"Oh! It's so cute!!", Julia and I exclaimed at the same time. Our husbands rolled their eyes and shook their heads at the same time. "Guns aren't cute", Julia's husband said. "But this one is! It's adorable!" I protested. This was the conversation we had with some friends of ours during Easter. Julia has wanted a Walther P22 for some time and her husband surprised her with one for Easter. Not really my idea of celebrating Easter, but whatever.I'm no gun enthusiast, but I grew up shooting with my dad and brothers. Once in a while I mull over what kind of weapon I would want for self-protection. HF thinks I should get this Glock 26 (when I'm ready of course). I think maybe I should start with OC. I really want to take RAD for adults or other defense classes. HF said he can teach me weapon retention. I also thought I'd mention that HF wants a Glock 27 for his off duty weapon.
HF also wants to get me one of these: A Kubaton
And sometimes I get swept away in my Lifetime Television for Women fantasies and picturre a gun like this one below. Small. Compact. Deadly. Beautifully engraved with a mother of pearl handle that would fit perfectly inside my white vinyl clutch. When threatened I would take it out and shakily aim it at my intruder and turn my head away, fighting tears, and sob, "NO! No. no. . ." Then the intruder would slowly walk towards me and say, "You don't have the guts!" and then remove the gun from my hands. I would fall to my knees crying. Then we would kiss passionately in the moonlight of my window while the rain streamed down the panes of glass and the thunder silenced the pains of my heart. . . KIDDING! I got a little swept away there. But isn't that what Lifetime Television for Women is for? Getting swept away? KIDDING again. No, seriously. Am I the only one that enjoys cheesy dramatic television? Especially from the 80s?
Police wives and others: Do you carry a self defense weapon? What is it? What are your feelings on the matter?
14 comments:
I carry infinite amounts of attitude, but that's about it.
Wow - sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone thinks/legalises things like us Aussies!
Here in Australia, gun ownership is STRICTLY regulated. Most ordinary citizens don't have weapons at home. Farmers and the like will usually have rifles for stock purposes but handgun ownership by the LAW ABIDING citizens is rare. DH just informed me that to own a gun here you need to have a gun licence AND a permit giving you permission to own a weapon. And that handguns can be purchased by ordinary folk but they must prove a valid reason (not just for home protection) such as being a member of a gun club or working as a security guard. I asked DH whether Joe Smith could walk into a random gun club, register there, then purchase a handgun and his answer was 'yeesssssssss, but.......' because of the licence/permit thing. A gun licence is a two day affair (last I know anyway) requiring theory tests (like a learner's permit theory test, kind of) and a compulsory safety component. My father, around guns since childhood, at one point had to sit a gun licence test 'like a commoner' (his words, LOL) which he thought was a bit of overkill. There were a lot of totally safe, sane gun owners who got a bit grumpy about all that.
We have no such 'right to bear arms' legislation in place here. Several years ago there was a large-scale massacre (35 dead) in Port Arthur, Tasmania (the little island part down the bottom, LOL) which resulted in the largest gun-buy back system Australia has ever seen - the government banned the use of semi-automatics and went absolutely crazy on gun control. I was still a teenager back then but I remember my father (who is a country boy and still owned rifles, even though we were in suburbia at the time) having to surrender a couple of his rifles because they came under the strict new laws (he, and everyone else, was compensated for this). The argument in these types of situations is always that the LAW ABIDING citizens will be the only ones who participate in the buy-back and the real threats (and the reason why all the crazy on gun control) will simply go underground with their weapons, creating a large black market. I am not informed enough to comment on that aspect but it seems like that would be a valid point. As part of the strict laws in the last decade or so, there are also regulations on how to keep the weapons at home - must be approved, regulated size gun cabinet with padlock, must keep ammunition separately. The idea is (from our government's viewpoint, that is) to stop people grabbing for a gun to defend themselves at home, and because of child safety.
Also, police officers here in South Australia (can't vouch for the other states) aren't allowed to bring their duty weapons home. They sign them in and out each shift from the gun room. Only exceptions are certain specialised groups like Star Group (like SWAT I'm thinking)...not quite sure on those but remember DH mentioning it was allowed in special circumstances.
As we have no 'right to bear arms', and most folk don't have weapons to defend their homes (legally, anyway), there are also murky waters when it comes to what constitutes appropriate force when, for example, there's a break-in. There have been cases where the homeowner has been prosecuted for using 'inappropriate force' (though this is ranging from assault through to gunshot wound - but I'm thinking if you kill someone using a gun in your own home, simply for BEING in your home (and not in defence against something they're actually doing, like hurting you) then things get decidedly tricky).
To read more about Port Arthur (the catalyst for these stricter laws), see this site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur_massacre_(Australia)
Cheers!
Lizzie
I think I mentioned that Mrs. sprayed herself in the face with her pepper spray--we then decided that any other weapons would be too risky.
Can't say that I ever have thought a gun was cute....
I do "have a gun". It was Josh's first gun that he had when he graduated. The department got new guns soon afterwards so Josh bought he old one. It is suppose to be "my" gun incase I need it. However, it is locked up in the gun safe. No bullets in it. And I would have to climb up on stuff to find the key. Don't know if it is worth it.
Also, a good friend of mine whose husband was a sheriff had one of those kubaton things. She was total mutliple times that she was not allowed to take it in places (airports, sporting events, etc.) so she ended up taking it off her key chain. She said the only thing it was good for was helping her find her keys. She also had pepper spray, but it went off one time in her purse and a bunch of stuff was ruined.
I do not have a weapon, which makes me sad. :(
Those are some pretty ones.
I don't have one and would prefer not to. Although one of my best friends (whose hubs is also a cop) has one; but, she's been mugged twice (once pretty badly). So I understand.
Helen- ha ha. I could definitely stand to carry some more attitude.
Lizzie- that was very interesting. I need to know more about it on our end here, but it's always under scrutiny. I'm all for right to carry, but there does need to be stricter control in who can get one.
Slamdunk-that's right. I remember you saying that. That's one of my fears in using it. That had to stink!
Stephanie-I love how if you needed your gun it would be *too late* by the time you go to it. . . :)
Erin- I can't believe your friend was mugged twice! How awful. So i bet she's totally trained how to man handle the next would be mugger?
As far as "stricter controls"... it's not the legally acquired weapons that cause the problems, it the illegal ones.
I believe to the core of my soul the old adage "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns"
Meadowlark- Very true.
I just bought the Glock 27. Great pistol, fits my hand great, compact, full of firepower, concealable, accurate, and glock tough. It would be a great pistol for HF. However, you might want to look into something a little less bulky, especially if you wanted a CCW. Look at some of the little Kahrs or the new Ruger LCP and Kel-Tec 3-AT. Both of them are super slim and small. Great for smaller hands (and cheap $280-350). The Kahrs are more expensive but they can't be beat for functionality, reliability and the all important "perty-ness." :)
Those are a few of my favorites anyway. Oh, and my wife is looking at the Berretta Jetfire or Bobcat and the Taurus look alikes (.25 - .380 autos). Another inexpensive, easy to handle, and reliable choice for self-defense.
Good Luck and thanks for the blog.
Scottish- EXCELLENT comment. Thank you so much for all the info. I have lots more to ask/talk to HF about now.
I've attended a few self-defense class FH helps Kimber's man with, so I'd have to say that my best defense right now would be my fingers.
Sounds awesome, I know, but knowing my personality, FH knows that I'd remember the hand techniques better than how to fire a gun. It doesn't mean that he doesn't want me to get one. I just haven't really had a desire (and some of the techniques he taught me to use on the attacker's face totally rock in effectiveness that requires very little muscle. Which is what I have).
P.S. I loved your Lifetime scene! I never watch the channel because it's all about hating guys (or so it seems to me) but that doesn't mean I don't watch sappy shows! Exteme Makeover: Home Edition, anyone?!
We have a running joke that people should be less afraid of Big Daddy with his gun and all his black belting karate skills and more afraid of me when I am truly irate and a frying pan.
I'm with Helen, I have attitude as a weapon.
But, BD wants me to learn to shoot something since I have never fired a gun. I told him I'm not onboard unless he finds me a pink gun. That I can bedazzle just a little bit.
Needless to say, I doubt I'll be armed any time soon.
I sleep with one of DHs guns in it's little gun case under his pillow while he is working. (who knows which one it is, I just know how to pull the trigger.) I don't think much about it, but I think DH feels better about leaving us. :D
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