If you had to bring a knife to a gun fight...

[an anarchist]

If you had to bring a knife (or something else) to a gunfight, what would you bring?

I used to own several guns, but I got rid of them. Wife at the time was cheating on me with all my best friends aaaand I got anger issues sooooo after some close calls it was a wise idea to get rid of them. So I did.

Thanks to that whole situation, I have a documented medical history of violent behaviors and I am also diagnosed with several severe mental illnesses now. So I am not sure if they would let me buy a gun legally now, or if I'm flagged or something.

And I've been fine with not having a gun for the past few years now. Sure, I'm a sitting duck when I go out for whatever psycho decides to shoot up Walmart. But the odds of that happening vs the odds of me doing something stupid with my gun... Just have to weigh it out.

But now I've got my boyfriend. When I go out, I can't help but feel the need to protect him from whatever danger we might come across. I see mass shootings in the news all the time, there was one in my town this past month. So I need a way to defend myself and my boyfriend at all times when in public. Idk if I'm ever in a active shooting scenario if I'll run, freeze up, or attack. It is best to attack, no? But I fear I can freeze up, u never know.

Anyways, being a victim of a mass shooting in America is a very real possibility.

I've gone through a couple years of therapy and psychiatry now and feel mentally stable enough for a firearm or some sort of weapon.

But as I said I am doubtful I'd be able to buy one, which brings me back to my original question.

If you had to bring a weapon other than a gun to a gunfight, what would you bring?

Should I get good at martial arts and learn how to use my fists? Or a pocketknife? I'd be down with a wakizashi.

Absent of a gun, what should I do to defend myself and those who I care about?

 

[VoidCat]

Your words. Hopefully you can deescalate the situation

 

[SalixIncendium]

If you had to bring a weapon other than a gun to a gunfight, what would you bring?

My diplomacy.

 

[an anarchist]

Your words. Hopefully you can deescalate the situation

In many situations, I can see the truth in this statement. Absent of a way to defend myself, I have used my words to deescalate situations, such as when I was sucker punched by a cook at an old job, I just turned to him and talked.

But in an active mass shooting, words won't cut it.

 

[an anarchist]

My diplomacy.

As I stated in my previous reply, words/diplomacy doesn't always work. Right?

 

[SalixIncendium]

As I stated in my previous reply, words/diplomacy doesn't always work. Right?

Right. In such a case, I guess I would have to activate my mad ninja skills.

 

[VoidCat]

In many situations, I can see the truth in this statement. Absent of a way to defend myself, I have used my words to deescalate situations, such as when I was sucker punched by a cook at an old job, I just turned to him and talked.

But in an active mass shooting, words won't cut it.

In any violent situation best thing is to do whatever you can to get out. If that means talking to the shooter do that. If that means hiding do that. Running is good too. Don't focus on fighting only do that if you have to the goal is to get out the situation not to get into a fight.

 

[ChristineM]

I got into a bad situation (no guns involved) and I promised myself never again so i learned a little krav maga. Useless at a distance but i reckon if I can't get out of trouble i could disable the average attacker.

​

 

[Debater Slayer]

If you had to bring a knife (or something else) to a gunfight, what would you bring?

A bunch of smartphones. Then everyone would be too busy scrolling through their social media to fight me.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

A dog. That's what I used to cart around with me when I was living in a dangerous country. Sure, dogs aren't great weapons, but this one was well trained (not by me). If I told him to attack, he did. More dangerous than me and a box cutter (which I also carried).
Of course, that was a country with a much higher homicide rate than the USA, but still...kinda still makes sense.

 

[an anarchist]

In any violent situation best thing is to do whatever you can to get out. If that means talking to the shooter do that. If that means hiding do that. Running is good too. Don't focus on fighting only do that if you have to the goal is to get out the situation not to get into a fight.

I understand that running is what is what we are taught to do in an active shooting situation. At jobs I've had where I've watched work videos when I first got hired there will be a video on what to do in active shootings. It says 1. Run if you can't do that then 2. Hide if you can't do that then 3. Attack
But I have minimal law enforcement training as well just was in a program as a teenager but in the active shooting training drills you know we were taught to attack as the responders. But there is a philosophy that I have learned from an old friend who was a career marine. We agreed after an extended conversation that it is always better to attack rather than run in a dangerous situation, you are more likely to survive that way. We also both agreed that we both are nuts, right, so would be able to do it. Idk so much about me but that guy for sure, but he figured I could do it to.
Anyways, I think it is best for me to drill it in my head to attack rather than run. More likely I'll live if I do that, and if I get that in my head now, I'll know what to do if I am ever so unfortunate to find myself in such a situation.

 

[an anarchist]

A dog. That's what I used to cart around with me when I was living in a dangerous country. Sure, dogs aren't great weapons, but this one was well trained (not by me). If I told him to attack, he did. More dangerous than me and a box cutter (which I also carried).

I love that idea.

 

[VoidCat]

Idk if I'm ever in a active shooting scenario if I'll run, freeze up, or attack. It is best to attack, no? But I fear I can freeze up, u never know.

Attack might not be the best thing. You'll likely get shot before you even get close enough. Freezing up might be a good thing actually depending on the situation(it also might be a bad thing but survival mechanisms like that are unpredictable.). You also might end up with the survival mechanism of fawn which is where you do as your attacker asks and you do whatever you can to please them.

 

[Kathryn]

The odds are definitely in your favor when it comes to death by being in a mass shooting. Actually suicides involving guns are much more prevalent.

What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.

More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record, according to the latest available statistics from the CDC.

www.pewresearch.org

I don't typically carry a weapon and don't feel the need to do so. That being said, if forced to carry one (at gunpoint - LOL), I'd probably carry a knife.

 

[VoidCat]

I understand that running is what is what we are taught to do in an active shooting situation. At jobs I've had where I've watched work videos when I first got hired there will be a video on what to do in active shootings. It says 1. Run if you can't do that then 2. Hide if you can't do that then 3. Attack
But I have minimal law enforcement training as well just was in a program as a teenager but in the active shooting training drills you know we were taught to attack as the responders. But there is a philosophy that I have learned from an old friend who was a career marine. We agreed after an extended conversation that it is always better to attack rather than run in a dangerous situation, you are more likely to survive that way. We also both agreed that we both are nuts, right, so would be able to do it. Idk so much about me but that guy for sure, but he figured I could do it to.
Anyways, I think it is best for me to drill it in my head to attack rather than run. More likely I'll live if I do that, and if I get that in my head now, I'll know what to do if I am ever so unfortunate to find myself in such a situation.

When weapons are involved and you try to attack expect to be injured. I think in an active shooter situation best to stay out of the sight of the shooter if possible.

 

[Stevicus]

If you had to bring a knife (or something else) to a gunfight, what would you bring?

I would recommend staying out of any and all fights, although there might be times when it's worked.

 

[VoidCat]

@Guitar's Cry. Might be helpful here since he a teacher and in a thread mentioned having training regarding active shooters. Plus he knows self defense being into martial arts.


What a sad world we live in to be tagging a teacher but that's who I'm tagging.

 

[Shaul]

Never assume the mindset of the victim. Always be prepared to handle any potential adversary. The first step is to be prepared mentally. The rest is commentary.

 

[an anarchist]

Never assume the mindset of the victim. Always be prepared to handle any potential adversary. The first step is to be prepared mentally. The rest is commentary.

This entails a constant heightened, alert state when out in public.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Right. In such a case, I guess I would have to activate my mad ninja skills.

With those cool smoke bombs!