

If it’s multiple guys, they will have to choose between hurting me and my loved one or getting their accomplice to the hospital before he bleeds out.

That, or get killed. Would that be worse than standing by and watching?

18

Have you ever actually been in a fight?

19

What do I do? I try to knock their fucking block off. Even if it’s a group. Will I succeed? I can’t answer that question because there’s a lot of variables. Whether I think I’m likely to succeed or fail doesn’t change what I’d do though.

20

Once when I was engaged, I was at work, and my fiancee came in to see me, driving for over an hour, straight in from his factory/construction job. While he was waiting in the lobby for my break, another customer started talking to me about what a terrible scruffy hobo was in the lobby (not realizing they were talking about my fiancee) and that as an employee, I ought to kick them out since they were so nasty and dirty.

I don’t remember anything clearly until I looked up at my manager and I was suddenly in the back office and he was freaked out as hell. Apparently I “turned funny colors” and started coming at the person with, according to my manager “a face like death” so he grabbed my arm and pivoted me into the office.

If someone was actually threatening him, or god forbid if I have kids, I am pretty sure I would kill them if I were able to. I hope to god it never happens, and I don’t have any delusions that I would win or anything, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would fight, and I would fight dirty.