U of M paper publishes pro-gun editorial

[Guest Halfpint]

Just thought I would let those in the Memphis area know, the Daily Helmsman published an op-ed piece from The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo, advocating state-by-state looks at the banning of guns on public universities. I've already written an email to the editor, thanking him for publishing something that is so out-of-the-norm for a college campus. I'm on a break between classes right now, but I'll publish the full text of the editorial later on today when I get time.

As many of my customers at the shop know, I'm a student on campus, but I ask that they all keep it low-key, as I don't want the added attention that such a revelation would cause.

I'm just shocked/happy/awed that such an editorial would be published, but I have to say, I'm all for an editor who's open to both sides of an issue, even if they run in separate days' editions of the paper.

[Guest Halfpint]

Words in bold highlighted by me. Omission in third paragraph courtesy Daily Helmsman--I copied it word-for-word as it was printed.

Here we go again, but it has to be said: Northern Illinois University is another gun-free zone. So when a suicidal mass murdered showed up at a lecture hall Thursday, nobody had the means to stop him. As a result, he was able to shoot 21 people, killing five. Illinois is largely a rural state, and lots of students and Northern Illinois University own weapons and know how to use them in defense. Unfortunately, the code of student conduct requires that all weapons be stored at the university security office.

We can be reasonably certain that the policy told the killer, who strategically planned a brief, rapid-fire assault, this much: "Nobody in the crowd will take you out when you start shooting."

That, in fact, was the case. Everyone but the killer obeyed the school's gun rule, giving him the time and freedom he needed to kill. [ . . . ]

Since those who administer schools aren't getting the message, it's time to consider state-by-state bans on gun prohibition at public universities. And it's time for states to require high schools and elementary schools to provide reasonable security for students. It's the least we can do.

Is it just me, or does someone in the media actually get it?!

another gun-free zone: someone up there actually realizes that banning guns turns places into easy targets.

nobody had the means to stop him: notice he doesn't say "nobody but the police, when they finally showed up, after he killed five people"--he says nobody.

Everyone but the killer obeyed the school's gun rule: kind of obvious here. If everyone else turns in their guns at the security office, he's not going to have any resistance or opposition. Had even one person had a gun, maybe (and yes I said maybe) so many people wouldn't have been killed or wounded. Still, that maybe is one hell of a lot better than any chance those people had since none of them were armed.

it's time to consider state-by-state bans on gun prohibition at public universities: bans on gun prohibition were the words that jumped out at me . . . is it just me, or is he saying that legislatures/campus administrators should consider allowing legally-armed citizens to protect themselves, even on their oh-so-safe college campuses? Sounds that way to me. (I REALLY wish Shirley Raines could read this right now . . . )

Hell, if even ONE reporter/newsmonkey gets it, that's one more than I would have expected.

I really and truly hate that so many tragedies have occurred, but I can't help but feel that if people had had the means to defend themselves, such things would have been avoided or at least lessened.

[deerslayer]

Wow, does the Helmsman have a new editor yet?

[Guest someguy12341]

Thanks, Chance. I hope you'll keep us posted with regards to any follow-up on this, not that I expect them to do much of that one way or the other.

[Guest atomemphis]

I somehow missed the article. Usually the Helmsman is good for a Soduku, and that's about it.

I personally think I should DEFINITELY be allowed to carry in a place where we've recently had a 'shotgun-robber' frolicking about the neighborhood around campus robbing people getting into their cars.

But Shirley Raines does not care about, genuinely, about student safety. She does not care about University sports, the only national spotlight the U of M regularly gets. She does not care about University greek life, the very students that fuel nearly all other student organizations. Shirley Raines cares about buying up the land around the University to have a scenic 'entrance' to campus. This is evident in the campus "masterplan" that has been available for sometime, and only recently published in the Helmsman.