Wow....a story from my home town...
Well, I recall there was a project to arm women, with pink guns...I can't remember were or when this was...but yeah, the idea was, you'd have to be a pretty bat **** crazy rapist to rape ANYONE in a town where it is public knowledge that guns were handed out to EVERY SINGLE female.
I think the bigger issue to think about, though, is age. It's all fine and dandy for a 22 year college kid to be packing heat...but not so cool for the high school chick in the parking lot after a football game, you know?
I think that fear is the number one way to prevent a crime. You want to make rapists stop raping? You make the punishment for that crime so foul, so heinous, that quite literally, only an insane person would consider doing the deed. That's my opinion. You wanna act like an animal, I think society has both the right, and the obligation, to treat you like one.
I understand your argument, but no one is talking about a "high school chick". You do understand that to get a Concealed permit, you have to be able to legally own the gun you will use? You must be 21 and a resident of the state in which you purchase in order to legally buy a handgun. 18 for rifles and shotguns. So no "high school chick" is going to meet the legal requirements. This is sad because some of those "high school chicks" could also benefit. For carrying a gun, Training, training and more training is always the best idea. Even 14 year olds can be trained on proper and improper use. I cannot say all states, but I believe most states require a hunters safety course for minors to be allowed to hunt.
This is South Carolina, not Texas, and killing in self-defense is not murder.
Apparently you don't know much about Texas law. I understand what you are saying though, but Texas was a bad example to use, California on the other hand. All that is necessary to meet the legal definition of self-defense is "reasonable fear of your life". Defense of others has also been accepted in Texas courts. The only place where someone acting in self-defense would ever be brought up on charges in Texas is maybe a few of our more liberal districts, and even then, appeals would most likely throw even those out if the local DA is dumb enough to pursue such cases. The only other time they might face charges is if they were illegally carrying the firearm, but they would face illegal carry charges, not murder if the case was self-defense.
Excessive force laws do exist in some states, however, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana are not among them. I don't think any "southern" state has such statutes, some might though, you never know. But, generally, in these states, if someone is dumb enough to bring a knife to a gun fight, the Sheriff might criticize your shooting ability, but won't arrest you for defending yourself.
Conceal carry is also reciprocated between some states, if you have a permit in your home state, check with law enforcement in any state you may be traveling to or through to see if they reciprocate. Also make sure you learn their use of force laws.
As many have mentioned, training is always needed. If you are not going to get yourself properly trained and regularly practice, then do us all a favor and use the money you would use for the weapon and concealed permit to buy yourself some good life insurance. Always learn the laws, where ever you are (from reliable sources like lawyers and law enforcement, not someone posting on the Internet.)