[FONT="]I know I speak for a good portion of campus when I say I am very disappointed that the “[/FONT]Safe and Free Environment Reform “ resolution did not pass at Wednesday’s senate meeting. It doesn’t take much searching in your phone or email inbox to remind yourself of the alerts that have gone out over the last few years. While these are not overly alarming, it clearly shows that the college campus is not in a bubble, bad things can, and have happened here.
Our purpose with this resolution was not to quell fears. It was to address realities. No one in the various tragedies across the country ever expected to be faced with such an event. But it happened, it will likely happen again. Before you fly off the handle calling for more gun control, I suggest you look at the FBI’s universal crime report, It clearly shows a trend of lowered crime since 1992. It is easy to track as well the number of concealed carry permits issued, and the number of guns sold since that same date. While I am academically honest enough to admit that firearms access is not solely responsible for this drop in crime, I will point to Chicago as an example where tough restrictions are not working to prevent violence.
To address the concerns from the meeting about hate crimes. I will reiterate my point from last night that most gun control measures, especially in the south, were aimed specifically to disarm racial minorities to give bigots free reign. Keep in mind disarming victims does not protect them in the future.
I will stand contrary to Ms. Hiland’s comments; the support is there, David long’s staff can attest to this. Students are simply disenfranchised in this area; every effort in the past has been shot down by the student government, why would they expect redress now? You also don’t hear much outpouring of support as students and staff who have been vocal about this issue in the past have been ostracized across the country. Most will not put themselves in the spot light, for fear of termination, or “random” searches of vehicles and personal belongings.
I am very grateful of those who spoke up last night, whether sharing personal feelings, a personal experience, or just being there, I’d like you to know I believe it helped get the votes that were cast in support of the measure. I have the utmost respect for the senators who DID vote for this. They put themselves in the spotlight, and that takes courage. I do hope to see more vocal student support this as time goes on. I know many alumni that carry, and most of them (especially the women) do so because of personal experiences. They learned a lesson in a difficult fashion, and I hope they all can continue to share those stores as one young lady did last night, so hopefully other do not have to be taught by firsthand experience.
As to “president” rust, your testimony last night was frivolous and damaging. However, I do hope students learn a lesson early in life because of you. People often don’t want to be involved in politics, and as such are often ruled by such small mined and haughty ignorance as was displayed last night. Mr. Rust displayed the level of hypocrisy seldom seen except from professional politicians such as Diane Fienstein. Many of the alternate methods of self-defense are also restricted on campus, or are impractical to implement. IC 35-47-8covers tazers, it states that the same conditions must be present in order to defensively use either lethal or less than lethal force. Tazers are “less than lethal” force, and have been used to end the lives of people across the country. Where they don’t kill, they only temporarily disable people, and when employed by law enforcement, it is used with a partner to detain the suspect. Without the aid of someone trained and equipped to handcuff a suspect, tazers are of little use. On your own they are only “possibly” effective, and offer no guarantee of successful defense.
Martial arts are very ineffective without significant time invested in training. It also is not useful across a classroom. Mace is just as likely to hurt the user, without proper training, as it is to help. If mace is your plan, please seek an exposure course, and learn about it.
Safe walk is not a viable alternative either, while it makes people feel better, they do not serve students who live off campus, nor are they equipped to do anything but call for help.
As to the stress comment, college is easy, if this is something you find stressful, drop out and go work at McDonald’s what comes next is more difficult, and the gravity is more staggering, the decisions you will make will contribute to a business’s success or failure, it will affect the health well being, and livelihood of people. These concerns weigh heavier on a person than GPA does, trust me. Past these points stress is not causing a rash of poor behavior on campus now, nor outside of campus, there should be no false correlation drawn, especially in an academic setting.
For those who do support this measure, please search out the Students for concealed carry on campus at Purdue University organization. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stude...y-at-Purdue-University/363551473743286?ref=hl they were instrumental in bringing the topic up, and informing those that came to the meeting last night. Please join their group, and make your voice heard.
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Our purpose with this resolution was not to quell fears. It was to address realities. No one in the various tragedies across the country ever expected to be faced with such an event. But it happened, it will likely happen again. Before you fly off the handle calling for more gun control, I suggest you look at the FBI’s universal crime report, It clearly shows a trend of lowered crime since 1992. It is easy to track as well the number of concealed carry permits issued, and the number of guns sold since that same date. While I am academically honest enough to admit that firearms access is not solely responsible for this drop in crime, I will point to Chicago as an example where tough restrictions are not working to prevent violence.
To address the concerns from the meeting about hate crimes. I will reiterate my point from last night that most gun control measures, especially in the south, were aimed specifically to disarm racial minorities to give bigots free reign. Keep in mind disarming victims does not protect them in the future.
I will stand contrary to Ms. Hiland’s comments; the support is there, David long’s staff can attest to this. Students are simply disenfranchised in this area; every effort in the past has been shot down by the student government, why would they expect redress now? You also don’t hear much outpouring of support as students and staff who have been vocal about this issue in the past have been ostracized across the country. Most will not put themselves in the spot light, for fear of termination, or “random” searches of vehicles and personal belongings.
I am very grateful of those who spoke up last night, whether sharing personal feelings, a personal experience, or just being there, I’d like you to know I believe it helped get the votes that were cast in support of the measure. I have the utmost respect for the senators who DID vote for this. They put themselves in the spotlight, and that takes courage. I do hope to see more vocal student support this as time goes on. I know many alumni that carry, and most of them (especially the women) do so because of personal experiences. They learned a lesson in a difficult fashion, and I hope they all can continue to share those stores as one young lady did last night, so hopefully other do not have to be taught by firsthand experience.
As to “president” rust, your testimony last night was frivolous and damaging. However, I do hope students learn a lesson early in life because of you. People often don’t want to be involved in politics, and as such are often ruled by such small mined and haughty ignorance as was displayed last night. Mr. Rust displayed the level of hypocrisy seldom seen except from professional politicians such as Diane Fienstein. Many of the alternate methods of self-defense are also restricted on campus, or are impractical to implement. IC 35-47-8covers tazers, it states that the same conditions must be present in order to defensively use either lethal or less than lethal force. Tazers are “less than lethal” force, and have been used to end the lives of people across the country. Where they don’t kill, they only temporarily disable people, and when employed by law enforcement, it is used with a partner to detain the suspect. Without the aid of someone trained and equipped to handcuff a suspect, tazers are of little use. On your own they are only “possibly” effective, and offer no guarantee of successful defense.
Martial arts are very ineffective without significant time invested in training. It also is not useful across a classroom. Mace is just as likely to hurt the user, without proper training, as it is to help. If mace is your plan, please seek an exposure course, and learn about it.
Safe walk is not a viable alternative either, while it makes people feel better, they do not serve students who live off campus, nor are they equipped to do anything but call for help.
As to the stress comment, college is easy, if this is something you find stressful, drop out and go work at McDonald’s what comes next is more difficult, and the gravity is more staggering, the decisions you will make will contribute to a business’s success or failure, it will affect the health well being, and livelihood of people. These concerns weigh heavier on a person than GPA does, trust me. Past these points stress is not causing a rash of poor behavior on campus now, nor outside of campus, there should be no false correlation drawn, especially in an academic setting.
For those who do support this measure, please search out the Students for concealed carry on campus at Purdue University organization. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stude...y-at-Purdue-University/363551473743286?ref=hl they were instrumental in bringing the topic up, and informing those that came to the meeting last night. Please join their group, and make your voice heard.
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