Several weeks ago I called a local radio station (KTSA, 550 AM, San Antonio) to respond to comments made by a caller who seemed to think that everyone should be over-cautious, paranoid, and spend thousands of dollars to ensure their safety when dealing with the 'public'. The caller came across with the philosophy and attitude that business and its employees should shield themselves from unnecessary contact with their customers or prospective clients in order to feel safe.
          The truth of the matter is that on any given day business, its employees and the general public will, unknowingly, come in contact with the criminal element more often that they suspect or realize. Although it is true that you have to be suspicious anytime an unknown person interacts with you verbally or physically, it is also important to note that the entire situation has to be taken into account when it comes to a response to the situation. It is with this thought in mind that many people prepare themselves by taking concealed handgun courses, personal protection courses and/or martial arts training. Unfortunately, the majority that does take some of the above mentioned training often stop right there. They never investigate additional training options and will also assume that the training they have taken will benefit them in every life-and-death situation. This is simply not the case.
          For those of us who have chosen to teach the CHL course or receive our CHL permit we now have an awesome responsibility to exercise sound judgment in at least two important areas; discretion and attitude.
          Discretion: Carrying a loaded firearm in public is an awesome responsibility never to be taken lightly. The fact that you are "packin" should be treated as "need-to-know".
          To let people know that you are carrying a firearm is just plain stupid. If you're dumb enough to tell people, you now have no control over whom they tell, and that can get you put in a position to be seriously injured or killed.
          There will always be a certain group of the population who, when carrying, will always want to let everyone know it. Make sure that you are not part of this group.
          Attitude: Once you have decided to "carry" your attitude towards life in general must change. You can no longer flip the 'bird' at the driver who just cut you off or try to pick a fight with the guy who just insulted your wife or girlfriend. A mellow or subdued attitude is critical in order to control your emotions and instincts when it comes to self-protection. In a real life or death fight one of three things is going to happen; you'll freeze, fight or flee. It will take every ounce of strength, knowledge and courage to decide which you will do in that split second you have to make that decision. You will eventually be judged by the totality of the situation, how you reacted to the confrontation and how the witnesses, the criminal and you perceived what was happening and why. This is why, how well you have prepared (mentally and physically) is going to determine how this confrontation ends. Remember, everything you will be judged on will be because of perception and that the law often allows far greater latitude in 'deadly force' situations when there is a marked disparity between the attacker and the victim. For example, a female attacked by a male will often times have a greater avenue of latitude available to her than a male attacked by a male.
          Another point to remember is that most people are going to assume that an armed person is going to be less likely to back down from a confrontation. This will be the furthest thing from the truth. An armed person not only has a moral obligation but a legal responsibility to avoid confrontations. Instigating a fight, argument or any other confrontation is going to spell trouble for the permit holder.
           We must always remember that as concealed handgun license holders we are going to be held to a higher standard in a potentially dangerous situation and should not forget that we will be held accountable for our actions. It is important to realize that often times the best way to survive a confrontation is for the confrontation never to take place. In those cases where that is not possible, we must be able to recall an enormous amount of information from our training in order to make that split-second, life-or-death decision.
           When the time comes for reflection, you will ask yourself many questions; Was I completely aware of what was going on around me? Did I do everything in my power to avoid this confrontation? Did I communicate (verbally or non-verbally) that I did not want to become involved? Did I remember to respond to words and react to actions? Did the 'Force' I used fall within the definition of 'reasonable and necessary'?
           These are but a few of the questions that will race through your mind as you recall the confrontation. How you truthfully answer them will determine whether or not your course of action was ethical as well as legal. Anyone can tell you what you should have done or not done but only you know that what you did was necessary to survive.
          Remember that the major pitfall of a 'concealed carry' permit is that many will not seek out the additional training that is so very important. Many feel they possess enough information and training already and do not need to waste more time and money. It is those people who choose to pursue additional training that will ultimately be better prepared both physically and mentally for whatever challenges they face. In a society where self-defense is a controversial issue, training and preparation should be a never-ending necessity.





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