Pitfalls with certain SD tactics?

[matriculated]

So I've recently read several good books on self-defense and violence in general. I found some extremely informative stuff in there and these books really got me thinking about my limits, the law, avoiding violence, and how I would react in that moment when I knew everything was on the line. There's one particular piece of advice I read in one of these books that I'm a little curious about. I think this comes from Rory Miller's "Facing Violence," and if not it's some other similar book. He said that one of the tactics that you can use if in an actual struggle/fight with somebody, or say if that person is breaking into your home and you walk in on them, or any such situation, is to gather the deepest, meanest, loudest voice you can find within yourself and yell at them. He (Mr. Miller) says that it's also advisable to yell obscenities at them and racial slurs (if you're dealing with a minority), with the intent of making them think that you're an unstable and bigoted person and a bigot who's just looking to put a bullet into "one of them." The supposed purpose of this is to make the other person rethink what he's doing and leave you alone for fear of getting offed by a bigoted, unstable individual. Basically, it's supposed to be a self-defense tactic. Well, my question is this: Say you're sitting at a red light in your car somewhere at night, when a car pulls up behind you and the car in front of you backs up, trapping you. Five black guys come out of both cars with baseball bats and start yelling at you with obvious intent to either rob you, carjack you, or worse. You pull out your gun and start yelling at them something like: "I've shot a n-word before and I'll shoot a n-word again!" with the intent of trying to make yourself look like a racist with no regard for the life of a "n-word." They realize they bit off more than they could chew, hop in their cars, and drive off. Now, what if you had to shoot one or more of them because they wouldn't relent, or if one or more of them pointed a gun at you? The other guys would have testified in court that you called them n-words and you obviously just have a chip on your shoulder and you couldn't wait to put a bullet into one of them. Can your words during a confrontation come back to bite you like that, even if it was self-defense?

[stroo]

Yeah that's a really bad idea. Could lead to you being charged with a hate crime.

[Keith B]

You bet they can. This type of behavior would potentially show you were not just a victim, but an aggressor and were not attempting to defuse the situation, but egging it on.

In a defensive situation, the bravado should be left out before, during and after. Your gun should only be used as a last resort, and while there is no duty to retreat, you should be trying to distance yourself from the attacker(s) and trying to reach a safe haven. By doing that and not showing signs of aggression, any witnesses will be able to testify that you were trying to avoid a situation and had no choice but to defend yourself if you must use force or deadly force.

[RPB]

Having been in situations/armed robberies.

You know how you play checkers or chess, ... trying to calculate what a response to what you do will be ... Well, you need to think fast and clearly to do that and a lot of thinking of things to yell and yelling will not help you do that.

I can't imagine trying to think of things to yell at someone which I wouldn't normally say.

IMHO, time is better spent assessing the situation and planning and acting, not thinking of what to yell.

Yelling things I'd think would elevate your adrenaline and make you shakier and not able to think as clearly.

When a gun was at my head, I looked around and saw his partner and asked if he planned to lock us in that room over there >>>>

I think that worked out for all us employees better than calling those two guys some racial slur names.

I understand that a Law Enforcement Officer may yell to assert an Authoritative voice during an arrest to get compliance.
That's not the situation here.

You'll do better to be as calm as possible, so you can think clearly.
You'd do better to keep the bad guy as calm as possible, so he understands when you talk to him.
Why would you want an armed man who just wants your cash, to also be angry with YOU, so he does you harm, instead of ...maybe he would have been distracted a moment by something else, but you angered him so?

Here's my money clip <reaching>
hold a sec and I'll give you my cell phone, <reaching>
and hold on and I'll get you some gold I have (gold dots) <drawing>

[Kabong30]

Yeah, I've heard some bad ideas and that ranks right up there. Here's your headline:

WITNESSES REPORT CRAZED TEAPARTY BIGOT SHOOTS INNOCENT PEDESTRIANS FOR NO REASON

Someone is going to see you and if they see a maniac shooting people they may not have seen what led to the initial confrontation. Honestly, you might even find yourself on the wrong end of a LEO's gun or even another CHL carrier if you act like that.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

EVERY self defense tactic has pitfalls.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Dr. Kevorkian used to recommend "breathing deeply." Equally good advice.

Chas.

[Kabong30]

EVERY self defense tactic has pitfalls.

Some more than others.

[Slowplay]

I'm sorry, but has anybody else read Rory Miller's books and found the same tactics suggested? I haven't read his books but just can't imagine anyone suggesting racial slurs be used during a conflict.

OP, could you identify which specific Miller book you read that includes those tactics?

[Jumping Frog]

You realize yelling that language at someone is committing a crime in and of itself? That is language that by its very utterance tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace.

[olafpfj]

I have found much success using a silent icy stare.
The few times I've had to de-escalate I've used the icy stare of death right after I abruptly stop talking. This has worked great a few times with road ragers pulling up next to me. Just stare right at them as if you are boring a hole through them and don't move or say a word. Its the stone cold poker face and it really makes people squirm. You've just told them "I'm all in, call or fold", without ever saying a word. Without you putting any fuel on their rage they quickly run out of rant and move on when the only sound they hear is their own idiocy.

YMMV

[Longshot38]

That is a horrible tactic. I don't know where he came up with that but it is dangerous and ridiculous. Lets start with nonviolent situation resolution. This should always be ones first line of defense. Yeah I know we all have a CHL and we have it for a reason. But lets face it pulling your weapon is a last resort and if you get to this point not one, but many things must have already gone horribly wrong. So for nonviolent situation resolution to work you DO NOT do things to escalate the situation rather you do everything possible to defuse it. Then if defusing the event is not possible you you have two choices flee or fight. From here you have to ask yourself a couple of questions. Can I flee and if so can I do it safely? If not then it is time to fight and by fight I don't mean pull you weapon and threaten to use, rather I mean pull you weapon and USE it. Because at this point you have already determined that it is the only means to escape the situation.

Next on the chopping block is this. In any high stress situation we think less and react more, this is a fact, and thus we revert to our most basic instincts and training. Thus your true colors will show and there is no need to put on a show such as described. Which leads us to the most important part of self defense, training. We should all be training like we fight because we fight like we train. Thus if you don't train to us these tactics you will not when the time comes. And who will train to use racial slurs?

And finally the court of public opinion. Let face it if you are involved in a public shooting incident where witnesses stated that you were running around screaming racial slurs has loud and fast as possible then you might as well get comfortable with a new set of bracelets for a while and be ready for a good attorney to raid you life savings. Because that is what will happen. On the other hand if you keep you cool, and showed good restraint then life gets much easier for you.

[rcasady]

I have found much success using a silent icy stare.
The few times I've had to de-escalate I've used the icy stare of death right after I abruptly stop talking. This has worked great a few times with road ragers pulling up next to me. Just stare right at them as if you are boring a hole through them and don't move or say a word. Its the stone cold poker face and it really makes people squirm. You've just told them "I'm all in, call or fold", without ever saying a word. Without you putting any fuel on their rage they quickly run out of rant and move on when the only sound they hear is their own idiocy.

YMMV

i have found that idiot that screams and yells generally doesnt have brass to go any further once you ante up . in the case that a complete manic will not fold then i have other brass for him and its not going to involve me dropping any racial bombs .

why are we talking about this "tactic " we all carry weapons , lol should i be carrying a bag of rocks to throw first ?

only time ive ever used a loud agressive yell was to deter a punk kid from breaking into my truck as i walked up .... i wasnt gonna watch him damage my vehicle while i called cops and i wasnt just gonna draw a weapon on him dirty harry style . when he heard the BARK he didnt even look , just ran .... now if i called him a certain work or two i might have made the situation worse ...in any case i think we all agree thats is a ridiculous idea

[C-dub]

I have found much success using a silent icy stare.
The few times I've had to de-escalate I've used the icy stare of death right after I abruptly stop talking. This has worked great a few times with road ragers pulling up next to me. Just stare right at them as if you are boring a hole through them and don't move or say a word. Its the stone cold poker face and it really makes people squirm. You've just told them "I'm all in, call or fold", without ever saying a word. Without you putting any fuel on their rage they quickly run out of rant and move on when the only sound they hear is their own idiocy.

YMMV

That's probably worked so well because instinctively, before a person or animal is about to or preparing to attack they will usually become silent and may stare at their prey while going over their options and preparing their body for action. This is body language and I think many police are taught this as something to watch out for when dealing with suspects.

[RPB]

I have found much success using a silent icy stare.
The few times I've had to de-escalate I've used the icy stare of death right after I abruptly stop talking. This has worked great a few times with road ragers pulling up next to me. Just stare right at them as if you are boring a hole through them and don't move or say a word. Its the stone cold poker face and it really makes people squirm. You've just told them "I'm all in, call or fold", without ever saying a word. Without you putting any fuel on their rage they quickly run out of rant and move on when the only sound they hear is their own idiocy.

YMMV

That's probably worked so well because instinctively, before a person or animal is about to or preparing to attack they will usually become silent and may stare at their prey while going over their options and preparing their body for action. This is body language and I think many police are taught this as something to watch out for when dealing with suspects.

Works pretty well with kids too. I raised some which were used to being yelled at and they ignored that person, I quietly told them what they need to do, and they minded me ... sort of like a loud barking dog won't be as likely to bite as one staring at you either quietly or with a low quiet growl. The quieter I got, the closer they listened.

And, as stated above, shouting obscenities/offensive language etc could get you charged with disorderly conduct, which gets a CHL revoked.
PENAL CODE. TITLE 9. OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER AND DECENCY. CHAPTER 42. DISORDERLY CONDUCT
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/d ... /PE.42.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;