So the big
hullabaloo I am noticing this week is Lars Larson's
no-show at the
1st Amendment Forum at SOU after the forum organizer learned Mr. Larson has and makes use of a concealed carry permit.
He considers himself a Rosa Parks level civil rights activist...
As noted in a recent Ashland Tidings article:
"It's about my civil rights," Larson said. "They [should] admit they're violating people's rights and back down ... and admit visitors and students on campus [with a concealed weapons license], and allow them to do what state law allows them to do."
He compared himself to civil rights activist Rosa Parks refusing to ride in the back of the bus, and statements on his Web site followed the same logic.
The locals have some opinions
"Happiness is a warm gun. But not on a college campus. Or in a public school. Or on an airplane ..."
is the Mail Trib's OpEd headline yesterday AM.
And some more, as Gordon Owsley asks
"What does carrying a concealed weapon have to do with religious beliefs? Webster defines weapon as an instrument used to injure or kill, as in fighting or hunting. Who or what is Lars hunting on the SOU campus?"
as part of his letter to the editor this morning.
I am perplexed at just how, in the wake of Columbine and Thurston and Jonesboro, Mr. Larson can get so uppity about this particular civil rights issue, yet is right on board with all the 1st, 4th, 5th, 14th etc issues that come up daily in Bush Admin policy application?
Expanded from a quickie hit in my campaign blog