[quote]AlisaV wrote:
Okay, clarification:
“my only form of self defense is my zip code” means that, at least at the moment, I live in a safe area. I don’t have to worry about getting killed because I’m lucky enough that nobody gets killed here. It’s not a great state of affairs because not everybody is so fortunate.
If you live in a less safe area (which I have) then your self defense is common sense – not going out alone after dark, etc. Even then, things happen.
I don’t think I’m encouraging surrender to evil, but correct me if I’m wrong.[/quote]
That’s a false sense of security in my view. You may be statistically less likely to be assaulted where you live than you are in Brightmoor, but that very mindset makes you more vulnerable if the situation does arise, even if you’re somewhere else when it does. Like Jeff Cooper is saying.
However, why does that have to be your ONLY defense. Want some links to stories about now deceased people who lived in “safe” areas?
You made it sound like you were powerless to defend yourself and only the fact that your present place of residence is a statistically low crime area gave you a sense of security.
There was some TV documentary a few years back where they were interviewing convicts and asked them what they saw as effective deterrents to them returning to their crimes if they were released. One guy told the story of how he broke into a house to rob it, I don’t remember where, and the young woman who lived there happened to be in the hall when he got in and saw him. It was at night. She ran down the hall into her infant son’s room. Her husband was at work and they kept 2 handguns and a shotgun in the house. One of the handguns, some kind of medium automatic was kept in a drawer in the baby’s room.
He turned the knob and started the door open at which time she, sitting on the floor, scared shitless with her back against the dresser, put several rounds through the door. He was hit and seriously injured, but obviously lived. She called the police who called an ambulance, blah blah blah, the guy was a repeat offender and is now in prison with his scars.
He said that he would gladly face any rival gang member he had ever known before having to draw down with another trembling handed mother protecting her children ever again. He said whatever he did if paroled, robbing houses would not be one of them.
I keep a Winchester 1300 Defender (police shotgun, 18 in. unchoked cylinder bore, 8 n 1) 5 rounds 00 magnum buckshot in the magazine, snap cap in the chamber, dry fired, safety off. It’s perfectly safe like that, but is almost instantly ready with a simple cycling of the slide action. Twice a year we go out and I make sure my wife will be ready to use it if need be. Nothing’s foolproof, but that is a VERY effective man stopper in any close quarters situation.
The trouble with a mindset like yours is that it may be too late (God forbid) by the time you see the need for effective personal protection.
