NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/soc/feminism/2984

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-22 | 3.3 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usc!news.service.uci.edu!ucivax!gateway
From: [e-mail] (Robert H Brueckner)
Subject: Re: Women's and men's safety
Nntp-Posting-Host: alexandre-dumas.ics.uci.edu
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Approved: [e-mail]
Lines: 57
Date: 21 Dec 92 23:44:41 GMT
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
    <[e-mail]>

[Followups to this need to be very careful to keep a feminist
relevance.  A flame war over gun control will not be permitted
on this group.  --CTM]

In article <[e-mail]> uunet!octela!![e-mail] (Cathy Kearns) writes:

QUOTE
   [ELIPSIS]  Interviews with rapists and other criminals have pointed
   out that they tend to prey on fearful women more than confident women,
   so woman who truely feel confident walking the streets are less likely
   to be attacked.  How do we give women the confidence they need?  In
   some cases, being able to walk at night, with only women, gives them
   this confidence.  Yes, those women only "Take Back the Night" walks.
   They don't mean to exclude you, they mean to empower the women
   walking, that maybe they can, someday, with confidence, walk alone.
   Other confidence building measures...permits to carry real weapons,
   and the knowledge to use them... self defense courses...I don't know,
   feel free to throw suggestions in here.  The point I am trying to make
   is, that as long as we feel we need men to protect us, we won't be
   free to walk alone in the dark.  Putting the criminals away will take
   away the danger.  But even then, how do we take away the fear?
END QUOTE

I'm heartily support self-empowerment for women (if this sentiment
isn't totally irrelevant); however, I wonder how walking in a group
will give women the confidence to walk alone. Seems kind of illogical
to me. And I am absolutely chilled by your notion that women should be
carrying "real weapons." I think the answer, or one of the answers, is
to deny *everyone* the access to firearms. I don't believe there is
anything in the Constitution that should condone the kind of violence
we have in America today, and if there is we should change it -- not
make it worse.

If women have guns, and it is seen that they do, then rapists will get
guns too, and use them first. Think about it. Do you want your town to
become some 1990s version of Tombstone, Arizona?

Or do you think that only women should be armed in your utopia? And
that if they shoot a man, then he was probably (or even definitely) a
rapist? And that's that?

My question was aimed at how can crimes be prevented, not perpetuated
and multiplied


RB
--
|"The truth is cruel, but it can be loved, and it makes free those who  |
| have loved it." -- George Santayana  // Opinions expressed here, when |
| clear and persuasive, are my own. --Rob Brueckner ([e-mail]) |


--
Post articles to soc.feminism, or send email to [e-mail].
Questions and comments should be sent to [e-mail].  This
news group is moderated by several people, so please use the mail aliases. Your
article should be posted within several days.  Rejections notified by email.