From: [robin s b] at [ix.netcom.com] (Robin Brookstone)
Date: 11 Jul 1995 18:20:24 GMT
Subject: SWARM Position Paper

                    POSITION STATEMENT

We strongly urge the legislatures of each state across the United
States to support legislation which permits peaceable citizens to carry
concealed firearms on a non-discriminatory, "shall-issue" basis.
Establishing valid “need” for a permit should not require anything more
than the citizen's desire to legally carry a firearm for self-defense.

WOMEN! PLEASE HELP US DEFEND OUR LIVES...

Safety for Women and Responsible Motherhood, Inc. (S.W.A.R.M.), a
non-profit, non-partisan organization, is fighting to reform the
present “good ol' boy” systems under which a few concealed firearms
permits are issued to the friends of sheriffs and chiefs of police --
or not at all. Rest assured, women are hurt the most when private
citizens aren't allowed the right to carry. Even if you aren't
interested in carrying a firearm for self-defense, supporting the right
of all women to choose how they can best defend themselves will keep
your options open for self-defense in the future!

Each on us has the inalienable right to protect ourselves and our
family from criminal violation. We recognize this as a natural right
that can never be “granted” by law but we acknowledge that it is
specifically protected by the United States Constitution.

The police are rarely able to protect private citizens from criminal
attack, nor are they bound to do so. Both legally and practically
speaking, at the moment of attack, the responsibility for personal and
family safety rests entirely upon the shoulders of the private citizen
(Bowers Vs De Vito, Warren vs. District of Columbia, Riss vs, City of
New York ). We hold that this responsibility increases exponentially
when a woman has children who are dependent upon her. Furthermore, the
right and responsibility of self and family defense necessarily
includes the individual's right to choose the best tool for their
defense. In an age of random violent crime, no one -- not police
chiefs, not sheriffs, not even a district attorney can predict how or
when an innocent citizen will become the victim of violent criminal
attack. Therefore, the law-abiding citizen MUST NOT be limited a
s to how or when they are allowed to resist it.

For obvious reasons, SWARM does not recommend the carrying of any
self-defense tool whose effectiveness requires physical contact with a
criminal. Self-defense sprays have many dangerous disadvantages.

SWARM's criteria for the selection of an effective weapon of
self-defense are:

	1) The weapon must be effective at a sufficient distance, so the
would-be victim is not forced to violate the First Rule of Safety: KEEP
A SAFE DISTANCE AND OBSTACLES BETWEEN YOU AND POTENTIAL THREATS.

	2) The effectiveness of a weapon MUST NOT BE RELIANT UPON THE
PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF THE USER.

MEETING BOTH OF THESE REQUIREMENTS, the gun has been proven to be THE
MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL for self-defense  (U.S. Bureau of Justice
Statistics [BJS], 1992).

l 75% of women will be victims of at least one violent crime in their
lifetime. (Senate Judiciary Comm., Majority Staff; July 31, 1990; Koss,
Woodruff & Koss --A Criminological Study 1990 )

l CIVIL DISABILITY:  It is undeniable that most women are at a physical
disadvantage to most men. If this were not true, rape would be an
extremely rare occurrence. 90% of all women murdered are murdered by
men. (Department of Justice [DOJ], Office of Justice Programs [OJP],
BJS, Female Victims of Violent Crime [FVVC] 1/91 pg. 1; Senate
Judiciary Comm., Majority Staff, 7/90) It is evident that women, as a
class, are disproportionately disabled from the act of self-defense
when citizens are not allowed to carry firearms concealed.

l Contrary to unsubstantiated myths, social science has clearly
documented that citizens who resist robbery and assault with a firearm
are seven times more likely to stop the crime, and are half as likely
to be hurt than citizens who use no form of self-protection. (National
Crime Survey, Point Blank [NCS, PB] pgs. 104-105)

l 87% of crimes occur away from the victim's home. ( PB, Pgs. 104-105,
DOJ) 60% of all rapes occur outside the home. (DOJ, OJP, BJS, FVVC,
1/91) Ironically, if a citizen carries a concealed firearm to defend
himself-- or herself-- from crime outside the home, they are labeled a
“criminal”!

l 78%of the time, criminals attacking women use no weapon at all. (
FVVC 1/91, pg. 6 Table 11) Only 10% of the time do criminals use
firearms to commit crimes against women. (NCS 1979-1985, PB Table 4.4 )
Women who carry firearms for personal defense have a clear advantage
over their assailants-- 90% of the time!

l Another common myth is that if a woman carries a firearm, it is
likely to be taken away from her-- and used against her. The truth is
that in less than 1% of all defensive use of firearms does the criminal
take the gun away from the victim. (NCS 1979-1985, PB p.122) This is an
extremely successful defense ratio which can no longer be ignored!

l Under no circumstances should a peaceable woman be required to wait
until she is threatened, stalked and/or marked for death before she is
allowed the right to carry a firearm.

SWARM: 3440 Youngfield #204, Wheatridge, CO 80033 (303)969-0708  Feel
free to copy this position statement as necessary.   4/95