I've been threatened by a group of 14 to 16 year olds many times while walking to the subway station I take to work. They've pelted me with large rocks, causing bruising and cuts on my face, they've spit on me, told me they were going to r@pe me, rob me, steal my ipod, etc. I've gone to the police about it, but nothing has ever been done. I've had to resort to driving out to a farther away subway station and stop going to that one.

I carry pepper spray and also a stun gun. BOTH are completely illegal in the Washington, DC area. Well, the pepper spray is legal if you go down to the police station and apply for a permit to carry it, and pay the permit fees...which I refuse to do because that's ridiculous. In DC, they don't want people to be able to defend themselves. Pepper spray doesn't always work at all either, if the person you are spraying is messed up on drugs.

If they're going to beat someone up it should be a snotty, rich, preppy, conservative couple who drive a big honking fancy SUV. ;)

kidding... there's no excuse for violence regardless of who the people are.

They did give us our guns back though.

Technically, not yet really. D.C. is appealing to the Supreme Court, and Mayor Fenty is bound and determined to fight to retain the gun ban. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will uphold the lower courts decision to strike down the gun ban, and then residents will finally be able to keep a gun in their homes for self defense.

Thankfully, even though I work in D.C., and when I park my car on the street in front of my house, it is parked in D.C., my actual house is P.G. County, Maryland. Thus, I am allowed keep a gun in my house...and my gun has saved me from a home invasion earlier this year in which I have absolutely NO doubt in my mind that the intruder would have bashed my head in with the crowbar he was threatening me with. :)

I carry an aging Smith & Wesson .38 in my bag. My dad gave it to me right after I turned 18. I had to get a concealed weapon permit, which is not cheap in this state. The funny thing is that my gun hasn't been loaded or fired in almost 2 years. I have a toddler with me most of the time and I'm terrified he's going to get his hands on it, so I keep it unloaded.

I'm not sure how effective guns are against random attacks, anyway. I had mine with me when I was robbed some years ago and the notion that I should use it never crossed my mind. I do put it in the little door-pocket thing in my car when I have to drive in scary parts of town just in case someone tries to carjack me. I couldn't actually shoot anyone, but I like to think the threat of being shot would be enough. Thankfully, the situation has never come up.

Re-read my post. I said "But then, it's better than nothing if you aren't of age to own something more effective."

I really don't understand how people these days can be soo stupid to descriminate against goths everywhere because we refuse to be like the rapper thugs with their pants around their ankles shooting up everyone with their uzi's. On that last note it is even stranger how given the steriotypes people would rather have gun toting teens over goths. Even worse is being associated with the teenage age group because of the.

That quote made my night.

It's really sad that most of us feel the need to bring such things as knives, pepper spray, and even guns anywhere we go, and that people are actually saved because of it. I thought I was too paranoid, but apparently I have every reason to be. The world's not getting better, eh?

It seems like the only time I'm ever really funny is by accident.

https://www.gothic.net/boards/showth...9&page=2&pp=35 (read posts 47, 48, and 49)

I know. Which is why below that, I said I want some kind of protection.

Yes, it is a sad state. But however sad a state it is, I still think it's neccesary to carry some kind of weapon. Even in a small town, I don't want to be on the bad-side of some jackass who decides he's having a bad night, and he wants to make it my problem.

I like paintball pistols. Small, compact, and they hurt like a bitch.

Geez... can I please just tell you how uneffective that would be? I'd hate for someone such as yourself ending up making a mistake like that. So many weapons can be used on the owner when they try to use them in self defense, even if they intend to use them.

It's scary to hear that you carry such a weapon. How about getting good car insurance over a concealed weapon permit? I hear about the second amendment all the time but fuck, It seems incredibly illogical and dangerous to carry a pistol with you, and if you don't have the guts to use it if the situation to weild it came up, your chances are dying are significant.


To the topic stated, It's sad to hear that but to be expected to occur to people who seem 'Odd'. I remember the story of a boy in Wellington who got killed by some ruthless bastards who thrashed the life out of him because he was different, but I forget the details.

https://www.gothic.net/boards/showth...9&page=2&pp=35
Awwwww lol

You have two accounts?

Two accounts? Also not 47,48 and 49. Look at posts 47 48 and 50 heh.

Oh, God. Do you really think I've been carrying this gun around all these years without knowing how to use it? I grew up around guns and can handle a pistol with a fair amount of confidence.

My first reaction when I was robbed was to cooperate. I don't like the idea of shooting someone over $32 and a lipstick. That's what was in my pocket, so that's what I gave him. Furthermore, then entire ordeal was over in about 15 seconds. That was hardly enough time to me to pull out a gun and go all Hollywood heroine.

I have good car insurance and my car locks automatically when I'm driving it. I'm not an idiot. Like I said, I have a toddler with me most of the time. If someone tried to take my car while my son was in the backseat and was unwilling to let me get him out of the car, then that person would have to shoot me. That's just how it is when you're a mom. I would try to do every I could to keep things from going that far... I mean, I'd probably stomp the gas and slam into the car in front of me or run a red light before I'd point an unloaded gun at a carjacker, but I'd do it if I had to. If I was alone, then of course I'd let them take the car. It's not about the car.

I'm a little perplexed as to how good car insurance would be a good alternative to carrying a gun...the two have nothing to do with eachother.

I also don't see why carrying a gun is illogical, nor dangerous. Why would carrying something to protect yourself with be illogical or dangerous, as long as you know how to use the gun. In many situations, just the sight of a gun will send your would-be robber/attacker running. Both times I was a victim of a home invasion, when I appeared with my gun the intruder turned and ran. I never even had to fire a shot in either situation. Thankfully! I sure would have hated to clean up the mess on my floors afterward, haha!

The way one looks should not illicit any sort of violent reaction. Forethought? Maybe in the sense that it would be a good idea to not go in the park at night, but for avoiding wearing black lace and fishnets? Pfffffffffffffffffftttt.

I assumed they were just a couple of people who liked wearing black. *shrugs*

The way one looks shouldn't illicit a violent reaction, but it does. There will always be ignorant, violent people who decide to do dumb shit like this based entirely on someone's clothing preferences.

Anyway, going someplace where the aforementioned ignorant people hang out late at night and looking very much like they didn't fit in with them probably wasn't the best idea.

Oh, nevermind

A park is a park. Unless it's gang turf or notorious for being full of criminals. The statement, "There might be people who are violent to solid black clad people there." is pretty much grounds to either NOT wear black at all or just not leave the house because hey, the criminal element is everywhere.

I read a post on another board from someone who is friends with the couple who were beaten up. The poster said that the couple lived across from the park and were walking home. The poster said that they were almost to their place when they were attacked.

Ophelia - Thanks for all the compassion.

FYI, the couple are called Rob and Sophie, not quite the lace and corset types, a little more modern than that, but OK, whatever floats your boat. While we're on the subject, why does it matter to you whether they were metalheads, 'mallgoths' or any other sub-set you'd like to name - they were PEOPLE. What is it about today's Goth community that it's so bloody segmented and judgmental?

Try seven 15-17 year-old chavs, plus several friends to watch. The provocation? They were trying to walk home after buying a bottle of wine from the all-night service station.

Seven days later, Rob has just come out of a coma and is undergoing assessment, while Sophie remains unconscious and in critical condition. They were both kicked senseless, Sophie dragged around by her dreads until her scalp tore and Rob's head and neck were repeatedly jumped on. Police are trying to match the sole marks to the assailants' footwear. This was nothing short of an attempt to kill them both.

And yes, they are 'lovely, nay, charming people' - REAL people who could potentially have had their lives ruined - I should know, Rob's my nephew.

Now, would you like to recant your imbecilic comments at all?

Templar, if there's one thing Ophie lacks, it's tact.

She's.... well. Fuck it, she's Ophie. It seems that you almost have to coerce her sympathies and compassions for PEOPLE out of her more times than you'd really care or like to.

Templar, I know you probably wont read this, but I'm sorry for the fate that befell your beloved nephew.

Hey KontanKarite, no, I'm still here, and thanks very much for your thoughts. As you'll have noticed, I'n new to your forum and so don't know Ophelia's characteristics. It just saddens me that we are already marginalised enough without sneering at each other for wearing Hot Topic, not having the right haircut or having a slightly different take on goth. Personally, I don't mind anyone's musical/sartorial tastes, as long as they respect mine.

Right at the moment, as you might guess, I'm a raw nerve. Up to now I've have been an interested lurker on many forums, but unwilling to get involved down to the amount of infighting that occurs - that it's taken a lousy tragedy like this to get me onto them properly is a source of embarrassment for me.

Templar, I first have to say: you idiot!
Ophelia perfectly understood the horrible senseless violence of this incident.
What the post you quoted was about was her contempt towards people who say "Oh noes, gothic victims!" rather than just "Oh noes, victims!"
Or do you agree with what Ophelia disagreed?
Do you agree the thing we have to see in here is that they were 'gothic'?
Fuck no!
What you see is that it was your nephew!
Understand what Ophelia means before insulting her.