Following a recent gunfire attack on the campus of Florida State University, Tallahassee campus sometimes-neighbor and "stand your ground" enthusiast state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, has been on something of a reverse-logic rampage to make certain that everybody on state college campuses is locked and loaded, because if they aren't, well, it's their fault if they get attacked. Last month we reported (via the New York Times) that Baxley's twisted logic goes below the belt in that sexual assault kind of way. Because if you're not carrying, you're clearly asking for it, ladies. 

Just a refresher on that morsel of terror: “If you’ve got a person that’s raped because you wouldn’t let them carry a firearm to defend themselves, I think you’re responsible,” State Representative Dennis K. Baxley of Florida said during debate in a House subcommittee last month, the NYT reported. 

There's a whole lot of pronoun tossing going on there, but the point is that it's not the fault of the rapist, but rather the fault of the victim or the school or the peaceniks among the body of the state legislature (last count: eight?). At any rate, there are tons of guns in the legislative pipeline this year, because we're all turning into violent assholes with trigger fingers, apparently. 

Tomorrow, students and activists at the University of Central Florida are hoping to send a message that the guns on campus thing isn't really the answer to musty gray hypotheticals from men in dusty suits at mahogany desks. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus is holding a rally in the student union at the school from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., hoping to convince the Kevlar-coated gun lobby and the legislators who love them to back off on this unnecessary issue (Q: Seriously, who does this benefit? A: Gun manufacturers).

There was a political ad about the issue released yesterday by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund. HERE IT IS. 


You can find more info about the event on the group's Facebook page. But here's the summary provided: 

For those of you who are not aware, HB 4005, is a piece of legislation that would allow guns on campuses statewide. This means that no where is safe including; dormitories, research labs, libraries, and even classrooms. As students on campus we should have the right to safety and never fear that one our classmates or roommates could fire a gun at any minute. HB 4005 is one of the most aggressive pieces of legislation impacting guns on campus in the NATION. As students who attend one of the largest campuses in Florida it is important that we all band together and DEFEAT this piece of legislation. If you are a part of an organization that would like to get involved with this rally or you would like to become a speaker email president@demsucf.com for more info. Let's keep our campus moving forward!