My knees wore out long ago. Too many mountain trail runs. Too many marathons. These days I bike, or more specifically, trike. On those long, semi-rural and rural rides, I invariably come upon women. Many young and athletic, resplendent in the latest, trendiest and most colorful athletic wear. Others older and less trendy and colorful, but no less determined to run or bike.

Many are wearing earbuds, their heads down, their gaze not far in front of their feet, oblivious to their surroundings. When coming toward them, I wave and smile, and about half eventually see me and return the greeting. When approaching from behind, I give them a wide berth, and virtually all jump and squeak when they see movement in their peripheral vision. I wave and keep them in sight in my rear-view mirror as long as I can, praying they’ll be safe. Praying because almost none of them can possibly be carrying the means to protect themselves, and because almost none of them are remotely aware of their surroundings and potential danger.

That’s why I don’t let my wife ride alone. She is prepared, she doesn’t wear earbuds, she’s aware of her surroundings, she’s armed, but she’s one woman, alone, out in the country, and help is a long way off.

That’s why the Second Amendment is the ultimate women’s issue. Despite the woke assertion that there is no difference between male and female athletic performance, despite the reality mediocre male athletes can instantly seize the winner’s stand by pretending to be female, there are enormous, and deadly, size and strength disparities between men and women.

Few women, and not many more men, have actually been in fights. They’re fast, violent, bloody, and invariably end up on the ground, where size, weight and aggression determine the outcome. A punch to the face is painful, stunning and if a woman is on the receiving end of a man’s punch, potentially deadly.  

Cinematic fights aren’t combat; they’re choreography, carefully laid out in every way and meticulously rehearsed.  No one gets hurt and the blood is makeup. Fight scenes with 5’4”, 120-pound women rendering five hulking men unconscious are prime examples of that kind of choreography. In real world combat, men don’t fight women of any size, and great skill in the martial arts can’t make up for the realities of physics. I’ve been beaten at Kendo—Japanese fencing—by highly skilled women, but that’s a sport simulating combat, not actual fighting. Real combat with swords involves hands, feet, and anything else that might win, and strength and aggression absolutely matter.

The human body is at once terribly fragile and amazingly resilient. I’ve seen people walk away from car crashes that look like their car went through a car shredder with little more than a few scrapes and bruises. I’ve also seen people crippled or dead from a single punch to the head. I’ve had various forms of hand-to-hand training, experience, and am yet a tall, strong man, but at my advanced age I’d be a fool to try to take on a 20-year-old hand-to-hand. I might prevail, but I’d take too much damage. The same is true for virtually any woman trying to take on the average man, whose upper body strength and natural aggression would be overwhelming, even deadly.

For those reasons, I carry a concealed handgun, as this excerpt from an article I annually update, explains why:

*Evil exists and may confront anyone at any time and any place.

*Evil exists to destroy all that is kind, good and loving…

*To fail to protect God’s greatest gift–-the gift of life–-is inexcusable.

*Self-defense is a God-given, natural, unalienable right.

Every woman, in recognition of physics, and reality, should carry a concealed handgun, but no one should carry unless they know the law of deadly force, and are willing to use it should their life, or the life of another, be in imminent threat of seriously bodily injury or death. One doesn’t wave a handgun about thinking it will cause criminals to run away. They may, or they may not, and if one lacks the will to protect their own life, then what?

Image: Glock 43, author

There are now many highly concealable, light weight handguns on the market, guns like the Glock 42 in .380 ACP or the Glock 43 in 9mm. Smaller handguns in .380 or even .22LR are available from Ruger, Smith & Wesson, KelTec and others. Even with athletic wear, with proper holsters, they can easily be carried. But going armed is not enough; training, being aware of one’s surroundings and eliminating distractions like earbuds, are essential.

Anyone failing to recognize these realities is fighting the real war on—against--women.

Mike McDaniel is a classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher.  His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.