Why Concealed Carry for Women Is Both Necessary and Important

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CULTURE AND SOCIETY, ALONG WITH FEARS AND STEREOTYPES, FACTOR IN, BUT CONCEALED CARRY FOR WOMEN IS ABOUT SAFETY, WINNING THE FIGHT AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.

By

CAT CABRERA

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, “A woman is like a tea bag. You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” In today’s society, we have a bad habit of encouraging the inner John Wick in men, boosting the lifestyle and culture of all things “tactical,” and supporting the Second Amendment through our bearded loved ones. Civilizations all throughout history, all over the world, encouraged women to embrace their inner warrior, too. So why have we strayed from that?

Fears & Stereotypes

I asked several women, “Why do you carry a gun, or choose not to?” Those who carry had one thing in mind: protection. Those who don’t carry said they didn’t feel safe, didn’t know anything about guns, or simply didn’t see themselves with a gun. But why? Why don’t they feel safe? Why don’t they see themselves shooting?

When it comes to firearms safety, I noticed a pattern that has nothing to do with what’s been broadcasted on the TV or internet, but the gun itself. Most women who said they don’t feel safe around guns stated that it was because of the noise and power they hold. This is understandable. The noise itself can make anyone jump, no matter how often you surround yourself with it. The power of a gun should be respected and not taken lightly.

Concealed Carry for Women

Those who own a gun can testify that it’s not as easy as walking in to your local gun shop and picking one up. You have to do a few things beforehand, like taking a class to become more familiar with the types of guns, the parts of a gun and safety when using a gun.

Then the most common practice is to go to a shooting range and become associated with the gun and practicing the safety behind shooting it. If you’re new to the concept, I suggest taking an introductory class at your local shooting range and learning your state laws to help you determine if owning a firearm is meant for you.

The self-perception thing is a bit more complicated. Our “gun culture” is a real thing—it’s not just some lingo marketers came up with to get you to buy more guns. The U.S. was founded on this lifestyle, with hunters, soldiers and protectors.

Proud Americans have owned guns for hundreds of years. But the world is changing, and it seems that some are intent on stripping us of our Second Amendment rights. These anti-gunners associate firearms with malice and evil, as a disruption to life, instead of what they really are: protectors of life.

Gun Owners & Culture

Here in the U.S., gun owners are just as diverse as the rest of the country. There are both urban and rural shooters, even though it’s typically harder to carry a gun in some cities. In these locales, you might find people asking, “Why would you need a gun?” But those of us raised in rural households know that guns are common household items. Their purpose varies among shooters, but home security will always be a top priority.

Culture and society play a large role in a woman’s choice to own a gun. If you weren’t raised around guns, it might not be easy to associate yourself with one. You might not know much about them, or know people who do.

We’ve also done a disservice to women everywhere by making “everyday women” feel like they aren’t worthy enough to own firearms. Think of all the women showing up in superhero films: Black Widow, Wonder Woman, The Wasp, Captain Marvel.

They’re all women we admire but cannot compete with or become. They have their leather jackets and bad-girl struts—something most women can’t relate to. But I have some news for you: If I, a Lois Lane in the gun world, can be part of this lifestyle, then so can you.

Concealed Carry for Women: Protecting Yourself

Of the women I spoke to who carry firearms, one commonality became apparent: They are driven not to protect themselves, but those they love and care for. That alone is one heck of a reason to own a gun, but your own personal protection should be a key reason in making the final purchase.

I was raised by a dad who shot his first gun when he was nine, has taken martial arts courses since he was 13 and designs blades for a living. I am no stranger to the self-defense world, obviously. My parents highly encouraged this pursuit. But this influence is what drives me to write this, as your personal protection should be your top priority.

Taking a step toward creating a safer household, and a safer environment for yourself, is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s an honor and a privilege.

If you’re a woman, owning and carrying a gun is unexpected. If you happen to find yourself in a compromising situation, I guarantee the antagonist of your story will be shocked to find you pulling your weapon of choice out of your purse.

You’ll immediately win that fight or at least level the playing field. But think about the same threatening situation without a handgun by your side. Do you still think the odds are in your favor? I doubt it, but you must always fight back. Never allow yourself to lose voluntarily.

Concealed Carry for Women: Making the Choice

So if you’re interested in becoming a part of the “gun culture” but aren’t quite sure where to start, head to your state’s website and begin to acquaint yourself with your local laws and regulations. Become familiar with your rights and the process of becoming a proud gun owner.

I highly suggest looking for a local shooting range or self-defense and training facility near you that will equip you with the proper knowledge and power to confidently carry. Invite some of your girlfriends for a girls’ night at the range. Encourage those around you to join you on this journey.

Cat manages DoubleStar Corp. and is an expert in firearm mechanics.

The Myth of the Mass Shooting Epidemic

The myth of the mass shooting epidemic

by Brad Polumbo. Originally posted on the Washington Examiner.

September 03, 2019 01:11 PM

As Beto O’Rourke put it: “This is f—ked up.”

The Texas Democrat and mediocre presidential candidate offered these wise words in an effort to capitalize on tragedy this weekend to try and once again reboot his failing campaign. O’Rourke was responding to the tragic news of another mass shooting in Odessa, Texas, over the weekend that left at least seven dead and 25 injured. 

But although O’Rourke’s sentiment is completely understandable, it’s also completely unfounded. Despite the liberal media’s profit-motivated mass coverage of these tragic events, and despite frequent exploitation by gun-control activists, actual mass shootings remain a statistical rarity and a much-exaggerated threat.

The liberal media just doesn’t cover car crashes, heart disease, or suicide with the same fervor it does mass shootings — perhaps because these far more common causes of death advance no political agenda and fail to get that gut reaction that makes people tune in. 

By nearly a factor of four, more people in America die from the flu and pneumonia than by homicide (all homicides, including non-gun homicides).

But people aren’t running out to get a flu shot with nearly the same fervor with which they’re clamoring for gun control. Much of the population has been scared into radically over-estimating the prevalence of mass shootings and gun violence in general. 

The CDC estimates that 4.5 people out of 100,000 die each year from various forms of firearm homicide. Mass shootings, in turn, account for less than 1% of homicides. 

Another way of looking at it is to consider rifle homicides specifically, because the topic always turns to "assault weapons." There are only 300 to 400 deaths in a given year from all rifles, including the ones someone might call "assault weapons." You are 50% more likely to be killed by a blunt object. 

Contrast mass shootings with the 12.4 out of 100,000 people who die in car accidents every year, or the 20 out of 100,000 who die from accidental poisoning. If these tragic deaths were covered with the same frequency and fervor as shootings, Americans might start wearing their seat belts and take greater care with potential toxins. Yet notably, there’s still no call to ban cars, or to require people to fly from New York to Boston rather than take the much-more-lethal drive up I-95. 

It’s also unclear, despite what media coverage and some dubiously-generated statistics would suggest, that mass shootings are even getting more frequent. Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox found that “the number of mass shooting victims, perpetrators, and incidents didn’t change much from 1980 to 2014.” 

We need to take a deep breath, and view this violence as the serious but statistically infrequent threat it truly is. Smart policy decisions are rarely made by a population steeped in misinformation and fear.

And that’s exactly where we’re at right now. 

In a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, Harvard instructor David Ropeik explained that according to his calculations, “the statistical likelihood of any given public school student being killed by a gun, in school, on any given day since 1999 was roughly 1 in 614,000,000.” That’s right: one in 614 million. Your odds of winning the lottery are 1 in 300 million. 

Ropeik aptly points out that the risk of dying in a school shooting is extremely low, and “far lower than many people assume.” As well, this risk is “far lower than almost any other mortality risk a kid faces, including traveling to and from school, catching a potentially deadly disease while in school or suffering a life-threatening injury playing interscholastic sports.”

According to Pew Research, 57% of teenagers fear school shootings, even though there is essentially a 0% chance it will happen to them. And parents share their unfounded anxiety: 63% similarly worry about their child’s safety in school due to mass shootings. It's understandable that something as awful as a mass shooting would inspire fear, but again, consider the odds relative to all those other, much more common dangers.

It’s unhealthy for us as a nation to have such disproportionate fear of a threat that the facts show is actually quite remote. Raw emotion is understandable, but when making policy it’s no substitute for fact. The media, meanwhile, are going out of their way to cause needless fear and stress just to get a few extra views and clicks — if it bleeds, it leads. And that, as O’Rourke might put it, is just f—ked up.

When dating apps like Bumble ban gun pictures, they're banning American values

Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, Kroger, and L.L Bean have all recently hopped on the gun control bandwagon by refusing rifle sales to patrons under 21 years old. Now, the world of dating apps has joined them, too. 

The dating app Bumble, which as of November 2017 included more than 23 million users, recently updated its user policy, stating: 

"Bumble is working to ban gun photos. Making sure our users feel safe meeting new people has always been our #1 priority. If you see a photo of someone with a gun while swiping on Bumble, please use the report button in app so our team can take action. Together we can continue to create an even safer online community." 

Bumble, which has been branded as " the feminist dating app," perpetuates far-left rhetoric that only benefits those with a bleeding-heart liberal ideology. According to Bumble's terms of conditions and use, they want "users to be able to express themselves as much as possible and post all sorts of things on Bumble.”

Of course, this free expression clause is followed by how they also “have to impose restrictions on certain content." Cue a long list of restrictions dealing with indecent exposure … and firearms. 


While Bumble allows its users to express themselves in photos in almost any other fashion (except for pornography), users are banned from expressing what could potentially be their strongest interest. Firearms are at the core of American history, traditions, sporting, and freedom. By banning firearms, Bumble is, in essence, banning one of America's core principles. 


Arguably, Bumble is really saying that content is "okay" as long as it fits within certain cultural and political guidelines set by their far-left, politically-motivated developers and lawyers. And now that Bumble has hopped on the un-American gun control bandwagon, who or what is next?

Where does it stop? 


Bumble's rhetoric of diversity and inclusion is simply a facade to cover its true motive of dissuading meaningful conversation across political fault lines and finding common ground on American issues.

It’s an attempt to sanitize firearms and Americans’ Second Amendment rights from the norms of daily life. 
The far-left is truly intolerable of other beliefs, ideologies, interests, and hobbies. By taking this action, Bumble is showing its true colors of how unaccepting they really are.

The Attack on Law-Abiding Gun Owners

When innocent lives are taken in school shootings or other mass tragedies, we should come together, as a nation, mourn with the families and friends who lost their loved ones, and in time discuss how this could have been prevented. 

Instead, the radical gun-grabbing Left is at it again, blaming law-abiding citizens for the actions of a deranged criminal. Within hours of the Santa Fe, Texas, school shooting, gun-grabbing extremists like David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, and others across the nation called for stricter gun control laws. Unsurprisingly, Hogg, Kasky, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and other firearm-haters immediately diverted attention from the shooter and focused their attacks on the National Rifle Association.

What they fail to realize is that focusing blame on the NRA, or blaming law-abiding citizens, will get our nation nowhere in developing a realistic solution to stop criminals and their desire to inflict harm on others.
 

In order to propose a viable solution, one must know the facts of the situation. Examining the facts of this horrific incident allows us to propose realistic solutions to avoid repeats. 

Firstly, the weapons used in the Santa Fe High School shooting were a sawed-off shotgun and a .38 caliber handgun. Sawed off shotguns are illegal under federal law without a special license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Investigators have identified the original buyers, however how it moved from them to the shooter has yet to be determined. 

In regards to the .38 caliber handgun, under federal law one must be 21 years old to own or purchase a handgun in the U.S. ( some exceptions exist for those 18 to 21). The madman, who killed 10 at the Santa Fe High School, is only 17. No current law, or other law, would have prevented him from illegally obtaining those firearms. 

The most common knee-jerk reaction from proponents of gun control is to call for immediate stricter gun control laws and blame the NRA. But stricter gun control will only hurt law-abiding citizens because criminals don’t follow the law. 

Gun control legislation is currently on the rise across the country with numerous states raising the age to purchase a firearm to 21. By implementing such radical gun control legislation, millions of Americans aged 18 to 20 are stripped of their constitutional rights and the ability to effectively defend themselves. 

Other absurd gun control legislation currently under consideration in Congress include H.R. 4268, which would implement a seven-day waiting period after purchasing a firearm, H.R. 1612, which closes the so-called “gun show loophole”, and H.R. 163, which would hold gun manufacturers accountable for crimes committed with their firearms. 

These bills come from far-left leaning Democrats, of course, who only care about control and saving face among their voters. They don’t care about the rights of law-abiding Americans or the Constitution. If they did, they would not be attempting to pass such radical gun-control legislation. 

It gets worse on the state level. 

For example, the New York State Senate passed a bill recently allowing police and prosecutors to confiscate weapons from people deemed a danger to themselves. Florida passed a similar law after the Parkland school massacre. These types of laws completely bypass due process, violating an individual's Second and Fourth Amendment rights. Of course, this can be contested in court, but the question remains, how long does it take to contest this obstruction of justice in court? 

The overall problem with more gun control legislation passing is that once the floodgates are opened, who or what is to stop unconstitutional legislation from becoming law? For decades now, the far-left has stated they’re “not coming for our guns.” The legislation they’ve been proposing demonstrates otherwise.

Written by Tyler Yzaguirre, SAI President. Originally published in Washington Examiner.