🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <CD3uwx.H4B@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>,
seagull@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Seagull) writes:
> 
> In article <26nu6j$1vq@male.EBay.Sun.COM> tonytran@sunnet.EBay.Sun.COM
(Tony Tran) writes:
> >
> >Hi All,
> >
> >My sister is taking a late night class at a nearby community college 
> >this semester.
> > [ expressions of concern deleted ]
> 
> Probably one of the best means of protecting yourself is to not travel alone.
>  [ rest of the reasonable advice deleted ...]
> 

This seems to be a continuation/new beginning of a thread that seems
to have died very recently. (Defending yourself/Rape).

Within that thread were comments from a woman who advocated learning
self-defense techniques. Okay. I remained silent during the abuse she
took for that advocation, but, unfortunatly, [he climbs up on soap box],
I have to agree with her. 
We (society collectivly) need to begin to take responsibility for our own
safety and the safety of those around us, (whether we know them or not).
There are a lot of scumbags out there who prey on innocent (male and female)
victoms 24 hours a day; it is time we ALL began to defend ourselves, and
adopt self defense as a way of life. In a perfect society, this would be 
unnecessary, but hey, we  don't have that luxury. Adopting self-defense as
a way of life does not mean taking a couple of classes, it does not mean
buying an arsenal of weapons. That is too easy. If you work out for your
health,
doesn't it make sense to work out for your safety?
I advocate the study of defensive martial arts for everyone, especially 
our children. I have a 13 year old daughter, and although I would worry 
myself silly if I let myself dwell on what happens to little girls her age 
every day, I am concerned enough to have encouraged and enrolled her into
a specific field of study, (kenpo, but I digress).
Wasn't there a point to all of this? oh yeah, there it goes now!
Since there is no way for the young lady originally mentioned to master
anything quickly enough for her situation, then obviously mace, pepper juice,
(no, really) is better than nothing. But like that tired old saying from
the 70's goes, "today is the first day of the rest of your life". 
Study one form or another of the martial arts. 
They are not about hurting people, they are about
exploring yourself, and determining what it takes to defend yourself.
They are about learning how to live not in fear, but in awareness.
They are for everyone. And it is never too late to begin.

I guess it is analogous to playing music. I often hear people say, "oh
thats beautiful, if only I could have learned when I was younger", but
take anyone who is not tone deaf and teach them, and two years later they
can play 'something reasonable'. My point is, they will not be chopin, but they
will be far better at it now than if they still hadn't begun to study.
The time to learn self-defense is not when you need it, but rather in
preparation for the eventuality that may or may not ever materialize.

> 
> Cheers,
> -+JLS
> 
> -- 
>                  "All my possessions for a moment of time."
>                             - Queen Elizabeth I
> 
> seagull@mentor.cc.purdue.edu

Sorry I have been so long winded, but what goes on all around us 
everyday scares the hell out of me when I think about it. 
And I wish everyone a safe, happy life. You deserve it. But someone
out there may oneday take it away from you. Is this a sure fire 
cure? No way, Not even. But I firmly believe its the absolute best 
that you can do. 
And remember, the life you save may be your mother's, your son's, 
or even your own.
I am generally a real smartass, but not about this.

Take care of yourself, I mean it ...

Rob