My Letter to the Editor was Published!

[Ohio Rifleman]

Hello all. As you might know, I've been working on a letter to the editor of my university's newspaper regarding their idiotic weapons policy. Well, I picked up a copy today at school, and lo and behold, I found it in the OpEd page of the paper.

The exact letter, as it appeared in the paper is:

The weapons policy at Wright State University is irrational, foolhardy and dangerous. This is the policy that I took from the Student Handbook, word for word:

The weapons policy at Virginia Tech is much the same. They both forbid students from having any kind of self-defense tool, even if one has a concealed carry permit, which allows the holder to carry many other places. This policy does not work, as we saw with the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April. All this policy does is make sure that law-abiding students are defenseless before a murderous lunatic.

Why do they insist on making the students and faculty at our university sitting ducks before a killer? Why must we give up one of our most sacred rights, that of self-defense, in order to get an education?

Holders of concealed carry permits in Ohio must be at least 21 years of age, have a clean criminal record, and must pass a firearms course. What possible harm could come from allowing these people to carry on campus?

Before the law allowing concealed carrying of handguns went into effect, many people thought this would lead to shootouts over parking spaces and the like. This has been proven utterly false. The law has been in effect for over a year, and nothing of the sort has happened.

Some may call me paranoid for wanting students to be allowed to have these tools on campus. I believe it is no more paranoid than wearing a seatbelt when you get into your car. Or, perhaps, keeping smoke alarms or fire extinguishers on hand. They are simply precautions taken if something bad happens, which likely will not. It is the same with carrying a self-defense tool such as a handgun.

Others might say that the police will protect you should something happen. The police could not save the 32 people murdered at Virginia Tech, nor the many others who were wounded by the attacker. Every time you hear of someone being attacked or murdered on the news, that is another instance in which the police could not save someone. The police perform a valuable service at Wright State, but they are not supermen. There is no guarantee that they will be there to save you.

I would rather depend on myself for my own safety, rather than a uniformed stranger.

In conclusion, Wright State’s draconian weapons policy should be changed immediately, allowing students to carry concealed weapons on campus.

 

[Autolycus]

Good job. Its nice to see people exercising their first amendment rights to talk about their second amendment rights.

 

[Cavalier Knight]

Glad to hear

 

[skinnyguy]

Let's hope you see some RESULTS because of the letter. Keep your eye on the future issues, as there are sure to be replies, pro and con. The more replies, the better. If enough people take an interest, perhaps the policymakers will revisit that policy.

Great job!!!

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

They probably published it as bait. Keep looking in the next week or so. I'm sure they will publish another 20 letters from "more enlightened" students telling you how crude and ignorant you are.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Why must we give up one of our most sacred rights, that of self-defense, in order to get an education?

Much of what passes for "education" these days is simple training in serfdom.

 

[FieroCDSP]

If enough people take an interest, perhaps the policymakers will revisit that policy.

It's going to be a while on that one. Ohio Law prohibits carry on campus, unlike the Virginia law which allows, but VT decided to prohibit it themselves. So long as some people think all college students are too immature to carry (despite the growing number of 21+ that are going), there will be a lot of effort to prevent any change to the current law.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

I went to college as a non-traditional student (over 21) and was really freaked out by the policies of the university after I'd been there for a while. After watching the white collar gangs (frats) beat 1 guy up at a time, and noticing that the uni police's hands immediately went to their weapons if you took a step toward them while talking, I was glad to get out of there. I didn't appreciate having to be unarmed.
Of course, now I'm pursuing more education in the crim. justice field and still can't carry a weapon, but at least I have all those armed police officers on campus getting training to protect me.

Nice work on the op/ed piece. They're right, it's probably bait for the sheeple that will inevitably respond. But, you should be glad. After all, any change at your uni will start with dialogue between the opposing sides.

So, get prepared for, and welcome any dialogue that will come. You may just get your opportunity for change.

 

[Colt]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to write the editor.

Thanks also for publishing it here.

 

[ScottsGT]

Good job, but looking at your list of guns in your signature line, you need to get one you can hide!

 

[DonP]

Good letter and a good effort to touch the folks that might still have a few gray cells working on campus.

Sadly, the most likely response you'll get will probably be a brainless parroting of "the devastation more guns might cause".

I've already heard people actually saying things like; "Just imagine how much worse V-Tech could have been if a student or professor was armed too!" The sad part is they were not being sarcastic.

These kinds of people limit their thinking to bumper sticker length sound bytes. "Guns are Bad", "Only the police need guns" kind of rationale. The funny part is these are usually the same people going ballistic over the government geting more power to eavesdrop onpeople. I have no idea how they rationalize giving the same government they fear is reading their library card the sole control over firearms?

Seriously, how much worse do these brainless dolts think it can it get than more than 30 people being shot execution style? The facts are the minute Cho realized that men that also had guns were coming after him he shot himself. 30 victims too late sadly.

They can't see the contradiction in their own reasoning, or whatever they call it. When you point out that it was already a gun free zone by law, they lapse into the desparate need for completely gun free states and a gun free country.

Sorry for the rant. Good letter and good thinking behind it.

 

[Master Blaster]

Make sure you dont have any firearms, ammo parts or other weapons in your dorm room. My guess is that somone will read your letter, feel threatened, and call campus security to report that you have an arsenal in your room.

I hope I am wrong.

 

[Old Fud]

Your letter to the editor was one of the excellently composed, easily read, interesting, clear, logical, and Made it's point IN BRIEF --- better than any other I have read in papers, in blogs, or on forums including this one.

Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for showing us how.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Make sure you dont have any firearms, ammo parts or other weapons in your dorm room. My guess is that somone will read your letter, feel threatened, and call campus security to report that you have an arsenal in your room.

I hope I am wrong.

This is a moot point, as I live at home, a good 13 miles from campus. I actually recieved an email regarding my letter, a positive one, from a research assistant at my university.

I think you all are underestimating the intelligence of the people at my university. Case in point, on the website of my campus newspaper, they published this drivel: http://media.www.theguardianonline....ns/Vt.Has.Wsu.Student.Concerned-2847298.shtml

However, there were no fewer than three others published calling this person out: http://media.www.theguardianonline....e.In.Gun.Laws.Wont.End.Violence-2877841.shtml

http://media.www.theguardianonline....ld.Not.Affect.Individual.Rights-2877862.shtml

http://media.www.theguardianonline....upport.The.Concealed.Carry.Laws-2890690.shtml

And thank you all for your kind words, when I picked a copy of the newspaper, I was stunned to see my letter staring back at me. I did this so I can say I DID something for RKBA besides complain on the Internet.

 

[atblis]

Hmm

"Police rush to the scene at Norris Hall at VT"

Does anybody find it odd that the freaking swat team behind them appears to just be moseying along?

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

It's hard to draw conclusions from just a photograph. We don't know the exact circumstances and exactly what was going on when that picture was taken.

I have nothing against LEOs...they're decent people doing a difficult, unerappreciated, dangerous job. I do, however, dislike that the law seems to provide them with greater rights and privlidges than the rest of us.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Good job, but looking at your list of guns in your signature line, you need to get one you can hide!

If it's time to bury your guns, it's time to dig them up. Not sure who said that, but true.

Besides, I can only have rifles and shotguns for now, as the state of Ohio thinks I'm too stupid to have a handgun. (I'm only 20)

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Good work, O.R.

 

[gunsmith]

Excellent!

Great job.
I am willing to bet though, that they will publish a letter(s) soon, asking "why should we hand out guns to all the students".
They always act as if they can not comprehend the written word, you say responsible adult buying their own handgun and they hear "giving out guns to drunk frat boys".:banghead:

 

[Jamie C.]

I think you all are underestimating the intelligence of the people at my university.

I hope the folks at your university are brighter and better-informed than the student government of MTSU.

It was both sad and disturbing to hear some of the stuff that was coming out of the mouths of the college kids they interviewed on the local news last night.
( The student who sponsored the resolution, Matthew Hurt, seemed to be the only one with good sense. )

Here's the write-up on the story:
Student Leaders Reject Gun Resolution




J.C.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

They posted my letter on their web site, as they usually do. People can post comments as well. Thus far, my letter has gotten three. You can see for yourself here: http://media.www.theguardianonline....happy.With.Wsu.Weapons.Policies-3006225.shtml

They're mostly positive, I guess...but, they all say "I agree with you, but I don't agree with you." Huh?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

They probably published it as bait. Keep looking in the next week or so. I'm sure they will publish another 20 letters from "more enlightened" students telling you how crude and ignorant you are.

Bait? I don't know, but there is a very definite level of ignorance (lack of information) being demonstrated in the letter and by some of the subsequent posters. As FieroCDSP noted indirectly, the issue isn't a school issue. It is a state law issue. This lack of understanding is a bit troubling. FieroCDSP is also right in that the law in Virginia is different, so comparing the two in relation to policies doesn't work.

Publishing in the school paper on its policies is a bit like debating the clerk at Wal-Mart on why Wal-mart policies won't allow rifles to be sold to 16 year olds. Wal-Mart isn't the problem. Wright State isn't the problem. The sooner this is understood, then the sooner our energies can be more wisely spent trying to effect changes in the correct places at the correct levels.

If OR was at Virginia Tech, then his letter would make sense, but he is in a completely different state.

Besides, I can only have rifles and shotguns for now, as the state of Ohio thinks I'm too stupid to have a handgun. (I'm only 20)

Sorry OR, but this statement doesn't even make sense. Age-based laws such as driving, drinking, and gun ownership has nothing to do with your intelligence level.

 

[crebralfix]

Read _Dial 991 and Die_. It provides specific citations regarding the state's level of responsibility to protect individuals. You should be able to articulate this for your state, because it will come up in the discussion.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

As FieroCDSP noted indirectly, the issue isn't a school issue. It is a state law issue. This lack of understanding is a bit troubling.

I understand it now, that's for certain. I just hope that doesn't make me look like a total idiot.

Sorry OR, but this statement doesn't even make sense. Age-based laws such as driving, drinking, and gun ownership has nothing to do with your intelligence level.

<sarcasm> Then let me rephrase, the state of Ohio thinks I'm too immature to have a handgun, despite being mature enough to join the military, smoke, move out on my own, etc.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Then let me rephrase, the state of Ohio thinks I'm too immature to have a handgun, despite being mature enough to join the military, smoke, move out on my own, etc.

Great, you have been posting on this issue for over a year now. What is it that you are doing in Ohio to get the law changed? You apparently pen letters to the school newspaper on the issue of guns, ownership, and campus carry, but that isn't really addressing the problem. How about federal law.

I hope I am wrong, but I am fairly certain that when you turn 21 in 6 months that you will completely give up on this issue that seems so important to you now.