That’s what the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Castle Rock v. Gonzales, No. 04-278. This was about 2005 but I am amazed how few people actually know about it. The police are not going to save you from anything. You can call 911 so they can come clean up the mess, but if you huddle in a corner waiting for patrol cars, it’s likely that you will end up being the mess. If you honestly believe that’s your defensive plan – call 911 and hide – then you probably deserve your fate since you’ve already dismissed any responsibility for yourself. You can’t, you’re afraid, somebody else must save you. What you are is emasculated and worthless. Is that a great way to go through life? Many people must think so. Don’t be one of those people.

You alone have the distinction, burden, or whatever you want to call it – it’s the ability to protect and preserve yourself and what you have from those who would attempt to take any of it from you. Knives and especially guns make tremendous force multipliers. The threats probably won’t back up much from the 100 pound lady holding a cell phone in her bedroom, but replace the cell phone with an AK-47 and the ability to use it and she’s going to be calling 911 and telling the dispatcher that there’s a pile of dead people and that she also needs a carpet cleaner. Count on yourself, not the police. With surprisingly little training, you can end up being a better gunfighter than the police officers who actually do show up when you call. Make sure you’re capable and then take care of the problem – all of the problem, utterly and completely.