1911Tuner: I think we agree more than we disagree. I respect the way you think, and maybe I can learn a thing or two from what you're saying. Maybe if I walked in your shoes, I would have a different view. If you walked in mine, I can almost guarantee that you would understand why I feel the way I do.
I know the difference between a thug at my door, and some guy handing out pamphlets, or some kid selling candy... Most get an armed response, but won't know it. I frequently answer my door w/a gun in hand, hidden from view behind the door. On rare occasion, when things do look fishy, I answer the door with the gun in hand, and in plain view of whoever is at my door.
Most people don't know how to respond when a huge, angry black dude answers the door, gun in hand, deep booming voice demanding to know,
"
*** do
YOU want, man?! Can I help you with somethin'?!"
Think Ving Rhames with a big shiny pistol and you get the picture.
FWIW, I've never had any characters at the door that didn't go away once they warranted that response... and that's had to happen more than once, unfortunately.
Also, you made a point I'd like to address:
it doesn't take a martial artist to slip in close with a smile on his face and put your entrails on the floor before you can react.
I'd say it would, being a martial artist for the last 20 years myself. Aint no thug in the world that slick... A contract killer? Murderer by trade? Maybe... but that's far from a thug, and I can't say I've ever worried about something that off-the-wall happening around here.
My approach isn't for everybody. I've been in more seriously sticky situations than I care to remember, yet here I am typing. That didn't happen because I'm naive. It's gonna take more to get me in my comfort zone than a smile and some nice words, and I know what a thug looks like. Come to one of my family reunions sometimes - or take a walk around my neighborhood as of late. You'll see a few guys you wouldn't wanna run into in an alley. To be completely honest, you'd probably think I was a thug on first sight.
Most of the folks in my neighborhood do, whatever that tells ya'.
Young kid + baggy jeans + tattoos DOES NOT = thug... There's a lot more to it than that. If you know what you're looking at, it's easy to tell a true thug from some kid wearing Sean John jeans and Timberland boots. For the older, suburban guy who drives his BMW to work - and has a van for taking the kids to soccer practice... The guy who has never been in a fight, lives in a peaceful, quiet neighborhood in a half-million dollar house outside of town, and has never seen a thug except on TV... someone who has 2 kids in private school and a Lhasa Apso.. a genuine Mr. Softy? Maybe my approach ain't the best for him... Same for the country boy who doesn't know much about city life.
I'm a whole other thing... I got my education early.
When you've spent your entire life around real-live thugs, grew up in a neighborhood nicknamed "Vietnam" by the locals, survived gunfights, been a victim of violent crime, and still live down the street from it all? Well, you get used to the way things work, eventually. You tend to reflect that in your daily walk and talk, and the bad guys can see it... and when they see you're not intimidated, they move on to easier pickings. I ain't as welcoming a figure as one might think, and most people can tell from my appearance, speech, the way I carry myself, etc... It's not going down like that over here, and they should probably just pick an easier target.
Also.. there's a rhyme and reason to things, even crime for the most part... I drive a POS, no fancy stereo system, I don't wear lots of jewelry, and I don't sell drugs or carry excessive amounts of cash. Any place I'm likely to be, there's probably 20 people you'd be better off robbing.
Same with home invasions. Where I'm at, you don't even need to worry about it if you're not selling some pretty serious stuff. Every home invasion I've ever heard of was motivated by drugs, or excessively flashy people allowing themselves to be followed home. A great way not to get your home invaded? Don't sell drugs out of your house, or wear excessive amounts of fancy jewelry and clothing.
Maybe in rural areas, suburbs, etc., homes are invaded for different motives, but it's been my observation that criminals don't go after honest people much in the inner city... Criminals target other criminals. That's where the money is at. When's the last time you met an honest person who made $20,000 - $30,000 cash everyday? Well, the bad guys know that too.
Prepared? Sure...
Scared? Not of another human being, I'm not. I've re-adjusted too many thuggish attitudes with my own 2 fists & feet (LONG before I had a gun or a CCW) to be fearful of some punk who thinks I'm a target. Violent criminals, by and large, are cowards. I don't wanna get shot, but neither do they. I call it a mutual understanding.
I see your point, and obviously I hope I never meet a Clyde Barrow type (Miami shootout guy, right?) - but after a lot of thinking on the subject, I still have to stand by what I said. I'm prepared to meet that threat if thats what I need to do to protect my home and the people in it, should that threat ever find itself at my door. Like another poster said... if we don't take care of our own neighborhoods, who will?
I guess my point is, moreso than any of this... A knock at the door doesn't automatically ring "LIFE THREATENING DANGER!" in my mind, and I tend to consider people who subscribe to that school of thought as paranoid. I have a lot of friends. Most of my family lives within walking distance of my home. All the kids around here hang out with one of my little cousins, who frequently stops by without notice.
Sometimes people stop by without calling first. No big deal.
If there's a knock on my door, it means someone's at the door... plain and simple. BTW, I'm not a dumbass. I look through the peephole.
If I see something suspicious, we can take it from there. There are all kinds of things that I would consider suspicious, and I'll respond to suspicion as I see fit. But am I scared to answer my door because I wasn't expecting a visit?
Hell no... and I never will be. What kind of life is that to live?
Respectfully,
Mike
