THE PRETTY PISTOLERA

Crazy People (Part Deux)

I vow to add the following items to my travel checklist:

• Pepper Spray - I plan to buy another Kimber Guardian Angel Pepper Blaster that is for travel only.

• Knife (one that is not too scary) -  And I'm going to learn how to use it. 

The new items will always be in my suitcase (along with my travel headlamp).  I always have to check my bag (too many lotions and potions) so there is no reason not to have something for self-defense.  I would prefer the Glock 26, but I have a feeling my paycheck supplier would frown upon it.  I can see it... "Hey Mr. Bossman, I'll meet you at the gate.  I need to declare my firearm." 

PS - I apologize upfront for beating a dead horse.  Notice a teasing brush is not on the list.

Crazy People

I was at a mall yesterday in the Southwest. I was standing outside a store digging in my handbag for Swedish Fish. One small child bumped into me as he was trying to catch up with his mother. Five seconds later I hear screaming from another child. The loud child was trying to catch up with the same mother. The screaming was deafening, therefore, looks of irritation and annoyance took my face hostage.

The next thing I know Bad Mama with Attitude says to me "don't look at him like that." I made eye contact with BMA and just stared at her. She then said " look at him like that again and I'll kick your ass."  She meant it. I continued to stare and then I just have her an apathetic shrug (one of my specialities in body language). Luckily she collected her offspring and moved on.

She was a big, nasty woman that made five of me. I have no doubt that she could have seriously hurt me. I immediately thought about what I had to use for self-defense. Absolutely nothing. I came here via the airport. No pepper spray. No knife. And especially, no firearm. I was a sitting duck.

New travel rules to come. I will not experience that feeling again.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Still Ranting

I am still wild about what I learned last night.  My apologies for not offering ideas for a better plan than the one I made fun of.  How about this:

• Educate yourself on how to be aware of your surroundings.

• Take a self-defense class.  If you don't have the confidence to fight - learn how to punch, kick, and scream.

• Learn the behavior of dirt-bag predators and how to NOT be a victim.

• Seek out experts or a self-defense class to help you become confident enough to avoid an attack. 

• If your state allows, get a CCW permit.  Learn how to use your firearm safely and accurately. Learn the law and how it affects you.

To all of my fellow sisters in the blogosphere - if you need a self defense class and don't know where to start, I will help you locate one.  Send me an email and I will do what I can to find a reputable class in your area. 

PS - This two day rant takes me down the memory lane of my "activist" college days.  I'll dig up the photos. 

You Want Me to Do What?

This evening, at our kitchen island.

Tracy:  How was IGOLD today?

John:  It was good.  You would have loved it.  The women of IGOLD gave our new governor a gift. 

Tracy:  Really?

John: (grinning) It was like a shadowbox.  Inside was a rat-tail comb, a key, and a tongue depressor.

Tracy:  That's ridiculous.

John: It said "in case of emergency break glass." 

Tracy:  (confused) I don't get it.

John:  These are suggested weapons the state says you should use in case of an attack.

Tracy:  What do you do with a tongue depressor?  And, if it worked, who carries one in their handbag?

John:  (eyes rolling) You should use it to make yourself vomit.

I am not often speechless.  I was tonight.  Off to the Internet I went.  Guess what I found! On the Illinois State Police website there is a list of "helpful" hints in case you are confronted by an attacker.  Read the list here, or keep reading for the highlights (coupled with my editorial). 

 

ISP says:  "Fighting for your safety may be necessary. However, if you start out fighting you cancel any other options that might be open to you."

Tracy says:  If my life is in danger, what alternatives are there exactly? 

 

ISP says:  "Since many attacks on women are not sexually motivated, and are designed to degrade and humiliate, talking your way out of it may be easier.  There is documentation of assailants that left a would-be-victim alone after she told him that she was pregnant and it would kill her baby."

Tracy says:  I would like to see the documentation.  I searched the news headlines and archives.  I didn't find anything of the sort.  Instead, I found a boat load of articles on Chris Brown beating the crap out of Rihanna.   

 

ISP says:  "It may sound disgusting, but putting your fingers into you throat and making yourself vomit usually gets results. (This method is not often used except as a last resort.)  Use your imagination and you can think of others."

Tracy says:  Do you think picking my nose will work? 

 

ISP says:  "The above methods [telling the attacker you're pregnant or that you have an STD] are particularly important if your assailant has a gun or knife, or there is more than one attacker. (Fighting would probably be futile)."

Tracy says:  So suck it up?  No way!

 

ISP says:  "Articles common to your handbag that make useful defense weapons - nail file, rat tail comb, teasing brush, pens and pencils, keys, anything rigid."

Tracy says:  What about a firearm?  I've never read a headline that said "woman fights off sexual predator with a pencil."

 

The official title of the site is "Sexual Assault - If You Are Confronted..."  I cannot believe this is advice from a law enforcement agency. 

Bottom line?  I'm insulted.  A woman goes to this web page to learn what to do if she is confronted by an attacker and she's told to grab her teasing brush?  I guess I'm defenseless.  I haven't teased my hair since 1989.