They're beautiful. They're competant. They're armed.

Since 2000, the percentage of gun-carry permits issued in the state to women has risen steadily from about 10% to almost 20% of those issued so far this year.

Good. More guns in private hands means less "control" for the gun-grabbers.

To McCurry the reason was simply personal.

It was late in the afternoon about three weeks ago when McCurry and her sister pulled up to their townhouse apartment in Antioch. Three men rushed up, brandishing an assortment of weapons, including a handgun, a crowbar and a baseball bat.

Startled, the two women felt ambushed but managed to make it into their apartment unharmed. McCurry thinks it was only because the men realized they had made a mistake and backed off to find their intended targets.

People need to understand this: Criminals love it when you don't fight back. They want you unarmed, vunerable, and weak. Because THAT'S HOW THEY GET AWAY WITH COMMITING CRIMES. Passive non-resistance only ensures that you will be a victim.

Linda Compton got her permit about four years ago after there was an armed robbery at her family's grocery story, Compton's Foodland, on Smith Springs Road. ''I feel much more comfortable with it,'' said Compton, 60. '' I take it almost everywhere. Things have just gotten meaner out there.''

The majority of women cannot match up physically to men. A 150 pound female in most cases cannot defend herself from a 250 pound male. In many cases, the woman is giving up around 100 pounds, and several inches.

Most men cannot match up to a 150 grain bullet traveling at 950 feet per second, fired from a .38 Special revolver.

Middle Tennessee gun sellers and gun safety instructors say they have noticed more women becoming interested in acquiring guns during the past two to three years. No one seems to know exactly why because violent crime generally is down in Nashville.

Gee, ya think? Maybe it's because the victims of the criminals have decided to stop being victims! When criminals know that a large chunk of the population is armed, they go somewhere else to commit crime. Their pool of victims has now been filled with sharks, and they don't want to go swimming.

Once again, any people, male or female, who live in the Seattle area and want to learn how to shoot, can contact either myself or Analog Kid from Random Nuclear Strikes. We'll take you to the range, buy the ammo, lend you our guns, and teach you how to shoot.

Hat tip to InstaPundit.