"of mice and Men" By a blogger named "Breda"

[Lars]

Written by a blogger named: Breda

Who describes herself as:
a reference librarian, an artist, a woman, a wife who writes about books, cats, food, guns, beer, love, and more, & not necessarily in that order.
The Breda Fallacy: of mice and men Be sure to follow the link to the actual post, as there are some great comments at the bottom, as well as three links to other like minded stories.

Friday, February 29, 2008

of mice and men

One day last winter, I pulled on my boots, buttoned up my coat and went out into the snow to fill the birdfeeder. We kept the seed in a large bucket in the garage and when I went to scoop some out to carry to the feeder, I noticed that the supply was running low. It was dark in the garage and even darker in the bottom of the bucket. I tipped the bucket a little and was startled to hear a faint skittering noise inside. I looked in...a brown field mouse was trapped down at the bottom of the bucket! My first surprised thought was "eek!", quickly followed by "awwww, cute! mousie!" And as I squatted down next to the bucket to get a better look at my new furry friend...

...the mouse growled at me.

It was a small sound, barely audible, and if the world hadn't been so hushed and muffled under its thick blanket of snow, I might not have heard it. I went very still, holding my breath - I heard it again.

Trapped in the bucket and cornered by a large seemingly menacing creature, the tiny mouse, somehow realizing that flight was impossible, decided to fight for its life.

I was so impressed by the mouse's bravery that when I helped it get free, I left it a big pile of seeds on the garage floor and wished it luck.

The struggle for survival is natural. That fight or flight response is what allows all creatures to live to see another day, to pass on their genes to another generation. Humans have the ability to fear death, not out of pure instinct, but because we consciously know that we are valuable; that our lives, despite all sadness and hardship, can still be sweet. Something good could come as soon as tomorrow. That hope of happiness, that mere possibility of joy, is worth fighting for.

But have we gotten so far from nature that we have lost the ability to fight for our lives? Not too long ago, Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina ran an emergency response drill. A campus police officer posing as a gunman burst into a classroom, where he proceeded to hold the students hostage and terrorize them with a fake gun for 10 minutes. Not one of the students fought back. Not one thought to pick up a chair or a desk, or even a book, to defend themselves. They all lined up against a wall and passively waited for death.

One of the students said, "I was prepared to die at that moment." Several students say they considered leaping from a window.

My mouse had more courage than this. Against insurmountable odds, it growled at me and prepared to fight, even to its death. The college students who meekly bared their throats to those who wanted to rip them out are dead already - they just don't know it.
The will to live is life.

[Bill of Rights]

Originally Posted by W9ZEB

Written by a blogger named: Breda

Who describes herself as:
a reference librarian, an artist, a woman, a wife who writes about books, cats, food, guns, beer, love, and more, & not necessarily in that order.
The Breda Fallacy: of mice and men Be sure to follow the link to the actual post, as there are some great comments at the bottom, as well as three links to other like minded stories.

Great analogy! I will be using this. Thanks for posting it, Lars!

Blessings,
B

[sanzo87]

that is a great story and sadly it is true many people would just go down with out a fight its really sad

[sanzo87]

i know i just stated this in another post but i think it really belongs here to be seen

The problem is that in our time the schools and other places are not teaching you to defend your self when attacked but to just take it. Idk how long any one here has been out of school (i graduated in 06 this has been true through out all of my schooling) but, im only 20 about to be 21 sat. No matter what was happen to you as far as been attacked and how many people seen the person come out of no where and start hitting you. You the victim got in as much trouble as that attacker if you even tried to defend your self and just a lil less if you didn’t (example if you defended your self you would get the same 5 days out but if you just took the beating you would get 3 days in ISS) now tell me how that is right ????????????? that’s why they arent afraid any more because the ppl are been thought its not right to stand up for your self.

[Scutter01]

I spent the better part of my life being a sheep. Several years ago, I stepped foot in a dojo for the first time and from that point on, it was like a light had flipped on in my brain. I suddenly realized that I didn't need to be a sheep. That I was not only allowed, but surprisingly able to protect myself! It was amazing! I just can't describe the realization.

Why do I mention this? I believe that most sheep, don't know that they're sheep. They're so used to being who they are that it never occurs to them that it's okay to protect themselves against evil. I'm not saying it has to be with a gun or a fist, but it could be something as simple as just not standing there waiting to die when a gunman bursts into the room.



Dylan Thomas said it best.

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

[Ri22o]

That is a very good story. Rep points to her.

[Annie]

Originally Posted by W9ZEB

The Breda Fallacy: of mice and men Be sure to follow the link to the actual post, as there are some great comments at the bottom

Check out the commentary here, too.

[karlsgunbunker]

My boys and I talked about this.
We were discussing Columbine and how the football players were hiding under tables in the Library just waiting to be executed.

I told them if this should happen to, Pick up the table break off the legs and go down fighting.
Guns are great weapons but they aren't Magic Wands.
Find a weapon and at least try to defend your self, don't be a sheep be a wolf.

I'm trying to raise Wolves, Not sheep.

I don't understand why people will just let someone walk around with a Gun and pick and choose victims.
I'd at least have to try and fight.

[JD31]

I sat through some school safety training this past year sponsored by the Indiana Dept. of Education, and a presenter, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman stated that many of the students at Virginia Tech. showed the same behavior, and they just sat there waiting to die and only one student showed any self preservation instincts at all, plus the one holocaust survivor who gave his life in their defense.

Perhaps it is the overabundance of video games in which death is simulated so graphically that they are numb to the fact that in life there is no reset button.

Lt. Col. Grossman also has a lot of good information on his website: Killology Research Group: Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, Author - Jonesboro, Arkansas Check out his press releases, they are quite interesting. Especially Bulletproofing the Mind: A Must for Concealed Carry.

(I'm new so I don't know if he has been referenced before, but his presentation for the Department of Ed. Safety Specialists was eye opening.)

[Lars]

JD31, thanks for the insight.

I actually have spent some time on the Killology website. Purchased "On Combat" written by Col. Grossman, as well as "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker

Both are good books from what I've read so far. Mr. De Becker isn't a large pro gun supporter. However the things he writes about apply to both the gun owner, and everybody else.