There are two laws of nature that apply to every living organism on this planet. These laws apply to you and your family as well.
THE FIRST LAW: SURVIVAL
We have all seen documentaries and television shows that demonstrate the struggle to survive in nature. All life struggles to survive, whether it is the gazelle fleeing the jaws of the lion on the plains of Africa or microorganisms in a life and death struggle in an unseen world.
The FIRST LAW of nature, SURVIVAL, applies to all of us as well. It may not seem as dramatic as the chase and slaughter on the African plains, but we all know that predators walk our streets and live in our neighborhoods. Unfortunately, our predators are not as easily identified as a lion or a shark.
There were over 14,000 murders in the United States in 2014 according to the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also reported over 740,000 Aggravated Assaults that resulted is serious physical harm of the victims. The 84,000 reported rapes was a marked increase over 2013. Over 325,000 violent robberies were also reported. The violent crimes that were reported over one million one hundred sixty three thousand times ( 1,163,000) clearly demonstrate there were a lot of predators stalking our streets.
I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) and currently train LEOs, civilians and security personnel. There were very few times in my career where I was able to interrupt a crime in progress. It is rare and is the dream and goal of every cop, every day they put on the badge. It was my goal every day. It is the equivalent of scoring the winning touchdown. But it hardly ever happens.
Cops usually get to the scene of a crime after it is all over. Crimes, especially violent crimes, usually happen very quickly and very violently. They are done in a matter of a few minutes or even seconds. During that fast, violent struggle we see the Second Law of Nature.
THE SECOND LAW: ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
That rapid, violent encounter is the final showdown that may well end a life. The strongest, fastest, toughest opponent will win.
Animals carry their weapons with them. The lion always has his fangs and claws. The gazelle has her agility and speed all the time. A human being has limited natural weapons. Our mind and wit are our greatest assets. Our fists and feet can be formidable if we are trained and strong. The average American, however, is not sufficiently trained for hand-to-hand combat. But apparently the average predator is able to use his hands and feet as capable weapons.
The FBI crime statistics for 2014 indicate that nearly 27% of those 741,000 Aggravated Assaults were done with hands, fists and feet alone. That means more than 200,000 Americans sustained serious injuries by someone that was completely “unarmed”. Over 780 citizens were beaten to death by someone with what the FBI euphemistically calls “personal weapons”.
Firearms were used in over 22% of Aggravated Assaults. Knives were used about 19% of the time and other items like clubs and blunt objects were used almost 32%.
We all train for the predator charging us with a gun. Close quarter weapons were used in 78% of Aggravated Assaults. Do you have a plan for dealing with the hardened criminal that will approach and attack you at a very close and very personal range?
Most of us are not mixed martial arts fighters. Many of us, like me, may be getting older; we may be injured or may be physically smaller or outnumbered by attackers. The legal concept of disparity of force works to our benefit in a court room, but what will keep us alive in the urban jungle?
“GOD MADE MAN, BUT SAMUEL COLT MADE THEM EQUAL.”
Humans learned early that we needed weapons to survive. Knives and spears kept the sabre toothed tiger at bay. Bows fed our children and we began to thrive instead of just survive. But gunpowder changed the world.
Just as those early weapons “equalized” the balance between fang and claw to frail human being, the firearm now equalizes the balance between innocent family and rampaging gang bangers. The portable, concealable handgun makes a single mother and her child defensible against the serial killer. The once helpless, victim-prey is now the legally armed citizen, free to live and work without fear. The gun is the balance of power for the average person.
Just like the gazelle grazing on the plains, you may have never been attacked before. However, both you and the gentle animal innately understand the predators are out there, waiting. Lurking. Prowling. The difference is YOU do not have the fangs, claws and speed to defend yourself. You do not have the NATURAL tools to defend yourself and your family when the predator attacks. The Laws of Nature do not change for any creature when the predator attacks. SURVIVAL becomes priority and ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE becomes vivid fact.
A reliable firearm with good ammunition in the hands of a responsible, trained, legally armed citizen is the best defense against violent assault.