The Right to Bear Arms
A spate of recent attacks on gay men and lesbians in different cities has had differing results, raising the issue of what personal steps people should take to defend themselves.
On October 25, writer, actor and performance artist Emanuel Xavier was beaten up by a group of 15-20 teenagers as he walked to his mother’s house in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, NY. Although his injuries did not require hospitalization, he suffers hearing loss for which he will require treatment for the foreseeable future.
Just four days later, in Philadelphia, 21 year old aspiring singer Lucas Dawson was chased and beaten by four men as he walked to a bus stop. When he pulled a knife and confronted one of the attackers, he wound up stabbing and killing the man. After a brief period of time in jail, Lucas was released and a judge dismissed manslaughter charges against him.
And in Hartford, Connecticut, two lesbians were beaten by a gang of men as they walked from a nightclub to their car. The men shouted offensive epithets as they assaulted the pair, and the women also claim that after someone called 911, it took Hartford police more than an hour to arrive.
The fact that some homophobes, prone to violence, would choose to attempt to assault and victimize lesbians and gays should come as nothing new. That some of us are getting fed up with it and the indifference from law enforcement officials, may be a surprise. A more militant LGBT community does exist and they have no plans to be anyone’s victim.
Personally, I am not a violent person, but neither am I one to back down from a fight, particularly if my life depends on it. I won’t start it, but given a choice between me or you, I plan to be the guy who comes out of the fight alive.
Which brings me to the issue of guns and weapons. I’ve never been a fan of guns and tend to veer left on most gun control issues. But in light of these recent accounts, I can’t argue with someone else’s right to do what they feel is necessary to protect themselves. And I reserve the right to re-evaluate my own needs for firearm-based protection, within the confines of legal usage.
What’s your opinion? Should we start carrying knives, mace, pepper spray, clubs, guns or other weapons and be prepared to bust a cap in somebody’s ass if they want to jump us? Do you do so already? Or should we continue to take the moral high ground, advocating respect for and faith in the legal system to protect us and prosecute any and all attackers?
If we fight fire with fire, will that make these roving gangs of cowards back down, or cause them to become even more violent? Is it better to reason with homophobes, attempting to build bridges with our confused and misinformed enemies, and change their attitudes through dialogue and education?
Posted by bernie at November 11, 2005 2:08 PMTrackBack
A couple of years ago I found myself sitting in my living room talking to a member of the local police department. I was being told what I had to gather in order to properly document and build a case for stalking. A young man probably not much older than me had been harassing me - constantly and in very scray ways. He also knew exactly where I lived and was not afraid to make that known. Did I get a gun? no. Did I start carrying pepper spray? yes. Do I think that people who truly feely that they are in danger should carry something around with them if they don't think their fist is enough? Hell yeah!
Posted by: ClayStarr at November 11, 2005 3:57 PMI don't carry a gun. Not because I'm a peacenik, but due to the cumbersome paperwork required. Years ago I inquired about a permit and a co-worker told me of a "Scheme" to join a gun club that would assist you in getting a shooting permit, with a high likelihood of obtaining a carry permit. It seems too like too much trouble.
Until 2000, I carried a a nice-sized dagger. Of course, I started feeling weird about a dude that coincidently started running the same route as me for my morning run/jog around the outside of the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.
I'm actually considering joining a shooting club now. Hell, even the Pink Pistols if that's the only way to secure a gun legally. Fighting fire with fire may spur even more vicious attacks, but really, there's no other viable alternative.
Posted by: ronn at November 11, 2005 6:32 PMthe time has come for members of the GLBT community to become a bit more militaristice in their approach to justice. If it is respect we desire from an oppressor that would rather see our eradication, then it will only come when every member of our community who is ever confronted for being who they are, stands up and fights back...Even if they know they have no chance of winning, the point is that they would have stood for "their" natural rights.
Posted by: P. Alonzo Harris Jr. at November 12, 2005 2:10 PMI honesltly don't own any kinds of weapon, but have always wanted a handgun. Two things have kept me from owning one.
First the process of getting one. Two years ago, I went to apply for a gun permit and was told of the process. I never applied.
The second thing is that I have no doubt that I would use it if necessary and maybe if it's not necessary (don't cut me off in traffic on a bad day).
But the thought of us LGBT people defending ourselves against homo-haters is OK with me. I just hope that I am not the next one attacked or put in jail for capping a mutha in the back of the neck.
We certainly welcome anyone who wishes to know more about their options in self-defense. You also have other options, and I hope you will explore them if you decide that a firearm isn't for you. Firearms aren't the *only* choice, we simply recognize that they are statistically the most effective, when used correctly.
There are many cases when firearms are *not* the appropriate choice, such as when the threat is not deadly in nature. When someone is threatening to punch you, or is pushing you around, or calling you names, pulling a gun would simply get you thrown in jail. Under these circumstances, a good-quality canister of pepper spray would be a wiser choice, or even some judicious use of a martial art geared towards self-defense on the street. (Many martial arts schools are more interested in tournament play, and are not useful for defending yourself in the real world!)
We not only help provide a safe and fun environment for practicing with firearms, we also help provide resources for learning when it is right to USE your firearm and when it is NOT...such as when someone cuts you off on a bad day *grin* And we will ask the hard questions, such as "do you really feel you personally are ready to carry a tool designed to destroy human life?" Because, even though we hope only to ever use it as a last resort -- or NEVER -- we never hold any illusions that what we carry is anything but.
And we do recommend that some people not buy guns, if they do not feel they should. We don't feel that everyone should carry guns. We only feel that those who want to and have made the committment to do so should be able to for lawful self-defense.
If anyone has questions about their local laws on acquiring a permit, packing.org is a good place to start for basic information. But nothing can replace consulting an attorney. Many of our chapters can put you in touch with attorneys that specialize in self-defense law or can help you get your permit, if assistance is required.
And I am always available for questions if anyone has any.
---Gwen Patton
Pink Pistols
International Media Spokesperson
Should we plan to protect ourselves in a society that clearly out to get us?
Abso-freakin-lutely.
Dwan Prince was just taking out the garbage. Pepper spray would have done wonders for him, and maybe now he wouldn't be in a wheelchair undergoing extensive physical and speech therapy, which he and mom can ill-afford.
The sad thing is ... he's lucky to be breathing. Sakia Gunn wasn't. Countless others weren't either. With the attacks on the rise, each and every one of us has to adopt an 'i won't be a victim' attitude.
Paranoia can be a good thing. It can save lives.
I was a child who was constantly pushed around by bullies and picked on for being short, myopic and an A student. I was also afraid to fight back. But in my teens and early twenties, paranoia caused me to carry various weapons. No guns, but knifes and dangerous rings. My tiger claw is very effective when one doesn't have time to retrieve that canister of pepper-spray or that knife buried deep in your pocket. It can do quick serious damage, and give you time to escape.
So yes, protect yourself, by any means available ... 'cause it's better to be the one standing and explaining it to the cops, than the one dead on the ground.
Posted by: taylor Siluwé at November 17, 2005 12:06 PM