[RogueIsland]

So much inanity, so little time.

After taking self-defense courses with simulated attacks at The Empower Program Inc., a Washington non-profit, my younger sister and I felt more confident walking down the street. We were aware that at any time, anywhere, we knew how to fight back.

Yeah, that sense of confidence and empowerment will last long enough to get you in big trouble when you go up against a 250 pound street brawler. Sorry, but I'll go with Sam Colt's "great equalizer" myself.

[Constitutional Patriot]

"Guns can be taken away, and women can be killed by their own guns."

The author neglected to mention that the gun can also be discharged at the attacker, resulting in the attacker's incapacitation and/or death.

(aim, pull trigger)

[hattend]

We shot at the target silhouettes' heart and lungs before aiming for its head. In real life, our instructor explained, our attackers might wear bulletproof vests.

Funny, my instructor always said go for center of mass. Even with a vest, you'll knock the attacker on his ass with 8 shots to the torso. Then you "take flight" or put the 9th bullet in the head as he lays on the ground...your choice.

[Mr. Mojo]

I don't care if this woman was a grandmaster in every martial art known to mankind, if your average dude who knows how to fight wanted to take her out, he'd be able to do so with relative ease. Martial arts are great for getting in shape and instilling confidence and discipline, but it sounds to me like this author is merely exchanging one false sense of security (a firearm) for a less effective one (martial arts proficiency). Neither can assure one's safety, but at least proficiency with a firearm gives one the best possible chance to defend oneself. My advice to her: gain expertise in both disciples.

[archy]

In reality, according to a new study by the University of California at Davis, women who own handguns are more than twice as likely to be murdered with a firearm by their partners than those who do not. While this may be partly explained by the fact that women who fear an attack are more apt to buy a gun, the study shows guns often fail to help women protect themselves.

Women who have been murdered are not in a particular ly good position to accurately report the circumstances of the attacks upon them. But it would certainly be interesting to hear the comments from beyond the grave of those who died unarmed and helpless, like sheep at the slaughterhouse.

baaaaa, baaaaaaa... please, don't kill me...baaaaaaa

[Vic3O3]

Well said! The reason I think more women are harmed by their 'own' firearms is that they do not take the threat of violence seriously enough to train properly for it, AND to carry/have immediately available said firearm! The lil' .38 snubbie is tucked away empty in the nightstand drawer, safe from the kiddies...

Now I have nothing against a self-defense course for non-gun defense, and other non-lethal levels of escalation, but I'd much rather bring my Kimber to a fist/knife fight than to forget it!

[Leatherneck_MT]

Someone has been watching too much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then morphing it into real life.

My petite little wife sports a .45. I pity the fool who tries to attack her.

[oldfart]

"Guns can be taken away, and women can be killed by their own guns."

Any woman who would let a man taake her gun away from her and use it against her deserves to die. It's the Darwinian principle of 'survival of the fittest,' and such a woman shouldn't be allowed to procreat.

[Beck_isright]

Hmmm, let me get this straight. The coke infused, crack infested thugs in my area use bulletproof vests. They are going to spend $900 for a bulletproof vest instead of crack or whatever it is they use. Sounds logical to me. </.223 sarcasm off

[ampat]

I doubt that women buy guns to protect themselves from their partners. For those problems the solution is separation. Women buy guns to protect themselves in their homes and on the street from criminals.

[cavtrooper21]

And thanks to her own hubris and faith in a "feel good" "self-defence" course, she has just set her little self up to be a victim.
She just gave some violent criminal all the information that he'll need to turn her into another statistic.
1. Her name.
2. The fact that she does NOT use or have a firearm.
3. The fact that she is single.
4. The fact that she feels safe and "confident"
This here is the thing that will really get her in trouble, the "confident" thing.
She is a silly girl.... I hope that she survives to be a wise woman.

[Redcloak]

Like Jennifer Lopez's character...

Since the movies seem to matter so much to her...

"Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them."

-Éowyn, from The Two Towers

[Travis McGee]

Pit-i-ful. Just pitiful. What nitwits.

[Clinging Bitterly]

.

[blackbart.223]

"Considering guns as women's only shot at self-defense is like eating fat-free cookies to ward off obesity".

Anyone out there want to take odds that this person is an insecure fat liberal broad?