RE: Gun dealer wants students to take aim at tragedy

Posted by UWM Student on Mar 03, 2008 at 03:06 PM:

What is out of step here, Mr. Giroux, is that people are not allowed to protect themselves anymore in Wisconsin. If confronted by an aggressor we are expected to cower in fear like sheep, give up our valuables and hope the sociopath doesn’t decide to harm us in spite of our compliance. S.A.F.E. is a joke and nothing more than a PR tool for the UWM administration. They can look like they are doing something without having to do any work.

Here are the facts:

• Criminals and “crazies” will always be able to get firearms, legally or otherwise. • A criminal who is planning on committing illegal acts will have no moral issue with illegally obtaining/using a firearm. • There is no such thing as being 100 percent safe from criminal activity or a VA Tech-like incident. • Having “Gun Free” zones is like advertising “Commit Violent Criminal Activities Here” and decreases the safety of those in the zones. • The cost of participating in criminal activity increases as the percentage of gun-holders increases. • Any activity with increasing costs will ultimately have decreasing participation. • Non-gun-holders share in the benefits of increased safety created by gun-holders. • An increase in the number of responsible gun-holders DOES NOT lead to the “OK Corral”

Wisconsin needs to create a law to allow responsible citizens to obtain concealed carry permits and get rid of “Gun Free” zones. Also, given the public benefit side of increased gun ownership, it may even want to think about introducing a subsidy to ownership as a low cost means of effectively increasing public safety. It would certainly be a bigger success than the “truth in sentencing” debacle has been. Every year we keep increasing taxes and stealing money from other parts of the Wisconsin budget to pay for the increasing costs of locking up petty thieves and marijuana users. A subsidy would be a one-time shot in the arm for public safety that has a lifetime of benefits.

Get smart Wisconsin! In order to increase safety we can limit freedoms and become a police state, or we can keep our freedoms and allow citizens to protect themselves. Which will costs less? Which will be friendlier? Which will be more effective? Don’t you want all three? I do, I want concealed carry now.

Posted by Guns! Guns! Guns!! on Mar 05, 2008 at 10:57 AM:

Wooo hoooo more guns!

Couldn't agree more with that UWM Student... the Post totally needs to hire this kid as a writer.

RE: So long, Castro

Posted by Daniel on Mar 03, 2008 at 08:48 PM:

You have displayed no respect for democracy in your own piece. Capitalism and democracy are not synonymous and your suggested removal of Marxist doctrine and implementation of free markets is completely contradictory to your so-called worry for democracy for the Cuban people.

There's a reason why the United States has been the leader of aggression towards Cuba--the rest of the world minus Israel has condemned the embargo.

Raul Castro just signed a treaty with the UN promising many more civil liberties to the Cuban people.

But beside that point, you are wrong about racism in Cuba compared to that of the U.S.

Cubans are way better off than any U.S. puppet state in the area. Why aren’t you writing about the condition of people in Haiti or Honduras or another Caribbean/Central American state blessed with free market capitalism? Why has South America rejected the Free Trade of the America's Agreement?

Posted by Patsy on Mar 05, 2008 at 10:53 AM:

Hey Daniel if you like Cuba so much, move there, and leave our country the hell alone. We kinda like it the way it is.

RE: There’s nothing funny about anarchy, civilian deaths and domestic terrorism

Posted by RS on Mar 03, 2008 at 05:58 AM:

A.J. is right. Between Bolton Hall and the Union there is a combination of eight resource centers that are paid for by students in some way shape or form. Many of the services offered by the WRC are also available at the Norris Health Center. If not there, perhaps one could visit a site off campus. It would not be the end of the world!!

Posted by AJ Piwarun is a blatant liar. on Mar 03, 2008 at 08:41 AM:

A.J. -

Jay is not the "President" of SDS. SDS is non-hierarchical and democratic; there are no bosses or presidents. I know that that must be hard for you to comprehend.

Also, the Weather Underground disbanded 30 years ago. SDS has nothing to do with the tactics of that organization, which did include the destruction of property.

Civilian deaths? What the hell are you talking about? SDS is opposed to the murder of civilians, which is why the group is against the current occupation of Iraq. If anyone views civilian deaths flippantly, that person is you.

The only violence in the Columbia strike was violence by police against students.

You are a hypocrite and a blatant liar.

Only weeks ago, you were crying foul about out of context information (threatening the newspaper with a lawsuit and endorsing the SA's clearly illegal Sedition Act). Now you are the one printing lies.

Also, your idea of "common sense" is going to cost you the next election. Surveys on campus in December showed that virtually all students knew about and were opposed to the resource center cuts being forced through by the SA.

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