I’ve never understood feminists and their resistance to firearms. For women, who are biologically weaker than men, the most effective way to fend of a larger and stronger predator is to provide an immediate increase in the amount of copper and lead in their body in conjunction with an acute loss of blood.

In other words, if they attack you, you shoot them.

Feminists tend not to get that, but that doesn’t mean women don’t get that. Virginia State Sen. Amanda Chase clearly does.

A female state lawmaker in Virginia openly carried a handgun on the Senate floor this week, calling it a deterrent against potential attackers.

State Sen. Amanda Chase, a first-term Republican who is seeking reelection this year, spoke on the Senate floor Tuesday with a .38-caliber revolver openly strapped to her hip, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

…

Ms. Chase said she always carries concealed in the Virginia State Capitol but decided to carry the gun openly following an incident Monday in which the police were called on a mob of immigration activists who confronted Republican

“It concerned me,” Ms. Chase told The Washington Post about the incident. “I’ve had threats. I’ve had stalkers since I’ve been in the General Assembly. I am going to continue to represent the issues that are important to my constituents, and I’m not going to be intimidated by people who would try to physically harm me.”

…

“It empowers women,” she added. “I jokingly call it my ERA.”

There are, of course, two issues here.

One is a growing concern that political confrontations will turn more and more serious until violence happens. It’s one thing when there are protests that turn into riots. Those happen, and while they’re a problem, it’s not the same as a mob confronting lawmakers they oppose. Then, the object of their frustration is right there. Instead of lashing out aimlessly, trashing businesses and cars, their anger can be directed on the person they blame for whatever reason.

Mobs aren’t known for being reasonable.

As a result, I don’t blame Chase for not just going armed but going armed openly.

While I’m a supporter of people’s legal right to open carry, I tend not to support it as a tactical decision. I just don’t see any reason to advertise that I’m someone who might be able to intervene. I’d rather they find out the hard way.

One exception is when you make political statements, and there are certainly times you want to do that. And, in my opinion, that’s kind of what Chase is doing, only her statement has a practical edge. She’s making it clear to those who could confront her on issues that she’s more than capable of handling them, so they need to keep their hands to themselves.

The second issue is the very last quoted line. This is something I wish more women understood.

While feminists can scream about teaching men to not rape or how society needs to adjust, the fact of the matter is that there will always be bad actors in society. There will always be those who would rather prey upon others than to get with whatever program is being pushed. There will always be those who will take what they want from those they see as weaker than them.

No “Equal Rights Amendment” will change that.

But Chase’s version of the ERA will.

Feminists, if you want to teach a man to not rape, put some extra holes in their bodies when they try it. That’ll send a message loud and clear throughout the world that women are not to be preyed upon. That is empowerment.