Collegiate Look at Iraq, 2nd Amendment

I maintain the UCLA editorials pages up on my reader to understand what is on the collective mind across today's campuses of college students. If I paid taxes (my combat zone status excludes me), certainly I would be interested in what sort of teaching these youngsters were receiving. It's long been conventional wisdom that many state-run college institutions are Marxist breeding grounds, but I'm beginning to change my tune with this recent editorial about Iraq. A man named Darrell Carter, who happens to be a Marine veteran, pens this Op-Ed about politics and the war:

Today’s political culture is becoming more and more polarized. Hard right, hard left. Anti-war, pro-war. Pro-choice, pro-life. Our world is far too complex to have such polarized and simplified stances on important issues, and I feel we have a duty as citizens of not just our nation, but our world, to be better informed and take into account the complexities of something like the Iraq war in order to truly attempt to better the world we live in. Don’t be color-blind, Bruins; see beyond just black-and-white issues.

Yes, Mr. Carter, an excellent new paradigm. While I'm sure his professors, who probably know nothing about the military since they stayed in college for such a long time to avoid the draft in the 60s, are quick to equate anything in Iraq with Abu Ghraib and Marines throwing puppies off cliffs, it is wise to examine the complexities from various angles. Good for him.

Unfortunately, I looked at the opinion piece from the UCLA editorial board today and was a bit disheartened. Paging Miss Nicky from Liberty Zone, someone is talking smack about responsible gun ownership. The editorial board doesn't cite much in the way of evidence, but concludes with the following on concealed-carrying on campus:

This is a bad idea that will cost more lives than it will ever save, and will make every college campus a dangerous place for civilians. Guns should stay in the hands of professionals.

Hmm. When I lived in Hollywood, the only guy that was allowed to "carry a gun" was the crack dealer three blocks over that stood on the corner every night after 9pm, and the guy that robbed my neighbor in our parking lot. By "allowed" I mean they didn't care about the law, since they were criminals. It didn't make me feel very safe. That personal tale and Reason citing actual evidence that debunks the claim of concealed handguns resulting in higher crime should be satisfactory in dispelling this disinformation.

My hope for our generation is not totally diminished, since people are at least publicizing their views and not completely self-obsessed with stupid photos from the party at the Phi Kai house and text messaging their compadres during class. Life goes on.

Not everyone is this stupid in college