Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
As a human being I suppose I can say comfortably that humans want to be good samaritan’s, especially in our own tribe (society/social group). Being a good samaritan means having, showing and taking actions under the heading of empathy for the suffering of others. I also advocate that one must not just go this route willy nilly but with knowledge, experience and the appropriate methods and actions necessary to do good. It happens a lot that a good samaritan tries to do the right thing but are almost always missing the necessary mind-set and accompanying requisites to apply that action or deed.
Take a moment and read the following post/article from FaceBook, by Marc MacYoung:
In a recent article(s) it came to light that a martial artists tried to act as a good samaritan and died. I would venture to guess that his prowess in the sport community along with a lack of knowledge and understanding toward violence and self-defense, either of self and/or of others, he thought he had the skills and ability and willingness to get the job done. Those missing components killed him - my thoughts only.
Being a good samaritan, like self-defense, involves a lot more than good intentions. In this particular instance of a robbery with a firearm and if not directly involved and/or threatened I would have stayed an observer while making a phone call to authorities. I understand that in a robbery with a firearm the one path to take is to, “Follow the Script.” I would guess, generally, that the same adage recommended when dealing with police would also apply with a robber (I could be wrong here so check it out with a professional), i.e., when being confronted and facing a robber with a gun, be polite and follow his instructions - to a point and that is where the complexities come into play just like in self-defense. In my mind the robber has a goal, to earn money by robbing you. The gun - generally speaking - is a tool to ensure that you will comply and not do anything stupid.
In a very general sense that type of action and response should result in your losing some material stuff including any money you have and then going home a bit scared, a bit fearful and a lot grateful you lived. Yes, this is general and lots of things can go wrong but mostly being polite and complying with the robber should, can and might just get you home alive. It is, usually, something you do or say that gets you killed so take responsibility for your actions, deeds and most of all, YOUR MOUTH and MONKEY BRAIN.
Now, go back and re-read Mr. MacYoungs comments and then see the links on the right, especially the No Nonsense Self-defense link. When you get there you will see that my little ditty above barely covers these types of issues. Taking on an armed robber with nothing but your hands and taking on an armed robber without all the tools necessary to do it right and taking on an armed robber is just plain stupid. Ok, read the article again - cause it needs to sink in, a lot and very deeply.
I am a martial artists of thirty-nine years. I am an inactive Marine who served on active duty for ten years. I have a very limited amount of experience with conflict and violence of this level. If I were on a bus and not in immediate threat of grave bodily harm or death I would not use my skills, now realized as wholly inadequate to the task at hand, and try to take out an armed robber. I would comply politely if faced directly by the robber and only take action if it escalated toward something that would cause grave bodily harm or possibly death - which, by the way is on the table with a firearm in the mix.
My goal is to urge, recommend and inspire everyone to seek out the complete picture involving conflict, violence, violent conflict and self-defense because to me it is absolutely stupid to teach the kind of crap taught today in martial arts dojo and called self-defense. Not every dojo but enough to be a majority do not address the complete spectrum involving conflict, violence, violent conflict and self-defense.
Ok, here is another point that you should go back and read the article above again then go to the bibliography here, below, and begin your studies because as this one individual found out the hard way, it ain’t easy and it takes a whole different mind-set to be a good samaritan.
Note also that being a good samaritan does not mean actual physical intervention, especially when you do not have the knowledge, skills and experience in those physical interventions. Being a good samaritan means making the call to the authorities as quietly as possible because that can escalate things. Being silent and observing as a good witness is another way but where it does not alarm the offender causing an escalation. Stopping your monkey brain from running the show and getting you and others around you into danger of grave bodily harm or possibly death is another great way to be a good samaritan too. Being smart is a good samaritan thing too.
Bibliography (Click the link)
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