Advice requested: on being a small woman in an anti-gun state

[Ellie]

Ok, I'm tough, and somewhat trained in martial arts, but I'm pretty little, so I'm not likely to defend myself successfully against one or more large men unless I have a firearm.

The town I live in, San Diego, seems to be getting more dangerous of late, for any number of reasons. There was just an armed robbery near my workplace yesterday, and each day I see these stories.

At home I feel fine, as I have man, barking dog, and weapons (though given the 'justice' I see here, I do wonder who would end up in jail should he or I shoot an intruder). But when I'm out on the street of course I can't carry, this being California, plus I work at a University, which counts as a school, which makes it even more illegal. I'm not usually out late, but it gets dark early now, and I do go in and out of parking garages.

What do you suggest? Carry a legal weapon? Screw the careers and move to another state? Hire a bodyguard, who IS legally allowed to carry? (just kidding - if I had that much money I wouldn't be worried about my career).

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

 

[nhhillbilly]

Move to Freedom, I did over 20 years ago it is well worth it. NH is great. A bit colder but more free.

 

[marshall3]

Carry a thin screwdriver with a grippy handle...

Not as handy as a pistol, but....might come in handy.
And no one will be bothered by it either.

 

[spacemanspiff]

move. your state is only going to get worse.

besides i have it on good authority that california will be washed away in great tidal waves and earthquakes and meteor showers and rain.
see you down in arizona bay!

 

[Lupinus]

move

or find the biggist mag light to carry with you that you can swing

 

[BigBlueEyedDevil]

I moved from out of California(Temecula area) a few months ago and haven't looked back. I carry everyday now.

While it should't be the only reason you move...being that I am young and without many obligations, I have the freedom to say, "I'm moving to a state where I can legally carry a gun!"

 

[Stauble]

id leave.
you only have to move one state over to be able to carry a gun so why not?

ive lived in Florida my hole life. we have great gun laws so i wont be moving anytime soon

 

[XavierBreath]

I would move.

 

[dasmi]

I'm also in San Diego, and ya, it does seem to be getting a little weird out there.
Right now I'm torn between moving to another state, and staying here. I love this town, my family is here, but it's expensive, and while I don't have a family yet, I plan to, and I don't want to raise kids in this state. Too expensive.
I suggest moving, if you can. You could try to get a CCW permit, though San Diego is a pretty hard county to do so in. See packing.org. I make the following statement without suggesting you take any sort of illegal action: Is following an unconstitional law more important than your life?

 

[Ky Larry]

Ellie, you are facing the great moral question of our times. As a law abiding citizen, you feel a responsibility to obey the law. However, you also realise the bad guys feel no such moral restrictions. You have to decide if obeying the law is more important to you than your own sense of security. I wish I could tell you what to do, but this is a decision only you can make. Good luck in whatever you decide.

P.S. Personally, I wonder how anyone could stomach living in a state that denies them the basic human right to self defense.

 

[warriorsociologist]

Get the screwdriver mentioned above.
Talk to others like you
Work for change.

or...you could move and save yourself.

your call.

 

[Wedge]

move. your state is only going to get worse.

besides i have it on good authority that california will be washed away in great tidal waves and earthquakes and meteor showers and rain.
see you down in arizona bay!

Learn to swim. Learn to swim.

Ahem...back to the point. Have you tried to apply for a carry permit? I used to live in New York State, and legally carried a pistol. Sometimes the rumors and stories end up preventing people from even applying. I don't know what the situation for getting a permit is in your county though (California goes by county right? That is what New York does). I now live in Texas so I ended up moving, but when I was in NY I found it doesn't hurt to try (got my permit in 49 days - shorter than most Shall Issue states).

 

[Krenn]

not as familiar with San Diego law as I'd like to be.

First, I'd suggest that you move.

Second, if open carry, with a handgun or long gun, is allowed, consider that... even if it means you have to leave a shotgun in the car.

Third:
other weapons, personal preferences ranked first

close quarters:
Rapier
Kukri
Parrying Dagger
Nunchaku
Sai
Flail

Ranged:
pistol crossbow
high-strength mace/pepper spray
caltrops
hand sling
air pistol
Sonic gun. (Still in development, currently sized as crew-served area of effect)
of course, the legality of THOSE weapons will vary as well...

have you considered body armor and a distress beacon?

or a lawsuit?

 

[Ellie]

thanks guys

Marshall: screwdriver - will do. Doesn't help too much if somebody sticks a gun in my face, but good if they guy is unarmed.

Lupinus: mag light - I could carry a mag light bigger than it would be reasonable to carry - but it'd be good to have on in the car : )

All the moving suggestions - yes, this is a crazy state. Moving is daunting, but I think it'll have to be soon. Things are nutty here and getting worse.

Ky Larry and dasmi - I don't break laws wantonly, but I don't feel an ethical obligation to follow a law that is morally wrong. However, I also don't want to be a felon, so I -do- follow the law for that reason. Though the chances of getting caught are slim, the chance makes it not worth it to me. And yes, it is hard to stomach living here, for more reasons than just this.

dasmi and Wedge - no, I've never tried, just assumed I couldn't. Sheez, that's a darned good idea : )

dasmi again - yeah, it's hard for young folks to make it here, it's gotten crazy expensive. But it is a beautiful city! Good luck!

Hmmm . . . Idaho, Texas, New Hampshire . . . Montana . . . Arizona . . .

 

[EddieCoyle]

move. your state is only going to get worse.

I really hate this kind of talk.

Here's some bad advice for all of us:

Give up! Move to Alaska! (or wherever the hell these people are).

Nothing against Alaska or any other state, but I live in an anti-gun state and through hard work and perseverance we are slowly gaining ground.

Find out what it will take for you to get legal (if a bodyguard can do it, so can you) and do it. Put up with the bulls**t, jump through the hoops, and get your permit. Then join the NRA and whatever org's they have in Cal (in Mass we have G.O.A.L.) and get busy changing the laws. Don't chicken out and move. Fight. You live in a great place. Make it better. </end soap box>

EDIT: If you realy want to take the "pack up and run" approach, check out what's happening here in a supposed gun-friendly state: Bad News for NH. I'm telling you, you gotta stay and fight.

 

[WT]

YOU are responsible for your own safety.

My complete answer would violate THR guidelines, so I won't give it.

 

[fjolnirsson]

Ellie,
Advice from a recent California Refugee.
The law in CA states that a first offense of Concealed carry without a permit is a misdemeanor. Subsequent violations count as felonies. The gun should only come out in dire emergencies.
Theoretically, given proper concealment technique and weapon selection, nobody has to know.
You mentioned martial arts. If you haven't already taken one of these, I would suggest Muay Thai or Krav Maga. Both are very good equalizers, at least so far as a martial art can be.

Or, you could move. The air is great up here.
Ultimately, a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

There's nothing immoral about disobeying an immoral law. Don't let some prick politician keep you from carrying a concealed handgun if you think you need it. Your life is worth more than his stupid laws.

http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/ has a lot of good info. Most of it is geared towards keeping you out of a situation where you'd need to defend yourself. Makes sense even if you do have a gun to defend yourself with.

Indiana is a great place to live. Kinda flat. No smog, few criminals, friendly people.

 

[Zundfolge]

I really hate this kind of talk.

Here's some bad advice for all of us:

Give up! Move to Alaska! (or wherever the hell these people are).

Nothing against Alaska or any other state, but I live in an anti-gun state and through hard work and perseverance we are slowly gaining ground.

I see your point, and I agree with it to somewhat. However its real easy for us out here in Free America to tell you guys stuck in one of the states we refer to as "Peoples Republics" to stay and fight the good fight while we sit here with our fully legal "assault weapons" and carry permits

This woman asked what SHE could do for herself, right now.

There are parts of California where one can get a CCW almost as easily as I did here in Colorado. I guess the trick is to find those counties and find a way to live there and commute to the city you work in.

Source: www.packing.org

 

[roscoe]

Yeah - move to Orange County, but stay in CA to fight.

 

[neoncowboy]

Carry without a permit?

God forbid you ever had to use an illegally carried weapon in self-defense...but it'd probably be a little better than being dead or a rape victim.

You might also train with pepper spray, a kubotan/surefire and more hand to hand skills.

 

[brokendreams]

move. your state is only going to get worse.

besides i have it on good authority that california will be washed away in great tidal waves and earthquakes and meteor showers and rain.
see you down in arizona bay!

A fellow Tool fan.


I live in California, and I must say... if I didn't carry a gun everyday at work (I sleep during the day) I'd sure feel unsafe.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I moved from the People's Republic of California back to the United States in 2002. My only regret is that I didn't do it years sooner.

 

[pete f]

my take is to carry. first go out and try and get a legal permit. get some good training. I do not know what the circumstances would be with regard to having a permitted handgun on a college campus. If that is proscribed territory or what I just do not know. with the first offense being a misdemeanor and from all accounts here, you being a law abiding, gainfully employed, educated person, I would make the guess that unless you started waving it around in shop-ko, you would not get written up for it. HOWEVER< IF you used the gun in a defensive way(a legit shoot) and you do not have a premit, My guess would be you would be financially ruined. just the legal expenses would cost you your house nad life savings.

something to think about.

This is something I have written the NRA about, an affordable insurance policy for prepaid legal for a selfdefense shoot. ten bucks a year from all the members would buy some good lawyers. a few wins and people would be much less likely to sue us for good shoots.

 

[Ellie]

felonies and misdemeanors o my

I think being on school property with a firearm is a felony in CA, with or without a permit, but I'll research it.

Lots to think about and look into . . .