When push comes to shove

Take a good listen and look at this video of a gay man being taunted by Somali Muslims in Minneapolis.  But what's wrong with this picture, other than the obvious fact that these yoots feel enabled and protected enough that they literally chase down a public street someone they hate, because he defies the constraints of their religion... merely by living his life the way he wants to live it.  I think there was supposed to be a question mark in there somewhere, don't you?

The gay guy ~ let's call him Bruce ~ literally laughs the entire episode off, saying over his shoulder that's he's not afraid. Believe me, he was scared. If he wasn't, then he's just stupid.

Whatever his mental state at the time, the point is that he walked on, willing to take shit from those maggots without a word of protest. 

Bullshit!  In most jurisdictions the little song and dance perpetrated by those punky ass-hats is called Breach of Peace.  It's a crime.  A crime for which those barbarians-in-waiting can be arrested. And prosecuted. And punished.

One more thing wrong with this picture appears about 59 seconds in, as what turns out to be a security officer walks by.  Initially I thought he was a cop and had committed a gross error in not at least admonishing the gang. Believing this, I sent a brief but curt email to the Chief of Police in Minneapolis... aaaaand an apology when I realized I was wrong.  Ouch.

Anyway, the security guard there had no legal duty to act ~ even if the thugs were beating poor Bruce to death, he could have stood there watching and no action could be taken against him ~ unless Bruce was beaten to death on property the guard was paid to protect.  In that case, there could have been civil charges of Inadequate Security a/o Inadequate Supervision made against the officer a/o the company he represented. 

Still, the guard could have made a citizen's arrest of any participants in the crime he was witnessing, the dirtbags he observed as being most guilty of the charge of Breach of Peace. But he didn't.  Why?

• Because he didn't know he can. 
• Because he knows he can when on duty but thinks that authority is limited to on-the-job activity.
• Because he doesn't know the elements of proof of the crimes committed in his presence. 
• Because he believes he will be fired if he does anything other than observe and report.
• Because he doesn't care. 
• Because he doesn't have any fuckin' idea that an innocent, harmless gay man being pursued, taunted and assaulted by a gang of loud, pissy, arrogant thugs is in deep shit.
• Any or all of the above.

As a private citizen who just happened to be dressed at the time as a security guard, he could have asked the gang what they were up to or asked Bruce if he was okay, if he wanted the police to be called. Asking questions like that while in a security uniform, or while dressed as Wyatt-fuckin'-Earp for that matter, does not necessarily constitute an act committed under the color of authority.  The guard had a right to be where he was at the time.  The fact that he was an armed guard in full uniform does not mean he purposely represented himself to be a police officer.  If he asks a question or offers a benign statement such as, I think you need to knock that shit off right now, and the thugs do so because they think he's a cop, then there is no legal harm done.

But you and me and any civilian who observed the taunting and rock-throwing, a clear breach of peace and possibly an assault, could have done a citizen's arrest as well. Just so you know.

Check here for some good, basic advice on making a citizen's arrest. And, here is some more info.

Of course the situation was just some "kids" teasing a some gay fella. This time.  This is what could have happened, and, I predict, will happen with more andmore frequency here in the US, as it's becoming commonplace in the EU ~  young men taking out their hateful aggression on targets of opportunity. (Undaunted note: I have no knowledge as to the religious beliefs of the attackers in the video depicted at the link in this paragraph.)

Here is another example of thugs, who evidently appear to be Muslims, threatening and assaulting people who are clearly within their constitutional rights to peaceably assemble.  Cops told the Christian guy he could shoot some video at the festival, no restrictions according to US law.  But... non-Christian security guards said they had no right to even be in the area.  Michigan law requires that security agencies be licensed and that each guard be licensed through their employing security company. I don't know what happened when the video stopped rolling but the local cops should have questioned the guards and demanded to see their individual licenses, company license, and all training records. They might have been able to plainly see or even conjure up some probable cause whereby they could see if any of the festival guards were carrying weapons, such as firearms, and determined if they were properly licensed and insured. These thugs were clearly outside the boundaries of legal security work and the state of Michigan needs to shut them down, pronto.

To the thin blue line: Being kind to strangers from other lands is not a suicide pact.  You guys need to be alert for this kind of mini-mayhem and maybe kick a little ass when it shows its ugly ahead around you.  If you don't, we might feel compelled to act in our own defense.  We don't have to turn the other cheek.  When shit like this happens, when our safety and lives are threatened, then we are the first responders, not you.

Okay, another thought and then I gotta take off; if you're going to fight back, the most effective way is probably Krav Maga.  Take a look here to find instructors near you.  

More coming this evening: How to push back when they shove.

Okay, where were we? Ah, yes... shoving back.

When you're in a potentially dangerous conversation, you need to be on defense, but fully ready to strike preemptively as well. Here's how you do that:

In any chat that might go south, remember not to stand there with your feet close together or your legs crossed like you gotta take a leak. You should be in a subtle fighters stance, your feet spread about 12" apart, right foot dropped back so the toes are about even with the left heel.  Reverse that if you're left handed.

When you're talking with someone who appears to be friendly or neutral, keep your hands about waist level, palms up, moving slightly with no sudden motions.  If possible, try to stay outside the reach of his or her legs so it will be harder to strike you with fist/foot.  If the person moves inside that safe zone, be careful.  It might be preparatory to an attack.  When they step or slither close enough to touch you in a way that you consider to be threatening, raise your hands to just below your chest level, palms facing the person, as though you're getting ready to push him away.  Continue to speak but more loudly so the aggressor and bystanders can hear what's going on, with your hands moving calmly and slowly back and forth, up and down, as you speak.  You're letting the guy get used to seeing your hands moving so if you have to strike, it won't be a sudden move but will flow from arms and hands already in motion and not seen as a threat by your potential attacker. Yet.  In that middle position your hands can also come up quickly to block punches and begin to grapple and break holds.

By the way, during the chat you're having with this person, be as careful as you want to be in terms of intentionally provoking him or her. 

When some dipshit behaves in a manner that makes you, an entirely reasonable person, believe you're about to be attacked, then raise your hands up into a fighter position, about neck-level, but don't clench your fists. Continue to try to talk to the person through your up-raised hands. Speak more loudly than before so there's no doubt as to what you're saying, unless of course you only want the bad guy to hear what you're saying. Hands in that up position, with palms facing out, tend to show a defensive intent, rather than the offensive pose indicated by clenched fists. But, lucky you, it's still possible to slap the shit out of a deserving someone with an open hand.

Here is a good demonstration of the neutral stance and a fighting stance. Although it doesn't exactly fit what I just wrote above, it helps you get the idea. In the conversational setting we're discussing, you wouldn't bend your knees until you're about to slap or punch or block incoming blows.

I won't discuss punches or fighting now.  I've written a little bit on that at other posts here and you're free to search those posts out if you'd like. If you're serious, I believe it would be better for you to check out the Krav Maga link above and go from there. If you can't do that, then check out the many other Krav Maga demonstration training video clips shown here again.  You can google Krav Maga and come up with several free video training courses.  That's the nice thing about Israeli Krav Maga; they don't care if you come to their gym to learn it for a fee, they just want you to learn it ~ though taking the training with a qualified instructor is best. 

A few thoughts on slappin' the shit out of someone; when they've got it comin', of course.

Your hands are up in the I'm-a-reasonable-person-and-I-believe-that-asshole-right-in-front-of-me-is -going-to-assault-me defensive position. Keeping your hands moving as you're talking, step forward quickly and drive your strong hand up and into his neck, squeezing a little as you make contact so he doesn't slip away. Keep pushing out with your hand, don't bend your elbow, as your feet drive forward. The guy will be off balance and with that you can push him down to the ground, kinda like what the Las Vegas police sergeant does in this clip. Notice the right hand of the sergeant.  Masterful. That stupid white-boy got his ass beat by a tactically smarter man and then hauled off to jail, no doubt.  If you do that to ssomeone, your choices then are to run away or get on top of him and try to restrain him, which might look like you're beating the shit out of him.  You should be yelling for the cops the whole time. Perhaps you can tell him you're placing him under citizen's arrest and will be detaining him until the police arrive.  Good luck with that one.

Another basic move is to just slap the bad-guy across the nose.  Hard. His hands are low enough so you can strike, so swing whichever open hand is best for you right across his or her face, striking the nose from the side.  Hit hard and the nose will start bleeding.  Most people will stop to assess the damage and to wonder aloud Did you see what that mother-fucker just did? Oh. My. God. 

While he's doing that, you get the hell outta Dodge. And then call the cops, if someone hasn't already.

As always, these thoughts are just that: things that I've come to know through my training and experience that I choose to share with you.  I'm not saying you should do any of these things. Ever. What you do is entirely your decision and you bear the consequences for your actions.

I do know this: I'm not going to let anybody of any religion push me or anyone else around the way the Muslims did in the Minnesota and Michigan clips. I have no idea as to the religious persuasion of the stomp-killers.

These fuckers want holy war?  They can have it

Comments

[Christopher]

That's right, being nice does not mean that we have to get walked all over. Which is exactly what will happen if we do not push back.

Keep up the good work.

[livingengine]

I like that move.

Sell it as a low tackle to lower his hands, then use your momentum to change levels with your hand and tackle his neck.

Excellent!