Including ... Defending Against Physical Attack • President's Message • Vice President's Message • Attorney Question of the Month • Book Review • Networking • Editorial • About this Journal
Get eJournal PDF: click here
Defending Against Physical Attack
An Interview with Guy Rossi
by Gila Hayes
In the December, 2015 edition of this online journal, we established the danger of death from physical attack, learning about the results of blunt force trauma from emergency medicine physician Robert A. Margulies, MD, MPH, FACEP. We undertook this study because our criminal justice system has not always clearly understood the issue of use of deadly force to defend against the likelihood of death from serious physical injuries suffered in an empty-hand assault. The Network is committed to educating members about this topic to better inform their self-defense decisions to not only survive the attack, but the legal aftermath, as well.
Although the duties and responsibilities differ, armed citizens and law enforcement professionals face the same criminals using the same force options to commit crimes of violence. Having established the seriousness of injury from physical violence through Dr. Margulies’ instruction last month, we move forward this month to consider how law enforcement is taught to counter unarmed attack. Our instructor for this element is Guy Rossi, an internationally recognized law enforcement trainer specializing in defensive tactics instruction.
President’s Message
by Marty Hayes, J.D.
Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. I got a call the other day from a young lady who was looking for “self-defense insurance” for those times when she is protesting and has to defend herself from cops wanting to arrest her. Well, of course, first of all, the Network is not an insurance product, but setting that aside for a minute, I was just about rendered speechless by her request. In fact, it took some questioning on my part to make sure I understood her correctly. She went on to explain that she has the First Amendment right to free speech, and then segued into her right to protest, after which she concluded that since she has the right to protest, if anyone wants to stop her with force, she then has the right to defend herself. Hmmm.
So, what is wrong with her argument?
Vice President’s Message
Legal Defense Fund Auctions
2015 Year in Review
by Vincent Shuck
Last year was a stellar period for our auction activities to benefit the Network’s Legal Defense Fund. We have been conducting our auctions for several years, but to summarize and give credit to our winning bidders as well as our corporate sponsors, allow me to fill-in-the-blanks for our many new members and also remind long-term members about the primary goal of the auctions.
The auctions benefit the Network’s Legal Defense Fund, which is the source account for the post-incident funding of the members’ initial deposit against legal fees, bail support, and expenses associated with legal proceedings or a trial.
Attorney Question of the Month
For the past few months, this column has been dedicated to protecting the armed citizen’s rights after self defense. We started by studying what if anything the citizens should tell the 9-1-1 operator. Now we move forward to statements given to investigating officers, if any. The new question is–
If a Network member has threatened to use force in self defense up to and including display of a firearm without shooting, what should he or she say or not say to responding law enforcement officers?
John Chapman
Kelly & Chapman
PO Box 168, Portland, ME 04112-0168
207-780-6500
There is a HUGE difference between what is best to say, what we can train people to say, and the couple of things they can remember to say under the influence of adrenaline.
Book Review
First Defense:
Anxiety and Instinct for Self Protection
By David Hopkins, PhD
Paperback, 200 pages, illustrated
ISBN: 9781594393426
Published by YMMA Publication Center, Oct. 1, 2015
http://ymaa.com/publishing/books/external/FirstDefense
Reviewed by Gila Hayes
We commonly think of anxiety as a bad state and avoid it, sometimes even to the extent of being drugged to hide from uncomfortable worries. What if we embraced anxiety as a useful tool, if put to its best and highest use? What if we learned to make anxiety work for us instead of against us?
News from our Affiliates
Compiled by Gila Hayes
The recent holidays were brightened by all the holiday wishes we received from a number of Network affiliates. When affiliated instructor Domenick Rocco sent a brief holiday greeting, I wondered what he’d been up to lately, and browsed over to his website. Rocco’s blog is worth following, containing his own commentary, as well as reposts of the thoughts and advice of many leaders in our self-defense community. For thought-provoking and action-inducing blog posts, add http://rotac2.blogspot.com to your reading list!
One of our widely traveled Network members, Phil Smith, sends in the most interesting email reports. Phil travels for work, and related recently, “I had to deliver some parts to a client in Baltimore. On the way down I stopped at a Graingers outlet to pick up some anti-sieve compound for a HF Ham Radio Antenna. The gentleman assisting me asked what is was for and I told him. He then gave me his call sign as he is also a ham operator.”
Editor’s Notebook
by Gila Hayes
As you can no doubt tell by the lead interview in this edition of our online Network journal, I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with an instructor who played a role in my development as an instructor many years ago. Guy Rossi and I covered a lot of topics in writing the interview exploring justifications and force options against physical attacks. Alas, in trimming it down into a cohesive educational interview, some of Guy’s comments ended up on the cutting room floor.
One is important enough to mention in this column. You’ll remember Guy’s instruction about the importance of distance in selecting the correct defensive tactic to effectively fend off the threat. Emphasizing that the gun is not always the right defense choice, he exclaimed with some exasperation, “We are so driven by the tool!”
About this Journal
The eJournal of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. is published monthly on the Network’s website at http://armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-journal. Content is copyrighted by the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc.