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You Are Not a Neutral Civilian
I’m retired and now live in Florida. I worked in lower Manhattan for 40 years and lived in Manhattan for about eight of those years. Despite NYC’s reputation, especially in the 1970s, I always knew where I could go and when and never really felt threatened by street violence in all those years. I maintained situational awareness, I guess. That is until late winter 2013 near the end of my time there.
One morning after arriving in Manhattan at 8 AM via the NY Waterways ferry to the east end of Wall Street, I started to walk the half mile to my office along Water Street and then Maiden Lane. On that morning, the streets were empty of pedestrians but I noticed that down the block and on the other side of Water Street, the NYPD was shepherding a large group of Occupy Wall Street activists on the sidewalk. The police seemed to have the group concentrated in a semi-orderly fashion. About four cops flanked the group by walking next to them in the street.
The Occupy group had been downtown since Autumn 2011 and had become a regular feature of the Wall Street area. They marched here and there in order to block regular pedestrians and traffic and to generally make their presence known. They also took over a small park (Zuccotti Park) where I sometimes went after lunch on nice days. This ended after the Occupy people set up tents throughout the whole park. The scene was one of dirt and squalor. The activists defecated in the foyers of buildings adjacent to the park and demanded free food from area shops. This park, diagonally across from the World Trade Center site, had become a “No Go” zone for the regular population of the area. I thought the police to be strangely quiescent to all of this, but business commuters like me did not feel physically threatened.
On this morning in 2013, I was walking far out in front of the Occupy marchers who were now back and around the corner on Water Street or so I thought. I was on the opposite side of Maiden Lane from where they would walk anyway and thought myself alone on an empty sidewalk. Of course, I was thinking about the upcoming day at work.
In fact, one of the Occupy activists had separated himself from the main group, singled me out and came running at me from behind. I didn’t hear him, but suddenly received a violent blow against my right shoulder. Totally caught by surprise, I spun around in an attempt to keep my balance and not crash to the pavement. The Occupy Wall Street activist had run at me from behind at full speed in order to straight-arm me down to the sidewalk. After hitting me from behind, this young man continued running as fast as he could down the street (west on Maiden Lane). I caught myself just in time and didn’t fall to the pavement. I was very shaken and could not believe what had just happened.
At the time I was 62 years old, wearing a business suit and carrying a briefcase. In short, I must have appeared to be one of the “enemy.” Had I gone tumbling to the pavement more than just my clothes would have been ripped. The moral of all this is that whether they call themselves Occupy Wall Street, Antifa, or BLM these are violent people who intend to cause you physical harm. Things have escalated since 2013 so never think of yourself as a “neutral civilian” if they are around.
Published in General
I have to ask. Exactly what would either of you do with your gun as the jerk was running away, after he had attacked you from behind?
Absolutely correct. Your life was not in danger if the guy ran away.
But if I ducked the punch, and he stood there ready for another punch? I’d shoot him, because I wouldn’t know if he was going to run away or not . . .
Hmm. I’m not favoring this response, but in Texas if someone flees a crime and you reasonably believe that they will be a danger to others then you could shoot them. The key word is “reasonably.” I don’t think that it would be reasonable.
My statement was trying to clarify what Randy meant, since I also saw the flaw in his statement that being armed would not stop such an attack.
If he did it once…
I do appreciate the bravado, but I just don’t want anyone in jail over it. You’d have to credibly claim, ahem, that he turned around and you thought he had a weapon. And hope that any cameras around don’t prove otherwise.
That and the bullet wound in the back…
But the original incident did not happen in Texas, and I’m not in Texas, so I don’t think anyone needs to worry either way. The laws in Michigan are very different, as they are in NYC.
It is doubtful that someone would do this in Texas, because they know the population is armed, mean, and crazy.
I think it is perfectly reasonable that an Occupy thug would be a danger to others.
The uptwinkles and downtwinkles alone are enough to justify shooting.
In one of the very few public services he as ever performed, Stephen Colbert unmasked these zombies.
The absolute best part is at the 6:35 part – but watch the whole thing after the 0:56 mark – just to get the flavor.
So, are zombies entitled to due process?
You’re right. I didn’t think it through.
This is a rule that applies to peace officers, but them only. And even then it isn’t an option for any crime – only a felony. And in application, only a violent felony.
in most jurisdictions, maybe all, the described attack would almost certainly be classified as a misdemeanor.
No. In Texas if you see someone fleeing with a weapon and you reasonably believe they intend to shoot someone you can use deadly force to stop them. Police officers also have that lawful power.
Randy, that’s an excellent — even classy — final response.
But, having carried for most of my adult life, I completely understand what motivated your initial comment. ;)
Too dumb to breath?
From PowerLine: