Pragmatism Of The Virginia Tech Massacre

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:36:31 GMT  <== Politics ==> 

Publicola - if you're ever accosted by a madman like the Virginia Tech shooter, and running away isn't an option, fighting, with whatever tools are at hand, will increase your odds of survival. [publicola]

I commented:

Good advice, but still a bit too tool-oriented. Yes, defensive tools are helpful. They, especially guns, increase your reach, and make it possible to inflict damage with less accurate hit placement. But your open hands (the base of the palm works just as well as a fist and doesn't tend to hurt you as much), the edge of your forearms, near your wrists, your feet, and your forehead are all effective weapons. Most important is hitting the guy where it hurts him most. A knee will break with 12 pounds of force. Kick or push the front of the knee of the leg supporting his weight. Elbows are also prone to breakage, though not as easy mechanically. An adams apple will crush when hit with a spread thumb and forefinger. A knuckle-hit to the temple can be deadly. The side of the neck, upper arm, and thigh are very sensitive to hits (press on your own to find out exactly where). A hard down-strike with your foot to the front of the attacker's ankle will slow him down. An upward strike under the rib cage on his right-hand side (your left) can damage his liver. Kidney punches on the back are brutal. Your forehead can break his nose.

If you have a knife, stab, don't slash, these same sensitive places. A screwdriver works as well as a knife, and you can often carry one where knives are forbidden.

And don't stop after one or two hits. Keep hitting sensitive spots until the attacker stops resisting. Then hold him down: one person per limb plus a boot on his neck. And more strikes if he starts resisting again.

But you're right. Mindset is the most important weapon. Don't stop fighting until you end the attack.

If he has obviously decided to kill you, all social norms are null and void. If you can't run, fight hard.

And I forgot to mention gouging the attackers eyeballs or a kick to his groin.

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