austinrealtor wrote:Also find it interesting that John Woods, the former Virginia Tech and current UT student who's girlfriend was killed in the 2007 tragedy and is now adamantly opposed to campus carry, is spinning this latest UT shooting as a suicide and not a "shooting". (see link to his letter to editor below). I don't disagree with him at all that this was a public suicide, and not in the same classification as the Virginia Tech massacre or the 1963 UT Tower shooting. Apparently the gunman never aimed at other students, just fired randomly before killing himself. But I disagree that this fact in any way reduces the necessity of arming college students who are mature enough and old enough to qualify for CHLs. Woods is right, college can be a difficult time and students sometimes do go off the deep end. All the more reason for others on campus (students AND faculty/staff), to be armed to protect themselves against someone who has "lost it." The fact that some students may use guns to commit suicide - tragic as that is - is not reason enough to deny others on campus their RKBA rights. There are plenty of ways to kill yourself. Taking away one of those ways isn't going to stop suicides - early intervention, counseling, and the love and support of friends and family are more important and more effective.
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Woods' letter is an interesting spin, but I really liked the letter right below it. Jeff Shi, the president of UT's Students for Concealed Carry on Campus wrote a really well written letter. The first half is comments about some professor's column, but the second half is really well done. It urges people to look at both sides of the debate very carefully for the facts. Go to an SCCC meeting AND a Students for for Gun-free Schools meeting. Tells them to look at unbiased sources like DPS and the FBI. The only problem with it is the use of logic against the other side's emotional appeal is generally unsuccessful, though I prefer it.