Donated Cell Phones for Battered Women

Gusgus

New member
Now I've heard it all. Just now on GMA (yeah, I know, I know), they are touting a new program to provide free cell phones for battered women. These phones will only be able to be used for emergences, I assume in order to allow the caller to give a detailed description to 911 on how she is being battered and murdered. I still would like one of these Moronic Liberals to explain to me how a cell phone can prevent an attack or murder. As Oleg has so well stated "calling 911 takes seconds, waiting for help can take the rest of your life". If they really wanted to protect these women, they would donate a gun, training, and a CCW permit. When will these "feel good" people ever learn?

David
 
David, sorry, but what's GMA?

Back to your point - the cell phones. This could make a lot of sense, actually. First, the cell phones don't need to be mutually exclusive with the use of firearms or other defensive measures. As a matter of fact, Mas Ayoob teaches that the cell phone is part of your defensive package. [We had a female hiker actually die from exposure (it snowed a little north of town) in Phoenix in the last 3 days - she and her brother had left her cell phone in her car.]

At this point in our country, we have a fair number of old cell phones simply lying around. People get new, smaller ones, and they don't know what to do with the old ones. Here is the interesting part - I am told that even if you don't pay for monthly service, if you have an old, working cell phone, you can still dial 911! Handy, eh?

My wife and I were discussing this situation the other day, and it would make sense for a woman's organization to gather these old phones and give them to battered women. That is, use what is a valuable resource, but currently is being wasted. Not to the exclusion of other measures, but as an additional safety rescue tool.

Poor, battered women could be helped by having inexpensive guns (except where prohibited by law ...), training, and donated cell phones. Of course, in some jurisdictions, such as California, it is apparently less trouble and expense to simply buy more chalk and body bags.
 
That's exactly what Bell South Mobility does with your old one if you don't want it anymore when you "upgrade." Won't give you any credit for it, but at least it's going somewhwere useful... But, I also agree it only should be one of several items in your "self-defense toolkit."

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"...and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Luke 22:36
"An armed society is a polite society."
Robert Heinlein

[This message has been edited by mk86fcc (edited March 09, 2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>As Oleg has so well stated "calling 911 takes seconds, waiting for help can take the rest of your life".[/quote]

Actually, I used phrasing suggested by some wise ol' guy on TFL...

On cell phones: I now carry one, a gift from my parents. Found in using my analog phone (which works in more areas) or others' digitals (which is a little more clear) that just getting them to connect takes a lot of time. Say 10-15 seconds to connect...and if out of your normal area, you get a recording asking if you'd like to use the local network and you do have to answer before dialing anything. I tried using the phone while driving and gave up on doing that: takes too much attention even though no one is attacking me. So, overall, a cell phone is a poor way of calling in air strikes even if you have a one-button dialing setup. Better than nothing or a corded phone but not by much.

I prefer "my women" to have better tools and don't mind spending time and money to see to that. Pity GMA isn't interested in doing likewise.
 
This may make many folks mad, but if you know she's a battered woman, why in hell give her a cell phone? If she's getting the SH** Kicked out of her, and yet refuses to leave, then aparently she has chosen to be a battered woman. I can't tell you how many domestic violence calls have ended in the woman cussing out the cop for arresting her tormenter when she was the one who called the cops in the first place! Makes absolutely no sense to me. If you are being battered then there is simply one answer: LEAVE. Once they've left, then give them the cell phone in case the case becomes a stalking case. Better yet, bring back the Liberator 45ACP, so they can kill the SOB, and then a cell phone to call the police to take the body and the report.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gusgus:
As Oleg has so well stated "calling 911 takes seconds, waiting for help can take the rest of your life". If they really wanted to protect these women, they would donate a gun, training, and a CCW permit. When will these "feel good" people ever learn?

David
[/quote]

In my last five years with the sheriff's department, I spent quite a bit of time talking with women who wanted my office to serve their significant others with restraining orders. I didn't see many women who would have benefitted from a pistol and a CCW permit. They didn't have the mentality to fight back. If they had, they wouldn't have been married to the bum in the first place.

Dr. Laura often asks her callers who ask for advice on what to do about such abusive spouses, "How is it possible you didn't see this side of his personality when you were dating?"

I don't see the cell phone will help much either. I was often saddened to see or hear that after I and my assistant went through the trouble to throw the bum out, he would be invited back into the house by the woman after he promised the moon he would be good and loving forever after.
 
I would agree that it is almost impossible to save someone inthe long run if they aren't helping themselves. I was thinking more along the lines of my mother and girlfriend when their pet meanies (like me) aren't around to protect them. In my mother's case, a .22 and a .357 are available, as well as a Mak90 all ready to go. Considering her lack of training and sensitivity to recoil and noise, I'd be inclined to have her stick with revolvers or an M1 carbine as they would allow her to keep lead outgoing till the threat either got it or decided to egress in haste. However, it will be her choice as to what to have and I am entirely willing to lend her any of my guns provided she would learn to operate them. My GF is good enough with her pistol that the only egress would be by body bag. As far as I am concerned, that would also protect others from further predations by the particular perp.

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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA

[This message has been edited by Oleg Volk (edited March 09, 2000).]
 
I have tried shooting with one of those cell phone things but I couldn't hit the side of a barn! Just another poly gun but a little more accurate than most. Fits my hand well but I must be carefull about "limp wristing".
 
Well folks, I wish I could have gotten back into this earlier. I'm not against cell phones, and do believe that they are an essential tool in our self defense arsenal. What got me was the "reasoning" used by these "do gooders". You see, they played tapes of women calling 911 while being attacked, only to have the phone ripped out of the wall by their attacker. The reasoning was that an attacker couldn't rip the cell phone out of the wall, and the victim could stay on the phone during the attack. Hate to tell these brain deads, but if an attacker is strong enough to pin down his victim, and rip the phone out of the wall, he is strong enough to remove a cell phone from the victim's hand and destroy it. Just goes to prove that these "feel gooders" never think any thing through. I'm sure that in their minds, if they hear of one of these cell phone recipients found dead, they think "we gave her a cell phone, there wasn't anything more we could do for her", and walk away feeling justified that they at least did "something". Stupidity is epidemic
 
Screw the cell phones, 12 gauge w/ 00 buck :D

Oh wait the cell phone would be good for calling a lawer. ( Probably no wait or busy signal like 911 )

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"Guns don't kill people the government does", Rusty Shackleford.
http://www.fair.org
 
Another thing about cell phones that I've noticed: calling 911 and getting help can be incredibly complicated.

For example, if you dial 911 on a cell phone in Donley County, parts of Armstrong County and most of Hall County-- it rings in Gray County--60+ miles north.

911 on a cell phone in Vega, is answered 30 miles east in Amarillo.

It can get quite hectic with a hysterical woman giving frantic directions to someone who's never been in your County and doesn't know it. Who then relays her directions to your Dispatcher, who relays them to you. Sort of.

Little gals boyfriend got drunk, beat the snot out of her and dumped her on a highway one night. Took four counties about three hours to find her. Good thing he wasn't trying to finish the job, no?

Cell phones are nice, but they aren't a cure-all.

LawDog
 
Another problem with using a cell phone instead of a landline. With "most" landline 911 your address is automaticly recorded. With a cell phone you must give your location/address before help could arrive. Or even try to get to you. I am all in favor of anyone having a cell phone. It is a cheap idea that may help once or twice. As part of a package it is a good idea. As was said in darn near every case the women only wants you to stop him from hitting her. Not to arrest him or anything. "Just stop him from hitting me."
 
After reading this post I'm thinking I should get a cell phone. This way I can call somebody to come clean up the mess. I think most police agencies do this for free. Or at least they bring the chaulk. Stay safe.
 
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