Apparently Rape is a Spectator Sport in New York

Horrific news is coming in today from several sources. A woman who was repeatedly raped in the presence of MTA employees at a train station in Queens, NY was told by a judge today that those who stood and watched her rape take place had no obligation to help the woman other than informing their command center and informing them that police presence was needed at their location. (Note, they are only obligated to call the command center, not 9-1-1)

My thoughts on this issue are frankly all over the place. I will always fight vehemently that our Constitutional freedoms are upheld. Unfortunately, that means that I must tolerate the immoral way that others use their freedom. However, we certainly need to be reminded that the U.S. Constitution was created for a moral and God-fearing people. Clearly, as in the case of those who watched this heinous act take place in Queens, many have become numb to any thoughts of moral conscience. While these onlookers will not have to answer to this particular judge, they will certainly have to answer to God and explain to Him why they simply allowed this to happen.

See full story details at http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012009/news/regionalnews/subway_rapist_victims_shock_162317.htm and http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30105703/?GT1=43001

But let’s move on to my other thoughts on this matter. I think it’s only a matter of fairness that I address the other obvious aspect of this crime. Whenever an “accidental” (aka stupid disregard for gun safety) or criminal act with a handgun is committed in this nation, we are bombarded by the media and other anti-gunners telling us how awful guns are. So isn’t it fair that when a person is attacked by a psychotic rapist and completely ignored by the citizens around her that we also get to hear the drum beat again and again about the need for us to take the responsibility for protecting ourselves? Clearly this judge didn’t feel that anyone was required to protect this woman. And clearly the police didn’t have sufficient cause to protect her as they showed up at least 10 minutes after the call was made--the attacker was able to rape the woman twice during this time! So I ask you. When are women going to learn that we simply cannot and should not count on anyone else to protect us? We MUST take responsibility for this matter ourselves. And we must make a wise decision as to the most effective way to defend ourselves too. With so much training available, much of it even for free, there’s no reason why a woman needs to endure this type of atrocity. Fighting back is not a privilege. It’s a RIGHT.

I know, I may shock some of you with this statement, but I am 100% convinced that the best way for this woman to have defended herself would be with a handgun. I don’t know how much the guy weighed, how tall he was, etc. And frankly it doesn’t really matter. When it comes to a clear need for self-defense, I say don’t mess around asking the guy to stop raping you. Don’t mess around asking for others to defend you. Defend yourself. Two double taps to the chest, and it’s done, and it’s justified. The horrors that this woman is going to have to live with over and over again, feeling not only betrayed by mankind, but by her own instincts, would not be an issue for her any longer if she had simply and matter-of-factly been able to stop this act by defending herself. Yes, she would have to deal with the fact that she defended herself and as such took a life. But psychologically that’s a lot easier to deal with than the unspeakable horrors she suffered while others simply watched.

Her second best defense would have been an Asp, a telescoping metal baton that will indeed crush or break bones that it contacts with a forceful strike. The third most effective would have been by leveraging her physical strengths—real physical strategies that help in a street fight such as this. None of this “crouching tiger” baloney. When he had her in a bear hug, if she had known how, she could have crushed his nose with her head, or she could have flipped him over into the tracks, the very same way that he threatened her, or she could have crushed his wind pipe with her hand, shoe, or cell phone.

Here’s the rub though. This woman is in New York, thus she has to show “cause” as to why she should legally possess a firearm. Oh, and also, an Asp would have been illegal in her state as well. Adding more insult to injury, if this had occurred in New York City, even IF she had a handgun WITH a license to carry, she would have been illegally in possession of it, as New York City does not recognize licenses from the State of New York. How’s that for ridiculous?

The sanctimonious positions of many who mistakenly believe that the 2nd Amendment is only for members of militia is clearly wrong in light of this set of circumstances. Our Founding Fathers fully understood that others could not be compelled to defend us, except in a time of war, and still have our nation be built on freedom. However, they certainly would not have left us defenseless in the face of evil as this woman was either. Thus every American in this nation was given the right—not privilege—to defend themselves with a gun. This woman lost her civil lawsuit against the MTA. Perhaps she should be suing the State of New York for making it difficult for her to defend herself with the most effective means possible!

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.