Politics With Peyton: Learn Self Defense Before Buying A Gun
For most, turning 21 is a big deal. Prior to my 21st, my eligibility to rightfully conceal and carry a gun outweighed all other privileges that my age granted.
Being from Texas might have shaped my worldview, and having a military father only furthered my fascination for handguns. Shockingly enough, most of my friends in my early childhood were supportive of gun control. This never made sense to me.
When the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 were created, it was with the intent to make requirements for obtaining a firearm more restrictive. However, it only made requirements for law-abiding citizens more restrictive, not for those seeking to commit a crime.
The proposed solution of increased background checks has virtually no impact because criminals are not going through legal means to attain firearms.
According to the Institute for Legislative Action, “a 2016 Obama administration study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics examined how prison inmates obtained the firearms they used during crimes — and the results weren’t surprising. The study found that only about 10.1% obtained their firearms through a retail source.”
In fact, statistics show that cities where gun control laws are the most stringent are also where the highest rates of gun violence occur. In 2020, New York City homicide increased 41% and shootings increased 95% according to National Rifle Association.
It is easy, raised in a progun world, to rely on guns for self-defense. When I turned 21, it shocked me to discover my marine veteran father did not support me getting my LTC or a handgun. Why? Because he wanted me to learn self-defense first.
Gun control doesn’t work and neither does relying on a gun to protect yourself.
If you choose to carry a firearm, you must also be willing to train, because a gun in the hands of an inexperienced wielder yields dangerous results.
When you or a loved one is threatened by physical harm, you have the constitutional right to defend. However, not all threats warrant gun use. If using a gun can be avoided, it should.
Three forms of martial arts may be a better alternative in close quarters – Krav Maga, and striking arts like Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu.
Krav Maga is used when you are approached on the street by someone who has a deadly weapon such as a gun or a knife. If comfortable, you can – through correct Krav Maga training – disarm the offender and get away. You may be unable to use your gun due to already being at the yield of another weapon.
Then, there is the practice of a striking art like Muay Thai, a viable option when the offender is unarmed but looking for a fight. When learning Muay Thai, you learn how to dodge and return strikes. In non-life-threatening situations, guns are typically not the best remedy. Once the situation escalates, a gun, or another form of martial art, may be resourceful.
Finally, Jiu Jitsu. This is one of the most important skills for women to learn, as Military.com reveals, 85% of street fights end up on the ground. This martial art teaches how to avoid or escape when grabbed on the street, when pinned on the ground and other scenarios where the victim maneuvers the ground to escape the perpetrator. In these situations, guns are unavailable.
Situations where needing a gun are unpredictable. Though you might execute the privilege, you should also consider other options in partnership with concealed carry.
Mackenzie is the opinion editor. Follow her on Twitter.