When You Have A Gun Pointed At Your Head

Wisdom is better than weapons of war.

- Ecclesiastes 9:18a

In that moment when a colleague or family member has a gun pointed at their temple or abdomen, observe the following: 

1. Is the gun cocked? (Are they truly threatening death?)

2. Does the hand holding the gun have the thumb on the trigger? (Do you have a milli-second or a second to react?)

3. Is there a way to distract the person holding the gun?

4. What does your instinct tell you to do to de-escalate the situation?

5. The person with the gun pointed at them should do their best to be calm and assume a submissive posture to decrease the threat the gun holding person is sensing.

6. Watch this video on a way to get the gun away from your head, but this would probably be helpful if you are dealing with only one other person.  If you have a group of people holding you at gunpoint, best not to try this technique.

7. In some cultures, only the man is a threat, not the woman.  The woman may have to step up to interact with the gun holding evil doers, while the man stays passive but highly alert to ways of escape.

8. Work together as a team to survive and have minimal physical hurt.  Lay your egos aside when necessary.

9.  Communicate softly with those you are being held hostage with.  Don't argue but trust your gut instinct at this point.  People in stress usually respond well in these types of situations.  Fight to stay alive, humanize yourself, and never stop working to escape.

10. Communicate firmly with those holding guns to your group.  Use shame and fear to your advantage, and do your best to "humanize" yourself and those with you to enlist their humanity even as they are bent on doing evil.

I learned in Afghan culture that women are truly seen as nothing, as no threat. Therefore the gun wasn't to my head, but to Neal's. Together we worked to keep things calm and distract those with guns.