I have been reading The Firing Line for several months now. On occasion, I have quipped about living in Wyoming where crime is almost non-existent, everyone knows everyone else, there is a gun rack (with a .30-.30 Winchester) in just about every pick-up, and common sense always prevails. OK, maybe part of that is bull, but we all know Wyoming is a state of “hunters” and “shooters” and we don’t seem to be any the worse off because of it. Yesterday I received a copy of a letter addressed to an extended program instructor at the University of Wyoming from his immediate supervisor. It is worth reading:
Dear Joe:
This is a difficult letter for me to write as you are one of our most popular instructors and I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unfortunately, after the shooting at Columbine, we were told that we would not be able to offer our rifle class any longer. One of the trustees approached our Dean, Judy Powell, and told her that it would not be in the school’s best interest to offer a class that had anything to do with firearms. We have tried to appeal to Dr. Powell based on the rationale that people who are taking your class are not the ones to worry about but just the opposite to no avail.
We have tried the argument that this is Wyoming and because it’s a state of hunters, it would be in the community’s best interest to know how to use a firearm safely, again to no avail. I’ve tried every avenue I can think of, Joe, and if you can state a case from an instructor’s viewpoint with the powers that be, please do so. I don’t know what else I can do on this end other than follow my directive. We’re okay for the Summer class but Dr. Powell has said a Fall class would not work.
I’m really sorry about this, Joe. Your class is always so popular that I feel extremely frustrated about not being able to offer it!
Take care and let me know if I can do anything further to help our cause.
Sincerely,
Laurie
As you can imagine, Dr. Powell and the unidentified “trustee” have bitten off quite a mouthful. I am confident the class will continue, but not without a fight.
While it is amusing to read about what everyone drives, what kind of lube they use, bash law enforcement officers, and bitch about our civil liberties, I wonder if we haven’t lost sight of our common goal, the preservation of our ‘Right to Keep and Bear Arms”. If nothing else, the effort to abolish all classes at the University of Wyoming based on the Columbine incident should point out the resolve of the anti-gun campaign. They will rush in where even “angels fear to tread”. Good grief…
Dear Joe:
This is a difficult letter for me to write as you are one of our most popular instructors and I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unfortunately, after the shooting at Columbine, we were told that we would not be able to offer our rifle class any longer. One of the trustees approached our Dean, Judy Powell, and told her that it would not be in the school’s best interest to offer a class that had anything to do with firearms. We have tried to appeal to Dr. Powell based on the rationale that people who are taking your class are not the ones to worry about but just the opposite to no avail.
We have tried the argument that this is Wyoming and because it’s a state of hunters, it would be in the community’s best interest to know how to use a firearm safely, again to no avail. I’ve tried every avenue I can think of, Joe, and if you can state a case from an instructor’s viewpoint with the powers that be, please do so. I don’t know what else I can do on this end other than follow my directive. We’re okay for the Summer class but Dr. Powell has said a Fall class would not work.
I’m really sorry about this, Joe. Your class is always so popular that I feel extremely frustrated about not being able to offer it!
Take care and let me know if I can do anything further to help our cause.
Sincerely,
Laurie
As you can imagine, Dr. Powell and the unidentified “trustee” have bitten off quite a mouthful. I am confident the class will continue, but not without a fight.
While it is amusing to read about what everyone drives, what kind of lube they use, bash law enforcement officers, and bitch about our civil liberties, I wonder if we haven’t lost sight of our common goal, the preservation of our ‘Right to Keep and Bear Arms”. If nothing else, the effort to abolish all classes at the University of Wyoming based on the Columbine incident should point out the resolve of the anti-gun campaign. They will rush in where even “angels fear to tread”. Good grief…