Dealing with Ignorance

[Fit2BKilted]

I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. I don't know how it is where most of you folks live, but here in Texas, many of us legally carry concealed handguns. And a certain responsibility goes with it. Should a violent situation arise where one has to use a weapon in self defense (or the defense of others), one must realize that the law will NOT be on one's side if he in any way elevated the situation to violence.

Plus, you never know if the person you initiate force against is well-armed. Simply put, the reason an armed society is a polite society is because every man assumes the other is well armed, and this creates a very real concern that any initiation of violence will end in the proverbial "mutually assured destruction".

Be careful, folks, if you decide to initiate aggression against someone who has done nothing but mouth off. You may be biting off more than you can chew!

That is the exact perspective from which my reasoning issues! The unfortunate situation is that I'm on the wrong side of the world's longest undefended border to be able to enjoy it.

[Aside: for those of you who may be scratching your heads at my prior allusion to the game of GO, you're welcome to check out my web-site]

[Strings]

Seems to me, we're all on the same page... 8, for those trying to figure it out... :P

[Fit2BKilted]

You are absolutely correct, and I could not agree more. It should only be used in self defense. Problem with ignorance is that when it turns into stupidity, you are occasionally put into a situation where defending yourself is a nessecity. (Stupidity being here defined as irrational and intentional ignorance- meaning a refusal to learn, and furthermore taking actions based on hatred and prejudice coupled with that refusal to learn- extreme cases to be sure, but not at all uncommon. Ignorance actually seems more and more to be regarded as a virtue in our society, sadly.)

With regard to self-defense: Many people unaccustomed to the darker sides of social discourse remain blissfully ignorant of the fact that effective self-defense often requires a preemptive strike. Such is the origin of the double-standard applied against martial-artists in the majority of developed nations, and reinforced by Hollywood action movies. :-/ But I digress...

[Fit2BKilted]

[thread veer]

Violence (actual physical force) should be an absolute last resort. If it isn't, if there are other options that you explore to resolving a problem after violence has been used, then you're using it wrong.

[/thread veer]

Just my three cents (inflation, you know)

Please explain that statement to me in private... so we don't unnecessarily clutter this thread further. I'm guessing you might left a critical words out.