Saturday, March 22, 2008

Women And Guns

"Half of Steve Rementer's students at the shooting range are women these days. In fact, he has designed his course around teaching women how to shoot firearms in self-defense.

“If a woman can protect herself, it's the first line of defense. She is 30 to 40 percent more likely to be attacked than a man,” said Rementer, a police firearms instructor at Pistol People, a shooting range in Bensalem, and a Philadelphia police officer for 30 years. He said he's met many women who have been raped and attacked.

“Women are better students than men. They are more focused, and they don't want to be victimized. Every woman I could teach, I would.”

Forget for a moment attempting to figure out what in all hells old Steve is trying to say, and peruse the following to see what there are very many female victims of crime...

Some said that people would face less risk if strangers think they may be carrying lethal weapons.

“We have the right to bear arms by the Constitution,” said John Chester of Trenton. “Law-abiding citizens are sane enough to use them just for self-defense, as opposed to criminals. Law enforcement can't be everywhere. You need the ability to fight back.”

However, Susan Perry, who was visiting Yardley from New Jersey, said she is against women carrying guns.

“They should bring Mace, or anything they can use to protect themselves.”

Her husband said even a knife would be better than carrying a gun.

“And never walk alone. Take a defensive action course,” he said.

Some agreed avoiding risk is best.

“There's safety in numbers,” said Lucy Sanderson of Falls. “I'm not sure if a woman should be carrying a gun. And education is the key — how to defend yourself besides using a weapon.”

She liked a recent citizens' police academy workshop in Bristol Township, which taught people ways to avoid an attack. Like checking the back seat of your car before you climb in and not bringing your pocketbook into a mall during the holiday shopping rush.

Brian Buchanan of Bristol Township agreed.

“When someone has a weapon, it's too risky. I'm not in favor of people arming themselves. That's something for law enforcement,” he said. As the brother of five sisters and uncle to nieces, Buchanan was concerned.

“But the best way is not to attack a violent criminal. We should have more security patrolling the streets,” he said.

Mary Morse, a professor of women's studies and English at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J., said she's thought about it a lot. But she'd never buy a gun to defend herself, said the Morrisville resident.

“I feel the same about Tasers. Pepper spray is the furthest I'll go. I've discussed it with my students, though I'm not sure they would all agree.”

Her husband, Steve Morse, thinks the same way.

“If everyone's carrying a gun, more people could get shot in quarrels, in bars.”

Uh huh. Happens everywhere there is a large proliferation of gun owners.

Wait.

No, it does not. Not even close. Men and women who carry firearms are the most law abiding citizens in the country, and that includes law enforcement.

THIS Steve doesn't even have enough sense to realize how bad a husband he truly is, and neither does his clueless wife, obviously.

Susan's husband wants HER to carry, of all things, a knife. Being robbed, raped, and beaten isn't enough for him, he wants to see her cut to ribbons as well.

Lucy Anderson thinks that there are better ways to defend oneself than by using a weapon. In all sincerity, good luck with that attitude, Lucy. It's incredible naive and lame and bordering on retarded but you've the right to your opinion. My problem with your opinion is the potential harm it can do to anyone dumb enough to listen to you. Worse than shouting FIRE! in a crowded theater, Lucy. Far worse.

There you have it. A microcosm of why so very many women are victims.

Shame of it is the fact that women are such good learners, and such victimhood could be drastically diminished were they receiving the right kind of advice.

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