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Women taking lessons on using guns
Scripps Howard News Service ^ | October 12, 2001 | Jennifer Biggs

Posted on 10/13/2001 2:31:38 PM PDT by Mercuria

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - The police department here armed 50 women this week and Chief Tom Long gave them this frank advice:

"It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by six."

The advice was heartfelt and in the spirit of the class.

"We're not trying to tell anyone to violate the law," Long said. "But we have to stress that personal safety should be everyone's primary goal."

The class, devoted to handguns, drew an overflow crowd. Capt. Phil Cox said about 100 women were turned away because there wasn't enough room.

At the session, Long and Cox explained different types of handguns, showed how to load them and demonstrated how to shoot them, including a lesson on recoil.

Recoil is the kickback of a gun after it's fired. Long told the students to lock their wrists and elbows to direct the recoil through their arms to their bodies. Controlling recoil is particularly important in self-defense shooting, Long said, because one shot is usually not enough.

"A one-shot stop with a handgun just usually doesn't happen," he said.

Linda Henderson, 62, said she knows a little about guns, but wants to conquer her fear. "I've been shown several times how to use them, but I'm still scared of them," she said. "I think I'll get more out of this class than my husband and my son showing me."

Betty Bigelow, 57, was accompanied by her daughter, Kelley, 21. "We thought it would be good to know how to defend ourselves," Betty said. "We drive back and forth to Memphis a lot."

Kelley Bigelow said she wants to learn how to use a gun so she'll feel comfortable having one.

"There's this overconfidence in just having a gun," she said. "You feel safe having it, but if you don't know how to use it, you can get hurt."

And even though knowing how to use a gun is a good defense, Long said there's a better one.

"The first thing, the best thing, is don't put yourself in a situation where you need a gun," Long said.


(Contact Jennifer Biggs of The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., at http://www.gomemphis.com.)


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events
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The class, devoted to handguns, drew an overflow crowd. Capt. Phil Cox said about 100 women were turned away because there wasn't enough room.

A group of women overcoming the fear of self-protection that has been drummed into them by the politically correct, the fraud feminists, and tyrannical despots within our own government now are TRULY empowered to send a message to the criminal rapists, thieves, and thugs of Southaven, Mississippi.

I pray that many other communities in our nation will get the message! Go, ladies, go!

"It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by six."

Testify!

1 posted on 10/13/2001 2:31:38 PM PDT by Mercuria
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: AnnaZ; HangFire; Lady Jenn; feinswinesuksass; MissAmericanPie; dbwz; ~Kim4VRWC's~; brat; Slip18...
B-U-M-P...and a special "huzzah" for Southern ladies!
3 posted on 10/13/2001 2:40:01 PM PDT by Mercuria
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To: Mercuria
Chief Tom Long gave them this frank advice:
"It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by six."

God bless this man!

4 posted on 10/13/2001 2:41:39 PM PDT by LJLucido
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To: Mercuria
bump
5 posted on 10/13/2001 2:43:38 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor
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To: Mercuria
Appropriate article as I just helped my mom pick out a nice revolver today.
6 posted on 10/13/2001 2:43:56 PM PDT by AAABEST
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To: Mercuria
Great Post Mercuria, keep them coming, and Keep Your Powder Dry.
7 posted on 10/13/2001 2:44:19 PM PDT by TEXASPROUD
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To: Mercuria
Interesting you post this. I just told my husband this afternoon that I plan to ask my father (avid lifetime hunter, NRA member) to teach me how to shoot/handle handguns and whatever else he thinks I can handle. I want to be comfortable with it before I think about actually getting one. I imagine my dad will be delighted. :)
8 posted on 10/13/2001 2:46:37 PM PDT by agrace
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To: Mercuria
"A one-shot stop with a handgun just usually doesn't happen," he said.

With proper ammunition, even a .32 can stop someone with one shot more than half the time. So I wouldn't agree that a one-shot stop "usually" doesn't happen.

On the other hand, even if your ammo has a one-stop percentage of 75%, you still have to be ready to deal with that other 25%.

9 posted on 10/13/2001 2:48:15 PM PDT by supercat
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To: Mercuria
Hell has no fury like a woman about to use her gun in self defense!

PRO 2nd amendment Bump!
Text of the Second Amendment
"A well regulated Militia
being necessary to the security of a free State,
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."


How Did the Founders Understand the Second Amendment?

10 posted on 10/13/2001 2:48:43 PM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
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To: Mercuria
Nice to see more of this. It's happening in Michigan as well.
11 posted on 10/13/2001 2:49:04 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
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To: LJLucido
A CHIEF said that? I expect that from a trooper, but not the chief.
12 posted on 10/13/2001 2:49:44 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
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To: SAS-MS; technochick99; "Miss_Ruger"; 2nd amendment mama
Ping
13 posted on 10/13/2001 2:51:02 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
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To: Mercuria
Thanks for the bump.  I'm glad these types of programs are springing up.  Women should know how to use their weapon, and use them enough to feel very comfortable using them.  But I think the officer made a very important observation.

Men as well as women need to "think" about their actions and not put themselves in a situation that very easily could get out of hand.

There are certain areas I won't go at night.  Even in the daylight I make a concious decision about where I am going to go and how I'll transit from my car to the buildings.

My first wife used to love to go out late with the girls.  Save your breath, we were having problems at the time.  Every time I tried to warn her about being out late alone, she would tell me I didn't know what I was talking about.  Ladies, you live in a different world than we do.  I'm sorry, but thems the facts.

After all these years, an ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure.

14 posted on 10/13/2001 2:51:20 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: Mercuria
SOUTHAVEN, Miss.

Not just the ladies of The New South.
I saw a TV report about the full classes for ladies fire-arm training at
Front Sight over in Nevada.

I guess some sensible ladies decided they should be pro-active in case civil
insurrection breaks out...or for that nice, mellow Islamic terrorist who might
inhabit the next apartment over...
15 posted on 10/13/2001 2:59:24 PM PDT by VOA
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To: Mercuria
Finally, guns are attaining the respect they deserve as the best form of protection. This is most likely the time to watch the gun grabbers closely, this kind of thing will drive them nutz.
16 posted on 10/13/2001 3:14:54 PM PDT by MissAmericanPie
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To: Dan from Michigan
A CHIEF said that? I expect that from a trooper, but not the chief.

There are a few, including in Michigan, but they tend to be from small towns.

17 posted on 10/13/2001 3:17:20 PM PDT by LJLucido
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To: Mercuria; AnnaZ; feinswinesuksass; Kithlyara; labusiness; gc4nra; DoughtyOne; lowbridge...
Thanks for the bump Merc! We just got back from a clays shoot with a whole bunch of women shooters. We'll get something up on the Liberty Belles site asap!
18 posted on 10/13/2001 3:53:51 PM PDT by HangFire
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To: Dan from Michigan
Thanks for the ping Dan. This is great news for all of us 2nd Amendment supporters.


Second Amendment Sisters

19 posted on 10/13/2001 4:05:38 PM PDT by 2nd amendment mama
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To: Mercuria
Excellent article, thank you!
20 posted on 10/13/2001 4:25:08 PM PDT by the irate magistrate
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