Tommy Lee Jones said that line in the movie “The Fugitive.” Yesterday, I was reading a thread on a concealed carry forum and there was a discussion concerning what to do if you pulled out a gun (or knife or whatever weapon you have available) and the threat doesn’t stop and doesn’t run away. My comment was something about me not being a very good negotiator. It was brought up that the attacker might not be mentally sane. Of course the attacker isn’t mentally sane because he or she is attacking me and a sane person wouldn’t do that and expect to live through it. Actually, I was rather shocked that this line of thinking would come up at all. A weapon isn’t a magic wand and won’t make threats run away. And, once a weapon is deployed, why would you be talking to the threat or waiting for a response? Sounds like a good way to get dead.

Any stop, talk, avoid or run happens well before the fight commences. Once you move to avoid a direct assault from a threat, you need to be already attacking and keep attacking until the threat or threats are completely down. You only have the advantage of surprise and the force you can immediately bring to bear on the threats. Stopping for a conversation isn’t in the plan. Perhaps someone in law enforcement must tell a suspect to do something, but you don’t. You are not arresting anyone, you are utterly destroying what has threatened you.

If you think you can pull a gun out and maybe not have to use it, then you need to reconsider what you’re willing to do. A sheep with a gun is still a sheep. Do not consider negotiating with anyone who seeks to harm you. If you are mean and ugly and you really come across to others as a wolf, then the threats will probably leave you alone anyway. If they do not, hammer them into the ground and move on. “But, I really hope I don’t have to shoot [stab, beat, etc.] anyone.” If that’s something you’d say, then what are you doing with a weapon that you will hesitate to use? The threats will just take it away from you. They are not living under some kind of code of conduct. You shouldn’t either.