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POINT-COUNTERPOINT
Post
If, in your own
mind you’re
certain that you
had no alternative
but to pull the
trigger in order
to save a life, why
should you feel
any guilt?
Shooting
Trauma
PHOTO BY OLEG VOLK • A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM
It’s not very often that I
find myself in agreement
with Tom Cruise, but the
vertically-challenged
Hollywood star had me
standing and cheering at
his recent outburst against
psychiatrists, psychologists,
and other “psychowhatsits.”
Let me tell you why.
In Arizona, where I teach the gentle
art of self-defense handgunning,
I also teach a Concealed Weapons
class, the syllabus of which is strictly
laid down by the Arizona Department of
Public Safety. In this class, the student
is required to learn about the effects of
Post Shooting Trauma (PST). No doubt
this was added at the request of a statesubsidized
psychiatrist!
Naturally, I teach the full syllabus, but
when it comes to the PST segment, I
have to admit that I give this part of the
class my own spin. Here’s what I tell my
students:
“So here you are. Your worst nightmare
has happened and right there in
front of you is a dead body. The guy had
[ B Y T O N Y W A L K E R ]
just broken into your home with the intent
to rob you, rape you, or kill you. You
were legally armed and you fired your
gun to defend yourself, your spouse, or
your children. What’s the first emotion
you will feel when you see the bad guy
laid flat on your living room floor?”
Surprisingly enough, the answer to
that question is elation! You’ve won!
You’ve slain the dragon, you’ve killed
the monster, you’ve triumphed over
evil, you have faced your biggest challenge
ever, and you have survived.
Of course, a few seconds later, the
reasoning part of your brain comes into
play, and you think; “Oh, no, what have I
done?” Stick with the first emotion. After
all, you’ve done nothing wrong. The guy
wasn’t invited into your home, he made
that decision, not you. You were simply
minding your own business in your own
home. It wasn’t your fault. All you were
doing was exercising your right to defend
yourself and your family.
In addition, after undergoing a traumatic
event like having to defend your-
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USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n JULY 2008