Newcott Blog

I read on CNN.com that in Virginia, kids 12 and older can buy rifles and shotguns.  18 and older can buy handguns.  And if you buy a gun secondhand, like at a gun show, there is no waiting period.  I also read a blog post by someone that said if VA Tech had allowed concealed weapons on campus, students would have been able to protect themselves by meeting fire with fire.

I went to bed thinking about what I’d do if someone charged into my classroom armed to the teeth, shooting up my classmates.  I don’t think we can really know what we would do in the situation.  We all react to fear differently.  There are two possible tracks:  active or
passive.  Fight or flight.  The passive leads to self-preservation, at best.  It’s the roll-over and play dead.  Lizards and spiders do it.  When attacked by a bear, or if your bank is being robbed, they say it’s your best defense.  Don’t interfere.  Just play dead.  The active
response to a hostile attacker, being more dangerous, usually leads to self-harm, but MAY save other lives.  Self-defense classes teach this approach to confronting a rapist or attacker.  Gouge the eyes.  Kick the balls.  The passive response on 9/11 lead to the demise of the twin towers.  The active response on 9/11 lead to a downed-plane in a field.  I don’t know what I would have done during the VA Tech rampage.  It’s sad I even need to think about it.

Just got back from another whirlwind trip to the East coast.  I worked in NYC and Baltimore Mon-Wed and in DC on Thurs.  Bronwen and Silas met me in DC and we made a long Easter weekend of it in DC.  The cherry blossoms were in full-bloom.  And Saturday we had a freakish-cold-snow.  Very rare sight to see cherry blossoms covered in snow.  Bronwen and I walked through the winter wonderland.  On Friday, Bronwen and I Metroed downtown to Foggy Bottom and walked from GW University, down along the River, and up Wisconsin Ave, through Georgetown,  up to the National Cathedral.  The best part was being back along the river.  There was a crew regatta going on, and Thompson’s boathouse was wide open with people, boats, and oars everywhere.  We walked in, up to the Ergometer (i.e. machines of death) room where rowers were warming up or working out.  I have so many fond memories of that place.  It smelled, sounded, and looked the same.  The shells didn’t look like much has changed (technology-wise) since I last rowed in 1998.  I can’t wait to get back in a boat someday to see if my body still remembers the motion and sense of balance that came naturally after so many years of training.