Southwest PA Self-defense Network Blog

  I have voiced my thoughts on how cultural and religious beliefs can be oppressive and harmful to the self-determination of women and that even your own culture can be a threat.  One of those principles of self-determination is that you have a god-given right to self-defense and that right is inherent to you as a human being.  We say that de-clawing a cat leaves them defenseless so staying in an environment that leaves you defenseless by taking away your self-determination is a threat.  I'm not going to post the whole article here but the link is below. Here are some snippets to add some backdrop. " However, many Muslim women do not regard Sharia as being incompatible with their rights. My  research  shows how women – typically small activist groups in many countries – are using Sharia to fight against oppressive practices. : " Women activists I met saw an inherent feminism in Sharia. Muslims “can find support for almost everything” in Sharia, a Somali act...

The Life and Death of Sensei by Loren Christensen  c2021, 200pages This is a fictional work by one of my favorite authors who weaves a tale of a beloved karate instructor. The story opens with a student of Sensei's who is a writer being contact and requested to write his bio, the good, the bad and the ugly.  Shortly after the sensei dies.  The writer begins to interview several important people around Senei, either senior students or those who knew him outside of the studio.  The writer gets bits and pieces of sensei's story and begins to weave them together. The result is a portrait of a deeply flawed and damaged individual.  In the story, sensei, is a vietnam vet who saw some really bad combat and comes home with PTSD. He looks for thrills for a couple of years and eventually settles down with a few dark times here and there. During one of those dark times, in the throes of a flashback / PTSD episode he ends up killing two Vietnamese who strongly resemble some...

  It has been a slow but incremental path to where we are today. We are forbidden or hampered from taking meaningful steps to protect themselves yet the ruling powers do not take adequate steps in keeping us safe.  We find ourselves in an impossible situation.  School systems have a zero tolerance policy for violence and bullying so when the victim fights back, that person can get into as much trouble as the bully.  Yet, the school system cannot expel or exceedingly punish the bully or even tell the victim's parent who the bully is or what is being done to them.  California has some of the strictest gun control policies in the country yet recently announced releasing 76000 inmates, with 20,000 in for LIFE SENTENCES.  (https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-plans-early-release-for-76000-prison-inmates-including-violent-felons ) Cities and gun-free enclaves enact unforgiving rules about gun ownership so an honest mistake can jam you up for the rest of your lif...

 Why is it that neighborhoods that have a high rate of violent crime and shootings don't march in the streets every day for a change ? How can people honestly promote the defund the police mantra without thought to the consequences ? Why is there a call and some action taken on freeing those in jail, despite whatever crime they are accused of.  (https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-jails-release/ ). (https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-plans-early-release-for-76000-prison-inmates-including-violent-felons ) I believe the answer is two fold. 1. There is a higher level of acceptance of crime, in all its forms, locally and nationally. We start with personal law breaking where the individual has broken some law - speeding, drug use, not reporting all incomes, putting things in garbage for pickup that shouldn't go there - and we accept and justify it. Then we extend that courtesy to those around us, our friends, relatives and neighbors. We overlook our sister st...

 There is a concept that is foundational for children's safety that parents must understand - How much can they participate in their own safety ?   As parents, we give directions and orders to our children with the expectation they'll follow those directions and it will keep them safe.  By following our directives, they participate in their own safety.   But parents will give unreasonable directives that are age inappropriate; simply put, the kids are too young to understand and follow them.  " You should be watching and staying close to me. Don't wander off."  Good for an 6 year old, terrible for a 3 year old.  " Don't talk to strangers." Bad advice to start with and very difficult for children to put in practice. Even adults can be suckered in with a smooth sounding adult how much harder for a child to differentiate between good person and con person ? "Don't open the door."  What if it's the police or fire department bagging on d...

There are enough cases of kids being kidnapped by force or a lure that parents should keep a watch. There is a philosophical point - at what age can your kids participate in their own safety ? It is unreasonable to expect a 5 and 7 year old to " stay close" to mommy and daddy so the parent have to do a better job.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9rqjT3Yzsw    DEAR ABBY: I'm married and the mother of two kids, ages 5 and 7. My husband is a very involved father and partner in our marriage. My complaint is that he's too trusting of other people and doesn't keep an eye on the kids in public places. An example: He'll take them to the grocery store and let them hang out in the toy department while he's getting groceries. They will be 100 yards away from each other. I have told him several times that I'm not comfortable with this, yet he continues to do it. I'm not sure what to do about it anymore. Have you any suggestions? -- NERVOUS IN NEBRASKA DEAR N...

  Topgun: An American story. 320 pages; c2019 This book is told from the perspective of one of the founding members of the Topgun training program for naval aviators. As most stories go it starts with his household and upbringing and such, moves into his joining the navy, his early career as an aviator and his experiences over Vietnam.  It ends with him retiring after commanding his own aircraft carrier.  The book is interesting with a ton of names mentioned for recognition and history but it weighs it down a bit. 50 years later the audience doesn't care that much about who was the hotest stick in your squadron.  It does have a nice first hand discussion about the air war in Vietnam and the politics behind who they could and could not bomb. It also has some nice first hand accounts of some of the military actions that have taken place over the years.  It also discusses some of the classic naval fighter jets they have implemented over the years especially focusin...