my congresswoman was shot today

[Trek420]

I have a healthy respect for aka fear of guns, would never have one in my home, nor knowingly be in a home with a gun. And yet I agree with your right to arm bears but I also feel that right ends where my right to be safe begins. It's complex and hard to balance too.

I train in Aikido, I'm a nidan. I've had to "use it" a few times. Once in an attempted rape, got out of the chokehold, pinned him, held him down till help arrived, another time another stranger threw a football block at me to drill my head into the pavement, I did a back roll and came up in a fighting stance. This was not what he expected to happen. He ran away yelling "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm ....", then on a night train a guy robbed our compartment, found him on the train, put the dude in a chokehold, retrieved our luggage, threw him off the (very slowly moving at the time) train.

It's also come in handy taking a fall off the bike.

I never ever ever ever ever want to "use it" again. Aikido is something I will always do although I'm taking a break right now. If tomorrow I wake to a world with no need for self defense I'll still want to train. I do it for the love of the art, and because every so often I get a technique right. It's a joy.

I'm sure there may be gun owners who feel the same about marksmanship, skill, expertise.

But I entirely agree with this:

What happened is appalling. My heart goes out to all who are affected by this horrible tragedy. It's our mental health support that failed on several levels, but it's not going to be easy to fix.

We have failed as a country with mental health. We have to remove the stigma of needing, seeking, using, wanting care. If you knew someone needed care for a medical condition you would not hesitate to recommend they see a doctor. The same should be true of mental health. I'm not blaming the school in any way but instead of "go away till you can prove you are sane" it should have been "here's our clinic, GO!"

[Roadtrip]

I don't want to comment on any of the political aspects of this tragedy, but did run across this article that I thought some would like. It deals with Rep. Giffords stand on bikes in terms of urban transportation.

Honestly, it really seems the media need to back off. Gabby is going to be a LONG time in recovering and I'm really, really tired of the fighting back and forth.. Red.. Blue.. how bout RED, WHITE, and BLUE.

If this has already been shared, then I'm sorry for the repeat.

http://www.commutebybike.com/2011/01...mutes-by-bike/

Shannon

[PamNY]

Jon Stewart does it again. More comic than serious this time, but still making important points, Stewart skewers the pundits' reaction to the Tucson memorial event.

[Crankin]

That was hysterical.

[Trek420]

If this has already been shared, then I'm sorry for the repeat.

http://www.commutebybike.com/2011/01...mutes-by-bike/

Shannon

Shannon, yes it has. But for you and others who have not read this whole thread skip backwards. We have a very moving "Only in TE" photos of Gabby's bike as it sat waiting for her to pick it up at the builders. It's post # 72 in this thread.

We've all found the photo very moving. Grab your kleenex. Get a box.

Thanks, Veronica for sharing those photos. And thank you TE and TE admins for possibly the most civil ongoing discussion in cyberspace.

[channlluv]

...then on a night train a guy robbed our compartment, found him on the train, put the dude in a chokehold, retrieved our luggage, threw him off the (very slowly moving at the time) train.

Thread drift for a sec, but Trek, you through a robber off a moving train???

I love you. Once again, you're my hero.

Roxy - now thinking about taking up Aikido or Krav Maga

[Trek420]

Thread drift for a sec, but Trek, you threw a robber off a moving train???

I love you. Once again, you're my hero.

Roxy - now thinking about taking up Aikido or Krav Maga

Trek's Travel Tip: When traveling don't take the night train thinking "I'll sleep on the train and arrive fresh and refreshed, save the cost of a hotel."

Take the train during the day, enjoy the scenery, get a pass and stop if a town appeals ... because I don't know if this is still true but back in the day there was a bit of theft on the night trains.

But yeah, I was young, foolish, in better shape than I am today (though less advanced in the art), the train was moving but very slowly. I'm pretty sure he was not hurt but willing to bet he will think twice about robbing women on the train again

Kids, don't try this at home

But seriously the sole reason I brought this up is that everyone I've trained under has said that self defense, especially for women often comes down to grappling. You're going to go to the ground. And for most people a gun won't do any good there. If criminals knows or think you have a gun it may deter crime in the first place. I'm always for the crime that does not happen. But many situations are hand to hand at least that's been my experience.

[PamNY]

Interesting NY Times article about how living in Tucson shaped Giffords' thinking.

[Jolt]

Thread drift for a sec, but Trek, you through a robber off a moving train???

I love you. Once again, you're my hero.

Roxy - now thinking about taking up Aikido or Krav Maga

That is pretty impressive (as are the other stories--Trek, you must have some rotten luck getting into so many bad situations). Makes me want to think about taking up a martial art but I would have no idea which one (would have to find something where being 5'2" and 110 pounds would not put me at a horrible disadvantage).

[KnottedYet]

Trek, you must have some rotten luck getting into so many bad situations). Makes me want to think about taking up a martial art but I would have no idea which one (would have to find something where being 5'2" and 110 pounds would not put me at a horrible disadvantage).

Trek is smaller than you.

Which is probably why she was targeted as an easy victim so many times.

I've seen her in action, she's pretty darn impressive! Tiny cute grandma-lady throws big burly dude across dojo, wheeeeee!

[Roadtrip]

Trek is smaller than you.

Which is probably why she was targeted as an easy victim so many times.

I think there is truth here and being seen as an easy target. I have always been a bigger gal at 5' 5" and over 200 pounds, hands big enough to palm a basketball, so I got my fair share of "space" when it came to "tough" situations. One one and only time I had someone try to rough me, I saw him preparing to throw a football tackle at me, so I lowered my shoulder and leveled the guy into a puddle of wheezing mess gasping for air.

I would still love to learn some real self defense and training on how to deal with the intense situation should I have to do that.

I've seen her in action, she's pretty darn impressive! Tiny cute grandma-lady throws big burly dude across dojo, wheeeeee!

Now THAT I'd pay to see!!!!

[Trek420]

I would still love to learn some real self defense and training on how to deal with the intense situation should I have to do that.

No predicting what happens in the heat of a moment but I'd hope that today in a situation like your football dude that I'd step aside. He'd miss me, go sprawling and/or hit a wall or sumthin'

That's Aikido.

You may find that martial arts are not about the situation "If he does this you do that and if it's ...". You can't prepare for it, so many variables. Life isn't long enough to learn it all. But with the right teacher/school you may find a certain calm within should you need it.

And it's great for core, aerobic strength, good cross training.

Good teachers in martial arts will have the attitude that they hope you never "use it in real life", that's not what the arts are for. Finding the right school is the key.

INow THAT I'd pay to see!!!!

I've posted this before. The blond chickie is my teacher I've trained with all the others in this too. You'll see Kayla Fedor start, the 2nd technique she does at about 40 seconds with uke's neck stretched backwards? That is what came to me on the train. I still have no clue how I got to that technique because I really should not have been able to get there from where he was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnHEu...eature=related

[Jolt]

No predicting what happens in the heat of a moment but I'd hope that today in a situation like your football dude that I'd step aside. He'd miss me, go sprawling and/or hit a wall or sumthin'

That's exactly what I was thinking as I read about that situation...I'd just step to the side and then laugh at him when he took a header .

[NbyNW]

That is pretty impressive (as are the other stories--Trek, you must have some rotten luck getting into so many bad situations). Makes me want to think about taking up a martial art but I would have no idea which one (would have to find something where being 5'2" and 110 pounds would not put me at a horrible disadvantage).

Wing Chun is a nice place to start. It was developed by a woman, so the story goes. I'm about the same size as you, and when I took Wing Chun some years ago, I felt like it was a good fit -- not that I have any thing to compare it to, but I do feel that it is something I will go back to at some point, if/when my life settles down a bit more. My reasons would be not so much for self-defense but just because I enjoy studying a form of movement and the sense of balance that I gain from it.

I think we've had this conversation before, but it bears repeating, and I'm sure Trek420 is much more eloquent about it than I could ever be -- the martial arts can offer you a great deal beyond self-defense. There are physical, emotional and for some people even spiritual benefits that can be gained from a lifetime of practice. Self-defense is a great reason to practice a martial art, but it's not the only reason.

In the martial arts, when you spar/fight/compete it is generally within a framework of agreed-upon rules and mutual respect. If you are being attacked by someone who is determined to cause you harm, it is a different ballgame.

In regards to self-defense, which is NOT the same as martial arts, you may be able to find a good weekend workshop/short course that focuses on self-defense for women. Some police departments or community colleges or other community organizations may offer these. They should teach you how to break holds, how to assert yourself and communicate to an attacker that you are more trouble than it is worth. How to hit back with everything you've got and not telegraph your punches. And most important -- if you have the opportunity, steer clear when your spidey-sense is tingling!

If reading about others' experiences and trying a beginner class or self-defense class whets your appetite for practicing a martial art, wonderful! If not, some basic self-defense still gives you some tools that you will hopefully never need.

For my part, I've been thinking about looking for a first aid course. I haven't taken anything like that since high school, maybe it's time for a refresher.

[Jolt]

In regards to self-defense, which is NOT the same as martial arts, you may be able to find a good weekend workshop/short course that focuses on self-defense for women. Some police departments or community colleges or other community organizations may offer these. They should teach you how to break holds, how to assert yourself and communicate to an attacker that you are more trouble than it is worth. How to hit back with everything you've got and not telegraph your punches. And most important -- if you have the opportunity, steer clear when your spidey-sense is tingling!

I did take some women's self-defense classes that were offered in college, and they were very good (and included a simulation at the end of the course where we suited up in all kinds of padding and had to escape from one or two guys who were similarly dressed and "attacked" us...the whole thing was even videotaped). However, it was a few years ago and a refresher might be a smart idea...