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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle NION Friday, March 14, 2003 THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW . 4k Ilff THc ThM6.S c VG, Do FbK. ExCtTCA CREDIT"-- o own to ft lk lousiness The U campus and the Students of University of Utah have enjoyed an exciting election season over the last two weeks. With the party over, it's time to go back to work. The "All Aboard" party deserves congratulations on its electoral victory and the support it received from Student voters and party members. Over the next year, however, Adrian Johnson, the new ASUU president and his vice president, Anthony White, have their work cut out for them. Their worth as student leaders will be gauged by what they accomplish and how effectively they implement their campaign promises. The party made several pledges. It advocated greater accountability for student government. Throughout the campaign, the "All Aboard" party's Johnson talked about improving the accountability of student government. This means both trying to discern what students want, and carefully reviewing ASUU expenditures and pro- grams to make sure they serve students in the most effective manner possible. The party also promised greater involvement and campus unity. This is a lofty ambition, since mobilizing an entire campus requires considerable effort. leaders However, party commore effective promised munication between ASUU and the student body to make students more aware of the events and services the organization offers. They also pledged more funding and attention for student groups. The needs of married students, especially those in university housing, was a persistent issue in the campaign. The "All Aboard" party will need to address these students' concerns by doing what it can to reduce crime and improve facilities. Johnson; also promised to lobby the state Legislature to keep tuition down. This, too, will be a difficult but important task of the new administration. ASUU plays a vital role on campus, representing students to the administration and encouraging student involvement. The new administration can make the campus a better place through diligence and attentiveness to students. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an Individual or group because of race, ethnic background, gender, appearance or sexual ori- entation will be edited or will not be published. 0 LETTER TO THE EDITOR What the Campus Really Wants Editor: been a student at the U for a long, long time. In all those years, I have voted, except this one. Why not? I did not feel there is any major difference between any of the parties. I might as well have closed my eyes and chosen any one of them. In the end, none of them will have any affect on my experience at the U. Many previous presidents and administrations of the Associated Students of the University of Utah have always looked at an apathetic student body as the reason for poor turnout and lack of interest in activities. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, "Well, we tried, but the U is a commuter campus." Instead of trying to unite small groups of people and funding activities that do not really interest the student I have body as a whole, why don't they actually ask what a commuter campus needs? With a 1.4 million budget, ASUU should look towards the future and stop funding activities that the predominant number of students arc not inter- ested in. On a commuter campus like the U's, there are several things that students do need. This list docs not include retreats to ski resorts, subsidized concerts of artists, or festivals that have students than more high school college students in attendance. What we do need is a parking garage. I know this would cat up the entire budget, but we are a commuter campus and that is what we need. no-na- JIM GOLDMANN Business Administration Graduate Student, Conceale d Weapons and the Spvead of Fear f ! ri SHANNON HARPER Chronicle Opinion Columnist itting in class last Wednesday morning, I was jolted out of my "wish I was still 'asleep" stupor by loud, explosive sounds that seemed to shake the whole building. Imagine someone dropping a monstrous, boulder-sizerubber ball on the top of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building over and over again, upsetting the comfort of the students within. Remembering recent reports about terrorists planning to attack American universities, I nervously wondered if the U was the first to be chosen. Instantly, a comfortable classroom turned into one of silent agitation, anxious eyes I d, surveying the room. It turned out that the noises were nothing to worry about. I never found out for sure, but I assume they came from construction. However, my personal realization of America's tumuld tuous, dangerous, reality smacked me in the face. I don't feel safe anymore and war-boun- wonder when and if I ever will again. permeating fear drenches the U campus, displayed prominently by recent war protests and discussions. U administrators have gone to great lengths to ensure student safety on campus. However, the state Legislature has sabotaged their efforts and dismissed student safety by passing House Bill 108, which will allow con A cealed weapons on campus. As America heads to war, students must not only worry about terrorist attacks, but also about deadly weapons carried by students. The State Board of Education will ask Governor Mike Leavitt to veto House Bill 108. Will it be successful? If not, the Legislature will have compromised our safety. The Legislature's reckless decision to disregard student safety is irresponsible. Students come to the U to learn, and are afforded the academic freedom to do so free from threat, harm or coercion from their classmates. But now, that freedom is threatened by Republican politics. The Legislature has failed to consider that the majority of students at the U do not want the gun ban lifted. Gun advocates claim that the Second Amendment must be upheld. Their stance will satisfy gun toters and NRA advocates. Sadly, the change in legislation will go unnoticed until a student is injured or killed at the hands of another student or professor. The Second Amendment is not absolute in fact, no right is absolute. The amendment reads, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The average citizen is not a militia. The First Amendment guarantees me the right to write this column, yet this right is limited. I can't publish a column that is misleading or untrue. Doing so would be called libel, and it is illegal. Similarly, if the right to own a gun interferes with public safety, that right can legitimately be abridged in order to protect public safety. Texas and Utah have almost identical laws. These laws arc supported y by gun advocates who believe that lower How will laws rates. crime weapon are. wrong they For example, according to the Violence Policy Center, from 1996 to 2000, Texas concealed handgun license holders were arrested for offenses at a rate 81 percent weapon-relate- d of the general population of than that higher Texas, aged 21 and older. This amounts to more offense every other than one weapon-relate- d day since the law went into effect. conceal-and-carr- My personal realization of American's tumultuous, dangerous, reality smacked me in the face. war-bou- nd "It's so easy to get a concealed-carr- y permit that I don't know you can say these are safer people than the general populace," Maura Cara-bcllof the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah told the Salt Lake Tribune. No matter how small the percentage of those who commit crimes with legally licensed guns, the reality is that there is a possibility that "responsible" citizens will commit crimes with their legal weapons. o, gun-carryi- CHRONICLE OPINION EDITOR JOHN MORLEY LETTERSCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU "Clearly, there is an emerging trend to challenge the right of campus administrators to determine gun policies," Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron said in The Tribune. "We believe it is the duty of college administrators to regulate the possession of deadly weapons and protect the safety of students." According to a recent Harvard University study, 4.3 percent of U.S. college students own a firearm or 450,000 students nationwide. In 2000, the Department of Education reported referrals to police from 1,110 weapon-relate- d r institutions, resultpublic and private ing in 855 arrests for illegal weapons possession. This information must be regarded as a powerful catalyst for Governor Leavitt to veto HB 108. The facts arc clear. Allowing concealed weapon permit holders to bring their weapons on campus will open the door for bloodshed and an increase in crime. Innocent lives are at stake. The quality of the education the U offers is at stake. A government should be representative of the people concerned, and students do not want guns on campus. Students are faced with the looming threat of terrorism and approaching war. Regrettably, the Legislature is inclined to give the student population an additional burden to shoulder. Let Governor Leavitt know that you do not want guns on campus. Protect the quality of your educational experience. It is an investment that should not be compromised by reckless legislafour-yea- tion. Shannon welcomes sharpcrchronicle.utah.edu. feedback editor to lettcrschronicle.utah.edu. 501-639- 7 at Send letters to the |