Posted on 08/24/2005 3:15:02 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Guns At Work
Big business and the gun lobby are going at it over workplace firearms. Will the Bush administration pick sides?
By Robert B. Reich
Web Exclusive: 08.18.05
Listen to the evening news and you’re likely to hear a grizzly story about a disaffected worker or estranged spouse or dissatisfied customer arriving at a workplace and going ballistic. It’s all too common.
About 17 employees are murdered every week in American workplaces by someone with a gun, making gun-related killings the third-biggest safety hazard facing American workers -- right after vehicles and machines. In fact, gun-related homicide is the leading cause of death at the workplace for women.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina have shown that killings are five times more likely to occur at workplaces where guns are allowed as where they’re prohibited. It’s just common sense.
So what are we doing about this? Some well-known American companies are taking action. It’s government that’s the problem.
A while back, the Weyerhauser Corporation banned weapons in cars parked in its employee parking lots. Workers who thereafter arrived with shotguns, handguns, rifles, and automatic weapons were fired.
But legislators in Oklahoma didn’t like this at all. Apparently Oklahoma’s lawmakers are more concerned about protecting gun owners than protecting average working people. So they enacted a state law preventing companies from instituting no-guns-in-company-parking-lot policies. Unless something’s done, the law goes into effect this November.
Thankfully, something is being done. A group of companies is going to court to block that Oklahoma law. They say they have a right to take action to protect their employees on company property. These companies -- including the energy giant Halliburton; aircraft-part maker Nordam; and ConocoPhillips, the largest oil refiner in America -- deserve the thanks of workers in Oklahoma and in any other states where gun-fawning lawmakers are intent on endangering them.
True to form, the National Rifle Association is taking a stand against these companies, and in favor of people who want to bring guns to work. It’s even organizing a boycott of ConocoPhillips gas stations.
Now, you may ask, where is the federal government in all this? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is supposed to set national policy for workplace safety. Since it was established more than 30 years ago, OSHA has often been corporate America’s worst nightmare, focusing its enforcement on picayune rules and regulations.
Now here’s OSHA’s chance to side with corporate America and protect workers’ lives. OSHA ought to ban guns in every workplace across America -- thereby preempting the Oklahoma legislation and sending the National Rifle Association packing.
If OSHA fails to take action on this one, you might suspect that the National Rifle Association has trained its sights on the Bush administration.
If business wants to take away your ability to defend yourself, then sue them when ever they fail to defend you. Encourage every relative of victims to sue whoever takes away your right to self defense. I see an opportunity for contingency tort lawyers.
Good luck finding a bank anywhere that doesn't have a sign like that in the window. No bank, S&L, or Credit Union that I'm aware of in KC "allows" concealed weapons on their premesis.
Mark
I have a carry permit but if I leave my weapon at home, I can't protect myself going to and from work.
My employer doesn't allow guns on company property but they don't search cars either.
Decisions, decisions?
That statement makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. The last time I looked, many of the "average working people" in Oklahoma, are in fact gun owners. I too am no fan of Robert Reich and believe he is totally off the mark when it comes to guns in the workplace.
He is an idiot. Does he really think that because it is against some stupid law to take a gun into your workplace that it will prevent someone from MURDERING their co-workers? If anything, this will GUARANTEE that the people inside their workplace are unarmed against a person in a murderous rage.
I know! We will just make it ILLEGAL to murder other people! Why didn't we think of that before and save ourselves all this worry?
Good luck finding a bank anywhere that doesn't have a sign like that in the window. No bank, S&L, or Credit Union that I'm aware of in KC "allows" concealed weapons on their premesis.
I know my daughter's old bank had a no guns sign, but I didn't know they were that widespread.
If you're interested in changing banks, perhaps posting a note to KC Freepers on your state's "My Locale" page would help find a good bank.
http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/apr05/loomis042105.html
Unfortunately, Mr. Reich neglected to actually cite whatever "study" he might have been referencing, so this is not a certainty, but this "study" is from UNC, it seems to be on the same topic, and it is reasonably recent.
Where's the freakin hurl alert?!
What part of that logic cant liberals comprehend?
Robert Reich = imbecile
And on a 17" monitor, he is shown 'actual size'.
Re your post #8, 10 to 1 that such a study doesn't exist, except in Mr. Reich's imagination.
How do the police and army feel about this?
Are you talking about a real study or just something ginned up by what has become the Commies for Democratic Control (CDC).
That agency seems to be managed by the socialism impaired, so their alliance with the short ugly troll is a natural - if such an agenda driven alliance by both agency and the troll can be called 'natural'.
He forgot to include children and minorities.
Will this include courtrooms, police stations and military bases?
How about hunting guides and Fish & Game employees???????
Reich isn't just vertically challenged. He is definately trying to find his brain. We all know already where his mouth is. What a moron. I am in my workplace---my home. Let him come here and try to take my gun. Just let him try.........
But then again, he is such a SMALL target.......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.