A Gun is an Equalizer
If you are a woman or a man who owns a gun, you
have an equalizer. Since most assailants will be bigger and stronger than the
person that they are attacking, and almost 90% of those assailants will not
have a weapon of their own, you and your loved ones stand a much better chance
of getting away unscathed if you are armed.
Fortunately, there is a weapon for preserving life
and liberty that can be wielded effectively by almost anyone -- the handgun.
Small and light enough to be carried habitually, lethal, but unlike the knife
or sword, not demanding great skill or strength, it truly is the "great
equalizer." Requiring only hand-eye coordination and a modicum of ability
to remain cool under pressure, it can be used effectively by the old and the
weak against the young and the strong, by the one against the many.
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This is true, but not just for women. In the case of a felonious attack by an armed assailant, a man is just as vulnerable as a woman. I would also have to say that the victim deserves more than an "equalizer," and in fact should have an advantage. Most of these attacks happen outside the home; in dark parking lots, and other lonely, empty places. How about let's change the rules? How about handgun ownership automatically comes with a CCW (concealed carry permit)? But it also comes with the responsibilities - that is, a handgun owner must receive extensive training - and I'm not talking about a couple of sessions at the local range - training in small arms for self-defense and situational awareness. Ultimately, human life is at stake, and surely none of us wants a passerby hurt. Imagine then how many criminals would consider a robbery in your local Mom & Pop, with the possibility of several armed and trained citizens inside.