Mormon Bishop Wields Samurai Sword

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

There is a reason police carry a firearm.

1. Call the police

2. Make notes of any identifying traits or marks of the attacker; description of any vehicle(s) involved, including license plate numbers; Time, date and location of incident; etc etc., etc..

3. Call police.

4. Render whatever aid you can without causing greater injury to then victim.

5.Call the police.

6. Do not add to the problem by becoming a victim yourself.

Being thoughtless is NEVER a good idea, and in violent crime scenes it can turn out deadly not only to the victim, but to the would be rescuer. Not even skilled fireman run into a building on fire without thinking about what they'll do. An untrained civilian is just another liability waiting to happen.

Got to say, I am glad this man did what he did. It goes to show you that you are wrong.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

There are already laws against criminal activity, but there is no law against being thoughtless.

Maybe they should outlaw suicide?

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

Someone running out into a gunfight with a knife/sword is at a distinct disadvantage.

I am just going to put my face in my hand and walk away.

[volgadon]

And so he should have just let the woman be mugged? Or come out weaponless as if that would somehow persuade the attacker better than with a weapon?

A sword is actually a pretty good psychological weapon, much like a dog with sharp teeth and growling.

[volgadon]

Someone running out into a gunfight with a knife/sword is at a distinct disadvantage.

I'm sure these guys agree...

[volgadon]

Greater love hath no man than he who calleth the police, making notes of any identifying traits or marks of the attacker; description of any vehicle(s) involved, including license plate numbers; Time, date and location of incident, etc., rendering whatever aid he can without causing greater injury to the victim, without adding to the problem by becoming a victim himself.

Timeless wisdom.

[Calm]

My son pointed out to me that it would have made no difference if the man had a gun, being a samurai the bishop could have deflected the bullet with his sword if he hadn't been able to dodge it first.

[Calm]

Probably will make for a bit more interesting interviews with the youth in his ward, I bet. Who wouldn't want a samurai for a bishop?...well, as long as one was staying on the straight and narrow.

[Ron Beron]

Having practice kendo (fighting with bamboo swords) I know that the speed of a practitioner is usually superior to even a gun user when caught off guard. The good bishop was obviously up to the task. In my opinion, better the bishop than the government in this case.

[volgadon]

Having practice kendo (fighting with bamboo swords) I know that the speed of a practitioner is usually superior to even a gun user when caught off guard. The good bishop was obviously up to the task. In my opinion, better the bishop than the government in this case.

It is all a matter of distance.

[ERayR]

There are already laws against criminal activity, but there is no law against being thoughtless.

Then all that was necessary was to tell the poor man that what he was doing was against the law. I am sure that after hearing that he would have apologized and left peaceably.

[Kenngo1969]

... Are you really suggesting that he and his neighbours should have stayed behind locked doors listening to the woman scream for help while relying on the police to take care of it when they arrived ten minutes or so later...assuming that the woman lived that long.

Hey, it worked for Kitty Genovese. (Oh, wait. Actually, no it didn't. Sorry. My bad. )

[DarkScythe]

In Police Self Defense training, there is a thing called 21 foot rule. They did tests with well trained knife fighters stood up against police officers when they pulled out their weapons. So if he was under 21 feet and the perp wasn't ready for him, the sword and the distance will give him the edge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y3uT7Ynq4g

[volgadon]

As fun as the discussion is, I think we miss the point. I think that the bishop and the other neighbours would have come to the rescue even if they had nothing more than bare hands or pointed sticks.

[Calm]

As fun as the discussion is, I think we miss the point. I think that the bishop and the other neighbours would have come to the rescue even if they had nothing more than bare hands or pointed sticks.

And while the sword probably was a nice touch, I suspect the numbers of people descending on him would have been enough for someone who was not enraged. More people mean more witnesses, etc.

The more people who were willing to take the risk, the lower the risk became...a side benefit none of them probably thought of.

Hendrix, a pharmaceutical statistician, was one of several neighbors who came to the woman's aid after she began yelling for help, Hoyal said.

She lived in a good hearted neighbourhood. I am glad to say I think pretty much all of my neighbours would do the same for me, I certainly would do the same for them. I couldn't say that of my previous neighbourhood unfortunately (one or two would have likely) or any others I've lived in even though there were many people I knew in those places that would have been as caring. One thing Utah does do is help people get to know their neighbours well enough that they become real individuals with real lives and not just something that makes use of the house down the street.

[Ron Beron]

In Police Self Defense training, there is a thing called 21 foot rule. They did tests with well trained knife fighters stood up against police officers when they pulled out their weapons. So if he was under 21 feet and the perp wasn't ready for him, the sword and the distance will give him the edge.

Well, I'll have to remember that when I get ticked off by a piece of cardboard.

[Stargazer]

While I admire his bravery. It was an incredibly thoughtless thing to do. The story would have turned out a whole lot less funny if the mugger had a gun.

That is ridiculous. There were all kinds of neighbors attempting to do something, and he's the only one who showed up with a weapon. A convincing one, at that. If the perp had had a gun, he would have had it out well before then, so it was relatively safe showing up with a sword. This is just to assauge your anguish.

Have you heard of the Bystander Effect? That's kind of what you are militating for, here. Yes, all those neighbors and the bishop should have cowered in their houses terrified that he might possibly have a gun. It's someone else's job to protect this woman from her attacker. The police, for instance. Except that they are usually many minutes away at best. Ever hear of Axel Casian?

[Stargazer]

Someone running out into a gunfight with a knife/sword is at a distinct disadvantage.

Why would adding another victim to a criminal act be considered thoughtful. I've rescued a number of people for potentially, and actual deadly situations. However I have the necessary skill, training, and equipment to do it. Plus I had the authority given by the State to do it.

Where does this vaunted authority of the state come from in the first place? That's right, from the people. And by properly giving the state the authority to protect the common good, the people DO NOT give up the right to protect themselves. Sometimies the police don't arrive in time. Sometimes they don't arrive at all.

There are many true stories in circulation out there about common people who have stepped up when friends, neighbors and complete strangers have come into danger from perils of all sorts, and by their prompt and "thoughtless" action have saved many a person from drowning, animal attacks, fires, and yes, attacks by other people, when immediate action could make a difference, and waiting on the "authorities" would likely result in another dead body on the coroner's examination table.

And, yes, some of those people who have intervened have themselves suffered for their altruistic behavior. Do we not honor those who lose their lives in seeking to save their fellows? Or do they instead castigate the brave but dead for doing something stupid? I don't hear that very often, in the cases when this happens.

Of course there are situations where your intervention would be foolish. A drowning person does not need the help of someone who cannot swim and does not have a boat handy, for example. Perhaps you can locate a rope if you can throw one that far.

In this case, if the perp had had a gun out, then a sword would be most inadequate. If you have no chance of making a difference, then discretion is the wisest course. In this case, however, the bishop was notified of the situation. If he had had a gun out, they would have told him, and then it seems certain this would have made a difference in the response, since the bishop was also a firearms owner.

[Robert F. Smith]

There is a reason police carry a firearm.

1. Call the police

2. Make notes of any identifying traits or marks of the attacker; description of any vehicle(s) involved, including license plate numbers; Time, date and location of incident; etc etc., etc..

3. Call police.

4. Render whatever aid you can without causing greater injury to then victim.

5.Call the police.

6. Do not add to the problem by becoming a victim yourself.

Being thoughtless is NEVER a good idea, and in violent crime scenes it can turn out deadly not only to the victim, but to the would be rescuer. Not even skilled fireman run into a building on fire without thinking about what they'll do. An untrained civilian is just another liability waiting to happen.

T.S. Eliot on Hollow Men

This is the way the world ends:

This is the way the world ends:

This is the way the world ends:

Not with a bang but a whimper.

[Robert F. Smith]

Someone running out into a gunfight with a knife/sword is at a distinct disadvantage.

Why would adding another victim to a criminal act be considered thoughtful. I've rescued a number of people for potentially, and actual deadly situations. However I have the necessary skill, training, and equipment to do it. Plus I had the authority given by the State to do it.

So the rest of us ordinary cattle are just supposed to keep on grazing and hoping that predators are not lurking about. Only the specially trained and state-authorized guard dogs are allowed to intervene on our behalf. All hail to the state!!

[Stargazer]

Hey, when it comes to the rule about not bringing a knife to a gunfight, well, what if you don't have a knife, either? Well, then, you better be Victor Marx (or his wife). The world's fastest disarm.

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[Robert F. Smith]

Greater love hath no man than he who calleth the police, making notes of any identifying traits or marks of the attacker; description of any vehicle(s) involved, including license plate numbers; Time, date and location of incident, etc., rendering whatever aid he can without causing greater injury to the victim, without adding to the problem by becoming a victim himself.

Timeless wisdom.

Sounds like Hippocrates: "First, do no harm."

[Stargazer]

There is a reason police carry a firearm.

Probably the same reason why I sometimes carry a firearm.

Believe it or not, the police carry a firearm for self-protection, first and foremost.

[Stargazer]

Your protection is your own responsibility, not someone else's.

I post this video only to annoy certain people (besides agreeing with this guy 100%). Please do not comment on it.

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[thesometimesaint]

Yes, better to just stand by and listen to her scream for help and hope that she manages to survive long enough for the police to show up....even though they had no knowledge that the guy had a gun or not and could have backed off if he did.

It is not about being thoughtful, it is about showing love for another by being willing to risk your life for theirs.

Where did I say " just stand by and listen to her scream for help and hope that she manages to survive long enough for the police to show up"?

So you're going to have to just trust the attacker not to use that gun on you even if you backed off?

I've risked my life more than a few times to rescue others. But I've always been thoughtful about going about it. That is why I'm here and the attacker/cause isn't.