What “High Noon” can teach us about self-defense & rebellion

(keep yer toolbox well-stocked)

“I sing sometimes for the war that I fight / ’cause every tool is a weapon if you hold it right.” (Ani DiFranco)

Let's say you're a handyman/woman/person/whatever and you get hired for a job. I'm guessing you'd bring your full toolbox to the worksite. After all, you can never be sure what might pop up and what tools you'll need. 

In other words, if there’s a task at hand, it would be illogical to decide beforehand that certain tools are off-limits. Keep all your tools at your disposal — even if some remain untouched — just in case. The situation dictates the tactics so it pays to be prepared and open-minded.

Case in point: High Noon. For me, the most powerful moment in the classic 1952 film is when Amy (played by Grace Kelly), the converted Quaker wife of Marshal Kane (Gary Cooper) shoots and kills a man to save her husband's life. 

Earlier in the film, Amy declares: "My father and my brother were killed by guns. They were on the right side but that didn't help them any when the shooting started. My brother was nineteen. I watched him die. That's when I became a Quaker. I don't care who's right or who's wrong. There's got to be some better way for people to live."

However, Amy not only ends up shooting a man, but she also fights off the main villain, which allows Marshal Kane to finish him off.

High Noon was originally created as a McCarthy-era allegory. However, as our own metaphorical clock ticks ever closer to noon, the film stands today as a stark warning to the average citizen who would rather pretend all is well than stand up and fight. 

Before you run and tell Gandhi on me, consider this: When staring down murderous psychopaths, even pacifists must sometimes choose an unexpected tool from their toolbox.

How will you defend your autonomy and the autonomy of future generations in 2023?