Oy, concealed carry, there's a can of worms.

I know for a fact that one county in the central part of California had/has a rather high number of concealed carry permits issued within. The man in charge of said issuing in the 1980's basically sold the things to anyone who paid him some large amount. This included felons. How does that help any of the law abiding citizens?

Outlaw carrying guns, and only the outlaws carry guns. Look at LA.

I've never started a fistfight although I had been in two fights when I was younger. What is there to gain from fighting? Nothing as I see it.

If you want to fight put on a uniform.

I am in great physical shape and am prepared to defend myself if I need to. It would require amazingly low intelligence to swing at me.

Which county was this?

I have not finished reading this thread yet but I have got to agree with Ms./Mrs Shade on this one. I have walked away from every negative confrontation without fighting. But I absolutely love a good old full on go with another trained individual. When we were kids if we were in trouble it got quiet.... But I have been to the emergency room 3 times from playing too rough with 3rd don black belt dad. Rules were when you win you move out. I had to move out at 17.

I live in northern michigan which normally means if you are lured into an altercation and don't fight then you may be shot. I do not carry a gun unless I am moving money or traveling with my family. I have to agree just avoid the morons in the first place. you'll notice that most of the machos looking to fight are normally looking for like minded grunts to but heads with. Your a Satanist! Be courteous and polite, and know when to walk away.

In honest I haven't read all of the replies here but I will add this:

I will NOT engage in combat UNLESS MY VERY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. (This means NO ESCAPE, nowhere to run!)

My first move will be to run like the dickens. If I am hit and witnesses are around who will testify I will lie there on the floor like a slug.

Why?

So the attacker can be prosecuted, jailed, and put off the streets.

Now......as I said, if My life is in mortal danger and I cannot find hope of escape, I fill fight fang and claw. I WILL leave DNA evidence under My fingernails. I will do all I can do to survive.

I might add that it's not a crime to carry pepper spray/mace (at least where I live) and I also have a whistle. I'll blow on that thing until sweet Lucifer arises from the abyss just to shut up the infernal sound.

I have also been trained in self defense which helps.

Please note that anyone who wishes to enter Eve's abode without permission is in for a rude awakening.

I also carry a screw driver under My floor board in case some wacko tries to attack Me.

Survival is the highest law. Some call it paranoia, but as a very intelligent man once told Me.....it's oh...I'll remember in awhile but it had something to do with awareness.

You know who you are.

I must admit, that sounds rather…interesting. It sounds as if you will be rather busy.

Why do we get such a bum rap? Hasn’t anyone heard of the fighting Gamecocks?

Well put. What I do like about this article though is the reminder that people who act obnoxious enough in public WILL eventually do it to the wrong person (whether that's somebody who doesn't think twice about getting violent, is crazy, on PCP, has a weapon, etc.), and rightfully suffer the consequences. Not that I want to be the one serving the justice, of course! In situations like this, that's what the management or the police are for.

Even getting up and leaving could be effective in more ways than one. If the propriator cares about his or her business, and notices that one table is driving the other customers away, chances are good that the cretins will be thrown out.

Also, not all bars attract the same level of undesirables in the first place. I stay away from the ones that cater to lower social classes, certain college crowds, or are in bad neighborhoods. I'll typically only go to a bar if they have something to offer besides alcohol and a pool table (like karaoke, arcade games, really good food, dance floor with the right music, a live band that I know, etc.). Otherwise I don't see the point in paying for a drink I can make at home.

There is a Buddhist story...Buddha was an elephant. He used to stand under the same tree every day. There was a monkey that would pester him every day. Someone asked him why he didn't use his size to his advantage, and slam dunk that monkey. He said, no need. One day, another, less patient elephant will stand under this same tree; and, the monkey will think it is me. When he does...no more monkey.

There will always be another elephant.

Great story. I've gotta hand it to those Buddhists. They DO get it right once in while!

Naa

Kind of funny how gangbangers have bad aim. It's obvious that if you're shooting a gun one handed and held sideways (you know, "gangsta" style) you're going to miss most of the time. But jeeze, they can't even hit their mark with their own fists? Actually, this explains a lot, especially because a firearm is an extension of your arm. Nevertheless, I try to avoid them when possible.

I agree (although I have to admit, the drunken barroom brawl is most unattractive). There's something about watching men fight ... the raw energy, the heart that it takes to hang in there when every muscle is telling you to quit, and the confidence. I enjoyed watching fighting so much that I allowed myself to get hooked into the scene. I wasn't planning to be a real fighter myself, but here I am almost 10 years later still doing it.

For a while I thought I was a bit on the crazy side for watching this, but then I realized that it's totally natural. I connect it with the biological desire to mate with the most desirable and fit male. Pretty much every species has their own way of hashing it out, but thanks to pay-per-view and Spike TV, we're lucky enough to enjoy these battles of dominance from the comfort of our couches.