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Kent State University Open Carry/Firearm Education Walk - Sept 24, noon

solus

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cowboy hat a nice touch...but social faux pas wearing white after labour day...:eek:

BB62, seems another great event pulled together ...congrats...sorry my black stetson and my tribal missed the festivities.

ipse
 

BB62

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cowboy hat a nice touch...but social faux pas wearing white after labour day...:eek:
There's always one... <sigh>

My shirt was pink, however. :banana:


...BB62, seems another great event pulled together ...congrats...sorry my black stetson and my tribal missed the festivities.
It's a shame - you missed an extraordinary Walk. Now I'm off to the doctor's office! :cry:
 

BB62

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Another article, still not entirely accurate. <sigh>

http://wksu.org/post/open-carry-adv...state-university-tour-may-4-memorial#stream/0

"About two-dozen people participated in an open-carry gun walk at Kent State University over the weekend. And as WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports, they met several protestors near the spot where the National Guard killed four students, and wounded nine others, in 1970.

Jeffry Smith has organized open-carry walks at several schools in Ohio, including one last year at the University of Akron. Each one, he says, is to encourage dialogue and curiosity about firearms. But the handful of protestors at the walk on Saturday said it’s disrespectful to carry firearms at Kent State because of the Vietnam-era shootings. Smith disagrees.

“There is no parallel, as far as I’m concerned, between this and the May 4, 1970 shooting.” ...
 

BB62

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KSU trustees request changes for university deadly weapons policies

http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_92f3ca06-76dd-57db-a918-20ff94433421.html

"Kent State's Board of Trustees Finance and Administration Committee moved to make changes to the university’s deadly weapon policy and end a conflict with state concealed carry laws during a meeting Friday.

The trustees met to discuss changing the policy from an administrative policy to a university policy.

The policy changes will now be sent to the full board for review.

“We just wanted to make sure that our policy was consistent ... (and) clear,” said Kent State Police Chief Dean Tondiglia, who is also serving as the university's interim dean of public safety. “It was really important, we thought, to elevate it from an administrative policy to a university policy, (and) give a statement that the university takes it seriously. We think it’s a very important topic.”

Board member Stephen Colecchi said the change will give the policy the “board’s endorsement.”

Colecchi said that he is aware of recent changes to Ohio law, and wants the university’s policy to be clear of confusion for future policy discussions. ..."
 

DrMark

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Good stuff, BB62. Hope you're feeling better.

I'm glad there was good dialog that included the flower-bearers. It seems ironic to me that they seemed to trying to equate remembering the students killed in 1970 with opposing open carry, when the reality is that all there (regardless of opinion of open carry) would likely honor those students.
 

BB62

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Good stuff, BB62. Hope you're feeling better.

I'm glad there was good dialog that included the flower-bearers. It seems ironic to me that they seemed to trying to equate remembering the students killed in 1970 with opposing open carry, when the reality is that all there (regardless of opinion of open carry) would likely honor those students.
Yes, feeling better, and I started my "After Walk Summary" today only to have my wife assign me various tasks. Tomorrow maybe...

Yes, there was some decent conversation with at least a couple of protesters.
 

BB62

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Opposing student opinion piece

http://www.kentwired.com/opinion/article_ea24f839-f369-5fae-b7e8-f8e3c2bee7af.html

This past weekend, an Open Carry/Firearm Education Walk took place on Kent State’s campus.

Although the event itself was not large, the effects of the armed walk are multitudinous.

On Friday morning, an email was sent by the university to all students, faculty and staff regarding the scheduled event. It warned the campus community of the incoming armed visitors, and reminded everyone that, according to campus policy, students, faculty and staff are not allowed to carry firearms. The email also established the legality of Kent State visitors carrying firearms.

This declaration, which was reiterated by Kent State President Beverly Warren on Twitter, infuriated both students and participants in the armed walk.

The host of the walk said this about Kent State's decision on the event’s Facebook page: “Unfortunately, and unlike FIVE other Ohio public universities where I've conducted Walks such as this, KSU has chosen **not** to waive enforcement of the code of student conduct and allow students to make their own choice about armed Walk participation.”

Conversely, students were disturbed by Kent State’s allowance of visitors to bring firearms onto campus. Many students took to social media to share their frustrations: “You wouldn't invite strangers with guns into your home. Why are they allowed on our campus? #nogunsatkentstate @PresBWarren,” “So lemme get this straight ... we can't have guns as students and faculty but random people can come on campus with guns? @kentstate,” “This is our home. We deserve to feel safe. #nogunsatkentstate,” “@PresBWarren @KentState y'all should rethink this.”

Alas, the decision was not rethought. But students were not done. When Kent State refused to listen to the voices of its students over the voices of complete strangers, students arranged a counter protest that aimed to create a human wall around the May 4 Memorial. The Counter Open Carry Protest’s Facebook event stated the following: “This is a symbolic message about the bad history of open carry on the grounds of Kent State University.” ..."



I contacted this student, and even gave her my phone number. No response has been forthcoming, and no doubt won't be.
 
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BB62

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Opinion piece - one of TWO which were rejected by the student newspaper

The opinion piece I just posted (above) made mention of the fact that students were riled up about the Walk in a number of ways. The last minute notice (they were given notice **the day before**) was entirely the fault of the Dean of Students.

The opinion piece below was submitted by a student in response to the anti-Walk piece above. It was one of two submitted by Young Americans for Liberty members who attended the Walk with empty holsters.

I'm writing in response to Bobbie Szabo's opinion column of September 26, titled "Keep guns off campus".

I’m a member of the Kent State chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty, which among other things recognizes that protection of individual freedoms is crucial to a free society. This past weekend I and four other YAL members attended the Open Carry/Firearm Education Walk which took place on Kent State’s main campus.

We wore empty holsters in support because, unlike students at five other Ohio universities where the organizer (Jeffry Smith) has conducted Walks, Kent State would not allow legally armed KSU students to take part. But, that’s not all that the administration didn’t allow – they didn’t allow the kind of robust dialogue which can lead to discovery and learning, two important parts of Kent State’s mission. Kent’s mission statement says “We transform lives and communities through the power of discovery, learning and creative expression in an inclusive environment.”

Like every other Kent State student we were given only one day’s notice of the event. I think it’s reasonable to ask “Why?”. Mr. Smith was kind enough to forward me a number of e-mails which he sent to the administration, and after reviewing them and other information he sent, it’s clear that there could only be one reason: to keep students in the dark. Mr. Smith contacted Kent State nearly two months before the walk, and directly contacted the Dean of Students nearly a month and a half beforehand. Yet, what better way to discourage informed dialogue among students and/or the administration than by waiting until the last minute to tell us students about the walk?

Setting aside Kent’s unjustified exclusion of armed students (just armed Kent State students, since there was at least one armed UA student present), why were we also denied the opportunity of notice afforded to students of other universities, for instance, Miami University? The Miami walk was held this spring, but MU issued a press release more than three weeks beforehand which even included links to news stories about prior walks!

The MU press release generated a great deal of dialogue not only among students, but also on the Facebook event page – where participants of past walks conversed with people who were interested, concerned, or opposed.

Maybe next year the administration will change their approach to handling the presence of people peacefully exercising their rights – and we’ll all be better off because of it.


Here are the YAL attendees:

5xncdu.jpg
 
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BB62

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Here's the notice to Miami University students, mentioned above, sent out THREE WEEKS before the MU Walk:

http://miamioh.edu/news/campus-news/2016/04/open-carry-walk.html

Apr 07, 2016
Organized "open carry" event to be held on Miami's campus and in Oxford

A group that has led “open carry” walks at other Ohio campuses plans to lead one at Miami University’s Oxford campus and in the City of Oxford at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30.

Ohio law permits people to carry weapons on public property.

Led by Jeff Smith of Cincinnati, the group has held “open carry” walks without incident at other campuses, including the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University and the University of Akron.
The group will not enter any university buildings carrying weapons. Miami will have police officers stationed near the walk in order to help promote safety and protect the rights of all, including walk participants.

The University will not take disciplinary action against students under the Code of Student Conduct solely for legal possession of a weapon while participating in this organized event. Weapons are not permitted in the residence halls or other buildings on campus and students should contact the Miami University Police Department regarding storage of weapons and other information pertaining to participating in the walk.

The University of Cincinnati student paper covered U.C.’s event:
http://www.newsrecord.org/news/camp...cle_42c3f31e-c367-11e3-acd1-001a4bcf6878.html

This is the Akron Beacon Journal article on the walk at the University of Akron:
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news...lk-across-university-of-akron-campus-1.586490
 

Grapeshot

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Educating the educators can be a most difficult task.

Gun Free Zones don't work but they do NOT want to talk about it. They will teach you what to say, when, where, and how.
 

BB62

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After Walk Summary

(as posted to Facebook)

(my apologies for the delayed post. I was sick earlier in the week and events since then have kept me very busy)

The day began inauspiciously when at least 5 of us travelling separately from Cincinnati were delayed ~45 minutes by an accident south of Columbus. I called and let Lt. O’Neill of the KSU PD know, for his benefit, and to pass on to retired KSU professor Jerry Lewis, who had graciously agreed to speak to Walk participants at 1PM about the events and times of May 4, 1970. Fortunately, the assembled media had time to speak to participants – whose congenial and safe nature were apparently a surprise to some.

I arrived at 12:30 and didn’t have time to thank everyone (about 35 people) for coming before interviews began. Unfortunately, because of how the interviews were conducted, I wasn’t even done by 1:15PM. Professor Lewis had agreed to speak to participants at 1PM, so we scurried up to the pagoda, guided by a couple of students, while being asked questions along the way. I immediately apologized to Prof. Lewis for the delay, which he had somehow heard about. (he doesn’t have a cell phone)

Professor Lewis started his presentation by telling us that we were standing where members of the Ohio National Guard were when some of them fired on students, then as the group walked to various markers indicating where students had died, told us various things such as the number of shots fired, and indicated that he had been standing behind a female student (Sandy Scheuer) who was shot and killed. He also told us of a Jewish tradition involving rocks on a person’s grave, and as he did so he took a rock from Jeffrey Miller’s marker to bring it to another student’s marker. Among other things, I was struck by the relatively short distances and angles of the shots.

At some point, protesters of the Walk, some holding signs, started chanting something but were quieted by something that Professor Lewis or a Walk participant said. Although later some of us had civil conversations with some of the protesters, I felt it was disrespectful for them to act as they did during what was clearly a respectful gathering of interested people. Even the children of one of the Walk participants took a clear interest in what Professor Lewis had to say.

We then walked over to what I believe is called the May 4 Memorial, where Professor Lewis held a Q&A session. Once concluded, a number of Walk participants stayed back to ask him additional questions, and the rest of us continued on our walk, first to Risman Plaza where pictures were taken. It should be noted that at the conclusion of the Q&A session, a number of participants had other obligations, and had to leave before group pictures were taken. We probably missed about ten people in the group photo, who can be seen in other pictures.

We continued our leisurely walk around campus, guided by yet another student, talked to a few students and circled around to the May 4 memorial, where a number of us spoke to two of the protesters, Abbey Jones and Liz Schmidt, after Robert & Christina Mozena made first contact.

On the way off campus, some people ran into more students, one of whom was from the Ukraine and who supported the right to keep and bear arms. We ate lunch at Penn Station (thank you!), walked around downtown a bit, then returned to the campus parking lot.

My sincere thanks to everyone who came from near and far, especially the KSU Young Americans for Liberty members, who, only given one day’s notice of the Walk the day by KSU, bought holsters and came, at least one University of Akron student who came *armed*, a former BGSU student, and yet another Kent State (I believe) student who carried a holstered water pistol.

I will try and post some additional thoughts, though not today, about the Walk and its aims, as well as some additional commentary.

*** Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences. ***

2hzlras.jpg
 

BB62

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