I was recently asked why – in the Church shooting situation in California – no one tried to help. The answer is relatively simple.
- None of them were armed. They did not possess appropriate weapons to be able to fight back.
But even more importantly…
- They did not have a prepared mindset – something I discuss in CFP and other defensive courses.
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- They were not trained to think about “what if” scenarios and come up with mental plans to deal with those scenarios (which helps to compensate for the “action is faster than reaction rule”).
- They had never internalized the need to “improvise, adapt, and overcome”, so they were not prepared to grab a chair, or a picture off of the wall, or an empty baby car seat and at least do something.
- Any of these against a firearm is a major disadvantage, but the Church leaves them with no other means at this time.
This is why armed and trained CFP holders are important.