Ok, simple question but I'm unsure of the legal side of things. I'm at a local gas station, picking up supplies and using their bathroom. Some drunk red neck is pounding on the door while I'm taking care of business. I tell him I'll be right out, the pounding continues. I'm 220 pounds, have a 3rd degree black belt, have my firearm on me, and am now seriously pissed off. What I want: to come out of the men's room and get him to throw the first swing so I can make some business for our local ER. What I did: asked him to be more considerate and went on my way. Had I pursued a more corrective action to help this person become a better member of society would the fact that I was carrying while administering corrective action to this poor fellow been a factor? Just wondering?
I couldn't follow this question, but you did save a lot of time and money by not getting involved in a physical confrontation with the individual if no life or limb were threatened.
While I'm certainly no lawyer, I can imagine that situation going south due to the presence of a firearm at all...even if it never left your hip...it could all depend on whether the cop that shows up is pro- or anti- civillians with guns.
I certainly don't want anyone to think I'm a guy who picks fights or is out to make trouble, I'm probably the most peaceful fellow you'll ever meet. But my father taught me that a man must maintain his respect, and that if people corrected others who acted like jerks, the world would be a better place. When I was young, I remember my father punching this guy. The guy he hit called the police and when the officer arrived he asked my father what happened. My father told the police officer the man he hit made lewd remarks at his wife. The police officer looked at the man my father punched and simply said "you got what you deserved" and left. No law suit, no BS charges, just a jerk getting what he deserved. Sadly, those days are gone
You would be wrong to escalate the situation. If you ended up needing your weapon you could not use the claim that you were standing your ground, because you were the aggressor, regardless of who threw the first punch.
There's a difference between someone saying something I don't like and insulting your wife! But, it IS a subjective thing. As Miyamoto Musashi said, "all things begin and end with respect" Many people on this site like to quote the saying "an armed society makes a polite society." Perhaps a society in which rudeness of a high degree is not well tolerated would also foster a polite society. I suppose my father could have talked with the jerk about judao- christian morality, or about how it is wrong to insult a woman. Perhaps he could have just ignored him and by doing so enabled him to repeat this action over again with no fear of punishment. I think by clocking him he let him know that his actions were not appropriate. You'll have to do what right by you, and I respect that!
Deep down I do miss the days where a physical confrontation was done when it was over.... regardless of the reason why it started. I remember time where we would get into a tumble, then we would lick our wounds and go have a beer and that was it. Those days are gone. Adam, If I were out with you and Mrs. 5 like we were a few months ago, and some dude made some seriously nasty comments about her, I would feel the need to make sure he knew it was not welcome. Overall, respect for women has taken a decline from days past, and I do think it is because people are not as afraid they are going to have to walk home bleeding on their shoes. Courtesy and respect in general have gone out the window and everyone is more self contained and self important when they do have to interact with anyone else. You are the most important person in the world if you are the only one in it. So if you interact with people only through a computer or text messages, if you buy your groceries at the self checkout, do all your other shopping online, pay at the pump for your fuel, etc... you dont even know how to treat a real person anymore and everyone you do encounter is just an inconvenience to you. I do not advocate getting physical for no reason, and it has been 8 years since I have had to tangle with anyone at all, but I can tell you that I am sympathetic to wanting to give someone the beating they are begging for if they really are making it apparent to everyone in the room that they want one. My friend Curtis used that as a defense in a Greenwood, SC court and he was acquitted.
Look, I'm not trying to stir up any trouble! And I appreciate the responses telling me that walking away was the right choice, so to those people, I say thank you. I enjoy a good discussion, perhaps I was born an era too late. I agree with Priest, society has degenerated in regards to social intercourse and the keeping of natural law.
Priest-- Well said. Yeah, these days, you made the right choice for sure to walk away. Even if the cops said you were in the right for "taking the trash out"...said trash's lawyer/ambulance chaser may disagree. Now if it was acceptable to beat the tar out of that lawyer as well, then I'd say have at it, lol.
Much of what we read on here is how a pistol makes you indestructible. A dangerous mindset. In my hands anyway, it is a pretty sorry weapon, but better than nothing.
OP: You considered drawing a punch, but thought better of it and made the right decision. I'd happily smack someone who disrespected my wife or kids. Talk crap to/about me all you want. I say this knowing that it might land me an overnight stay in jail, and I'm ok with that. And I'm nowhere close to being the fighting type of guy.
Gotta disagree with the OP here. I have quite a bit of fight training under my belt, and assaulting the guy for pounding on a bathroom door makes no sense. If you want to live a longer life and stay out of trouble, choose your battles carefully.
I'm well aware of that. I'm saying that I disagree with the idea of keeping the guy in check. The prime directive is this: Get home safe Once you fully understand and embrace that, it makes walking away from these situations so much easier. I understand the temptation, believe me.
1) You have no idea what the level of training the other guy had, his sanity, or the level of chemicals in his system. Or if he was armed or not. Don't assume that you are the most well trained or the most well armed. 2) Its always better to avoid a fight if you can help it. 3) Any time you have a weapon and get into a fight, there's a chance the other guy will end up with it. 4) What somebody says to you is never an excuse to hit them.