Barbs tossed at SRU gun carry rally
Partisan politics threatened to derail a discussion on firearms that was hosted at Slippery Rock University Saturday by the College Republicans club.
SRU students and the surrounding community were invited to the Campus Carry Reform Rally to discuss the student organization's desire to allow firearms to be carried on campus. Club President Brian McLaughlin also invited the Internet-viral sensation Kaitlin Bennett, which drew criticism from some attendees.
The Ohio-native and Kent State University graduate gained national attention and a following after posting a photograph of herself on Kent State's campus with a gun slung on her back and a graduation cap reading “COME AND TAKE IT,” a call for students to be allowed to carry weapons on college campuses.
Several dozen people attended Saturday's event, including many nonstudents, to hear Republican state Sen. Aaron Bernstine and Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo discuss their support for legislation that would allow anyone to openly carry loaded firearms on Slippery Rock University's campus. Bernstine announced plans to introduce state legislation to open Pennsylvania schools up to guns.
Longo supported the effort, citing his concern that Slippery Rock University might be the site of a shooting similar to the 2007 attack on Virginia Tech, where an undergraduate killed 32 people and wounded 23. He said the legislation could help the college avoid such a tragedy.
“There was no good guy with a gun to stop the bad guy with a gun,” Longo said. “Let's face it, there won't always be someone with a badge and gun around to protect us. The Constitution allows us to protect ourselves and each other.”
Bernstine echoed Longo's constitutional argument and added that he would be joining a lawsuit against Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto's decision to sign into law a package of bills restricting the use and possession of firearms in Pittsburgh.
While most of the two-hour event was filled with calls for guns to be allowed on school grounds, several people in attendance criticized Bennett's presence and employment at the controversial website Infowars.
One participant criticized the website, arguing that it called the tragic 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting a hoax.
“Why would this organization endorse Infowars?” asked Erin Ninehouser, a nonstudent from New Castle. “What you represent is disgusting. You can't have a rational discussion with her on the stage.”
Bennett responded by telling the woman to leave.
“Or you can stay and have a conversation about gun rights. Stop being so selfish,” Bennett told the woman.
Bernstine countered that he didn't know that Infowars denied the reality of the Sandy Hook shooting, adding that he wasn't concerned with “national issues.”
Ninehouser started to leave, but was encouraged by several people in the crowd to stay.
Bennett told the crowd that “university campuses are overrun by leftists” and that was why schools didn't allow guns.
But Heather Frederick disagreed. A self-described leftist professor, the political-science instructor also serves as the adviser for the College Republicans. She said she encouraged the club to hold Saturday's event.
“It wasn't necessary for her to be here,” Frederick said of Bennett being at the event. “It didn't add anything and distracted what the (club) was trying to do here, We had all these outbursts because of her.”
Frederick said that the group and the school were stronger than the political divisiveness Bennett attracted.
“We respect each other and get along with each other,” Frederick said. “My role was to help them achieve their goals, which was to talk about campus carry laws and they did that in a dignified way. I can continue to defend them.”
