Kevin Costner as Wyatt Earp
Posted on 08/31/2011 3:27:45 PM PDT by neverdem
Wyatt Earp disbursed many a lynch mob with his resolute demeanor standing behind his Colt .45 six shooters or a shotgun. Was his threat overkill? I don’t think so! It worked and usually, not a shot was fired. Check that thought. What about a “flash mob?"
Are they less or more deadly than what Earp encountered? And do you have the reputation of a Marshall Wyatt Earp?
Does the pictured 12 gauge 15-round Kel-Tec Scatter Gun send out the wrong idea? I don’t think so. One might want a scatter gun if confronted by a violent mob. However, one is unlikely to be prepared as such. I am trying to convey the seriousness of the situation. Do you have a problem shooting twenty or more violent hoodlums intent on beating you down to the ground?
A “flash mob” is defined as a group of people who assemble rapidly in a public place, perform an odd and apparently pointless act for a brief period, and then disperse. Flash mobs typically are organized via social media, viral emails and cell phone texts. Until recently, flash mobs were organized for purposes of diversion, street theater, and artistic expression. However, recently, the phenomenon has taken a violent turn.
In recent flash mob attacks both in Europe and in the United States, large, loosely organized wolf packs of teenagers bent on committing violent mayhem have struck in public places, and have seriously injured innocent people caught by surprise in the crowd.
Those injured were in a place they had a right to be, and they were not in places where they would have expected to be targeted for victimization, such as in high crime locations. What can you as a law abiding citizen do to protect yourself and your loved ones from this blight?
Let’s not confuse cause with effect!
It does not matter why violent hooligans choose to get swept up in a viral tidal wave of violent behavior. What matters to those innocently caught up in it is how to get out of it alive with intact limbs.
Semantics
Let’s define our terms. “Flash mob” is a politically correct term for riot. The objective of the rioters is to hurt people. Whether the rioters are drunk, mean, evil, politically motivated, disenfranchised, or whatever, is irrelevant. They are violent criminal actors, or VCA’s. If you are unlucky enough to be caught in their path, they are threatening your life and limb. It is like being a Jew caught in the path of Nazi Storm Troopers in pre-World War II Germany. So, let’s get our meaning straight. There is nothing cute or politically correct about a violent flash mob. So, be aware.
Be A.W.A.R.E.
Being A.W.A.R.E. entails being Alert, being Willing, having a good Attitude, being Ready, and being Even tempered.
Alert
You need to watch your 360 so you can see trouble coming in advance. Often you can see early warning signs. Since action is faster than reaction, if you see trouble coming, you can stack the deck in your favor. That ideally will mean beating feet out of there. However, this may not be possible. Flash mobs descend like a tornado and you can be caught unaware, or be trapped in a situation where you cannot safely retreat. So, are you willing?
Willing If you want to survive, you must be willing to do whatever you have to do to survive a lethal force confrontation if you have no other choice.
That’s why we carry a firearm—for the gravest of extremes. Being confronted by a flash mob of violent hoodlums intent on beating you and your companions down is a grave situation. It can easily cause your death or cause you grievous bodily harm. The reality is not what is depicted in a cartoon, a slap stick comedy, or in a TV western. It is a reality horror show. The best that can happen is you get to survive with grievous injuries. You will be fighting for your life, and there will be no time to hesitate.
If you are cornered and faced with such a disparity of force, due to the number of assailants intent on doing you and your companions physical harm, and if you are in fear for your life, all of the conditions that justify the use of deadly force will have been met.
In order to survive, you need to be willing to use deadly force if you find yourself in this type of grave situation. If you truly and reasonably believe that your life, or the lives of persons under the mantle of your protection, are in imminent danger as a result of your being confronted by persons presenting an immediate and unavoidable threat of death or grave bodily harm, you are justified in employing deadly force. Do you have the necessary mindset and attitude?
Attitude
Be thoughtful, willing to learn, humble, and reasonably friendly, although certainly not overly friendly. Don’t “cop an attitude” before you know the facts. However, once you know the score, your attitude needs to be congruent with the threat level with which you are confronted. Remember that lawful concealed carry is for the “good guys and gals.” It is for those who are pro-social, not anti-social. If you are not antisocial, and you have not instigated the situation, you have the right to use whatever force is necessary to repel unavoidable unlawful force directed at you--such as being attacked by a “flash mob” of VCA’s. Are you ready?
Ready
A gun will do you no good if you are not ready. Being in a state of readiness entails being alert and aware so you can observe what is going on around you. You have to be observant to notice anything out of the ordinary. Once you observe something is out of kilter, then you will orient to it in order to rapidly analyze the situation and decide what to do. Dithering means death. Once you decide, you must act.
If I am facing an oncoming mob and there is no way out, I am prepared to draw my gun and aim it at the nearest and greatest threat. If the sight of the gun doesn't stop the attackers, I am not shooting into the ground. We do not fire warning shots. I am prepared to make my first two warning shots hit center mass of the nearest lethal threat. If a third is required, it might have to be a head shot. This is called “failure to stop”. A “warning shot at the ground is totally unsafe. It could ricochet and hit someone innocent. A “warning shot” in the air will land somewhere it shouldn’t.
Even tempered
You mustn’t be impulsive, angry, or rash. These qualities do not go together with carrying a gun. They do not go along with thinking clearly or rationally. Remember that we carry a gun for self defense, not to intimidate or punish. With that said, if backed into a corner with no avenue of escape from a clearly imminent threat of death or grave bodily harm, lethal force is justified. Survival in a dire violent flash mob situation equates with shooting the most threatening and closest person, and then shooting the next until the mob decides to look for an easier target. “Even tempered” means keeping your cool and not shooting to punish. As soon as the threats turn tail, the shooting must stop. Also, if you are confronted by greater numbers and you even the odds (by downing several threats), you cannot keep shooting! We only shoot to stop the immediate threats.
Avoid and flee if you can. However, if you cannot, and you find yourself backed into a corner, be prepared to attack anyone whom you can identify as the "leader" as fast and as hard as you can. Make him an example!
Summary
A “violent flash mob” is a riot. Violent flash mobs can kill. If you are caught in a violent flash mob, your life is in imminent danger. If you must employ deadly force to repel deadly force, you cannot afford to hesitate. A wise tactician has recently stated: “Use the (attackers’) overconfidence in numbers and you being an easy target as a ‘surprise’. No ‘warnings’...don't let them see it coming. Go from being a wide eyed ‘victim’ to being on the attack. By the time they realize what is happening and even start to react...you should already have several on the ground and on your way to a possible escape! If you happen to be in your vehicle when the attack comes...use reverse as much as you can...the rear of just about any vehicle can take a lot of punishment and still keep going. You don't want holes in your radiator or an airbag in your face.”
This is not taking the law into your own hands or vigilante justice. It is self defense and survival. Survival depends upon emergency first aid. If you are unlucky enough to be caught up in a violent flash mob, “emergency first aid” is doing whatever you must to neutralize the threats to your life and limb until you can escape and the professionals arrive.
Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D., psychologist and NRA Certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor, trains law abiding citizens in the defensive use of firearms. His company, Personal Defense Solutions, LLC, also runs the classes required to obtain the Florida, Virginia, and Utah non-resident multi-state CCW permits. To learn more visit, Personal Defense Solutions.
All flash mobs were and are black. Let’s stop being P.C.!
Hardin was just plain mean!
Keep shooting until they quit complaining.
I’d love to have one of those myself.
Are they now available?
I don’t know but, getting hit in the face with a beanbag full of birdshot *might* make you think twice. If not, see ya.
They start out the same. People just begin gathering. One turns violent the other doesn’t.
See what I mean?
I disagree. Such flash mobs tend to be widely dispersed, and will scatter at the sound of gunfire, so a different technique would be far more effective.
If you take a long knife, and hold its handle in your palm, most people will have the blade sticking out in front, between the thumb and index finger.
However, knife fighters have long done it just the opposite way, with the blade coming out the little finger side of the palm. Thus, when they enter a fray, the knife blade is *hidden* behind their forearm, so it is hidden from an enemy in front of them.
Now, if you had two such long knives, hidden behind your forearms, you can be extremely dangerous to a violent mob, because you can pass through them, slicing person after person, with little hue and cry, and a two or three second delay before most of them are even aware they have been slashed.
Likewise, if one of them swings at you, you can block their attack with a blade, slicing their arm.
With this tactic, a single person could give severe injuries to ten or a dozen flash mobsters and continue forward to either escape or look for the next small concentration.
In close quarters, this could arguably be far deadlier than a handgun, even in a contest with someone else who had a handgun, because you would be a moving target in a crowd.
Once things were done, there would be bleeding offenders all over the place, and once your knives and garments were put in a bucket with bleach water, there would little forensic evidence left, except at the scene, which would have so much forensic evidence that any you left behind would not be noticed.
That guy developed the world's best hand to hand combat system and the same thing I taught my soldiers. Close quarters combat makes any modern fighting art look bad. Only problem is, it's no good for UFC or sparring etc, it's meant to kill and kill fast.
Plug "PMR 30" into GunBroker's search engine. It looks like other dealers are selling them in the mid-$400s, with about $30 for extra mags.
If they look like gang-bangers, assume that that is what they are, and put distance between you and them.
The instant that a mob turns violent against any bystander, assume that you are in a situation of deadly danger.
The additional advantage is that you can have much more force behind your slash, as you punch with the knife.
An excellent fixed blade for the occasion, Cold Steel Kobun:>
The price can’t be beat either. It’s very light and thin. Carrying concealed might be a challenge..boot knife would work, deep pockets, or behind pelvic bone at back clipped to belt.
I have watched Zatoichi kill literally hundreds of people with his sword cane. He holds it upside down so that must be the right way.
Seriously, the one thing which really scares me is a sword in the hands of someone I don’t trust. I have some kind of subconscious fear of them.
Despite my intrinsic fear of bladed weapons, handguns are clearly the best for defense up close.
I can’t imagine anything scarier than an enraged Celt holding a claymore and looking at me.
Anyone involved in flash mobbing - with violence - loses benefits for 8 years... SSI, Disability, food stamps, earned income credits... pell grants etc.
I would never second guess a knife expert, because it is just the most personal choice they make. I was lucky enough to see a real master at work once, doing his version of a martial arts kata, and it was just awesome.
Warning shots are illegal to wit reckless endangerment (that bullet has to stop somewhere, deadly if in someone).
Yeah, I think we know who’s in those mobs. My conscience is clear.
More literature...
The Flash Mob Attack - How To Defend? by Gabe Suarez:
http://www.warriortalknews.com/2011/06/the-mob-attack-what-to-do-to-defend.html
Ideally one would want a high capacity handgun in situation but how practical to carry deeply concealed in urban city environment where any blade over 1” is a big no-no and major infraction? Perhaps in camera case, or attache case, urban colors, blue, black.
Revolver is nice no brass behind but why put skin oil, moisture loading defensive ammo anyway? Personally, a handgun with sound suppressor would be optimum..but that means carrying a bag. Otherwise wouldn’t trust mace, stun guns, or security whistles. A blade and blackjack can handle things quietly. But dealing with a huge pack of up to 50 people? No way can you watch 360 degrees around you and fight back. Gun’s the last option, and getting the he11 out of dodge the next.
Hit Chi-town last Saturday on lovely warm summer eve, lots of people on streets in West Loop, Loop. Didn’t spot any rat packs, but P.D. wasn’t around either. Lots of dark alley ways, corners. Anything can happen out there and not be reported.
My friend’s sister had a little verbal altercation attempting to pull her car out of a precious parallel parking spot as two cars of Amish descended. We watched down the block but no alarms.
Had thin, light Kel-Tec PF9 9mm in front pocket with keys, other front had extra mag, wallet, Surefire flashlight, Cold Steel Ti-lite 6 inch blade folder; back pocket Kershaw Storm II folder...wearing jeans and t shirt. Worked for the apparel. Of course the car had Glock 20 10mm with 5 loaded mags total as well....
Thanks for the eye-openers, guys!
I really had no idea.
The time it takes for target acquisition and sight picture is significantly longer, and more important, than attempting to hose down a perp with lead and killing innocent bystanders.
Take a two day class to learn how to run the gun, and commit safety rule #4 to memory.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.