Mary, you said "the answer to any of these questions..." and none of what had been previously discussed nor the way folks were responding to the OP seemed to be things that would be in that category.

Sometimes, someone will clamp down and refuse to move, thereby demonstrating that "aikido doesn't work." My answer to this is to point out all the openings created by clamping down, and demonstrate how being more fluid gives uke more opportunities, including perhaps the opportunity for a reversal.

The answer to any of these questions is the same: "Oh, I'd just have the circus ponies trample him to death." And when they ask, "Wait, where did you get circus ponies?" you answer, "The same place you got a 6' 5" heavily armed deranged Navy SEAL who wants to kill me (for reasons unexplained), and who was able to approach me without my realizing it until he was six inches away." Or, you know, fill in whatever improbable scenario they're talking about. In this scenario, I suppose it would be, "a very strong guy who has a very strong grip and an invisible force field around himself that allows him to grab onto someone else and simply stand there without anything happening to him."