Two Texas Colleges Criticized Over Free Speech Issues

kut radio ^ | 13 April, 2009 | Ian Crawford,

[marktwain]

Some Tarrant County College students wanted to wear empty gun holsters to school because they wanted the right to carry concealed handguns on campus - with a license. A Young Conservatives student group at Lone Star College's Tomball campus wanted to hand out a tongue-in-cheek "Top-Ten Gun Safety Tips." At both schools, administrators told the groups to stop or risk campus sanctions.

O'Neil: "They're unusual in several respects. But most especially because they involve attempts to discuss in a perhaps insensitive, but basically humorous fashion the issue of guns on campus."

That's Bob O'Neil, the director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. The Center gave annual "Muzzle Awards" to both schools.

O'Neil: "In both cases, we would observe this was not a high level of sensitivity. It's certainly not the issue you want people joking about. There's nothing funny about Virginia Tech or Northern Illinois."

O'Neil says the issue is all about the right to protest. A Tarrant County College spokesman didn't want to be recorded for broadcast, but he told me the issue for the college was campus safety. No one would know for sure whether the gun holsters were empty or not. Lone Star College wasn't able to make anyone available to repond. State law prohibits guns on any college campus in Texas, even for concealed weapons license holders.

Ian Crawford, KUT News.

[marktwain]

So, you can not wear empty holsters on campus, because one might have a gun in it, but you can have book bags, gym bags, baggy pants...etc.

That has to be one of the lamest excuses for violation of Constitutional rights that I have ever heard.

[Starboard]

Maybe wear a bandolier instead. Just call it a fashion statement. LOL.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Tyrant County College is closer to the truth.

[GeronL]

don’t worry I am sure a judge can find a pnumbra fart to justify it

[Da Coyote]

“don’t worry I am sure a judge can find a pnumbra fart to justify it”

Well spoken, and true. I’m at the point where I no longer trust the legal system. (Note to the Obamaloon Nazis: I’m law abiding, I just don’t trust your stinkin’ judges any more.)

[wastedyears]

Ping

[Always Right]

O'Neil: "In both cases, we would observe this was not a high level of sensitivity. It's certainly not the issue you want people joking about. There's nothing funny about Virginia Tech or Northern Illinois."

Absoultely correct. There is nothing funny about campuses that are unarmed and unable to protect themselves from on loose nut.

[Redbob]

What, only two Texas schools have free speech issues?

I’d have thought there’d be a lot more than just two...

[Redbob]

" No one would know for sure whether the gun holsters were empty or not."

Tarrant County College must not require their administrators to have more than a double-digit IQ...

Just for the Tarrant County folks in our midst, here's how you tell:

Empty holster:

Holster with gun:

[BlueDragon]

I doubt this is the top ten list the students where circulating