When Does
Awareness Become Paranoia?
The key is confidence. You must truly be confident in
your abilities and skills to detect, react, and stop an attack. Did you ever
think that your constant gazing may make you a target because you see things
that the bad guys do not want you to see? It has happened. Someone who was not
a threat to the bad guys was suspected of witnessing a drug deal and was
instantly identified as a target.
We talk a lot about awareness. We outline traits that bad
guys look for to identify easy victims. We talk about color codes to classify
these levels of awareness. We never talk about going over the line and becoming
paranoid. Paranoia is defined as a mental disorder marked by delusions and
irrational suspicions. Being aware and prepared is not being paranoid.
To the unprepared, the shock of sudden and unprovoked
violence has a tendency to paralyze the victim with fear or cause doubt in
their mind that violence is being committed against them. “I can’t believe this
is happening to me.” Violent crime is committed by males and females of all age
groups, races, religions, and occupations.
If you carry a firearm or
have a firearm in the house for protection, you must consider the
following questions:
Are you prepared
to shoot and kill?
What if it is
someone you know?
If you do not make
the decisions in advance, I guarantee you that you will hesitate. That hesitation
may be the difference between you living or dying.
If you shot too soon or if
you shot for reasons that do not warrant use of deadly force, you will face serious
criminal and civil consequences. In any shooting, your actions will
be scrutinized by a police investigation, the District Attorney’s office, the
Grand Jury, or in a criminal jury trial. Are you in imminent danger of great
bodily harm or death?
Following the criminal
investigation, whether charges are filed or not, whether you are acquitted or
convicted, you may face the civil lawsuit filed by the grieving family of the
person you shot.
General rules to consider:
If it is not worth killing or dying for, it is not worth fighting for.
If you must think about whether or not you should shoot, you probably
should not shoot.
It is always better to have a gun and not need it, than
need a gun and not have it!
Remember: You make split
second decisions with a firearm that have life changing consequences.