I am the Owner of "The Crime Superboard", which can be found at...
http://thecrimesuperboard.pro-forums.com
...and, I can be E Mailed, at...
This blog is here to house my thoughts about crime in the UK/World and about self-defence and Self Defence Implements (SDIs).
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WHY BATONS AND NO OTHER SELF DEFENCE IMPLEMENTS?
As much as I like knives and have proven how useful they can be to have with me, I doubt that knives, themselves, would be the ideal Self Defence Implement.
I think BATONS would be, though! Read on!
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Why Not Knives
Once you've stabbed somebody, you have close to no control over what happens inside them, as a direct result of that stab. In most cases, you can forget First Aid - it won't save many! The overkill of the knife, even in the hands of the expertly trained (including very "damage-aware" surgeons) would leave injury looking too permanent and leave death looking far too likely. To try to find a "controlled" stabbing power and sinking depth, during an assault is impossible.
I think that we should not be allowed to routinely arm ourselves with bladed / spiked Self Defence Implements in our streets! We should be able to stop an attack on us without maiming or killing the attacker/s! That, in itself, is an extension to our own self-defence - we shouldn't be allowed to put ourselves in a situation where we are arrested and given custodial sentences! While we're serving those, our homes, belongings and families will be easy meat for the next burglary!
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Why Not Guns
Once you've shot somebody, you have close to no control over what happens inside them, as a direct result of that bullet landing.
We can't pretend that there is anything moderate about the effects of a bullet once it's inside somebody. A "gone" bullet obeys the laws of Physics...not the rules according to what we tell it.
Some bullets fragment and the fragments tend to snake around, during impact, much the same as bullets do when fired into water. You can't predict where every fragments is going to go.
To try to find a "controlled" shooting/bullet power and sinking depth would be the mission of fools. It must also be remembered that, after a bullet has left your gun and hit the attacker, it could pass right through them and hit non-attackers, or innocent parties, after simply exiting on the far side, or having sheered off a bone: that collateral damage is unacceptable.
I think that we should not be allowed to routinely arm ourselves with firearm or airgun Self Defence Implements, in our streets! We should be able to stop an attack on us without maiming or killing the attacker/s! That, in itself, is an extension to our own self-defence - we shouldn't be allowed to put ourselves in a situation where we are arrested and given custodial sentences! While we're serving those, our homes, belongings and families will be easy meat for the next burglar!
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Why Not Electrocution Devices
Once you've electrocuted somebody, you have close to no control over what happens to/inside them, as a direct result of that electric charge. The worst damage that electricity can do to them has probably already been done at the moment when you wonder if they'll survive.
You don't know whether your assailant has a heart condition or medical conditions that make the electricity being used lethal, in their case.
To try to find a "controlled" electric shock device that will effectively defend us by temporarily disabling our assailants would be pointless: such fine-tuned control with this form of instrument simply doesn't exist and the variations of different humans' responses to a current level would make trying to find such accuracy and safety close to impossible.
I think that we should not be allowed to routinely arm ourselves with any type of electrocution Self Defence Implements, in our streets! We should be able to stop an attack on us without maiming or killing the attacker/s! That, in itself, is an extension to our own self-defence - we shouldn't be allowed to put ourselves in a situation where we are arrested and given custodial sentences! While we're serving those, our homes, belongings and families will be easy meat for the next burglar!
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Why Not Chemicals / Gas
Once you've sprayed a chemical substance (or a gas) at somebody's face, you have close to no control over how much of it they actually breathe in, or over the extent of the effects it may have on them. If they have greater sensitivity to the chemicals than most other people, the result may be terminal, for them.
Finding a "controlled" chemical spray capable of disabling an attacker, but not able to cause permanent systemic damage in them, or even the death of them, is unlikely to ever be achieved. If you spray a person right into an anaphylactic shock, you'd better be good at First Aid or even better at running, because you've probably just killed them and I utterly condemn you for not thinking, first!
I think that we should not be allowed to routinely arm ourselves with chemical (or gas) spray Self Defence Implements, in our streets! We should be able to stop an attack on us without maiming or killing the attacker/s! That, in itself, is an extension to our own self-defence - we shouldn't be allowed to put ourselves in a situation where we are arrested and given custodial sentences! While we're serving those, our homes, belongings and families will be easy meat for the next burglary!
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Let's see where we are: No bladed tools/items, no spiked tools/items, no guns, no electrical tools/items, no airguns, no crossbows, no longbows (far too impractical), no chemical sprays, no gas sprays!
Hmmm! Things are starting to look a little thin on the ground, where self-defence is concerned! There is a reason for that: I'll say again...we should be able to stop an attack on us without maiming or killing the attacker/s!
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Well, We Should All Become Martial Artists, Then
Once, it was suggested to me that all we had left to do was to go out and learn to use Martial Arts. Who? Everybody? Does that include the elderly or those who have medical reasons for not practising any of the Martial Arts?
Attending at a sports-club or drill-hall, for 2-3 days a week, for a few years, before we are in any shape to replace Self Defence Implements with the Martial Arts? I don't think so...we could be dead in that time, probably several times over!
The stupidity of Martial Arts (as amazing as they can be) as the only avenue left to us defies description, even though Martial Arts is the finest way of self-defending without having to maim, or kill, our assailants - that must be admitted, given the degree of control taught during Martial Arts schooling!
But, for most people, the Martial Arts option is simply not available or is outlandishly excessive in terms of time, affordability or availability!
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The Only Self Defence Implements Left?
SHORT BATONS ARE THE ONLY SELF DEFENCE IMPLEMENTS
THAT GET CLOSE TO MAKING SENSE!
The rules of the Self Defence Baton would have to be strict and enforced, to the letter!
The specifications should be closely adhered to by all companies selling the SDI Batons!
- It would have to be of a specific length!
- It would have to be of a specific weight!
- It would have to have specific ownership code numbering!
- It must never be worn where it cannot be seen - no concealed weapon!
- It would have to have CUSHIONING covering the entire striking area, to make certain to dramatically reduce the instances of bone breaks - that's only fair (disarmament or a few precious seconds of disablement is all that we would need from these instruments. We're trying to get the attackers out of our lives - not evict them from theirs!)
- It should have a dedicated holster with an electronic counter built-in to register the number of times the baton has been withdrawn, and where/when. Every drawing of that person's baton must be explained, on demand, to any Police Officer, any (P)CSO or any other Officer representing the Local Authority.
- Some holster models would have a personal attack screech alarm built in and the baton should be impossible to withdraw until the end of 20 seconds of the start of that alarm sounding off!
- Some holster models would have GPS capability, in order to track/locate a victim more easily, situation depending.
The entire rig and the clerical and licensing costs must be met by the individual. And, if training is considered necessary, then they must pay for that training, also.
Nobody with a recorded history of violence / assaults / property damage (etc.,) should be given one of these. The risk is too great if the person has that history of violence; specifically unprovoked acts of violence, but this area of the issue would need to be hammered out by much consultation and discussion. Blood-alcohol levels must always remain a factor - if a person fails a breath test and are in possession of their baton, that person has committed an offence!
To say that, because a person has a violent past, they deserve much less (or no) protection, when non-violent members of the Public are allowed it, sounds more than a little unfair - a multi-tiered self-defence right has an ugliness to the sound of it.
(Better minds than mine must work that part out!)
This is just my opening "take" on how we can become safer while walking streets that will remain populated by too many knife carriers, no matter what Laws are hand-crafted by our great and glorious Government!
TheGodSplinter.
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"Salus Populi Suprema Est Lex" -
(The welfare of the people is the ultimate Law!)
Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)