The state's highest court ruled Friday that the University of Utah has no right to ban guns on campus, rejecting the argument that prohibiting firearms is part of the school's power to control academic affairs...
But no one will be permitted to carry a gun anytime soon on the campus, home to more than 44,000 students, faculty and staff members. Friday's ruling resolved only the state issues involved in the matter; the case now goes back to U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City for litigation of federal constitutional issues.
The delay is welcome to Landon Smith and Minna Shim, U. students who say they support the ban, which has been in place for almost three decades.
"It scares the hell out of me," said Smith, a senior in communication. "I don't want some cowboy coming to class with a gun."
Shim, an undeclared freshman, said, "I don't feel a threat here now, but if there are concealed weapons around, I'd be afraid."
U. President Michael Young said he was disappointed by the decision.
"Universities across the country uniformly prohibit guns on campus," he said. "We hope that, following a review of this case in federal court, the issue will be resolved to uphold our long-standing policy of keeping firearms off campus."
The U. is arguing that any interference with its gun policy violates its right to academic freedom guaranteed by the First and 14th amendments.
I'm sorry, Landon and Minna, that your bigotry and enuresis aren't deemed sufficient justification to define the rights of free sovereign individuals who aren't pathetic, ignorant and immature.
I also love how "authorized journalists" Pamela Manson and Sheena McFarland somehow couldn't investigate deep enough into the subject to find some reasons why carrying a gun on campus might not be such a bad idea. I'm sure it's because no victimization ever occurs there...
But the real danger of this story isn't with the snivelers--it's with the legal approach employed by the university: Dueling amendments. We are truly living in the Bizarro world when the First and Fourteenth are seriously proposed as counterweights to the Second.
To say the least, it will be interesting to see what the District Court does with this.
Update: Stan shares his thoughts.