I think therefore I am.

[King]

Originally Posted by JeffJ

Aren't you also required to be a Rush fan?

lol alas Rush has faded into obscurity. Haven't even heard them mentioned for over 16 years. I honestly had to google them to remind me who they were.

[Kensai]

Originally Posted by King

I think by law we are suppose to love the Leafs. Saying otherwise means death by withdrawal of Canadian beer and alienation from bars. Go Leafs!

Coming back to the topic a few months ago my boxing coach was attacked by a drunk guy. He stayed calm, bobbing and weaving out of harms way while trying to diffuse it with words: "yo guy calm down", "let's not do this", "ease up bro". But the guy kept coming back and was aggrevated enough to attack other people on the street. So when he came back to my coach he stunned him with a counter punch. Then the drunk guy stopped and said "okay, okay let's stop". My coach said "hey man, you've been trying to kill me all night. Okay we're cool".

I guess I'm coming up to the point where if that was me I would have wailed on him as soon as the first attack came. Being the better man he used his training to prevent injury to himself, others and managed to diffuse the situation with the proper amount of violence.

Think that level of calmness perhaps comes through the confidence of having trained in any art, for a while. Good to see it ended (relatively) happily.

On a side note, GO LEAFS GO!! Let's hear it for Raycroft and Peca. Woot!!

[MJS]

Originally Posted by Kensai

Interesting point Mike.

Turning this around. Would you ever consider it acceptable to "pre-empt" an attack? Instead of reacting, would you hit first?

Yes, I'm a big believer of the pre emptive strike!

Mike

[Shaolinwind]

Originally Posted by lll000000lll

i believe that thinking in a real street fight actually slows you down

Or in other words.. "I think, therefore I am.. About to get my butt kicked." ?

[Kensai]

Originally Posted by MJS

Yes, I'm a big believer of the pre emptive strike!

Mike

Me too. Great minds eh....?

[Drac]

Originally Posted by MJS

Yes, I'm a big believer of the pre emptive strike!

Mike

Originally Posted by Kensai

Me to. Great mind eh...?

I am also a member of the pre emrtive strike club..I see that I'm in good company..

[Kensai]

Originally Posted by Drac

I am also a member of the pre emrtive strike club..I see that I'm in good company..

Absolutely. I see no problem in it. Not at all. If you think you're in danger, you probably are. Give it a chance to de-escalate, if not, hit first, ask questions later. Or vanish.

[Garth Barnard]

Originally Posted by Kensai

Absolutely. I see no problem in it. Not at all. If you think you're in danger, you probably are. Give it a chance to de-escalate, if not, hit first, ask questions later. Or vanish.

Yup, that's the way I do things too.

Take care,

Garth.

[Shaolinwind]

Originally Posted by Garth Barnard

Yup, that's the way I do things too.

Take care,

Garth.

Doesn't that bear rather stiff penalties where you live? I've been under the impression that the laws don't leave much room for self defense there.. I can see hitting first being an even bigger, nastier can of worms to open.

[Kensai]

Originally Posted by Shaolinwind

Doesn't that bear rather stiff penalties where you live? I've been under the impression that the laws don't leave much room for self defense there.. I can see hitting first being an even bigger, nastier can of worms to open.

A valid perception mate, but not strictly accurate. True we aren't allowed to carry guns in any form, but there remains a different mind set between the British/European and US in that regard anyway. See below:

A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.

See here for the rest of the site:
http://www.bsdgb.co.uk/law.htm

So, in some ways you're right mate, however, if you were able to prove that you were in mortal danger "unless" you pre-empted, then it's open to suggestion. Besides, I'm of the opinion that you don't get into trouble for your actions so much, but more for what you say to the police afterwards. If you vanish having put someone down, is it reasonable to assume that you may have "gotten away with it"? Who knows.

Again, valid point.

[Garth Barnard]

Originally Posted by Shaolinwind

Doesn't that bear rather stiff penalties where you live? I've been under the impression that the laws don't leave much room for self defense there.. I can see hitting first being an even bigger, nastier can of worms to open.

I really don't care about the law in an SD situation. That doesn't mean that I'm not a law abiding citizen though.

What I mean by that is; I know I would do my utmost to prevent a physical confrontation, however, if I I felt that my health and safety was at risk, bearing in mind that I am well within my rights to act pre-emtively, then I will do so with no regard to the law. If I act pre-emptively I will do so with commitment and aggression, there are no prizes for second place on the street.

It is my view that if you have the thought of law (and the consequences of your actions) on your mind at the TIME of acting, then your committment (effectiveness) WILL be effected. Personally, I only worry about the law when I'm walking away from an unconscious aggressor, and not a moment before.

Take care,

Garth.

[Drac]

Originally Posted by Garth Barnard

What I mean by that is; I know I would do my utmost to prevent a physical confrontation, however, if I I felt that my health and safety was at risk, bearing in mind that I am well within my rights to act pre-emtively, then I will do so with no regard to the law. If I act pre-emptively I will do so with commitment and aggression, there are no prizes for second place on the street

You would be surprised how many time I've told people who were worried about a physical assault after being threatened to "Do what ya gotta do." Maybe not the brightest thing for a cop to tell someone but NOBODY should becaome a punching bag because the fear legal reprisials...

[Kensai]

Originally Posted by Drac

You would be surprised how many time I've told people who were worried about a physical assault after being threatened to "Do what ya gotta do." Maybe not the brightest thing for a cop to tell someone but NOBODY should becaome a punching bag because the fear legal reprisials...

On the contrary my friend, that would be most refreshing. Kudos for having the honesty and decency to do that.

Garth, I quite agree mate. My thoughts exactly.