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The concealed carry debate is proceeding; in fact, it may well make it to the floor yet this session, where it has votes to pass.

Naturally, and suddenly, and not a little bit predictably, the media is all about alternatives.

Self-defense classes, for example - invariably, unarmed self-defense:

Women shudder at the thought of being attacked. They rarely want to talk about it.

But last week, about 20 women did just that and more, gathering in the wrestling room at Lakeville High School for a defensive tactics class designed just for them.

Lakeville police officer Sandy Thoeny said her class was a beginning step for women determined to take control of their own safety.

"Women automatically think this is the end all, be all. That this is going to solve all of my problems," she said. "And that's not necessarily the case.

"This is just giving you tools and helping you build confidence in yourself."

And confidence is a very good thing.

But what are they teaching these women to be confident of?

Well, when roaming the mean streets of Lakeville, these women will learn some useful things:

Officer Kevin O'Neill, who assisted Thoeny by playing the part of an attacker, said three things must be present for a crime to occur: desire, ability and opportunity.

Self-defense is about limiting opportunities for criminals by being aware, by being assertive, and by avoiding potentially dangerous situations, he said.

"There's no more Minnesota nice," O'Neill said. "It's not about being friendly. It's about being smart. You can't apply logic to someone who is acting irrational."

So far, so good.

Thoeny, O'Neill and Police Chief Steve Strachan peppered the two-hour class with observations and advice, including "don't hesitate,"decide whether to fight the attacker or run" and "stay calm."

A lot of attackers are not expecting a fight, they said.

"The thought of sticking your finger in someone's eye is horrible, but if you are going to do it, do it all the way," Strachan said.

Again, useful stuff.

As far as it goes.

The first scenario involved an attacker approaching us from the front. We were told to yell "Get Away," or "No," when they got close. Then we were taught how to grab the attacker's shoulders and drive our knee into his midsection.

When it was my turn, my heart started beating a mile a minute. I don't remember what I yelled. I only remember grabbing the attacker's neck instead of his shoulders and slamming my knee into his midsection, which was protected by a huge pad that he held in front of him. After three kicks, I was shaking, but I wasn't scared.

Unmentioned: According to the US Department of Justice, someone who resists a potentially lethal attack - an assault, armed robbery, mugging, attempted rape or kidnapping - via unarmed means such as this is about a fourth as likely to end up dead as someone who doesn't resist at all.

But someone who resists with lethal force - i.e. a handgun - is about a seventh as likely to end up dead.

The reporter continued:

I was surprised by several things during the class, including how fast an attack happens, how off-balance I was after initially getting away from the attacker, and how quickly I lost my train of thought and forgot what I was supposed to do.

But by the third or fourth simulated attack, I started trying to think one step ahead of the attacker. I tried to remember that the last thing an attacker is expecting is a fight.

And it's here that so many of these classes let their subjects down.

Oh, don't get me wrong; teaching women to be more alert, to be aware of the situation around them, and to resist by whatever means they're able is a good thing. No question about it.

But what about when the attacker doesn't oblige? When the "lethal elbow" misses, or the attacker is so high they might not feel a taser, much less a knee to the breadbasket?

When someone is truly impaired - through mental illness or recreational chemicals - it's truly amazing how much physical abuse they can take before they even feel it, much less break off the attack. I remember a bar I worked in, back in the late eighties/early nineties. One of the bouncers, off duty at the time, came back into the building after a booze and meth jag. A tough guy under normal circumstances, he was well-nigh invincible that night; bouncers and the patrons (and a lone DJ) used fists, pool cues and everything short of hollow-charge munitions to stop him, to no avail; the North Saint Paul police went through pretty much their entire non-lethal arsenal before he succumbed to batons and a barrage of tasers.

Not to impugn the Lakeville Ladies' newfound self-confidence, but I'm not sure an elbow to the solar plexus would have done the job.

Did they discuss the option of concealed carry? I'm guessing not.

Posted by Mitch at May 4, 2005 05:23 AM | TrackBack