From: jalden@coos.dartmouth.edu (Joshua M. Alden)
Newsgroups: talk.rape
Subject: Re: handguns (?)
Date: 19 Aug 92 02:23:04 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

In <1992Aug18.120226.18553@brtph560.bnr.ca> jcmarx@bnr.ca (JC Marx) writes:

>In addition to what DC has already said, handguns are not normally as accessable
>as a small container of mace. Mace is legal and can be attached to one's car
>keys, which are quite often already in one's hands anyway. Probably wouldn't

    You can carry a handgun concealed and accessible.  Moreso than your
car keys, in fact.

    And, I've already made the point that Mace is illegal in some
states because it can cause permanent damage to mucous membranes.

>do to have a woman, who thinks she is being stalked through the mall, to have
>her handgun ready, esp if a) no bullet is breached, and b) she is carrying

    "Breached"?  Do you mean "no round chambered"?  The bullet is the
lead part that flies.  The round is the whole thing:  brass case,
bullet, powder, primer, etc.

>In addition to the above, one must be trained to use a handgun effectively -
>no training required for mace. Mace goes in the face (an easy target in most

    You can be trained to accurately and competently use a handgun under
stress in four days.  I've seen it done, and been trained that way.  The
training is available everywhere in the US.  Then it's just a question
of maintenance.  One hour a month at the range.

>instances), however, a bullet must be aimed with precision. If the woman
>hesitates, even for a second, her own gun could be turned against her. She is
>more likely to make that deadly hesitation while aiming a handgun.

    Typically, handguns are not taken from women or men, with the
exception of police officers.  Police Officers enter dangerous
situations while the rest of us are leaving, and they carry openly, so
they are easily disarmed.  (A sizeable percentage of policemen killed in
the line of duty are killed with their own sidearms.

>Lastly, a small container of mace is several times cheaper than a handgun.

    You get what you pay for.  I know 5 (as of last count) couples who
have tested the effectiveness of mace.  The test went something like
this.  He starts 20 feet or so away and walks slowly toward her.  She
raises the mace and nails him in the chest (the fumes rise) and then the
face.  He is able to walk the remaining distance and put his hands on
her throat.  In all 5 cases.

    Translation:  under optimal conditions (for the defender), the
attacker can continue the attack.  The defender here has warning, so the
mace is ready, has good lighting, a very slow attack, and hits twice
exactly at the point of aim.  And still the attacker can get to her
throat.  And, once they've grappled, she's got the mace on her, too.

    Does it hurt?  Sure.  Do their eyes run?  Sure.  Does it sting their
noses?  Sure.  Can they still attack?  Probably.  Does it make them mad?
Quite probably.  (He doesn't say, "Oh, that citizen has engaged in legal
defense against my illegal assault.  I better stop."  He gets pissed
that the woman he was about to hurt has had the temerity, the bald
afrontery, to resist.  "You whitebread motherfucking cocksucking bitch!
I'm gonna make you scream!"

    That's not to say that mace is ineffective.  But it's not very
reliable at all.  If you're interested in self-defense, go to your local
range and ask to sign up for an introductory handgun course.  They'll
teach you how to shoot it and use it safely.  It's up to you to provide
the basic alertness, awareness and planning which is necessary for ANY
self-defense method.

    Best of luck and be safe.

-Josh.

--
Josh Alden:  Joshua.Alden@dartmouth.edu
EMT Instructor, DMS Health Education And Rescue Training
Ownership of a weapon is a victimless crime.  (Where it's a crime at all.)
Newsgroups: talk.rape