Why you have to keep a cool head in these streets
Because you never know who is "protected" from the law, by the law...
Maintaining a level head is undoubtedly one of the most crucial skills you can develop. It can make a huge difference, sometimes even saving your life, in situations where you might not even be aware of the danger. After all, you never know who you're dealing with:
Someone who might have a gun
They don't care about going to jail
They're "mobbed up"
They're protected from the law, by the law
It's not difficult to imagine encountering someone in any of these scenarios, particularly given the easy availability of firearms in the United States (where I reside) and the prevalence of individuals with questionable mental states or ties to organized crime.
Organized crime might be illegal, but its influence is so vast that many of its members enjoy de facto immunity. Even in cases dealing with low-level street gangs, the threat of intimidation can be surprisingly potent, causing witnesses to forget crucial details of an incident.
That's why I always suggest being polite to everyone you encounter. You never know who doesn't care about ending up behind bars, and even if the person is blatantly in the wrong and is trying to provoke you, it's vital to remain calm and composed. Not everyone values the same things you do, such as life, liberty, and freedom.
No matter the circumstance, it's always a good idea to treat people with respect and kindness. Even if they’re a true asshole, the best-case scenario is that you gain instant gratification if you respond with similar hostility and malice. The worst-case scenario, believe it or not, is NOT that they’ll retaliate.
The worst-case scenario is that they’ll retaliate with the full knowledge that they’ll never have to answer for their crime.
No matter how badass you think you are, there is not only someone worse, but there are people who are bad and will never have to face the consequences for their evil.
How is this possible?
Someone is in your country on a diplomatic visa
This means that they can't be arrested (or, at the very least, it is prohibitively difficult to arrest them).
Maybe their host country will turn them over or prosecute. Maybe they won't. But for all intents and purposes, they are protected as long as they are in they are on a diplomatic visa.
It could get even worse if they seek refuge in their native country’s embassy because attacking an embassy is considered an act of war.
Recall the story of Yvonne Fletcher being killed by a shot fired from the Libyan Embassy in Great Britain. British authorities couldn't do anything, and the Libyan authorities wouldn't either (Read the story here).
This is how an embassy and a military base in another country work. It is *effectively* foreign soil and, as such, presents a host of difficulties when it comes to navigating crimes committed by their citizens while on the host country’s soil.
If you doubt this, check out the case of Anne Sacoolas, the wife of an American diplomat in Great Britain, who left the UK after she killed a 27-year-old in a car crash. (Read the story here)
Then there's the time that Salem Al-Mazrooei, a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, was caught trying to have sex with a 13-year-old girl in Virginia. They set up a "To Catch A Predator" style sting and arrested him when he arrived to meet her, but were forced to let him go because of diplomatic immunity. (Read the story here)
This leads nicely to the next issue.
The odds of you crossing paths with someone protected under diplomatic immunity are small but not zero. However, I know a guy with first-hand experience dealing with the second "legal protection."
Crucial federal informant
There’s a higher probability of getting into a street altercation with this guy.
I have an acquaintance whose brother was killed, and when he did his own digging, he discovered that the local authorities had a strong lead on a possible suspect. However, they were unable to apprehend him because he was an informant in a larger federal case.
This information wasn't told to him on the record, of course.
I don't know how "above water" this is, but it's not unprecedented. A few years ago, a story broke about this practice. Several former FBI agents have said, on the record, something akin to the following:
“The bureau has to encourage these guys to be themselves and do what they do. If they stop just because they are working with the FBI, somebody’s going to question them. If anything, I’d want them to become more active.”
-Joseph O’Brien, a former FBI informant coordinator in New York City who retired in 1991. (Read the article here)
In other words, some people can kill you without facing legal consequences, and they know it. In fact, they may be emboldened to do so because they need to maintain cover and not have anyone think they’re a snitch.
So please, don't be a dumb ass in these streets.
[Read: How to avoid a street fight and what to do if you can’t]
Everyone worries about the police and the possibility of being killed by them with impunity, but at least in that scenario, there's at least an investigation and trial. In the case of a federally protected witness killing you, your death would just be the cost of doing business.
I elaborate more on this in my latest YouTube video. Check it out, like it, leave a comment, and if you really dig it, share it.
Until next time, the rest is up to you.
Are you tired of feeling stuck, unsure of how to make the tough decisions that life throws your way?
Do you struggle to communicate effectively, even when the stakes are high?
Have you fallen into a bad habit or way of negative thinking that is costing you time, money, or relationships?
Let’s talk