Quote of The Day
While many say that it’s more dangerous for a woman to arm herself, the reality is that women are less likely to defend themselves in the first place. A 2007 study shows that 53% of women who were victims of violent crimes were still unwilling to carry a firearm.
Cassandra McBride
April 2024
Guns in the Home Statistics: The Effects of Firearms in the Home in 2024 (ammo.com)
I’m reminded of a debate I once had with a young woman who insisted private gun ownership is a bad idea. Her topic knowledge was near zero but she is very smart. It was amazing the things she came up with for “reasons” for her position. She came up with multiple things I had never heard or thought of before. All based on her on the spot creativity. I had over 25 years of debate experience on the topic and she was making me think. I felt I was holding my own pretty well until she claimed (paraphrasing as best as I can remember):
Since women are less likely to own and carry guns (admitting, “based my impression and no actual data”) and are more likely to be victims, guns are not used that much for self defense and therefore they shouldn’t be allowed in private ownership.
The twisted logic had me stunned for a few seconds and I finally, hesitantly, said,
So you are saying, that because the people that need to defend themselves the most are not exercising their right to defend themselves with the best available self-defense tool, they should be prohibited from defending themselves with the best tools?
She made a sort of frustrated “AHHHHHH….” sound and literally ran away.
A few years later I took her to the range. It was the first time she had ever touched a gun. By the end of the range session, from the low ready position, she was getting four shots on four six-inch diameter targets from 10’ away in under four seconds. I was amazed. That is an incredible performance for a new shooter!
We haven’t discussed the legality, practicality, or philosophical aspects of gun ownership since that one day when she ran away, she doesn’t own a gun (and where she currently lives it is in nearly impossible anyway), and almost certainly hasn’t touch a gun since that one trip to the range. But she sometimes sends me text messages, or calls me to tell me how glad she is to have me in her life.
I have hope that someday she will give serious consideration to owning a gun and being able to defend herself. I care for her too and am glad she is in my life as well.
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pretty much says it all!
