Anyone else here "with" Ohio State University?

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Safety Guy
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:37 am
Location: Columbus, OH

Anyone else here "with" Ohio State University?

Post by Safety Guy »

I've gone to school here and worked here on main campus since 1980. I've done student patrols (the old CrimeWatch Escort Service) on campus and volunteer citizen patrols just off campus (Community Crime Patrol), as well as helping teach self-defense in our old PAES 172 course (sacked by the administration over three years ago).

My direct experience here is that "academics" are just as politically oriented as politicians themselves and that "power corrupts" just as much in academia as anywhere else.

I am pretty much as powerless here on my own campus as I am in front of Columbus City council or the State legislature. It really angers me! It angers me that they don't "play fair" either. I've (indirectly) had my job threatened here when we (me and another grad student who developed our self-defense course) fought against the system after they sacked our self-defense program. If anyone is interested in what OSU lost when they got rid of us, here's the link if you like to read :) :

http://www.selfdefenseforums.com/forums ... .php?t=544


The reason I write this is not just "social."

Ohio State has been home to the "Second Amendment Research Center" now for a couple years. It is financed mainly (IIRC) by the anti-self-defense Joyce Foundation and headed up by our own Bellisile--I mean Dr. Saul Cornell. :)

Here's the link:

http://www.secondamendmentcenter.org/index.asp

Here's their description of themselves:
Established in 2003, the Second Amendment Research Center at the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy at The Ohio State University is a nonprofit, nonpartisan center promoting scholarship on issues concerning the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and firearms regulation.

SARC's goal is to aid in the creation of solutions to the problem of gun violence that are both effective and constitutional, and that recognize equally the widespread private ownership of firearms in the United States, the many legitimate uses of firearms in American society, and the high levels of firearm violence in our country.

SARC believes that such solutions must be informed by the work of scholars from a wide range of scholarly disciplines and a broad spectrum of perspectives. The Center seeks to model the sophisticated use of high-quality, multi- and inter-disciplinary academic scholarship to inform the process of making public policy.

In partnership with the Department of History and the Michael E. Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University, and supported by a generous grant from The Joyce Foundation of Chicago, Illinois, SARC serves as a clearinghouse of information and a catalyst for new scholarly work.

I've been thinking we need an entity right here on campus to engage the SARC in friendly discourse.

I'm willing to work at it. I do need to join up with the DCM folks in Converse Hall so maybe they'd be interested (or maybe they're already at it?).

Anyone else? Any ideas? Thoughts?

Karl Spaulding
OSU Pariah

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I WANT VERMONT! (OR "ALASKA")
That's FIRST AMENDMENT CRUSADER PIGLET!
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BB62
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Location: Cincinnati, OH

Post by BB62 »

Karl,

I know an undergrad student at OSU who is involved with the GOP. I am writing him about your experience.

Is there a Young Republicans and or an RKBA organization on campus?


BB62
Yes, I do believe in open carry. An openly armed man is clear in his intentions. Concealed carriers are sneaks and skulkers and elitist, boot licking, political contribution making, running dog lackies of The Man. <wink> (thx grumpycoconut - OpenCarry.org)

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ballistic
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Anyone else here "with" Ohio State University

Post by ballistic »

To Safety Guy: Since SARC's inception what illustrious research have they produced? If they've published anything then, as a start, you could critique one of their papers (or articles, publications, essays, or whatever). Stick to specific points they raise and critique them by reference to other known research or authorities. Cite the source of your information. No ranting and raving, just a dispassionate appraisal of what they state (or misstate). Just be sure you can back up everything you say and what you say is not even an iota incorrect. Try to limit what you say to one typewritten page to be distributed throughout the campus. Write it in a format that catches the eye (and nothing offensive or off-the-wall). Last, include how other interested parties can contact you and see who takes the bait. Meanwhile you can think of a catchy name for your to-be-established group. I don't know who the "DCM folks in Converse Hall" are. Are they on the same page as you? And by the way, are you any relation to Dave Spaulding, LEO with the Springfield (I think) Ohio police and personal defense trainer and writer? Last, I wouldn't count on engaging SARC in "friendly discourse," and certainly not a debate. I hope what I've suggested helps.
Safety Guy
Posts: 255
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:37 am
Location: Columbus, OH

Post by Safety Guy »

Thanks for the replies guys. Sorry it took me awhile to respond.

BB, feel free to give my contact info to your friend. I've corresponded with a few folks at OSU but nothing much has come out of it so far. Part of that is my fault for being busy with other things. I moved recently (into Columbus, dammit!--before City Council announced it's latest stupidity) and have lots to do.

IMO, OSU really needs these three things:

1. Independent critique of the administration (I'm not talking about the stupid sports fiascos) and its lack of real concern for student safety and academic integrity. The press simply isn't interested in any of this, and the powers that be here work unimpeded "behind the scenes."

2. More Second Amendment and objective "guns and violence" dialog. The SARC is not interested in debates or other campus activities--I've asked about it. They had a symposium about six months ago--in Washington, DC!

3. Better self-defense training on campus. Currently, the "mens" self-defense section of PAES 172 could be charitably described as nothing more than "watered down control tactics." The womens sections no longer have a full contact component. The sex segregation has reduced opportunities for anyone to take the course, and the mens section is always only about half-full, while the womens sections are often waitlisted.


In the past four years I've received quite an "education" on how things really work here at OSU. It's disgusting.

Karl
I WANT VERMONT! (OR "ALASKA")
That's FIRST AMENDMENT CRUSADER PIGLET!
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