Posters to address VT shooting

Amish_bill: I like your idea. Maybe with a shorther message, but I am not a pro poster maker like Oleg.

My take

I'm not gifted graphically like Oleg so instead of a picture I have to use 1,000 words. My take, letter to the editor:

“Gun-Free” Zones get people killed

The horrific shooting at that took place at Virginia Tech should never have happened. According to the school’s “Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention Policy”:
“The university’s employees, students, and volunteers, or any visitor or other third party attending a sporting, entertainment, or educational event, or visiting an academic or administrative office building or residence hall, are further prohibited from carrying, maintaining, or storing a firearm or weapon on any university facility, even if the owner has a valid permit, when it is not required by the individual’s job, or in accordance with the relevant University Student Life Policies.
Any such individual who is reported or discovered to possess a firearm or weapon on university property will be asked to remove it immediately. Failure to comply may result in a student judicial referral and/or arrest, or an employee disciplinary action and/or arrest.”(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Policy 5616, Campus and Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, http://www.policies.vt.edu/5616.pdf)

Clearly, the policy did not, in fact, prevent campus and workplace violence. What it did possibly prevent was an early end to tragedy. And it certainly prevented a legally armed citizen from defending him or herself from this type of attack.

Criminals, by definition, break the law. The type of person who is planning a mass murder is not deterred by a “No Dangerous Weapons” sign. Virginia law allows citizens to apply for a concealed handgun permit after completing training and submitting themselves to a background check. They are state certified “good guys”. They are your friends and neighbors, and they are the kind of people that we want to be able to protect themselves, and us, from mass shooting maniacs.
A similar situation to the one that happened at Virginia Tech occurred on January 16th, 2002 at Appalachian Law School in Grundy, VA. A disgruntled former student began a similar shooting spree. The difference in this case was that the attack was stopped by three individuals, two of whom were armed with legal handguns. Unfortunately, the attack was not stopped until three people had been killed and three more wounded. Why did it take so long to stop the attack? The good guys had to retrieve their guns from their parked cars before they could confront the gunman. ALS was a gun-free zone, you know.

Some people will point out, and rightly so, that it isn’t a good idea to have private citizens acting as police. But owning a firearm for your protection doesn’t make someone a police officer any more then owning a fire extinguisher makes one a fire fighter. What they both do is give someone the tools they need to keep a bad situation from becoming a tragedy.

This horrific tragedy is sure to bring a renewed call for more gun-control legislation. Before jumping on the bandwagon, please remember that criminals break the law. Maybe the solution is not to pass more laws that the bad guys ignore, and that the good guys obey to their own peril, but to help ensure that the good guys are at least on the same playing field as the bad ones.

Just used the image over on my forums, in case you're still keeping track of where they're at. http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=274959&st=20&#entry4186862

Maybe we should think twice about claiming our position on this massacre until we find out more about the killer, and what makes him set him apart from other gun owners.

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I'd think that the fact this person murdered 32 innocent people sets him apart from other gun owners.

Gun control claims more victims, how many more must die - defenseless - unarmed - and ready for the slaughter.


Gun control claims more victims - unarmed students make easy victims.


How many more must die in the name of gun control?


Universities ban guns and lead their students to the slaughter.

The guilty never obey gun laws and the innocent pay the price for their obedience.


Better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it. Gun Control makes victims - Va. Tech. 4/16/07.



Better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it. Never Again - Va. Tech. 4/16/07.


Better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it. Va. Tech. 4/16/07 - what gun control costs.



Va. Tech. 4/16/07 - what gun control costs.

shotgunkevin's idea gave me this modified version...

Take this part of his idea...

In the photo, show the interior of a classroom that's "locked down." People (victims) hiding, crying, cowering. Through the window in the door you can see two guys (bad guys) in the hallway, stereotypical "trench coat mafia", ala Columbine. They are coming towards the door of this classroom.

And then show the class name on the door...Fish in a Barrel 101 (subtitle "How to be a victim") with the 'gunfree zone' sticker on the wall next to the door.

Oleg, I was just about to post that quote as a suggested poster text. Perhaps work in a VT logo (clearly fair use in this situation).

Maybe you could show a picture of a person holding a pistol and put the caption "When faced with a crazed gunman, nooone ever wishes they had a phone instead of a handgun"

i'm plastering this everywhere, hope you don't mind.

Or perhaps show a picture of a cell phone next to a pistol and put the caption "Which is more likely to protect you during a rampaging gunman?"

I'd be wary of using the VT logo. The administration gets lawyer happy when people use their logo without permission.

images

I'd be wary of using the VT logo. The administration gets lawyer happy when people use their logo without permission.

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Fair use. Trademark (and copyright) law does not trump the 1A. Trust me on this.

I like Amish Bill's idea.....

Caption: "In Baghdad, my government provided me with the means to defend myself against those trying to kill me and my buddies. In my own school, the same government took it away. Self-defense is a right EVERYWHERE!!!"....


...or something like that....

Keep up the work Oleg, they look good.

A group of students huddled against the back wall of a dark classroom, desks and chairs scattered around. A single student (probably a girl) with a compact pistol in one hand, low ready, and her other arm spread out, palm back, as if protecting the people behind her. Someone in a mask is looking in the window in the door, getting ready to come in.

Simple caption, concealed guns save lives.

very rough sketch.

Idea #1)
I picture a row of people on knees (execution style) with the gunman behind them.
I picture a group of people behind -just one person- with a ccw all standing up and facing the gunman.
Caption... "Which group stands a better chance?"

Idea #2)
Similar to your post #32 but with a bullet ridden/blood splattered "gun free zone" sign (maybe even trampled on the ground).
Caption... "criminals don't care about signs".

Idea #3)
body on the ground, phone visible with 911 still on the display
caption... none really needed but maybe "but I dialed 911"

How about a bit of text about the VT rep talking about people "feeling safer" a year ago because CCW wouldn't be allowed at VA Tech, over a picture.

Then this in bold at the bottom:

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be ILLEGAL for good men to do anything.

here's a lame attempt...

Here's my current contribution.

My idea is a poster split into two images, one showing grief for the victims, and the other resolve that this should never happen again.

I'll make you a sign: