Self Defense for a minor

[Jim March]

California knife law doesn't have an age limit attached. Period. There are rules on school carry but they're also age-neutral.

Don't carry on school grounds...but outside of that? Fine, but keep reading.

If you can find a good "cache spot" out of any view on the way to school, and it's a fair ways outside of school grounds, it's legal to stash it there on the way in, scoop it up on the way out. Chased by a gang? You know where to run to. If there's a schoolbus involved, this is OUT unless you stash before then. And it's a good way to lose your piece if somebody spots you...I don't recommend this but it can be necessary sometimes.

I don't know about age limits on pepper for sure. I'll...try and dig it up. Lesse...durn. Banned for minors. See also:

http://leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html

Hit the box for "penal code", enter the following in the search window:

12403.7

...then hit the first link. Find that specific number in the text that comes up. Screwed.

Do the same thing for the two major pieces of knife law (12020 and 653k, both also in the penal codes - they may not be first on the list, look at the numbers) and there is no reference to age whatsoever, only "what is legal". 12020 is a big horrible piece of junk, to find the knife law bits search for the word "dirk" in the text. There's a simple statement at the beginning on no carrying a "dirk" concealed, and then way down there a big messy description of what "dirk/dagger" means. It cross-references 653k - read that one first, it's simpler.

Now. Let's talk legal use of deadly force for a second.

Basic California law is that you may use deadly force "when in legitimate fear of losing your life or suffering great bodily injury". Entire gang after you? May qualify, depending on various factors including how violent they're known to be. Multiple assailants screaming racial epithets? The theory behind "hate crimes" is that they are more violent in general, therefore the penalties are bumped. Lunatic(s) with weapons? Yeah. Getting kicked and stomped once down, by one or more parties? Deadly force.

You're either in a deadly force situation or you're not. You MUST be able to calmly decide whether or not that's the case, correctly, even when all hell is breaking loose. You also DO NOT chase down people no longer a threat and running away, even if they have your stuff with 'em, that's the number one way people screw up and go to jail for really long stays even when they started out as "the good guys".

If you don't have the self control for that, and that is regardless of your fashion choices, don't carry.

If you do have that control, carry. You will be safer, so will all of society. That is a minority political opinion, esp. in a state like California, but it's the truth.

I've known lots of goths/punks/etc. that I would trust with my back any day of the week. I've known "conformist dressers" that were absolute psychos. Looks don't matter, intent and honor and a cool head does.

If you're a bully magnet, PM me or drop me EMail. That's a whole 'nuther thing. [email protected]

 

[dfaugh]

Find a GOOD martial arts school and start training! And, even once its legal to carry, keep up the training.

When I was you're age I happened to hook up (through the garage I worked in) with a couple Force Recon Marines, just back from Vietnam. We were all street racers, and they used to also take me to bars (Note: I looked alot older than 16, and back then it wasn't always checked--especially when you walked in with these guys). One of their favorite pastimes was getting drunk and getting into barfights (Hey, you gotta be a little nuts to be a FR Marine in the first place, and I think they missed the "action".) They wouldn't "start" the fight, just provoke it. then once someone went for it they'd finish it...even against 3 or 4 to one odds. So I asked them to teach me some "moves" which they did, based on their training. Which served me well, when I went off to college in Texas, with hair down to my shoulders. I was of course classified as a "hippy", and spent a couple years getting into intermittent fights with the football team. At least until I kicked enough of their butts (the last fight lasted about 10 seconds--I walked away with cut over my eye--he walked away with 2 broken ribs and a shattered wrist. Had plenty of witnesses that said he threw the 1st punch, so I was OK, there....although maybe I did provoke him---just a little). The first rules my buddies taught me is Rule #1: there ARE no rules. If you find yourself in a fair fight, you're not prepared!

Now, all of this is just background and NONE of it is recommended behavior!

But it all lead me to the serious study of the martial arts, which I did from the time I was about 20 to about 30. I started with Karate, and eventually also studied Aikido, Kung Fu and Bando. And, while all give you an amazing array of "tools", and well as a helluve workout, the most important aspects are mental. Some call it a "warrior attitude", or "take no s***". But it will be projected into every fiber of your body, and it will show outwardly. After I'd had a few years of training, I never had ANYONE challenge me. And was, then, still hanging out in the "rough" parts of town...Had more than one confrontation, including one with a group of 7 or 8 teenagers (well, they were probably 18 or 19)...I looked them in the eyes, stood my ground, toold them to take off, and they did. I even knew I'd probably get overwhelmed eventually, but 2 or 3 of 'em were gonna get seriously F'd up. And they knew it, too.

I'm now 51, crippled up with arthritis, and various other health problems (wrecked too many race cars among other things)...And I DON'T carry a gun. And, I would still consider 3-against-me to be afair fight. My martial arts training is so ingrained that its purely automatic. The only difference now is that I would go for lethal blows, rather than dissabling ones...Can't take a chance on an extended fight.

 

[akodo]

remember, weapon usage is very far donw the tree of self defense skills.

weapon or no weapon, the most important skills are #1 choosing to not go to dangerous places or situations. #2 once oyu realize you are in a dangerous place or situation, get out immediately.

self defence is NOT about packing a weapon and going to a rave, in case a fight breaks out. Self defence is about NOT going to a rave because a fight might break out.

Serious self defense is not fun.

 

[BergaminoCAV]

any kind of weapon especialy guns are always your last resort, just stay smart and stay away from certain situations, take some self defense lessons so if you ever get confronted you know what to do, the Army trained me all I need to know if some ever gets close enough for hand to hand combat!

where do you live that you need a weapon??? I grew up in Jersey City and I never thought about carrying a weapon

 

[jjohnson]

Martial Arts.

Well... I'm 49 now and my son is 10. I'm a small guy and so is he. He just started betting interested in Karate - so now we're doing it together. I waited until HE wanted to - when you're ready, you'll know. Maybe you're there now.

I've been training with the local Karate black belts for about 14 years, a couple of times a week. It's good for you - a particular style of martial arts isn't so important as finding the right teachers (sensei).

Been where you been, understand where you are. Army vet and been a shooter since I was 5 years old. Firearms and the other non-firearm weapons are fine things, but some solid martial arts training may give you some peace. If you hang with it, you'll learn the part about avoiding fights - nobody really wins there - and you'll also learn the self defense to where you'll have the confidence you need. Fighting is always the last resort. And as far as weapons go, you're more likely to get into trouble with them instead of get out of trouble with them without the proper training. I have been licensed to carry for most of my adult life but seldom carry because I stay the hell out of places likely to get me into trouble. When I can't avoid that, yeah, I'm ready to defend - but that's a last resort.

I'd go looking around at the local YMCA if cash is tight for you. Also look around to see who else is training in martial arts. Most instructors are happy to let you attend a class or two if you're just curious. Sometimes you can kinda "get the feel" if it's right. Where I live, there's a lot of people who do "community education" in short classes, like six or eight weeks, as well as run their dojos, so you can get a taste of one martial art or another almost free.

Nothing wrong with weapons, been around them all my life, but I can't overemphasize the importance of proper training. It'll do you more good on the inside than you can imagine. Believe it or not, some of the stuff in the movie Karate Kid is correct - rule number one - Don't Get Hit.

Good luck to you. You're in good company here.

 

[hso]

Look at this thread for inspiration. http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=206913

Your best bet as a minor is stay away from trouble and the places you're likely to encounter it. Stick to your studies and home. Learn to not let your temper and your mouth get you into trouble. To prepare for when trouble should track you down sign up for a good solid martial arts program and train hard. I've never been in a "fight", but I have survived 3 street attacks.

 

[Ridge]

Bigun15 let me give you some advice.....

Use what you can when you can as far as handheld weapons go.

But the most important weapons a human has are both eyes and a functioning brain.

Just rembmer this if you suddenly find yourself in a bad way.

"If you can't avoid it ,fight to kill and you might just live through it"

(That litte nugget is from my Gramps)

 

[jjohnson]

Afterthought - Murphy's Laws of Combat

Yeah, something else - you may as well look up Murphy's Laws of Combat.
The point is - with weapons - they're either somewhere else or not doing what you want at the moment you need them. The martial arts idea is "empty hand."
If you're looking at trouble long enough to go for a weapon, chances are you're playing there too long. If somebody shoves you in a hallway at school and you whip out your balisong, you're in deep kimchee. YOU can't escalate a fight. You don't ever want to explain to the jury why you did something when you could have walked away.

Train open hand, and like the guys said (and please, do cut us some slack, we're older guys, but memories still work, we were your age once) train hard. Chase girls while you can, 'cause when you get married, your wife will take a dim view of it Weapons can wait a few years more. Get your mind right with martial arts and maybe get lucky with the ladies.... you can fight later....