Most likely everyone has heard the acronym CYA at some point. Undoubtedly it is most commonly read as “Cover Your A**”, but I prefer a different usage. Massad Ayoob, the legendary firearms trainer and expert in understanding the legal ramifications of self-defense uses it to mean “Can You Articulate”.

Essentially, it refers to the concept that whatever actions you take to defend yourself, or what equipment you may use, can you reasonably explain to a regular person why you did it and why it was necessary. When an opposing lawyer tries to get a jury to believe you are a gun nut because you had new sights put on your pistol, you need to be able to tell them that you were so concerned that you would hit the attacker only and not risk a bullet going anywhere else that you made the effort to get different and better sights even though it cost you more money, time, and effort, but it is worth it to ensure that you are responsible in your self-defense actions. That makes you intelligent and thoughtful, not a crazy nut.  If you can articulate that, then the lawyer’s attack will fail. If you can’t, then that jury may very well see you as someone who did not use a gun only to defend yourself, but someone that deserves to be behind bars.

It is not a difficult thing to do, but it does require thought beforehand. You have to have it figured out before you need it.

I like to use the same phrase and apply it to people’s choices in gear or training. I often tell folks that I am not the tactical Gestapo. I am not interested in judging what you are carrying, or what classes you take, or what battle plans you have made to deal with your own personal violence defense. It is not up to me, and frankly it does not affect me one bit. That is why I find it odd that so many people spend so much time and energy doing exactly that – criticizing other people’s choices.

What I prefer to spend my time and energy on is to make sure that all the choices that I make FOR MYSELF are ones that I can articulate out loud to someone who is not privy to my thoughts, and ensure that my reasons can stand up to that outer scrutiny. If I can achieve that, then most likely my tactics, techniques, procedures, and gear are a good choice for me. Am I putting the right amount of time into my jiu-jitsu practice? Am I doing too much? Am I focusing enough on my strength and conditioning, or my gun handling? Can I put my time to better use doing something else, or something more? With my lifestyle and the challenges I face, am I doing everything that I logically can to ensure I am covering the plausible and reasonable contingencies? If I can answer in the affirmative all the time, then I am doing the right things, even if those things don’t align with someone else’s needs and priorities.

That last point is fairly important. It may make all the sense in the world for me to carry a snubby revolver in an ankle holster at specific times during the week, and it is irrelevant if someone else thinks that would not work for them. I am focused on my needs, not anyone else. If they think that a Glock 19 fills all their requirements and there is no reason for them to not carry it, then awesome! More power to them. But that does not mean their reality applies to me in any way. I may decide that carrying a spare magazine is not a need, and someone else may think that they should always have one. Coolio. That is great, but my needs are my needs. As long as I can articulate the whys and wherefores of my choices, then it does not matter what others do.

As far as someone else’s choices, all I ask is that they can articulate the whys of their choices to the same level. If they can, then I cannot criticize it, even if their choices don’t match mine. Their fight is not mine, and my fight is not theirs, so I need to leave it alone. Conversely, if they cannot do so in a logical manner, and I can express some thoughts that are contrary to theirs, and they cannot dispute my points without resorting to name-calling, or creating a strawman, then I submit that their choices don’t hold up.

We have the responsibility to the outside world to be able to CYA. Too many people want to take our ability to protect ourselves away. Let’s not give them any extra ammunition to do so. Make good informed choices that you pressure test to ensure you are correct, and you can stand up to whatever the world throws your way.