Young Ladies And A Hard World

This past week our society witnessed the disappearance of another young woman, Hannah Graham.  She is a student at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.  She was walking late at night, with her cell phone in her hand, sending texts and has vanished.  I pray that she is safe but fear the worst.  Each and every time I get into a debate with a proponent of strict gun control I am given the argument that if one were to get into trouble all that is needed is to call 911.  This precious young lady had her phone in her hand and it was not used to call for help.

Hannah Graham

Her case is similar to Morgan Harrington's.  Most sadly, we know what happened to her.  She was abducted in Charlottesville last October.  She too had her cell phone and was using it the night she was taken.  Again, there were no calls for help.

Morgan Harrington

Dru Sjodin was a young woman working her way through school.  It was November, 2003 and she was walking to her car after leaving her retail job at a major shopping mall, at a reasonable time, before 9:00 PM, talking on her phone when she was abducted.  Her body was discovered in the spring.  Again, no call for help, even while talking to a friend.

Dru Sjodin

Chandra Levy was a young woman who was out of school and working in Washington, DC.  She was jogging in broad daylight in May, 2001, on a public trail when she disappeared.  I do not know if she had a phone on her.  We do know she was murdered however.

Chandra Levy

Tragically, there are many other cases like these.  I pray for these women and their families.  I wish they had been brought up with a stronger sense of survival.  Too many of our people simply expect our streets to be safe and fail to be cautious.  Having a phone is useful, but being with others is better.

You know my next point, of course, if you have read any of my other posts.  All of us should be practiced with a handgun and we should have them on us at all times.  When the shocking attack happens, your phone will be useless and your gun better be right there.  Do not put yourself at risk, which means accurately assessing your situation and always be ready for the worst.

There was one night when my car broke down in a strange, to me, town.  It was around 9:00 at night and I certainly had not planned on this.  As the drama unfolds I found myself alone in a junk yard, in the dark, waiting for the tow-truck driver to return and I didn't have a phone.  What I did have, because I always have it, was my .45 automatic.  It is hard to describe the peace that comes with that back-up when you are in a scary place.  We all, especially our women, deserve that peace of mind.  That is why I go crazy when people argue for severe gun restrictions.  In each of those four cases above I know the women had no guns and I suspect that the attackers didn't need them; in fact they counted on the fact that their victims were unarmed.  As for the police, they are just as frustrated in these disappearances as we are and can offer no better aid than we could.

Finally, here is a picture of a young woman who was shopping in Richmond, VA earlier this summer.  She is in a Martin's grocery store.  I expect that she will be just fine.