I’m a firm believer in everyone being armed and trained to use a firearm against another human being when warranted. I’ve had people try to talk me out of this time and time again, for some reason, yet I don’t budge on this. Why? A web site had a report a few days ago that illustrates exactly why I don’t. Two different mothers and different times, one had options the other didn’t.
In the case of the first Mom from New Jersey, the incident was captured on a home nanny cam. A violent burglar can be seen walking in and out of the living room. Each time he returns, he resumes attacking the mother. The woman does nothing in her defense, not even after being kicked in the face and thrown down a set of stairs. Miraculously, she survived the repeated beatings with only a concussion and needing several stitches. The large intruder made off with some of her jewelry, including her wedding ring. In her explanation of the events, the woman felt her best chance of surviving was to do nothing, for fear that if she started crying and screaming that it would upset her daughter and draw the attacker’s attention to her.
Our second case involved a Texas mother, attacked by a carjacker after purchasing groceries with her two young sons (two and five years old), had a different response. In this situation, a man who had hidden in the cargo area of her unlocked SUV climbed up behind the driver’s seat, placed a knife to the woman’s throat, and told her to follow his instructions if she didn’t want any harm to come to her sons. He told her to drive up to an ATM to withdraw money. She refused, and he responded with violence, cutting her across her chest. She struggled with him, grabbing the knife away, then she intentionally drove into a telephone pole, in the hopes of sending her assailant through the windshield and away from her children (Her children were safely buckled in.) She also hit him in the face and the attacker fled the scene.
Now, both mothers had the goal of protecting their children, and each responded according to their own natural instincts. The New Jersey mom froze, and the Texas mom fought. After the incident, the family in the invaded New Jersey home had a security system installed. Good training and a knowledge of how to use a firearm effectively could have helped in the case of the home invasion in NJ as well as the carjacking in TX.
Fighting is always, in my opinion preferable. The most efficient means of fighting back, however, is a well-trained individual with a firearm. It negates any size or strength disadvantage and in many times, but not all, the mere presence of a firearm is enough to end a crime. No, having a gun doesn’t guarantee victory. Nothing does. What it does do, however, is give you options. It gives you alternatives to being a defenseless victim and being hurt or worse, alternatives you don’t get without a firearm.
Whenever you see a politician talk about how people don’t need guns, that the police will protect them, remember that they are telling you to be a victim. They want you to rely on the mercy of the attackers, who by nature, have no mercy. Yes, every police officer I’ve ever known has been willing to put their lives on the line to protect people, but like the old cliché says, when seconds count, the police are just minutes away. Get the training you need, now! Refuse to be the next victim, signup for this class today.