Yesterday, we talked about the predations of a serial rapist in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, and the fact that this threat has spurred a new interest in self-defense. As horrifying as it is that this animal has brutally violated five women so far, without, as far as we know, much progress made in his identification and removal from society, it is heartening to see more women taking responsibility for their own security.
Yesterday's article quoted a Kansas City Police captain who recommended several measures women could take for the sake of safety, and I noted with interest that none of them included armed self-defense. That's an omission that didn't sit particularly well with me, but I cannot fail to acknowledge that today's tender sensibilities make it inadvisable--or at least impolitic--for a senior police officer to publicly say, "Get a gun and shoot the creep."
A news story from Friday took the political correctness further than I'm willing to excuse, though.
While police investigate a string of rapes in the Waldo area, women are taking action, arming themselves with guns, pepper spray and other products. Below is a list of safe, but effective, weapons and products that Kansas City, Mo., police have approved for women interested in home security.
Excuse me--"approved for women?" Are women not capable of making their own choices with regard to their security, with or without "approval"? To be clear, I suspect that this is the wording of the "authorized journalists" of FOX4KC, rather than of the police, but the attitude that a woman needs police "approval" for her security choices needs to be confronted, wherever it's found.
Let's look at the video:
Just past halfway through, we're told that rather than guns, the Kansas City Police Department recommends TASERS. Officer James Schriever is quoted as saying that the TASER is better than a gun because:
. . . You could make a mistake--if it's youur husband or boyfriend surprising you, you won't kill them.
That's . . . something, I guess, but it seems rather dismissive of a woman's ability to learn the absolute need to make sure of one's target before firing.
TASER's have their place in self-defense applications, but they also have many weaknesses. Most can fire only one "shot" before the need to be reloaded (a not particularly quick process). Granted, a miss within the short range of the devices, particularly with the laser sight, is unlikely, but could happen. Also, while this rapist is apparently acting alone, other predators attack in packs, and a single-shot defense is not going to cut it.
Certainly firearms are not the only choice for self-defense, and for some, they may not even be the best choice. What disturbs me is seeing this blanket dismissal of them. There is, after all, a reason that many (perhaps most) cops carry TASERS, but virtually all of them in the U.S. carry at least one firearm, with at least one more in the car.
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Comments
Well, I suppose it's better than the Illinois State Police advice, but the spirit is definitely there--don't worry your little head about self-defense, ma'am, or someone might get hurt.
The reason TASERs are normally used by people with armed backup is that they only incapacitate momentarily. In that sense, pepper spray is actually better--whatever incapacitation it offers takes some time to overcome. The TASER leaves the subject feeling exhausted, but there's nothing actually stopping him from jumping up and continuing his attack unless you shock him again. When police use the TASER, they generally have several other officers ready to pile on the suspect so they can take advantage of his momentary collapse. But if it's just you and him, you need to be able to escape in the few seconds the TASER buys you or you're going to be out of luck.
Precisely, Don.
A classic example of aggressor-enabling.
From this point on, any more attacks that occur will be partially the fault of anyone who has been dismissive of the utility of a gun in this case. The TV station (and its advertisers), the "reporters", and the LEOs can share in the responsibility that before belonged to the rapist alone.
Thanks for keeping all of us updated. Concealed carry of a pistol should be a requirement for all Americans who value our freedoms. Yes, the pen is mightier than the sword, but it's the gun that keeps the ink flowing. The only way to make sure a gun is ready when you need it most is to have it on your person, so get a good active retention holster. My CCW instructor said all pepper spray does to a druggie or veteran thug is clear their sinuses. So have a gun on you, be committed to use it in the face of criminal violence, and also get yourself a spiked Rogutan, know how to use it, and attach it to your key ring. Keep the great articles coming.
That was a new one on me, so I googled rogutan. Apparently, it's a new one on Google, too. Did you mean kubotan?
When I lived in Illinois I could not get any of the women I knew to carry a gun, even if I would get them one. Dart ejecting tasers weren't available on the civilian market then, but I bought one the handhelds for every woman I knew. Not a great solution but a Hell of a lot better than nothing. I couldn't figure it out. Carrying a gun was illegal, but so was carrying a taser in most places in Il. then. They would carry them, but no guns. Every one of them said they were afraid of being arrested for a gun, but they weren't afraid of being arrested if they ever had to use the damn hand-held taser.
straightarrow, the combination of societal/school conditioning and stubborn denial of reality is a serious obstacle to and kind of self defense for millions of women. Some of us are doing our best to overcome this... but they have to be willing to at least look at all the possibilities.
And some women won't even open their minds after being faced with an attack personally. What a shame.
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