Mark Steyn was one voice among many who pointed out, quite appropriately, that we do our children a disservice by not teaching them how, and when, to defend themselves and others. Not surprisingly he’s taken a great deal of flak, from leftest who believe that the government should have a monopoly on violence and from those on the right who believe that people “freezing up” is the natural reaction to having a gun pulled on you.
Of course it actually is, but I think the point Steyn, myself and a lot of others is making is that people freeze up because they have no idea what to do. It is societies job to teach it’s young how to survive in the world and we’re failing at that. I learned the hard way how to react when the shooting starts, but if I had a son or daughter I’d teach them what to do before hand.
Steyn’s argument is slightly different but he’s just as right. It’s time we stopped teaching kids that someone will always be there to rescue them, and teach them to rescue themselves.
Not THE natural reaction, but A natural reaction. It differs from one person to the next, and no matter how many scenarios you play out in your head, you’re not going to know how you’ll react until it happens. Society has nothing to do with it, it’s fight/flight.
Yes and no.
If you couldn’t be “trained” to react to any situation than Basic training and A.I.T. in the army would be ineffective, and we know they’re not. But my point is that the freezing up response is due to not being knowing what to do. The first time I got a gun pulled on me (and I was shot at) I knew how to survive because my family taught me how. That’s my point, and maybe Steyn’s, that we should be helping our young know what to do when push come to shove.
I don’t disagree with the concept. I just wish he could have said it without using words like “cowardice” and “they were men — if you’ll excuse the expression.”
It was indelicate. But I’m with Dennis Miller on this one, I give people a little more slack right after a national tragedy if thier rhetoric is a little over the top.
I’m willing to do that, if they’re willing to admit it was.