Rob Natelson’s Solution For Rape-Tolerant UM Campus: Guns

April 20, 2012 in Montana

by lizard

For those who want to see the rape-tolerant culture at the University of Montana addressed in a meaningful way that will lessen the risk of loved ones being sexually assaulted, former UM professor Rob Natelson claims to have the solution

The first problem identified by the professor is the admittance of those who aren’t “college material”. The unsubstantiated correlation being made here by the former professor seems to be that admission standards are partly responsible for sexual assaults:

As a former long-time University of Montana employee, I’m not surprised somehow by the sexual assault problems on campus. When you admit (for athletic, political, and financial purposes) a lot of students who really are not college material and concentrate them together, you invite problems. The most common result, of course, is that most UM undergrads never graduate, thereby wasting their own time and cash, and the taxpayers’ money. But the same admissions policies are, at least in part, responsible for even nastier results.

Does the professor offer anything to back up this correlation between aptitude for higher learning and the potential for rape? No, he doesn’t. Instead he just marches on to the next idiotic solution: guns.

Here is Rob’s numbered suggestions to solve the problem the University of Montana has had with sexual assault:

(1) Do what the Colorado legislature has done and allow anyone with a concealed carry permit to possess and carry guns on campus.

(2) Also allow students and faculty who have successfully completed a university-sponsored firearms safety course to possess and carry guns on campus.

(3) Hire Gary Marbut of the Montana Shooting Sports Association to organize the training, with special emphasis on his Handguns for Women course. Encourage as many female students, staff, and faculty as possible to take the course so they qualify to carry on campus. Give female students PE credit for the course if you have to.

(4) Watch the creeps shake in fear when they even THINK about assaulting a woman who might be packing a weapon and knows how to use it.

I have a hard time believing someone who is suppose to be intelligent enough to teach at the college level actually thinks carrying concealed weapons would be an effective means of addressing the rape-tolerant culture that currently exists at UM.

According to the National Institute of Justice, 85-90% of sexual assaults reported by college women are perpetrated by someone they know. How is a gun suppose to stop these assaults?

Another factor often involved in sexual assaults on campus is alcohol. Again, for someone who is significantly impaired from alcohol, what good is a gun going to do to stop a sexual assault?

In my not-so-humble opinion, Rob Natelson is being an opportunistic asshole with his idiotic post advocating for carrying concealed weapons on campus. This is not some partisan opportunity for a think-tank hack to shill for the gun lobby. This is a much larger problem that won’t be solved by simply arming women with handguns.

By the way, Rob, why a “handguns for women course”? Do women really need some specialized course to learn how to operate a handgun just because they’re women?