Letters to the Editor
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cary gets it wrong again
Cary says in his response that parents don't teach their kids to avoid conflict, and I can't help but disagree. Parents quite often teach their DAUGHTERS to avoid conflict at all costs, and to be fearful.
What do they always tell daughters? Run away, get help, you're weaker, he might have a gun, he might kill you if you resist, he might rape you, try and talk to him to disfuse the situation... etc etc.
It isn't as easy for a woman on her own, trying to protect her kids, to tell a scary creepy old man to f-off as it might be for a 30 year old white guy with no kids around. We all know what she SHOULD have done, but in frightening, stressful situations, we often try to take the conservative route over the confrontational one. This is something women are taught to do all the time by all parts of society. Why is it that women have to take classes to learn how to defend themselves from rape and abuse? Becuase women are often the targets, and often when they DO try and stand up for themselves, their attacker just gets angrier - he doesn't get scared, or think twice about attacking them.
So yeah, all the people calling this lady an imbicile are no better than the right wing nut jobs who told the kids at Virginia Tech that they should've DONE SOMETHING. When you're in that situation you can be paralyzed with fear, not knowing WHAT to do.
Its easy for Cary and the rest of you to sit at your keyboard, drinking your coffees, and telling this person what she should've done. But until you've actually BEEN there, (a woman alone with a stranger inside her home, nowhere to run, with the safety of her children to worry about), I'd advise you to STFU.