Protests Marking Virginia Tech Murders To Tell Only One Side Of The Story

By Brent Greer

On Wednesday, April 16, gun control and anti self defense organizations are planning a series of protests around the nation to commemorate the one year anniversary of the mass murders at Virginia Tech. Remember? This was a likely preventable tragedy, had university administrators not openly scoffed at the common-sense proposal to permit students, faculty and staff the means to defend themselves.

Instead, a man opened fire on students in two locations, killing more than 30. The students never had a chance because campus administrators around this nation live in fear of their own shadows. Campuses where open thought and discussion are allegedly encouraged are shut down, and reasonable proposals and debate to enable students to protect themselves are dismissed out of hand with no comprehension of the unintended consequences.

Sadly, Virginia Tech administrators, students, staff, professors and families learned all about unintended consequences.

This week, there protests around the nation will also include demonstrations across Ohio, which a so-called "Lie-In to Protest Easy Guns." Interesting...guns are no longer sold in Sears, in Abercrombie & Fitch, no longer sold in hardware stores, in most sporting goods stores, no longer sold in auto parts stores, etc. You cannot carry one openly without being accosted. Tell me again how getting firearms is so EASY? And as I have stated ad nauseum previously, if you ban private firearms transactions, you had better ban private automobile transactions.

Here is the writeup from ProtestEasyGuns.com promoting the Wednesday Ohio events:

This April 16th local citizens and students in Cincinnati, Columbus, Kent, Oberlin and Toledo will hold silent protests to help all of us remember the victims, and focus, on the need for more common sense restrictions on the availability of deadly weapons. The Ohio demonstrations will be some of more than 80 events in 33 states across the country as part of a National Lie-In protest of lax U.S. gun laws. Protesters - mothers and fathers, gun violence victims, college students and citizens of all ages - will lie down in honor of the 32 VA Tech victims and the 32 Americans murdered by guns every day in the United States.

They'll stay lying for about three minutes to illustrate the typical brief length of time it takes to purchase a gun in the United States. Protestors are calling for action that would close the loophole that allows people to buy guns without a background check at private sales and gun shows.

Protests in Ohio cities:
WHAT: "Lie-In" to Protest Easy Guns

WHEN: Wednesday, April 16, 2008

WHERE:
Cincinnati - Seasongood Pavillion in Eden Park at 6pm

Columbus - Ohio State University Campus on the Oval at noon

Kent - Kent State University at Risman Plaza at 5:30 pm

Oberlin - First Church in Oberlin (UCC) at noon

Toledo - University of Toledo Student Union Steps at noon

Worth checking out, don't you think? Perhaps with a reasonably stated counter balance, counter argument. The OSU Oval in Columbus appeals to me, personally. I might see you there.

Brent Greer is a long-time civil rights activist in Ohio. Originally published at his blog, The Ready Line. Republished with permission.