NPR: 'A Victim Treats His Mugger Right'

[Janq]

Note:
This mans manner and method was successful in disarming his attacker and possibly in a real way making a significant difference in what was a childs life.
I post it here because he was attacked and he did fight back, only in a way most would not expect.

Yes it'sold news but it's been floating the past 48 hrs. across my wife and three of my friends FB walls as by 'share'.

~~~

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right
March 28, 2008

Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

...

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.

Source with audio: http://www.npr.org/2008/03/28/891647...s-mugger-right

- Janq

P.S.
He's got a knife and is close enough to be an active and real threat.
I'd have shot him, perceived age in that moment being of no concern to me.
This story presents an interesting if not singular take on 'What if?'.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Guantes]

Such stories are disturbing, in that they are at the same time both heartening and disturbing. I admire his benevolence, but question his prudence.
My solution would mirror Jang's.

[Nikolai]

Some people are cut out for that kind of thing. I'm not one of them, though.

[Deuce130]

I guess every situation is different. Choose wisely. Your life is in the balance.

[Hiram25]

As soon as I saw the knife, I'd have given him something! It wouldn't have been my wallet or my coat.

[rson63]

I thought when He offered up his coat it was going to come with some lead as well, glad it turned out ok for Him. Good news for a change

[chiefjason]

It reminds me of this story. The first time I heard this I was on a 28 day backpacking course in college. I can't verify it's authenticity. But it's a great story that sort of mirrors this. I've used it a few times with kids.

http://onlineaikido.com/blog/famous-aikido-story.html

Sometimes violence is not the answer, and sometimes it's the only answer. As Deuce130 said, choose wisely.

[jumpwing]

I wish all the stories could end this way, and it gives my spirit a boost to read that one of them did.

But then I watch videos and read stories of kids who beat someone to death for nothing other than the thrill of it.
I'd have shot him. Sad, but there it is.

[dukalmighty]

Well isn't that just wonderful,glad it ended on a happy note,another robber kid may have felt he was being disrespected and used the knife on him,I'm not willing to take that chance

[JDE101]

Nice "feel good" story that the liberals would say is how everyone should act. I had a daughter who felt that way, until she got a little older and realized how the real world operates 99% of the time.

I have to agree with jumpwing. Maybe it comes from a common background of jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. Must be a personality flaw--I'd have shot him too, the minute I saw the knife and felt my life was in danger. I'd have been reaching for my gun rather than my wallet. I just don't trust armed punks to not do something violent!

[zacii]

Glad there was a happy ending, but this is the exception, not the rule.

I, too, would've shot him as soon as he threatened me with a deadly weapon

[Chad Rogers]

So what's the moral here? That the teen thug will change his ways?

I'm willing to bet a paycheck he is being a dirtbag right this second.

[nedrgr21]

Just a parable. Here's a real story:
Guy comes to my dorm room with a sob story about needing $20 for a part/gas for his car to see his sick mother. Does the whole "pray with me" bs. Says he'll pay me back in a week. 3 wks later - no money; I didn't expect to get it back when I loaned it, but thought it would be interesting to see how it played out. I just happened to be in the LGS when same guy walks in looking to do some yard work for the owner. I waited until he was finished and got paid and you should have seen his eyes when I confronted him to get my money back. That was priceless.

[JoJoGunn]

I'm with Janq.

Too much "touchy feely good" stuff. Not taking my chances with a knife weilding punk who's outlook on your life might not be to your best interest.

He would be getting a hot lead injection for his trouble.

[Guantes]

That could get expensive. You'd need a closet full of coats and wallets, not to mention cash.