TO THE EDITOR:
In response to Ms. Heide’s letter (“Academic study shows guns don’t decrease crime”, April 11), I urge her to check her facts. I have seen the 2003 study she references. It takes the hard data of decreasing trends in violent crime and then estimates in the future that crime will increase.
The fact is that their estimates were plain wrong. I encourage Heide to look at FBI crime statistics for the past few years. As more states allow people to exercise their Second Amendment rights, violent crime has gone down. The numbers provided prove this — which is of more value than arbitrary estimates taking a decreasing trend and magically turning it around. So please check your facts, Ms. Heide.
On to the next issue — an armed gunman running free around campus. Your potentially fatal error, as well as Mr. Scheidt’s (“Concealed weapons not a defense in armed robbery”, April 11) is to think the best course of action is to leave the decision of whether you live or die to someone that has utter disregard for the lives of others.
Twenty-four hours removed from the time the gunman was fleeing Morrison Residence Hall, I was walking to my dorm — and a lucky circumstance prevented me from walking back the night before, when the gunman would have been fleeing.
We have seen what happens when students are unable to defend themselves. Just look at the tragic murder of Eve Carson.
I do not accept that I must relinquish control of my life — I want to have the ability to defend myself.
Grant Anastas-King
Co-President
