davidl@tekig.UUCP (David Levadie) (02/17/84)
I once knew a woman who was attacked by a vicious dog on her way to the bus. I gave her a long knife with which to defend herself. The dog attacked again. When I next saw her, she remonstrated me with, "That dog isn't scared of that knife at all - I took it out and she just jumped at me anyway." And, she was still terrified. Now, with a knife like that in my hand I could, and would, try to kill any dog that attacked me. But, it never even occurred to her to attack the dog - she thought the dog was supposed to be "scared" of the knife! The reaction of anger and response with deadly force, which I take for granted, and view as indispensable for self-preservation, was clearly lacking. I reacted with a mixture of contempt and pity. Any woman - PERSON - like this is a sitting duck. You can arm someone to the teeth, but if they don't have the will to use the weapon, they are worse off than being unarmed, in the case of a human assailant. Come to think of it, in dealing with people, I have noticed that women in general present a demeanor of physical vulnerability. In fact, among the women I've met (INCLUDING the martial arts afficionados) I can only recall one woman who struck me as being physically menacing; and it was not because of her size - it was her clear willingness and capability for deadly force. I really liked her; she had an incredible energy about her (she's married now, with several children). And she had no martial arts training...
wdoherty@bbncca.ARPA (Will Doherty) (02/20/84)
I don't think that ecouraging MENacing and angry behavior is the way to handling people who are menacing and angry. If you're angry, express your anger in a way that people will know that you're angry, so that you (primarily) and they can deal with it. Stabbing a dog with a knife is not the way to deal with being bothered by a dog. Why not call up a dog catcher or somesuch to come get the dog and take it away until it will be good again. Same goes for rapists. If we all start caring knives, guns, nukes, around with us, it won't make the world any safer. It won't stop rape and violence either. Will Doherty decvax!bbncca!wdoherty
ntt@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader) (02/21/84)
David Levadie (tekig!davidl) writes (in net.women): ... The reaction of anger and response with deadly force, which I take for granted, and view as indispensable for self-preservation, was clearly lacking. I reacted with a mixture of contempt and pity. Any woman - PERSON - like this is a sitting duck. We need fewer people like Mr. Levadie, and more people with these qualities he views with contempt. A climate of violence begets more violence. Mark Brader