Interesting situation

[jmra]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

Bet you would feel different if he had come to the rescue of your mother or sister.

[howdy]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

My responsibility is to my wife and kids. IF you shoot this fellow, it will be YOU paying all the bills and defending yourself, your wife and kids from all this wacko's friends, relatives, gang members, etc. I won't say I would never go to the rescue, but it would be a very special situation that I have yet to encounter.

[Texas_Blaze]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

Bet you would feel different if he had come to the rescue of your mother or sister.

I understand the sentiment. Mom doesn't drive, she is always with dad. Sis, well she would probably give him some groceries from the basket, invite him to church, and pray with him on the spot. No fear, for better or worse.

My decision is based solely on the fact that the risk of getting involved is to high. 4kids, ages 6-13, more important than a stranger, regardless if she is someone's mother or sister. No apologies.

[jmra]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

Bet you would feel different if he had come to the rescue of your mother or sister.

I understand the sentiment. Mom doesn't drive, she is always with dad. Sis, well she would probably give him some groceries from the basket, invite him to church, and pray with him on the spot. No fear, for better or worse.

My decision is based solely on the fact that the risk of getting involved is to high. 4kids, ages 6-13, more important than a stranger, regardless if she is someone's mother or sister. No apologies.

I know what I would do because I have been there and wasn't armed at the time. So, I guess that answers your first question.
I don't have the luxury of walking away. I have two teenage boys that I am teaching how to be men of honor. Men that will stand up for what is right and pure. Men that will understand all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. How could I possibly teach them this if I were to abandon this young woman in need.
I have stated many times that I would not risk my safety for material things, but a defenseless woman or child is entirely a different story.
I believe the OP did the right thing and I applaud him.

[C-dub]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

I would and have. One time, my wife was the first one to notice the trouble and tell me to get my tuckus over there to help the woman.

[PSTL*PAKR]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

My responsibility is to my wife and kids. IF you shoot this fellow, it will be YOU paying all the bills and defending yourself, your wife and kids from all this wacko's friends, relatives, gang members, etc. I won't say I would never go to the rescue, but it would be a very special situation that I have yet to encounter.

__________________________

Two very good answers...Not worth getting killed for....Should of kept it moving

[gregthehand]

I think I would have called the police immediately and stayed in my vehicle or observed from a distance. If he had actually started to attack the woman past just harassing her I would have gotten involved. Be a good witness.

[The Annoyed Man]

The only real criticism I might have is how close you let him get to you when first confronting him. I would of kept him at arm length and not allowed him closer. Putting your arm out to stop him from getting closer would almost certainly be taken by the other guy as an aggressive move and wind him up a bit but it maintains needed space if you do have to defend yourself.

I absolutely agree. The OP sounds like he might be quite a bit younger than me (he has young children) and therefore in better condition, but even so it's not a very good idea to let someone get close enough to get up in your grill. I understand his wanting to help the lady out that was being bullied, and I might have done the same, but if someone gets within bad breath distance of you, then he can shank you before you even see the knife blade coming out.

It sounds like this guy was mentally disturbed, and therefore unpredictable. In that light, allowing him to get that close was a mistake which, thankfully, did not have consequences.....this time. You can always use a shopping cart to keep distance between you and the other person, and you can use it as a weapon if you have to.

So......

10 points for being a stand up guy willing to help the lady out.

5 points for trying to get the cops involved.

5 points for getting your wife and kids out of the way of danger.

7 point penalty for letting the bad guy get too close. Never lose sight of the fact that thuggery only happens when otherwise decent people allow it, but also remember the old cliché that your CHL isn't a batman license. Find the middle ground there that makes you a good citizen, without sending your kids home fatherless.

[tallmike]

Whether you would have gotten involved if you didn't have a gun is a VERY important question. The fact that you had a gun should not have been part of your decision here.

I am frequently amazed by how folks take a completely average situation and in their heads it becomes something larger - simply because they have a gun.

In a situation like that the most likely thing that would have happened is you got yourself into a fist fight with a guy who is not in the same mental place that you are (and by your own admission has you by 50lbs). What would your gun have to do with that? How well trained and capable are you of handling yourself if the guy had thrown a punch or tackled you to the ground? If you are not a competent grappler, don't insert yourself into a situation where you might have to grapple with someone.

Everyone agrees that a CHL is not a batman license, using it as such can be fatal (for your or others) and/or very, very expensive.

[Grdollaway]

The answer is yes, I would have still intervened even if I had no gun. I carry a gun not as false sense of security but to be prepared. In the event it is needed. In this situation it was not needed. I have become involved in physical altercations in the event of protecting myself or my family. I am confident in my physical ability and believe there is in many times ways to deescalate a situation without violence. I feel that becoming involved in this situation I was able to remove an innocent bystander from an uncomfortable situation.
I believe in building strong community and helping each other out. So unfortunately my children were exposed to a challenging situation and what they say was an individual needing assistance and someone coming to there aid. I have raised them to be generous through volunteering at food pantries, nursing homes walks for causes, etc. In my opinion we have a commitment to community. I do understand I may have put myself out there and that was a decision I made. I would do it again but yes allowing additional distance between myself and the aggressor. I grew up in a challenging environment and have seen first hand that violence begets violence.
I made a commitment when I received my CHL that I would not over react in a situation and assess all options. It is not a batman badge or give me any additional duties. I have stood my ground for my beliefs and my community long before my CHL and will continue to with or without a gun.
I do appreciate the various opinions though and it shows where many stand and were they are from.

[jmra]

The answer is yes, I would have still intervened even if I had no gun. I carry a gun not as false sense of security but to be prepared. In the event it is needed. In this situation it was not needed. I have become involved in physical altercations in the event of protecting myself or my family. I am confident in my physical ability and believe there is in many times ways to deescalate a situation without violence. I feel that becoming involved in this situation I was able to remove an innocent bystander from an uncomfortable situation.
I believe in building strong community and helping each other out. So unfortunately my children were exposed to a challenging situation and what they say was an individual needing assistance and someone coming to there aid. I have raised them to be generous through volunteering at food pantries, nursing homes walks for causes, etc. In my opinion we have a commitment to community. I do understand I may have put myself out there and that was a decision I made. I would do it again but yes allowing additional distance between myself and the aggressor. I grew up in a challenging environment and have seen first hand that violence begets violence.
I made a commitment when I received my CHL that I would not over react in a situation and assess all options. It is not a batman badge or give me any additional duties. I have stood my ground for my beliefs and my community long before my CHL and will continue to with or without a gun.
I do appreciate the various opinions though and it shows where many stand and were they are from.

Sir, it is people like you that lead me to believe that not all is lost, that there is still hope for society.
Thank you.

[Purplehood]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

I disagree. My father taught me by example to intervene in situations like this way before I had ever heard of a CHL.

[jmra]

I will probably get bashed for this. If you didn't have a firearm, would you have still gotten involved? My answer is no, so I wouldn't get involved now that I do have a gun. I have a wife and children, I carry for them and me. My wife is doing the same. Let the rest carry for themselves. You risked your freedom potentially for those who don't want to protect themselves. My suggestion is get your wife and kids in the car with you, call the cops, and drive to a safe distance. Then talk to cops when they arrive. I would never go to the rescue.

I disagree. My father taught me by example to intervene in situations like this way before I had ever heard of a CHL.

My father did the same and that is the way I am raising my sons.

[Oldgringo]

Whether you would have gotten involved if you didn't have a gun is a VERY important question. The fact that you had a gun should not have been part of your decision here.

I am frequently amazed by how folks take a completely average situation and in their heads it becomes something larger - simply because they have a gun.

In a situation like that the most likely thing that would have happened is you got yourself into a fist fight with a guy who is not in the same mental place that you are (and by your own admission has you by 50lbs). What would your gun have to do with that? How well trained and capable are you of handling yourself if the guy had thrown a punch or tackled you to the ground? If you are not a competent grappler, don't insert yourself into a situation where you might have to grapple with someone.

Everyone agrees that a CHL is not a batman license, using it as such can be fatal (for your or others) and/or very, very expensive.