Posted on 01/29/2002 7:21:38 AM PST by goodnesswins
Tuesday, January 29, 2002 - 12:00 a.m. Pacific Editorial Gun-toting Utah
Gun advocates, like other politically passionate groups, sometimes don't know when to quit.
Such is the case in Utah. Less than two weeks before the Olympic Games begin, gun advocates are trying to bring guns close to Olympic venues and trying to force guns onto college campuses against the will of colleges and universities.
While officials at Utah universities try to maintain a reasonable ban on guns on campuses, state officials are ordering state offices, day cares, parks, hospitals and college campuses to remove bans on guns for people with concealed-weapons permits.
Day cares? College classrooms? How absurd.
Seven of nine public colleges and universities have banned guns on their campuses for sane, rational reasons. What is the mission of an institution of higher learning if not to provide a safe educational environment for students?
With the Olympics opening Feb. 8, gun advocates are causing additional headaches for security planners. Advocates want to tote weapons to the Olympics and keep them in lock-boxes near the venues.
The U.S. Secret Service, overseeing much of the security operation, correctly said no. For 17 days, the paramount interest is not exaggerated gun law. It's the safety of athletes and visitors from hundreds of different countries.
Many states allow people with concealed-weapons permits to carry guns into stores, churches and other locations. Utah blazes new trails by insisting — insisting — that guns be allowed at colleges and universities.
People with concealed-weapons permits have followed the rules. But their rights should not overwhelm the potential health and safety of students and professors, nor should they interfere with wider security concerns at the winter games.
A poll done for the Deseret News found nearly two-thirds of Utah residents favor banning guns from schools. Well, of course. Former Sen. Jake Garn, a Republican and university trustee, says classrooms should be havens for learning, not a potential firing range.
Gun rights, like many other rights, are limited by common sense. Utah is embarrassing itself with its over-the-top gun advocacy.
Copyright © 2002 The Seattle Times Company
What's so reasonable about it?
Do they think society is better served by making people leave their guns in the car?
What a bunch of dorks. How will disarming a huge population at an event guaranteed to raise a terrorist's eyebrows guarantee their safety? Oh, that's right, we can't be trusted to defend ourselves. We can be trusted to elect Congressmen and Presidents, but we can't be trusted to defend ourselves. Prigs.
It's the anti-gunners who have been trying to attack the concealed carry rights by creating special exemption zones for the Olympic venues (that somehow will never go away.)
Schools already have the right to ban concealed carry on their property in Utah, as can any other land-owning entity.
The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.
or it could read like this
People in the media have followed the rules. But their rights should not overwhelm the potential health and safety of students and professors, nor should they interfere with wider security concerns at the winter games. A ban on free speech in these places is clearly warranted.
(just kidding)
What about a safe environment for faculty? One of my students (from an Arab country) threatened to kill me and another professor because we had given him bad grades. The university administration decided not to do anything unless the student repeated his threats.
I have since purchased a .40-caliber Glock pistol. From now on, I will provide for my own safe educational environment.
/sarcasm>
Alan Keyes mentioned last night that the latest school shooting (PA law school ?) was stopped when 2 students ran to their cars, got their guns and disarmed the shooter. If they had been "allowed" guns on campus, maybe there would have been only one victim, or none.
Any Freepers in Seattle: Did the Seattle Times mention this aspect of the shooting?
that's not accurate. only private property owners (not places accessible to the general public or businesses)
and churches can ban guns, concealed or not. they must notify you by posting signs or telling you.
under state statute and state constitution, only the legislature can regulate state gun law, so the
bottom line is that any place that isn't a "secure" area as defined by the legislature (fed facilities,
jails, prisons, courts, etc.) and isn't personal private property or a church must allow concealed carry.
you can carry in an elementary or a daycare, a bar, the capitol building, and if you don't mind
being the test case to support the opinion of the attorney general and
legislative auditor's report vs. some college's administrative rule, you can carry in the universities too.
otoh, i think we all agree that this article sucks. seattle, the other kalifornia.
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