There has been something that didn’t occur to me to mention until now. Frankly, this is because I don’t see why it should matter, but after a fairly recent meeting with my state representative, I decided it did.

I am a gun rights advocate.

I put it like this because I want there to be no mistake about it. And now I will explain why.

When I was merely 13 years old I was violently raped by someone I cared about. He was my first crush, and the first time I really understood that humans can be cruel and evil. We were alone, and he said, “If you care about me, you’d do this.” I said no. I wasn’t even thinking about sex at that age. I was more interested in hanging out and doing what he called “stupid kid stuff”. He grabbed my hair and pulled so hard you could hear it ripping away from the scalp, dragged me to a place where most people don’t go, and raped me so violently there was a lot of blood. Before I passed out the last thing I remember was him saying, “You’re mine, and no one else can have you.”

I woke up and he was gone.

No one, man, woman or child, should ever have to go through something like this. No one asks for it. I believe in self defence because there are evils in the world. Whether your form of self defence comes from being able to kick them in the groin so hard they pass out (yes, women are very sensitive there too), mace, or anything else, the key is to NOT be a victim.

I am a gun rights advocate because there are some people that do not have the physical capacity to fight back with their hands and feet well enough to get away. I carry a can of mace because most of the time that does the job. Sometimes, though, it does not. Sometimes you need a stronger solution to save yourself.

Did you know that nearly 100% of the time if an attacker knows you’re armed they will not attack? They think it’s too much effort and go to prey on someone weaker. I choose not to be a victim, and I support others that also choose this option.

Play it safe, then play is smart.