I think the citizens of the United States are the few that are hung up on thinking one has to be disabled to carry a stick. Like its a stigma of some sorts, where in other countries its a matter of practicality.
I had the good fortune to have seen a good amount of overseas travel in the 10 years I served in the army. Europe, the middle east, southeast asia. Although I could have done without that last one. One of the most interesting places I got to go, was a TDY duty station to Wheelus Air Force base just outside of Tripoli Libia. They needed some construction done, so they borrowed an engineer unit from the army. Of course after hours and on weekends we toured around and saw what we could see. One time I and a few fellow GI's hired a taxi driver to take up around. I had noticed alot of the men always had a short staff like stick with them, no matter if they were in the market square in town or out in the country side. When I asked our driver about the sticks he told us that sometimes there are very bad people about, and a man may have to defend himself against a thief, or a dog. That was 1960's Libia, and I guess they didn't have a gun culture like we do in the U.S. It was their belief a thief gets beaten, not shot. I found that contrary to what most modern Americans would think of the Muslum people, the arabs I got to know in Libia were warm, friendly, God fearing people, who would do anything to avoid killing. They carried a stick, or sometimes a curved blade knife, but I never found one with a gun. By contrast though, they looked at us with the view of us being gun toting cowboys.
One aftrnoon I had the chance to see how they used those short hiking staff looking sticks. We had driven out to the little town of Misurata, east of Tripoli on the coast. It was a beautiful spot with white beaches and the blue sea for swiming. I was in the market buying some food for eating at the beach later when commotion started. A man came running by with a shop owner in pursuit. A thief had snatched something off a table at one of the stalls, and the shop owner was yelling something, probably "stop, thief."
The men who were in the direction the thief on the run was heading, all started poking at his legs with thier sticks as he ran by, and tripped him up good. As he fell, they closed in on him and beat the ever loving daylights out of him. I mean beat him good. It was like a small mob of burnoose wearing arabs swinging these sticks that were like a rib high broomstick, and the poor guy on the ground never had a chance. Apparently in arab culture, there is nothing lower and more despised than a thief. It seemed like a very short while before police whistles were blowing, but by the time the local cops got there, the thief was a bloody pulp, unable to walk away. He was taken away under police guard in an amblulance. Justice had already been done. Every stick wielding man in earshot of the shopkeepers cries for help, had turned on the fleeing criminal and beat him senseless.
Looking back on my time in some parts of the world, I can say I felt safer there, with no gun on me, than I do in some parts of my native land here in America. Particularly in parts of the U.S. where its very easy to get a gun permit. As Todd said, all to often the American gun nut's answer is to pull his gun and shoot someone. I often wonder if the yo-yo's on some of these forums who do the macho chest beating have ever shot somebody at close range, and seen the light in thier eyes go out. Only then, do you feel the sickening enormity of what you've just done hit you. The stick gives you an invaluable second tool to maybe avoid that. The stick in hand can send out a strong message to someone watching you, maybe sizing you up, that if they try you, theres going to be a fight. The punk criminal does not want a fight. If you have a stick, they will give you a look over, and ask themselves "What's he got that stick for?" On some level, they know, and will pass you by. The stick makes them feel a bit hinky about taking you on. Most petty criminals, at least here in Maryland and Washinton D.C., use a knife to try to intimidate the victim to give up his wallet and cell phone. I watch the crime collums and my own son is a country police officer, so I have a good idea of the data on the person to person crimes in my local area. There are acually very few guns used in personal street muggiings when compared to the small kitchen knife, or even just strong arm robbery. A good sturdy stick can get you out of such a situation.
Clint once said "There's nothing like a good piece of hickory."
The same can be said of ash, oak, hornbeam, hawthorn, blackthorn...
but Miss Cindi would beat me senseless with her cane if I reacted to some of the pathetic come on lines
I also conceal carry a handgun and my Spyderco.
