🚀 go-pugleaf

robw@jabberwock.Berkeley.EDU (Robert Weirick) writes:
= seagull@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Seagull) writes:
= > tonytran@sunnet.EBay.Sun.COM (Tony Tran) writes:
= > >
= > >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 ...]
= 
[editing to hopefully save some space, at least]
= 
= 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. 

Up to this point, I agree.  The police haven't the personnel or the legal
obligation to protect citizens, at least in the U.S.  We must reserve the
right to protect ourselves.

= 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. 

One question:  why would it matter how easy it is to protect yourself?
Why should I spend inordinate amounts of time and/or money to protect 
myself from evolutionary throwbacks from whom I shouldn't *have* to
protect myself?  [I reattached that split infinitive just for you, Piglet,
just in case you should read this, and care ;-)]

= If you work out for your health,
= doesn't it make sense to work out for your safety?

Not everyone works out, just in case you hadn't noticed.  For some, it is
a lack of desire or time; for others, it is a fact of life.  Please don't
project quite so much personal preference into your arguments.

= I advocate the study of defensive martial arts for everyone, especially 
= our children.

For those families that can afford it, and those children physically
capable of it, I think martial arts are great.  Aside from self-defense
value, they can provide good physical conditioning and strong discipline.
Remember, though, that they are not _always_ an option.

= 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.

As you say, sometimes there is no choice.

= 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.

Again, they are not necessarily for everyone.  And they are not proof
against attack, nor surety of survival.  At best, martial arts training
improves your chances, perhaps greatly, but they provide no guarantee.
Neither does a weapon, for those who think they should rush right out and
buy Mace or a gun.  There are no magic talismans, only tools to help you
survive.  Whichever tool you may choose, learn it, and learn it well.
*That* will give you the best chance.

= 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.

I can't argue with that.  (Well, I could, but my heart wouldn't really
be in it.... ;)


Strider
 
-- 
Michael T. Ruff              S T R I D E R              Advanced Micro Devices
Product Development Engineer                           5204 E. Ben White Blvd.
Advanced Processor Engineering                                Austin, TX 78741
miker@dvorak.amd.com       I am not a ventriloquist.  I speak only for myself.