Arming yourself with money to give to thugs is not exactly the way the Founding Fathers/ citizens’ militia did it.
I could not believe I read that.
No less a self-defense personage than Massad Ayoob admits to, and recommends carrying, buyoff money. Page 65 of In the Gravest Extreme.
While shooting a perp is probably the right answer long-term, societally, the personal reality is that shooting someone on the street, or even just brandishing, can turn into an expense legal defense proposition. Especially if you’re in a neighborhood with a Nifongish prosecutor.
I've seen that discussed in "concealed carry" threads on other web forums. It's foolish to draw a gun against someone who is already pointing a gun at your head, so a small amount of cash (often in an old wallet without I.D., credit cards, etc.) is used to make the thug beleive you've meekly complied. That often affords the victim chance to draw their own weapon and turn the tables.
Seems worth it to me.