in response to ellen's post about "The Combat Zone"

I agree with Ellen's thoughts on "the combat zone." overall, this piece had a strong, well meaning message, but i dont think it's one that many women can directly apply to themselves. Yes, women need to face the facts that the idea of female helplessness is not just a traditional stereotype. Men, on a whole tend to be larger and stronger than the majority of women in our population. Vigilance and self defense, especially in secluded areas or late at night, is a must. But i can't agree that all women should carry a gun as a means of an equalizer. As ellen mentioned, a gun can and is likely to be used against you if you don't know what you're doing. I feel like by carrying a gun you might become more paranoid about people following you, and being jumpy could cause you to pull out the gun in unnecessary situations. A gun should be a very last resort, not a first. It might be a much better idea for women who are concerned about their safety to take a class on self defense, and get into good shape so they know how to defend themselves. Preventative measures are the best.