“A Toronto woman hopes to curb gun violence by urging women to withhold sex from men who carry guns,” globaltoronto.com reports. “Following the devastating Danzig Street shooting in July, Nicole Osbourne James started the blog, ‘Got a gun? You get none!’ with the hopes of curbing gun violence.” The site’s missionary—sorry, mission statement says “Women. Mothers. Lovers. We need to use our own power and have a BAN on SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS with men that have guns. We need to stop HARBOURING and ENABLING our sons with guns.” Ironically (or not), Ms. Osbourne’s picture [above] shows her with a gun, so she gets none. In a post on a radio interview Ms. Osbourne gets increasingly, uh, distracted . . .
During the call-in portion of yesterday’s conversation on CBC radio’s Ontario Today, the issue of rape and domestic violence was raised a LOT. Many listeners felt that “withholding” sex from men who have guns (we had to specify up front that we are talking about guns that are meant to be used to shoot other people) — saying NO to being with a man who is a negative element in our communities (aka. “thug gangster”) could result in violence against women from these men who seem to have a propensity for violence.
Seems there are other issues in play in Toronto’s gang banger backyard besides gun control. The same thought occurred to Ms. Osbourne.
Overall the conversation raised a lot of great points: the possibility of the rise of prostitution, mothers in denial, social programs, calling the police on your loved ones, stronger gun laws, self-esteem and mental health issues, legal gun ownership, absentee fathers, poverty, even sex as a commodity. I hope this conversation is continuing in the living rooms (and bedrooms). Especially for people who think it’s a crazy idea because they can even raise other strategies or help to strengthen other areas that the rest of us may not be looking at.
Maybe the gun control debate has to go from the ridiculous to the sublime. Meanwhile, I’m boycotting sexual contact with women who don’tlike or own guns. At my stage in life, it’s just not worth it. FWIW. [h/t Aharon]