The Fallout From Aurora

It is such a tragedy what a madman can do to ruin so many lives. This horrific thing will once again fuel the gun control debate. Like the saying goes....

"When you take all the guns from the criminals you can have mine". The fact is criminals will always have guns even if there were gun control.

I'm sorry but I can't help thinking if there were one person in that theatre that had a Concealed Permit the loss of life would have been less. I hate to get on my soapbox here but

"Why does it take something like this for people to think about their safety?

And then a sadder thing is in a month, life will be consumed with the next tragedy and this will fade to the back. People need to say "you know what? I am not going to be a victim, I need to take charge of my life and well being.

Many Years ago I was married to a very physically abusive husband. When I decided I had had enough and was seeking a divorce he stalked, harassed, and terrorized me. Back then they didn' have domestic abuse laws, women's shelters, or help lines. They issued you a personal protection order and unless they caught him in the act there was nothing they could do. After he had slashed my tires for the 2nd time and of course was gone before the police arrived a officer said to me "Well your ok you have a PPO." I looked at him and said "What am I supposed to do with a piece of paper, beat him with it?"

I realized that this was never going to quit until I was dead unless I took charge of my own safety.

So I decided that I was going out without a fight and made a plan. First thing was my dad brought me a rifle from his huge stockpile of weapons. I had been raised hunting and shooting so I was lucky that I was comfortable in handling it. But he would harass me at work, follow me shopping, etc, so I knew I may not have a weapon with me if he attacked me in public. I enrolled in a self defense class. I knew I didn't have time to learn something that would take years to master, I needed something NOW. So I found a class that was run by a former green beret and he taught us a combination of Krav Mago (self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces) and down and dirty street fighting.

The combination of the rifle and the classes saved my life.

First was the rifle. He came to my home one night with a huge Rambo knife but he brought a knife to a gun fight. Once he was staring down a loaded weapon he left never to return to my home because I stated "the next time he would be leaving in a body bag". The next was when he tried to jump me in the parking lot of my work. I dropped him with a broken nose and believe me once I had him on the ground I nearly kicked him to death. He moved out of state 3 months later and I haven't had to deal with him since. Violence is going to increase with high unemployment and skyrocketing food prices and women tend to be the first and easiest targets....

Don't be a victim...take a proactive role for your own safety.

Take classes, both hand to hand combat and gun safety glasses. Get comfortable with both so if you are faced with being in danger it comes second nature to you..you react automatically. Always be aware of your surroundings. I remember my instructor starting every class saying that. When your walking thru a parking lot who is around you, when you go into a movie theater were is the closest exit, walking down the sidewalk is there someone sitting in a parked car? He even went as far as to say "when you board a airplane count the seats to the nearest exit because if you go down there will be panic and thick smoke so you may have to feel your way out". My point is better safe than sorry and also taking responsibility for your own safety will give a that sense of empowerment that you will need when SHTF.

Be prepared, not sorry.