Criminal Violence
Anti-social Violence
Criminal violence is generally one of two types, anti-social and asocial. Anti-social violence is the most common type of violence you are likely to encounter.
Anti-social violence can be loud, dramatic, and it is instantly recognizable. Just about every person has some direct experience with anti-social violence. We have either observed it in action or we have had it directed at us. If you can recognize it you can usually choose to avoid it.
Anti-social violence is not intended to cause death or serious bodily injury. You may be insulted, pushed, shoved or struck but you can expect to survive this type of violence. Does this mean you cannot be killed? Of course not, but such an event is not really the desired outcome of the person using anti-social violence.
Most of us have social tools that we can use to either avert anti-social violence or defuse the situation. We may be able to talk our way out of the situation. We may be able to calm the other person down. We may choose to capitulate. Another solution is to remove yourself from the situation. When possible this is often the best course of action.
A person causing anti-social violence can often be charged with simple assault. In almost all cases an armed response to this type of violence can be considered as an escalation of the conflict by you.
Responding to a simple assault with lethal force is generally not permitted by law although there are exceptions to this rule. When carrying a gun your best course of action is simply to get away from this type of violence the best way you can. If you are carrying a gun you must learn to be polite and not let your ego get in the way. Learn to take insults.
Asocial Violence
Criminal asocial violence is the one we must be concerned with. It is lethal and it starts quietly, suddenly, and unmistakably. It is chaotic and does not follow "rules of engagement" nor is it about playing nice.
The intent of criminal violence is to kill or maim the victim as quickly as possible using any means available. It is about destruction of one human being by another for reasons that probably do not make sense to you.
Your social skills, regardless of how well they are developed, will not work when confronted with this type of violence. Since asocial violence requires decisive action, your chances of surviving an act of criminal violence are greatly reduced unless you have some training in delivering lethal violence to your assailant.
While it is somewhat difficult to describe asocial criminal violence with mere words, most of us recognize it immediately when we see it. Some examples of persons who will employ asocial violence are psychopaths, terrorists, persons who have already committed murder and persons who go to a public place to murder innocent people (active shooters).
You will always be allowed to use deadly force when asocial criminal violence is being directed at you or even if it is being directed toward another person.
An obvious example of the threat of this type of violence is someone pointing a gun at you with the intent to use that gun. Pulling the trigger on the gun is a clear expression of intent. Pointing a gun and shouting "I am going to kill you" also is an expression of intent. Knives and blunt objects such as hammers or ball bats can also be employed by persons employing asocial violence.
The key point to remember is you have few choices when faced with asocial violence. You may be able to flee. If you cannot flee your only other choice is to fight or die.
