Hey, Ladies … Sheriff Jim Wilson says it’s time we start carrying our own weight – either in a holster or a bag – for self-defense. In fact, he recently wrote in his March column called “Straight Talk” at Shooting Illustrated magazine,“A particularly dangerous misconception is found among women who leave the defensive tasks to the men in their lives – the head in the sand approach. … It would be nice to have a bodyguard, but most of us can’t afford that luxury!”
This Desert Eagle might be a little much to carry. But Babbs enjoyed shooting it at Team Huntress last year. Photo courtesy of Team Huntress.
Nor can we afford the luxury of trying to decide the most opportune time to carry that firearm. I qualified to carry concealed shortly after Missouri passed (finally) its CCW law. Then, I started trying to think ahead and to second-guess whether I needed to take my gun to that place or not. Some days, I’d leave it home in the safe. Some days I still do, and don’t even get me started on how I hate that when I go on a military installation, that I have to a) leave my gun in the safe and b) rely on the Military Police who are just as busy as normal law enforcement and stretched just as thin and aren’t really obligated to protect me in the first place. What has the world turned into when military soldiers in this day and age of terrorism on the home front can’t carry a sidearm?
Sheriff Jim busts several other myths about personal defense in this column, such as this one: when the criminal hears the sound of a pump shotgun racking back and then forward, he’ll run away. The sheriff says some criminals don’t even know what that sound means. And, he points out that drugs distort reality. I always think that the sound of a pump shotgun is a true test for whether you’re going to have to use it in personal defense. If the criminal does not run away, you’d better be ready to the next step – regardless of whether he understands the meaning of the metal on metal contact.
But being ready is the point. As women, we need to stop sitting next to our loved ones when they fly planes or drive boats or even, shift transmissions. Get in there. Learn how to operate the equipment – even if you never have to use it! Same thing with guns. With millions of guns in our society, it only makes us safer if we understand how they work.
~Barbara Baird
Twitter: http://twitter.com/babbsbaird
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Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
I must say you have shown how to ” Be ever ready…” I am so glad you took the opportunity to handle that .50 caliber Desert Eagle!
(((( KABOOM! ))))
Babbs Rocks!
I am glad Sherriff Jim and you at THE WON are addressing this issue.
Susan B Anthony said it back in the 1800 during the Women’s Suffrage Movement “I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.”
We have come a long way but we have not yet full arrived! Ladies I challenge you to take action, get empowered through education in firearm protection.
Knowledge is POWER!
Jane Keller
Founder of Team Huntress
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” quote by Louisa May Alcott
Babbs…Hear, Hear! Love the column, and Jim Wilson is absolutely right.
It thrills us no end when a lady comes up after a concealed carry class and tells us “You were right–for the first time in my life, I’m not scared anymore.”
For the first time in their life, they realize they don’t have to rely on someone else for their safety and security. They’ve taken control of their lives, learned gun safety and use, and feel good and confident about themselves. And the men in their lives respect them even more for it.
The watchword in my classes is “Confidence–not Competence.”
We teach more than just safe gun handling and rudimentary skills–it is important to us that ladies come out of our classes confident in their gun handling skills, and their ability to protect themselves. The thrill is evident in their faces, and that thrill is what keeps us going as instructors.
I like to say “You want Woman Power? I empower women–I teach them .38 Special!”
Keep up the good work, Babbs. Great e-zine.
Gordon Hutchinson, Author
The Great New Orleans Gun Grab
The Quest and the Quarry
Hey! How’s my favorite co-author? So good to hear from you at The WON. Thanks for your comment. I know Cassandra appreciates it, too!
I am glad Sherriff Jim and you at THE WON are addressing this issue.
Susan B Anthony said it back in the 1800 during the Women’s Suffrage Movement “I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand.”
We have come a long way but we have not yet full arrived! Ladies I challenge you to take action, get empowered through education in firearm protection.
Knowledge is POWER!
Jane Keller
Founder of Team Huntress
“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” quote by Louisa May Alcott