Gosh, I don’t know what to say
I’ve never really had an anti-gun person locally. And it makes me all warm inside to see one up and close:
Standing in front of Hodges Library today, the newly elected University of Tennessee student president said allowing employees there to carry guns would make him and other students feel unsafe.
“I don’t want to be trying to pursue an education in an unsafe place,” Student Government Association President Ross Rowland said after the news conference he held on the plaza.
Speaking on behalf of the student body, Rowland told reporters, administrators and passersby they support UT’s position to block legislation that would allow faculty and staff with weapons licenses and training to carry guns on campus.
And the KNS has a poll noting that, well, his side is losing. Of course it is.
Poll via Glenn, who notes we should remember this come funding time.
Update: The University of Tennessee has taken a position opposing freedom and safety. From now on, all of my alumni letters asking for cash will be thrown in the trash.
April 19th, 2011 at 9:46 am
Beyond simply a student or faculty leader making a statement, the University of Tennessee system has taken an official position against the bill.
http://www.tennessee.edu/media/releases/041811_guns.html
This arm of state government has decided to inject itself in legislative debate, and I hope the legislature remembers that the next time the University comes with its hand held out decrying the politicization of education funding. The University has voluntarily made itself a political entity.
April 19th, 2011 at 9:50 am
Any effort being made to tie campus carry to UT’s budget, especially salaries?
Need a slogan:
No cash, until carry?
Not a dime until I carry a nine?
Check your laws or no check for you?
It needs work.
April 19th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Uncle, instead of tossing them out, return them, with a nicely composed yet firm letter stating why. Silence can be ignored, but statements could have impact.
Me, I toss out my school’s letters on general principle, not specific.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:02 am
“…allowing employees there to carry guns would make him and other students feel unsafe.”
I’m sure this has been pointed out many times before, but, uh, do these students realize that Campus Police are armed at all times. They’re employees, just the same. Do they also feel unsafe because of that?
April 19th, 2011 at 11:02 am
What other rights does he want UT to deny?
April 19th, 2011 at 11:09 am
I second Robert’s suggestion: even a quick note scribbled on the fundraising letter will get attention from someone in the fundraising administration.
And if you get a call from a student fundraiser (as my alma mater does, using that as a student work activity) it can be useful to discuss the issue with the young man or woman on the phone.
They actually got quite choked up every time I explained that as a graduate from over a decade earlier, as soon as I finished paying off my student loans, I would consider contributing to the school. A few even asked me when I would finish paying off my loans, and were quite amazed at how long it takes.
Open a few minds with a quick note or a gentle comment and watch the fun as their brains leak out.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Unless my eyes deceive me, I do believe that Mr Ross Rowland is a soulless ginger.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Did you get a tingle run up leg in the Antis Presence?
April 19th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Up YOUR leg. My Bad Typo.
April 19th, 2011 at 11:46 am
Here’s a better idea than tossing them. Run for a spot on the Alumni board. That’s what I did with my law school when one of the faculty members (the one in charge of the clerk ship program) told me my clients were evil and no one there wanted to work for them.
I was elected. She no longer has that job (and will be retiring, early). And I still get to throw out the donation requests “on principle.”
Your in a better spot to do it at UT. You should go ahead and think about it.
April 19th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
And Ross Rowland should be run off campus. When I went there, he’d have never been elected.
April 19th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
All of my alumni letters asking for cash will be thrown in the trash. Been doin’ that for years with stuff from UC Santa Cruz – for godsake why does a State University need MY money? I worked in Fundraising at the Big Private University – “Stern Replies” are totally lost on the Annual Fund stoodents and low-level staff who’re roped into doing the sweep-up canvassing – there is Zero impact.
Redheaded-Ross-Rowland is just sucking-up to his dumbass constituent base stoodintz, saying what he thinks they want to hear, but also sucking-up more importantly by saying what he believes the Yooniversity Administration wants to hear from HIM…
April 19th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
All my UT alumnni letters go into the trash already. They should have treated me better when I was a student there.
April 19th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
BTW – It appears to be one of the best kept secrets on the Internet, but Jimmy Baxter, past SGA president (1969-1970) and first (only?) black SGA, once shot and killed a man attacking a girl in the Ft. Sanders area. The only reference I can find is in the comments of this post at Knoxnews.com.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/apr/09/police-investigate-mugging-ut-student-fort-sanders/?partner=RSS
April 19th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Black SGA president that is.
April 19th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
“Feeeeeeelings! Nothing more than feeeeeeelings…”
April 19th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
You weren’t already throwing them in the trash after they tried to tell student athletes they were not allowed to own or touch firearms as long as they were students?
April 19th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Lots of concealed genitalia on campus … is there a general fear of sexual violence?
April 19th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Muzzleb., that comes under the heading “Be Careful what You Wish For.” Yes, as a matter of fact, there is a general fear of sexual violence. They have a Whole ‘Nother administration to deal with that, and they’ll be along in a minute. Hold on to your goodies.
Asking the rhetorical “Don’t you have anything better…” never saves you from a certain type. Remember “Pot’s no worse than tobacco”? Pot’s still illegal; real soon now, tobacco will be, too. That’s how they work. There truly is no bottom.
April 19th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
I would understand where he was coming from if he were implying that he felt unsafe because the faculty and staff were toting but the student body was still left unarmed and vulnerable. Its a bullshit double standard.
Another thing I’ve never understood is donating money to a college that has already bent you over for years of tuition and fees and overpriced books. Donating is for people who have too much god damned money in the first place. I’ve never been in such a situation.
April 19th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
“Another thing I’ve never understood is donating money to a college that has already bent you over for years of tuition and fees and overpriced books. Donating is for people who have too much god damned money in the first place.”
I get the same thought during the PBS Begathon, sometimes called “Give us money or we’ll put the REALLY boring shit on.” Wait a minute, haven’t I already been boned ONCE for this crap?
April 19th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Well if he feels unsafe there… he can LEAVE.
Simple, no?