Alphecca: Victims Fighting Back

August 19, 2005

Victims Fighting Back

This past week has been a busy one, what with my Weekly Report detailing how some gays in Florida deciding to not be victims of bashing any longer. Then yesterday, the story of a man weighing the question of arming himself. Zendo Deb at TFS Magnum has been following the new legislation just passed in North Carolina (but not yet signed by the governor) to allow courts that issue restraining orders to also inform potential victims of abusive spouses that they have the right to apply for a permit to arm themselves. Here's a quote From News 14 Carolina:

Courts in North Carolina might soon be required to give something extra to battered spouses seeking a restraining order -- information on how to apply for a concealed weapon.

But many people believe the measure could end up causing more problems by bringing guns into already volatile relationships.

"It ups the violence level,” said June Kimmel, who is with the North Carolina Council for Women. “And I don't think we ought to be in the position of suggesting to people that they arm themselves, because that also gives them a false sense of protection that they don't really have with that gun."

And here's a quote by the always anti-gun ABC TV:

"In my experience, if you've got a fire out there, I don't think you put it out by throwing gas on it," said Bart Rick, a Seattle-area sheriff who chairs the National Sheriffs' Association domestic violence committee. "When I read this … I went 'Whoa.'"

Here's my take on this. The only people who could possibly be opposed to this measure are the ones who refuse to accept that (usually the wife) doesn't want them around and continue to stalk, harrass, and follow the person who took out the restraining order. Unfortunately, as we read almost everyday, some abused person is killed by their estranged "ex" regardless of the fact that a restraining order was taken out. I have detailed many such horrible cases right here on Alphecca in the past several years.

I am not claiming that all restraining orders are legitimate. Indeed, many are ploys by the claimant and their lawyer. But a court order is a court order and the law-abiding will obey the order and fight it legally, not by showing up at the claimant's doorstep at 2 AM in the morning, drunk and abusive.

June kimmel of the North Carolina Council of Women is exactly the type of liberal activist that would probably prefer that battered women remain battered, that they stay victims. "Upping the violence?" Is she really suggesting that the abused woman just lay down and continue to get kicked and punched and (often) killed? That's the same logic the UN has been using to try and enact worldwide gun-control so that victims of genocide aren't armed and allowed to defend themselves.

The new legislation doesn't require anyone to arm themselves. The judge isn't tossing a .38 special over the bench to the claimant, just offering information on an option that might help them.

As for Sheriff Bart Rick, he's a fool. He says you don't fight fire with fire. I won't bother explaining to him that his analogy is incorrect as any Forest Service fire-fighter will gladly attest but instead suggest that if a battered woman (or man) isn't allowed the simple right to defend themselves, then the raging fire of their spouse is likely to destroy them. Out of control fires don't generally stop on their own.

Posted by Jeff Soyer at August 19, 2005 09:51 AM

Comments

The only "model" under which Rick's and Kimmel's comments make any sense is if you value all life equally. That is the health and life of the attacker and/or murderer is just as important as the health and life of the innocent victim. I call it a "livestock view" of humanity. The rancher really doesn't care if one cow is aggressive and abusing the others as long as the meat isn't damaged before he butchers the animals. This is the reason cattle are dehorned--so they can't seriously hurt each other and the rancher takes responsibility for the protection of the cattle from other predators. Not because he has concern for the welfare of the cattle, but because he has concern for the welfare of his property. And so it must be with these jerks--they are treating us like cattle.

Posted by: Joe Huffman at August 19, 2005 11:53 AM

It's Snohomish County, Washington Sherrif Rick Bart, not Bart Rick. One more reason I mistrust ANY story in ANY newspaper. "reporters" can't seem to get very many facts straight.

My daughter was in an abusive relationship several years ago and the only reason she wasn't seriously injured or killed, was her brother,(225#) Me,(220# and armed) and four or five other men friends who in the aggregate would put any college football front line on notice, told her abusive boyfriend that even an unexplained hangnail on that girl would result in him being beaten so badly we'd all be out of jail long before he was out of the hospital. She hasn't seen of heard from him since.

You see, we do NOT value all life equally.

Posted by: Gerry N., at August 19, 2005 01:06 PM

Um, so does the Sherrif consider his armed deputies as adding fuel to a fire? After akkm they go wading into those disputes bringing weapons and big burly deputys into an already tense situation....

Posted by: Robert at August 19, 2005 02:15 PM

"...if you've got a fire out there, I don't think you put it out by throwing gas on it."

Yes, much better to throw yourself on it to smother the flames.

What a jackass.

Posted by: Bruce at August 19, 2005 04:55 PM

I think Joe's got it right. The Barts and Kimmels of the world believe in collective rights, not individual rights. That means they believe in a collective right of defense, not an individual one. If some poor innocent has to take a beating or a bullet to keep their idealized conception of society intact, so be it. Can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs, ya know.

Posted by: Eric at August 19, 2005 05:18 PM

Hey Group,
I just stumbled across this blog and wanted to say thanks for the support. I am the Administrator of www.ncgun.com as well as a GRNC Legislative Team members who helped put together this bill. Currently, ALL kinds of DV Advocacy Groups are pounding on the Governor's door demanding that he VETO this bill and that we not tell DV victims about the concealed carry law here in NC. Also, it's important to note that originally, this bill contained SHALL ISSUE language that was defeated and now only includes MAY ISSUE that allows a activist Sheriff who opposes guns to simply ignore the request for an emergency permit. Equally disturbing, NC is a SHALL ISSUE state, but not for battered women.

If this wasn't enough, we now have HB 1415 fast tracking thru the NC GA, this Bill would require that anyone denied a pistol/concealed permit, and anyone under a restraining order be kept in a NC SBI database. We are heavily opposing this bill and currently have a Grass Roots Campaign against the GA. I'm hoping soon the NRA-ILA will pick up on this issue and jump in the fight.

Michael Sharp
NCGUN Admin
GRNC Leadership/Legislative Team

Posted by: Michael Sharp at August 23, 2005 10:07 AM

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August 19, 2005

Victims Fighting Back

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