“Many years ago I was mugged in a parking lot by a man with a gun. That same year my sister became a rape victim while out jogging. This year alone my vehicle has been broken into twice, and I’ve been accosted by teenage boys while out taking my morning walk. Our home has an advanced alarm system and we have 2 large dogs, yet still I live in fear….

My name is Cynthia Davis. I am a 52-year old woman, an American citizen, a small business owner, a native Houstonian, and a taxpayer. And I’ve decided I will no longer feel like a victim.

Life in Houston, like all major cities, has changed drastically in recent years. About a month ago, a headline in the Houston Chronicle stated that police estimate there are 10,000 gang members in the Houston/Harris County area. It’s easy to feel unsafe. I can’t tell you anything you haven’t experienced for yourself – worrying about where to park, not walking alone at night, wondering what that noise was outside your own home, losing sleep because the 10pm news was so dreadful… But I am not a victim. I am a gun owner. And I have decided to take the offensive. I know that I can’t always depend on my husband to be there, or for a man to intervene if I’m in trouble. I have decided to learn how to handle a weapon and be able to defend myself should the occasion arise. I was raised in a home where there were several guns, but growing up I never had any interest in learning to shoot. The changing times have motivated me to learn now. I’m tired of having to feel that I’m always on guard, always vigilant, because I simply can’t live a normal life when I am constantly worried.

The problem is, criminals are always on the lookout for their next victim, and unfortunately, the stress of constantly being on guard for the next ‘bad guy’ or threatening situation steals a lot of joy from life. Especially when you feel that there isn’t much you can do when faced with one of these situations. For quite awhile I had heard radio ads about Memorial Shooting Center, and since it was fairly close to our home, I finally decided to check it out. I had to get up my courage to go in because I’d never been in a shooting range before and didn’t think I would feel very comfortable. I thought a shooting range would be full of macho guys who might secretly laugh at me, intimidate me, or make me feel out of place. But I was so wrong! The people at MSC made me feel welcome when I walked in the door. The first thing I learned was that they have a ladies only class on Monday nights, which I attended; our instructor had been in the military and was incredible – I learned so much my first night. We had several hours of classroom instruction and learned the difference between revolvers and semi-automatic weapons. We learned to hold the gun correctly, how to stand, how to load the gun, and finally – we got to go onto the range that first night and shoot our weapons! The comraderie between the women in our class was exciting – we left that night feeling empowered, and I realized “I can do this”. And I decided I wanted to continue taking lessons and become comfortable with handling a gun.

My next step was to sign up for private shooting lessons – the instructors are flexible and I can set my classes around my busy schedule. My instructor, Jack, is fantastic. He has been patient and encouraging, but most of all, he has given me confidence. Although I had purchased a revolver because it is a “simple” gun (i.e. easy for a woman to handle), I soon learned from Jack that I could, and should, learn to handle a semi-automatic. I had no idea until I met Jack that I’d have a lot more bullets (i.e. chances to survive) with a semi-automatic, or that women are typically better shots than men. I’m learning new things from Jack at each lesson – how NOT to look like a victim, handling home invasion situations, how to avoid danger, but best of all, I’m learning how to defend myself if the worst occurs. It’s a funny thing – I was born in Texas and have always envisioned myself as a confident woman who should know how to use a gun. I don’t know why I put it off for so long, but I’m glad I finally took that first step and signed up for lessons at MSC. Each time I am on the shooting range with Jack, I feel a new-found confidence that I didn’t have before. I am quickly becoming a good shot and it’s a great feeling to know I am learning to defend myself. I encourage every woman out there to do what I’ve done – get out of your comfort zone, take that first step like I did, and come meet the great people at MSC…your life might depend on it someday.”

~ Cindy Davis