Kevin Woster hosts a great deal of discussion of HB 1261, the superfluous guns-on-campus bill, on his excellent outdoors blog Take It Outside. He notes that his big sister, a university prof herself (who contributed all the more to my love of writing about the American West!), "really doesn't like the idea of well-armed students in her classroom." Unfortunately for the students headed her way, nutty legislation like HB 1261 only makes her more eager for retirement.
The equanimous Mr. Woster gives equal time for other voices. He invites Nancy First, a Rapid City gun-shop owner and "Second Amendment Sister," to write a guest column explaining her support for HB 1261. She testified to expand her market at the House hearing on the bill last week, where she says "Our heroes on the House State Affairs Committee fearlessly stood up to the Board of Regents."
[I wonder why we haven't seen any heroism standing up to corporations posing a clear and present threat to our environment and property rights... but that's another issue.]
Then Ms. First says this:
I want to see South Dakota eliminate ALL of our dangerous gun-free zones, including courthouses and bars. Only then will the law-abiding citizens of South Dakota be free to exercise our basic human right of self-defense [Nancy First, quoted by Kevin Woster, "On Guns: From a Second Amendment Sister," Take It Outside, 2008.02.04].
...eliminate ALL of our dangerous gun-free zones -- those are her capital letters, not mine. Ms. First isn't looking just at college campuses. She appears to consider restrictions on guns anywhere to be unjustified.
Guns in courthouses, where upset folks may face jail time, divorce hearings, or acquitals of folks they've accused? No problem.
Guns in bars, where people get drunk and fight? No problem.
Guns in high schools and kindergartens? Hey, Nancy said ALL dangerous gun-free zones.
I await any clarification from Ms. First, HB 1261 Sponsor Rep. Brunner (R-29/Nisland), or any other HB 1261 supporters who care to clarify whether there is such a thing as a safe gun-free zone. Until then, I assume the gun lobby's agenda is guns everywhere, for everyone, from the courthouse to kindergarten.
How obvious do the nut cases have to make it before people realize that "gun free" isn't synonymous with "safe?"
ReplyDeleteI can't believe legislators aren't seeing the bigger picture here. This legislation isn't about restricting a person's ability to hunt, it simply restricts a person's ability to have a firearm on campus because serious incidents have happened on other campuses in other states that have caused major harm.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd like to see a survey of students that indicates how many of them actually have firearms on campus (hand guns or shot guns) because that would provide some actual perspective on how many people this legislation would impact.
I think everyone is missing the point of this bill.
ReplyDelete“No public institution of higher education may expel, dismiss, or penalize any person who carries or possesses a firearm in accordance with state law.”
It’s not a bill to allow guns on campuses
If you don’t like guns, go to a courthouse, a K-12 school, or a bar because that’s the only place it against the law to carry one. (or stay at home)
The argument that the world will be safer from would be attackers if everyone is carrying firearms is just evidence of a contagious insanity. Latest case in point is Kirkwood, Missouri, where five people were killed and a number critically wounded before the armed police present could take out the shooter.
ReplyDeleteWe also have rules forbidding alcohol on campus. It doesn't stop drinking, but it provides a means of managing behavior in an age group that doesn't handle alcohol well.
If this bill passes, the universities can require the permanent expulsion and banishment from the campuses any menacing act--including a verbal threat--by anyone who possesses a firearm on campus. Any such acts can also be made felonies.
I would also amend the law so that any student who feels the presence of a firearm in a classroom to be menacing or distracting be allowed to absent themselves from the class without penalty. The professor will have the right to stipulate the learning conditions of the class in order to meet the learning objectives.
"courthouse, a K-12 school, or a bar"
ReplyDelete--Oh, but not for long. Anon 2:04 confirmed what I interpreted Nancy First to be saying, that the NRA agenda is to eliminate all gun-free zone.
Dr. Knowlton was great Saturday at the Madison Cracker Barrel. He pointed out that legislators don't have a problem making the Capital a gun free zone.
ReplyDeleteThe Bottom line is a lot of these lawmakers don't like the Board of Regents, and this bill was written in retaliation to the Regents bill.
This is legislation out of spite.
And spite is a terrible reason for any legislation.
ReplyDelete