On guns, bear spray and attitudes regarding self defense....

Soon enough we'll hear a lot more on the topic of stricter gun control and how it would lead us to the Promised Land of safe schools, malls, etc.

I'm NOT going to get into how absurd taking firearms from the law abiding citizens is, not to mention how easy it becomes for our ruling elite to REALLY start oppressing the masses.

There are other options, ones that I would think could be used until our nation gets it's collective head out of it's ass and begins allowing open carry in all fifty states. For instance, why shouldn't bear spray be allowed for teachers and older students to carry on campus? It's designed to stop a charging bear so I'd think a good dose would at least spoil a gunman's aim. Maybe it would be spoiled long enough to really matter.

Hell, I don't know. But its really time to stop doing absolutely nothing whenever a lunatic goes on a killing spree. I'd really like to read a story where some Dylan Klebold/Eric Harris wannabe got tackled before he opened fire and had an industrial sized can of "WhupAss" emptied all over his bod.

Is it a case of attitude? Does it take a few incidents where the would be killer gets his lunch handed to him to strongly discourage this sort of thing?

I don't know. But as it stands right now NOBODY is really suggesting any measures other than restricting guns, controlling access to the buildings, and other measures that don't address what to do when the adults in a school, be it elementary level or college, are face to face with some gun wielding maniac. The pro gun crowd is just as bad, they're focused exclusively on increasing availability and access to firearms. But it's a problem of tunnel vision also. A tunnel vision that doesn't encourage any sort of real thinking on the topic of self defense.

Even wearing a can of MACE on their belts would give the potential victims more of a chance than just carrying an armload of books. And the only person I ever met who could wield a yardstick like a ninja's katana was Sister Mary Tarantula back at Our Lady of Perpetual Payments Elementary School. So this calls for thinking about what happens when the freakzoid gets into the building and it's time to fight or kiss your butt bye-bye. Yet when the hell is a more aggressive frame of mind ever advocated after these tragedies? Is it due to a reluctance for having the man/woman on the street actually take a role in their own defense? Is it because no one of our ruling elite wants to admit violence is actually called for and can be successful at times?

You tell me. As for myself, I go to pick my little ones up every day from their elementary school. While waiting I'm sitting in the foyer of the school, just watching everyone go in and out. In other words, I'd be one of the first to see a potential no goodnik show up.

Yep, I've got a can of bear spray that I bought some time ago for my nightly walks. There have been stray dogs in our area at times and I'm prepared.

And yeah, I'll be wearing that can of spray from now on when my kids come out.

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.