Youth, the Second Amendment, and a Handgun.

Lazarus; In my never humble opinion the most important thing to remember is that YOU ALONE are responsible for your safety at home or elsewhere. You have been given some very good advice by some highly qualified people. You have to pick and choose what is best for you. I prefer firearms but a lot is to be said for some good spray. Learn to be aware of situations that can be threatening and even accept becoming a bit paranoid. Learn to evaluate and develop your own defense capabilities so that you will trust your judgements and instincts.

Dont forget that the reason to practice self defense is to continue to enjoy life.

Because there are

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Better days to be,

Ed
 
not worth getting bumped from the forum over so removed

[This message has been edited by Hal (edited November 12, 1999).]
 
Hmm. Musta missed something.
I'm amazed that so many people have taken the time to reply to this. I will check out the events you mentioned, Mr. Thomas, and perhaps when I get a little more acquainted with TFLers, we'll all get some friends together and go down to the marksman range or something, eh? No, your offers weren't obtrusive in the least! Thank you all for your wisdom and generosity- it gets harder and harder to find people with concurrent views these days.
 
Lazarus

I attend the University of Tennessee and no guns are allowed on campus. Although I still live at home and have all of my guns, I do NOT carry them on campus. TN has very unrestrictive gun laws and you can pretty much carry a rifle or shotgun in your car and not be punished, but you better abide by university rules because they are a totaly different story. If you have your heart set on attending that college in CA, by all means go for it, but be warned CA is an unfreindly gun owner state and there are a lot of crazies there. I suggest looking at colleges somewhere other than CA (maybe University of TN, we have a decent engineering program ;)). If you do want something for personal protection I suggest chemical defense spray and a knife. Get something that has 10% OC such as Devastator or Sabre which I think has 13%. I got certified through the sherrifs office (been an Explorer for 4 years) and had to get sprayed by Freeze +P (1%OC,1% CS tear gas), it put me out for 2 hours. There is no need of risking getting caught, arrested, and ruining the rest of your life as a gun owner because of CA restrictive gun laws, DONT CARRY IF YOU GO TO CALIFORNIA. Just keep up on enhancing your survival skills, always be watchful and never let your guard down and youll be fine.
 
Lazarus,

Have you looked into Kettering U.? (Formerly GMI Engineering and Management Institute) In Flint Mi. Have a friend there, and he is receiving one hell of an education. Most majors are co-op programs where half the semester is spent with a sponsor company learning the ropes of the trade. Actually, now that I've regained my mental image of Flint, maybe scratch that idea. Kali may be full of krazies, but the just-plain idiots seem to gravitate towards Flint like it's some kind of mecca. (My apologies to any TFLers who might happen to be Flintoids. I would also reccomend you move before you catch the stupidity that seems overabundant in that area.)


[This message has been edited by Christopher (edited November 12, 1999).]
 
I have a sister-in-law that started college recently. She is now living just a few blocks away. But being a very attractive young lady and vulnerable... My wife and I worried about her safety.
I gave her 2 things.
1. A tactical folding knife.
2. My Cell Phone number.

She keeps the knife with her always and knows the cell number by heart. She knows how to use both. She watched both Gunsite knife videos 2X each...
She knows should things get out of hand - I am only 2 minutes away and that I own among other things, a shovel. She feels much safer, as do we.
I would have let her have my PPK/S - but she declined it. She said, "Why carry that when I can call in a SCUD attack?"



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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Hey, George Hill, read the latest issue of George? There's a rage against the machine interview, apparently, they're marxists. Blech.
 
Here's my $.02.

Situational awareness is the number one priority. Train yourself to watch everything and everyone around you. Don't get taken by surprise.
Choose friends carefully and whenever possible travel in groups of at least two or three.
If a place or person makes you nervous, go the other way. Better to take the long way around than risk it.
Always move with confidence and keep your head up. As Clint Smith says "If you look like prey, you will be eaten."
Consider alternative weapons. Pens, pencils, keys etc. can do a great deal of damage and noboby will notice if you walk around with one in your hand at the ready.

As for the firearms issue, I'm afraid that is something you will have to decide on your own. Whatever your choice is, do as suggested earlier and keep your mouth shut.

A little paranoia can be a good thing.
 
Lazarus,

I admire your obvious dedication to learning (16 and going to college!!!). Your concerns for personal safety are also commendable; you understand that anyone can be the victim of a crime. That you understand this idea says that you are keenly observant. My advice:

Remain as aware of your environment as possible. When I transferred to a senior college, the first thing I did was walk the campus, learning the best routes to and from my dormitory, classes, library, cafeteria, and parking lots. Once I got the lay of the land, I felt more comfortable (but remained observant of my surroundings). Back then, the only thing I carried was a folding knife and my martial arts training. BEING AWARE TAKES CARE OF HALF OF YOUR SELF-DEFENSE.

As mentioned in a previous post, travel in groups.

Carry yourself with confidence; the BG aren't interested in victims whom they know will fight back.

Avoid small, constricting areas (narrow walkways in between buildings, shortcuts off the beaten tracks, etc.) Put yourself in the BG's shoes--if it seems like a compromising area, chances are, it is.

Don't be afraid to draw attention to yourself if you think something's about to happen. Attention=Witnesses=Help

Several members posted about carrying OC spray. DO IT, BY ALL MEANS! What sold me on OC spray was an incident in north Florida. A man was at a payphone and two gangbangers wanted his money. Reaching for his wallet, he calmly grabbed his OC spray, which was clipped to his belt, and doused them. The gangbangers went down. The man called the cops, who arrived in five minutes, and he told them he had a handgun in his vehicle. He nixed getting the gun because the OC spray incapacitated the BG well enough.

If you have the time and the finances, seek out a martial arts school. Inquire whether or not they focus on martial arts for fitness, sport, or self-defense (some do all three). Make it clear you are interested only in self-defense. As far as consumer tips for finding a reputable school, here goes. Ask how long the school has been around (the more years, the more reliable). If the instructor claims to be a 7th degree black belt and is only thirty-something, beat it. 1st degree=at least 3 yrs. experience. 2nd degree=5 yrs. 3rd degree=8-9 yrs. 4th degree=12-13 yrs. 5th degree=17-18 yrs. Get the picture?

Best wishes and good graces!
 
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