Dangerous. But Safe #1
- Phil FourThirteen
- Mar 26, 2024
- 3 min read
Dangerous but safe. What do I mean by that? Several different things. I’m a firearms instructor so naturally, for me, there are firearms related meanings. Firearms are dangerous but with proper training and adherence to that training, they can be safe. A firearm in the hands of anyone is dangerous but with advanced firearms training and when utilized by someone with honor and good character, they can also keep you safe. Individuals who have proper training can be dangerous to those who wish harm to others but, in acts of heroism, they should not make stupid decisions. Being a hero is not a license to be unsafe. Unarmed self-defense training of any type can be substituted for firearms and the same principle applies.
Now, I’m going to expand on this a little but first, let’s define the word ‘dangerous.’ Oxford defines it as “able or likely to cause harm or injury” or “likely to cause problems or to have adverse consequences.” My own definition is this—being dangerous is having the ability to change someone’s world, for the better or for the worse. Everyone in this world has the potential to be dangerous. It all depends on how skilled an individual is with the tool they are using.
There are some people who can write extremely well. Their acquaintances say, “They just have a way with words.” These people can be dangerous, too. A well-written article, poem, speech or book can stoke the fire of compassion for a cause, sow the seeds of rebellion against tyranny and expose hypocrisy inside a corrupt industry. An imaginative novel can stir the hearts and minds of a generation into believing they can do what was previously thought impossible. Writers, filmmakers, visual artists and musicians can all be--and in some instances, have been--viewed as dangerous.
Whether we’re talking about firearms, martial arts, the written word or a musical instrument, the knowledge and ability to use these things with skill is great power. I know most of you have seen Spider-Man and, like me, can hear Uncle Ben say it. “With great power comes great responsibility.” Also, for every action, there are consequences, good and bad.
In firearms training, we’re taught the three principles of distance, penetration and ricochet. Distance is how far a projectile will travel. Penetration is how deep the projectile will go into an object before it stops. Ricochet is the projectile hitting a surface, rebounding and changing direction. For this reason, we’re always told to always know what’s around and behind your target.
Now, apply these things to every tool you wield with skill, whether it be a firearm, a pen, a camera, a note of music or your voice.
Distance—How far will you reach? How many people will you impact and what will the consequences be for such an impact?
Penetration—How deeply will you impact each person and how long will it last? What kind of range of consequences will we continue to see?
Ricochet—Who will the innocent bystanders be? Who will you impact that you did not intend to, and perhaps shouldn’t have, and what are the possible consequences of that?
In future articles, we’ll be looking at different events, actions and works of various organizations, groups and people and breaking down the DPR’s (distance, penetration and ricochet). I will accept suggestions and consider them for future articles. I cannot take full credit for the phrase “Dangerous but safe.” I was in physical therapy a couple weeks ago and my therapist said, “Dangerous but safe,” meaning, he encouraged me to continue to work hard but he wanted to make sure I wasn’t sacrificing safety. I told him it needed to be on a t-shirt. The link to buy a shirt is below.
So, have I given you some food for thought? Did I impact you? Whether I have or not, feel free to leave some feedback.
Go ahead. Be dangerous. But be safe, as well.
Link to buy a Dangerous but Safe t-shirt
I love your take on this