The Current Online » Courtney Kuns

Missouri College Media Awards for 2006

Web Editor — Tue, 01 May 2007 21:23:27 +0000

The Current won the following awards from the Missouri College Media Association for 2006 publications at two-year colleges:

First Place

Michael E. Weir, Feature Writing
Najiyah Diana Helwani, Column Writing

Second Place

Rev Hard, Column Writing

Third Place

Jesse Brown, Sportswriting
Tom Davis, Page One Design

Honorable Mention

Amanda Rose, Newswriting
Feature Page

Current alumna Courtney Kuns (UMKC’s U-News) won first place for News Section Front in Division 1.

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN? WESLEY CLARK

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:09:12 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

Retired Army General

Background Information
Wesley Clark was born in 1944 and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. He graduated from Westpoint Military Academy in 1966, was awarded the Rhodes scholarship and moved on to earn a master’s in philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University. During his thirty-eight-year military career, he participated in both in the Vietnam and Gulf wars. He retired from the army soon after his stint as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO throughout the Kosovo conflict. Since then, Clark has been working as an investment banker and a CNN military analyst.

Political Allies
Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR), infamous for the scandal surrounding his cocaine use and a string of other southern Democratic legislators; George Bruno, Democratic National Committee member

Political Fumbles
A Republican most of his life, Clark voted for Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Clark has been touted as one of the anti-war candidates. On Sep. 20, the Washington Post reported Clark saying that his views resemble those of Joe Lieberman and John Kerry and that he “probably” would have voted for the congressional resolution authorizing the Iraq War. The day after that statement, the Associated Press reported that he backtracked and said, “I would never have voted for this war.” Although advocating involvement of Iraqis in providing security and forming a democratic government for their country, he sees it necessary for the U.S. to maintain their presence in Iraq for a very long time. A strong supporter of Israel’s far-right government, on CNN Clark referred to Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people as a struggle for the existence of Israel.

B: Clark is a “blue dog” (economically conservative) Democrat, similar to Pres. Clinton. He also advocates the fostering of small business.

C: He believes in a balance between commercial exploitation and respect for the environment. NPR radio quoted Clark as saying, “We should work right now on clean air, clean water, and climate change. We need to support upgrades to air pollution.”

D: Clark is opposed to the single-payer system, employed by all other industrialized nations except the United States, in which all citizens are guaranteed universal health care. Solutions he has proposed to the current health care crisis include raising the limits on Medicaid and, according to his website, “promoting physical vigor.”

E: Clark wants to review anti-terrorism measures, including the PATRIOT Act, and repeal unconstitutional aspects. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that after Sep. 11, while he was an investment banker, Clark counseled clients on how to pitch commercial technologies for “homeland-security” use to the government. Fortune magazine has reported that Clark is also a board member of the database company Axicom and has been spearheading their pursuit of contracts with the government for products that would scan for and compile information on all American citizens. A complaint to the FTA has been filed against Axicom for turning over information on two million passengers to Torch, a military contractor. Torch is designing an updated version of the Computer-Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System which will profile every airline passenger to predict unwanted behavior patterns. The search may include medical, travel, purchase and criminal information.

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN? DENNIS KUCINICH

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:06:28 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

Congressman (Cleveland, Ohio)

Background Information
In 1977, at the age of 31, Cleveland, Ohio councilman Dennis Kucinich took office as mayor of Cleveland. After a 15-year political hiatus, he was appointed to Ohio Senate. In 1996, he was elected to serve Ohio in the U.S. House, where he remains.

Political Allies
Former presidential candidate Ralph Nadar; Rep. Lynn Woolsey; Sen. John Hottinger; singers Willie Nelson and Ani DeFranco; actors Ed Asner, Mimi Kennedy and actor/activist Danny Glover

Political Fumbles
As mayor, Kucinich refused to sell Cleveland’s city-owned power company, Muny Light, to a private company. Because of his rejection, Cleveland banks tied to the private company refused to roll over the city’s debts that year. Cleveland fell back on its deficit, the first U.S. city to do so since the Depression. Re-election failed, but the Cleveland city council later praised Kucinich for his decision – one that is said to have saved the city millions of dollars.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Kucinich is very, very anti-occupation of Iraq. He’s an aggressive advocate of peace. This year, he received the Gandhi Peace Award. If elected, he plans to push two bills that he currently sponsors in Congress. One piece of legislation will build a cabinet-level Department of Peace. The other bill, the Space Preservation Treaty, bans docking missiles in space.

B: Kucinich gets off fighting injustices of the American world, so a great deal of his economic policy is crafted with the “little guy” in mind. Like many of the other candidates, he’s out to level the corporate playing field – in other words, promote corporate integrity. But unlike many of the other candidates, Kucinich wants to withdraw the U.S. from NAFTA and WTO. The U.S. must form and enforce our own trade agreements, demanding that human rights and environmental standards are upheld overseas. He led 114 Democrats to Seattle, rallying Pres. Clinton to lobby WTO for improved environmental and workplace practices.

C: The Green Party’s past presidential candidate Ralph Nadar said he might not run for president if Kucinich wins the Democratic bid. Kucinich, a longtime critic of nuclear power, strongly pushes the use of safe, renewable energy sources across the globe.

D: Like Moseley Braun, forming a single-payer health care system is one of Kucinich’s primary platforms. The government would provide coverage to everybody. The money saved by switching to a single-payer system is the money used to pay for this universal health care system. Under the single-payer system, the government could buy prescription drugs in bulk, thereby lowering prescription prices and premiums.

E: Kucinich is the only Democratic candidate who’s a member of Congress who voted against implementing USA PATRIOT Act. He claims he will oust the Patriot Act as soon as he is voted into office. Although Kucinich is against abortion personally, he feels women should have the right to choose. It’s only recently he swung this way, after coming to the conclusion that without choice, women wouldn’t be equal to men. He promises to only nominate justices to the Supreme Court if they uphold Roe v. Wade.

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN? AL SHARPTON

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:04:33 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

Minister and Political Activist

Background Information
Al Sharpton was born in 1954 in New York City. Renowned as a child prodigy in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, where his working-class parents raised him, he started preaching at age four and was ordained as a Pentacostal minister at age 10. In his teen years, he was the youth director for Operation Breadbasket, Jesse Jackson’s campaign to economically improve African-American neighborhoods. In the late ’70s he was manager of James Brown’s concert tours. During the ’90s he ran for the U.S. Senate and the New York mayoral office, losing both times. The founder of National Youth Movement and National Action Network, Sharpton has been a consistent leader in political activism focusing on racial, economic and social justice.

Political Allies
Black Enterprise Magazine; The Reverend Floyd D. Harris, Jr., Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene, Fresno, California; Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-NY)

Political Fumbles
In 1989 Sharpton was charged with 67 counts of larceny, fraud and felony tax evasion relating to the National Youth Movement. Although acquitted on all of those counts, Sharpton pled guilty four years later to not filing a New York state income tax return and was convicted of a misdemeanor.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: A staunch opponent of the Iraq War, Sharpton believes that Bush’s pre-emptive war doctrine is dangerous. He says that the war has weakened the United Nations and the structure of international law. He has also criticized the administration for capturing Osama Bin Laden. At Sep. 9′s Congressional Black Caucus Institute Debate, Sharpton said, “As president, I would have become involved only if there were American lives at stake. I would not run around trying to be the world’s bully.”

B: He wants to balance the budget by repealing the Bush tax cuts, invest in job development and increase funding for social services. Sharpton is a traditional economic liberal.

C: MoveOn.org quotes Sharpton saying, “Converting our economy to renewable fuels as rapidly as practical and feasible would be one of my top priorities. I believe that protecting the environment is also labor intensive. Thus, creating a clean, safe and sustainable environment would also create jobs, not cost jobs.”

D: Sharpton wants to establish a national single-payer universal health care plan. He also believes there should be a constitutional amendment guaranteeing all Americans the right to health care.

E: In an interview with finalcall.com, Sharpton criticized the PATRIOT Act saying, “To say that the attorney general at his sole discretion has the right to eavesdrop through wiretapping on lawyer/client conversations is absurd and it is a police state mentality. To say they have the right to detain people without charging them [means] they have just totally torn up parts of the constitution.”

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN THE RACE? JOHN EDWARDS

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:02:21 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

U.S. Senator (North Carolina)

Background Information
Edwards gained notoriety in North Carolina as a successful trial lawyer. In 1998, the state sent him to the U.S. Senate.

Political Allies
Black Rep. Albert Wynn; Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson; North Carolina Democrat Congressional Delegation; actor Ashton Kutcher and more than 200 former and current city and state office holders in make-or-break Iowa

Political Fumbles
So far, he’s squeaky clean. Edwards’s credibility to pro-Iraq voters might be damaged with his vote against approving Bush’s request for $87 billion in aid for Iraq. He told Meet the Press he does not approve of gay marriage.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Like Bush, Edwards stresses the importance of winning our war on terror. Our winning strategy includes, pumping up homeland security, securing the world’s greatest military, rebuilding Iraq and working globally to end production of WMDs. Edwards supports measures used to collect information on “terrorists.” The data collected should be analyzed and utilized to prevent future terrorist acts. Part of his homeland security initiative includes the addition of an office of individual liberties.

B: Edwards has it bad for the middle class. He’s defended them as a trial lawyer for 20 years. He plans to cut taxes of companies who keep business in the states. Edwards has many ideas that he claims protect American corporate employees from the dishonesty of the executives they work for. He also plans to reform labor laws, increase hourly wages and extend unemployment benefits. Edwards will fight for enforcement of U.S. trade agreements with other countries’- in particular, China.

C: Edwards boasts of increasing fuel-efficiency standards, using renewable resources for energy production and enforcing environmental laws. Like Joe Lieberman, he fought against Bush’s rollbacks to the Clean Air Act and oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. America needs to align with other world leaders to protect the earth’s environment as a whole, according to Edwards.

D: Edwards says health care expenses must decrease. At the same time the quality must increase. The nation has a responsibility to provide health care for all children, uninsured low-income employees, the unemployed and the elderly. The nation also has a responsibility to increase the amount of resources found in hospitals and medical clinics.

E: He seeks equality in college admissions and hiring. Edwards will focus efforts on sealing the gender and racial pay gap. Racial profiling in law enforcement must also cease. Like the other candidates, he seeks a serious approach to end and prevent crimes of hate. The war on terrorism has taken away civil liberties that he feels we must get back. Did Edwards forget that he voted “yes” for the USA PATRIOT Act?

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WILL THE RACE? JOE LIEBERMAN

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:00:20 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

U.S. Senator (Connecticut)

Background Information
Lieberman practiced law during his decade-long tenure as a Connecticut state senator – a position obtained only three years after graduating, in 1967, from Yale School of Law. From 1983 to 1988, he served Connecticut as attorney general before being elected to U.S. Senate, where he remains today. Lieberman was the Democratic Party’s vice presidential bid in 2000, alongside presidential bid Al Gore.

Political Allies
14 members of Congress, including Sen. Chris Dodd and Sen. Tom Carper; Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters of Connecticut; and game show host Monty Hall

Political Fumbles
Like Gephardt, Lieberman took the minority position of his party when he supported the invasion of Iraq. Some consider him too conservative for the Democratic party.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Fully supported the Iraq War and has been pushing for an invasion for years. Feels Iraq must place in power qualified leaders of their choosing. America must provide physical and political security for as long as democracy is not established. Lieberman seeks resolution and restoration of democracy to the Muslim world. Yasser Arafat hinders resolution, according to Lieberman, who called for his removal from power. In 2002, Lieberman and Sen. John McCain wrote legislation developing the Department of Homeland Security. Lieberman is promoting his Service Members and Veterans Bill of Rights, which guarantees predictable deployments, competitive pay, quality education and more.

B: Lieberman supports a balanced national budget that’s within the nation’s means. During Clinton’s presidency, he supported both deficit reduction and balanced budget plans as well as the elimination of federal welfare. Technology, small business, a strong working class and affirmative action catalyze economic improvement. Lieberman held strong opposition to Bush’s tax cuts, so strong, that he proposed an alternative solution in Congress.

C: As Connecticut attorney general, Lieberman claims he battled oil companies and illegal toxic disposal. He molded Clinton-era amendments to the Clean Air Act and was rewarded for those efforts by the Sierra Club. His environmental goals mirror the mainstream environmental agenda of the Democratic Party. No environmental agenda is unique to Lieberman, but he did draft his own bi-partisan proposal to curb global warming.

D: Lieberman believes in a step-by-step approach to increasing the number of insured Americans. He has voted regularly to limit damages that can be assessed in lawsuits against the insurance industry.

E: Lieberman supports the PATRIOT Act. He is also for women’s right to choose, ending discrimination and ending racial profiling. Lieberman drafted the International Religious Freedom Act, which promotes religious freedom worldwide. He has extensive plans to reform immigration, so America can uphold the rights of immigrants as well as the “American dream.”

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN THE RACE? JOHN KERRY

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 13:58:07 +0000

by Courtney KunsU.S. Senator (Massachusetts)

Background Information
John Kerry was born in 1943 on the Denver military base where his father, an Army Air Corps volunteer in World War II, was stationed. After graduating from Yale University, Kerry entered the navy and served as a lieutenant in Vietnam. Disillusioned, he returned home from Vietnam in 1970 and became an outspoken critic of the war. He was a co-founder of the Vietnam Veterans of America and a leader of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Following a law career in Boston, he was elected lieutenant governor of Massachusetts in 1983. The following year, he ran a PAC-free campaign and was elected to the U.S. Senate, a position that he retains.

Political Allies
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president of the Waterkeeper Alliance and an influential attorney for other environmental organizations; Chicago Teamsters Local Union 705; International Association of Firefighters; Irwin Jacobs, CEO of San Diego’s Qualcomm; Planned Parenthood, which gave Kerry a 100% approval rating on his 1995-2002 congressional voting record

Political Fumbles
Kerry voted for the Iraq War. This has damaged his credibility among Democratic voters, a group that overwhelmingly opposed the war.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Although he would have preferred to give diplomacy a greater opportunity, Kerry supported the Iraq War. Opposed to sending more American troops to Iraq, he wants the international community to become more involved in the occupation.

B: In an interview with MoveOn.org, Kerry said, “The first thing we have to do is roll back the Bush tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. Fiscally responsible tax cuts for working families can grow the economy.” Not to be mistaken for an economic liberal, in 1995 he voted yes to eliminate the federal welfare system.

C: He supports renewable energy and increased funding for climate change research. He has typically voted along moderate environmentalist lines in congress.

D: His goal by 2010 is to reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 2/3 through tax credits and purchasing pools. He also wants to create a report card system to measure the service quality of health plans and providers.

E: Kerry believes that racial profiling should be prohibited and wants to expand hate crime laws. He voted in support of the PATRIOT Act.

See also:

WHICH DONKEY WILL WIN THE RACE? HOWARD DEAN

Web Editor — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 13:55:21 +0000

by Courtney Kuns

Former Governor of Vermont

Background Information
Howard Dean was born in 1948 to a wealthy New York family. He graduated from Yale in 1971 and started working on Wall Street, a position he left a few years later to complete a medical degree and set up an internal medicine practice with his wife in Vermont. Retaining his career as a practicing physician, he served as a Vermont state representative and lieutenant governor from 1983-91. The death of Vermont’s Republican governor in 1991 propelled Dean into the state governor seat and effectively ended his medical career. Elected to four more consecutive terms, he received national attention during his tenure as governor for turning Vermont’s large deficit into a surplus, instituting a successful health care program and signing America’s first civil union law for gays and lesbians.

Political Allies
The majority of American labor unions; Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix; Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii); Jesse Jackson; Kurt Schmoke, dean of Howard University Law School; Martin Sheen, actor and political activist

Political Fumbles
While being interviewed by Tim Russert on Meet the Press, Dean denied saying he supported raising the social security age to 70. He wrote an article proposing this in 1995.

Issues at a glance A: Occupation of Iraq B: Economy C: Environment D: Health Care E: Civil Liberties

A: Dean has been a relentless and outspoken opponent of the Iraq War. At the New Mexico primary debate, he criticized Bush for lying about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction and having a connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He believes that the pre-emptive strike doctrine is unethical and sets a dangerous precedent that other countries may follow. MoveOn.org quotes Dean as saying, “On my first day in office, I will tear up the Bush doctrine and rebuild a foreign policy consistent with American values.” However, now that the U.S. has already invaded and occupied Iraq, Dean says that we need to rebuild Iraq and establish order but should withdraw the bulk of American troops and internationalize the running of the occupation.

B: In a comprehensive economic plan, available on his website, he proposes a two-year $100 billion fund, which is designed to add one million new jobs to the economy. This includes an immediate increase in minimum wage to $6.65 an hour. His first step to balance the national budget would be to repeal the Bush tax cut to secure the future of Medicare and Social Security. He also wants to crack down on corporate tax shelters, loopholes and subsidies.

C: He wants to promote the use of renewable energy sources, work on countering urban sprawl and require trade agreements to include strict and enforceable environmental standards.

D: Dean wants to apply a similar health care model on a national level to the one he established in Vermont, in which 96.4% of the population has coverage. This would include guaranteed coverage for everyone under age 25 in a family that is 300% above the poverty level (around $55,000 a year) and prescription benefits for every senior citizen. At the South Carolina primary debate, Dean said, “Between 25 and 65, subsidize small businesses, don’t give the tax credits to the big corporations, subsidize individuals who need help buying health insurance, and then help individuals who work for companies that don’t do it”

E: Dean’s website quotes him saying, “The government must protect Americans against terrorism while protecting civil liberties every step of the way.” If elected, he will oppose any expansion of the PATRIOT Act or efforts to remove time limits and will work to repeal the unconstitutional portions of the law. He would also direct his attorney general to withhold federal funds from state and local law enforcement agencies engaging in racial profiling, including the targeting of Arabs and Muslims.

See also:

Carrying concealed: Are we in Dodge City, Kan.?

Web Editor — Sat, 11 Oct 2003 05:25:10 +0000

Missourians can carry concealed weapons starting Oct. 11, 2003 (Courtney Kuns/The Current).

by FARHAN ZAHID

This month the Missouri Senate voted 23-10 and the Missouri House voted 115-43 to override Governor Bob Holden’s veto of HB 349, the bill allowing Missouri residents to carry concealed guns.

HB 349, which will go into effect on Oct. 11, makes Missouri the 36th state to allow concealed weapons on a “shall-issue” basis. In 1999 Proposition B, a similar proposal that would have allowed Missourians to carry concealed weapons was put to a statewide vote. This was the first time in national history that the issue of concealed weapons had been voted on in a public referendum. The measure was rejected by 52 percent of the vote.

HB 349 requires a more extensive firearms marksmanship and safety-training course for applicants than Proposition B. However, unlike Proposition B, it does not make carrying concealed weapons into gun-prohibited areas a criminal offense.

Critics of the new law say that the state legislature’s actions are un-democratic since Missouri voters already said no to allowing concealed weapons when they struck down Proposition B.

Are you eager to arm yourself? Before you go spend your financial aid check on an appropriate arsenal for the interior lining of your jacket and a gun rack for your car, keep in mind that there are certain rules and regulations. Those who wish to apply with their local sheriff for concealed weapons certification must be at least 23 years old and U.S. citizens who have been living in Missouri for a minimum of six months. Applicants will also be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal background check. The final step is completing an eight-hour firearms training course.

Some reasons for disqualification include mental incompetence, a felony conviction, more than one conviction of driving while intoxicated or drug possession, dishonorable discharge from the military and being the subject of a restraining order. The certificate grants a conceal and carry endorsement on an individual driver’s license that would be valid for three years.

Critics of the bill argue that it does not adequately protect public safety and will increase the number of guns in social areas, resulting in a larger risk of conflict and violence. Firearms can be carried into public places such as restaurants, portions of airports, stadiums and sports arenas seating fewer than 5,000 and child-care facilities. However, private establishments may ban guns at their discretion.

If a person carries a concealed weapon into a prohibited area, it is not a criminal act. Gov. Holden, in his veto letter, wrote that a person would have to carry an unauthorized concealed weapon into a child care facility and refuse to leave after being asked twice within six months before their permit could even be suspended.

Another point of contention he cites is that a person who has been convicted of a domestic violence crime can apply for and receive a conceal and carry permit.

Supporters of HB 349 contend that this is one of the most restrictive conceal and carry gun laws in the country. An example is the 23 year old age requirement, the highest in the nation. The Kansas City Star reported that Senate majority leader Michael Gibbons (R-St. Louis) said, “I am absolutely convinced that it is the safest bill we are ever going to have in this state.”

Despite overwhelming opposition in St. Louis to conceal and carry laws, Gibbons says that supporting the bill now prevents an expected veto-proof senate majority from pushing through a much less restrictive concealed weapons law next year.

Keith Dunn, administrator of Guerrilla Networks, a local liberal youth activist organization, argues that providing greater access to and less restriction on guns will only escalate the culture of violence in America.

“Even though people with criminal backgrounds may not be the ones usually applying for concealed and carry permits, any time a criminal gets a gun, it originates from a legal source. Often guns are stolen from law-abiding citizens. More gun availability means more weapons will end up in the hands of those who use them to commit violent and illegal acts,” Dunn says. “The best way to decrease crime is to start dealing with the complex social problems and inequalities that cause America to have the highest violent crime rate in the industrialized world.”

Dunn says that even normal law-abiding citizens can be careless and make poor judgments in confrontational situations and are more likely to commit a violent crime if a gun is within reach than if it isn’t. He also says, “There is no clear-cut distinction between criminal and law-abiding citizen. Many people commit crimes and aren’t caught or can receive a conceal and carry permit and then use their gun unlawfully after the fact.”

An August 2000 study by the Violence Policy Center reveals that from January 1996 through April 2000, the arrest rate for weapon-related offenses among Texas concealed handgun license holders was 66 percent higher than that of the general adult population of that state.

Fear of the armed citizen is a significant factor in both reducing and deterring crime according to the results of a survey of imprisoned felons conducted by NRA (National Rife Association) research coordinators Professor James D. Wright and Peter H. Rossi. In states with widespread gun ownership and tough punishment for gun misuse, criminals surveyed were often unarmed. In Massachusetts, a state in which it is difficult to lawfully acquire a gun, only 29 percent of the felons surveyed were unarmed. Around 2/3 of respondents said there was at least one time when they decided not to commit a crime because they knew or believed that the victim would be carrying a gun. Wright and Rossi also conclude that gun laws only affect law-abiding citizens and prohibiting them from carrying a concealed weapon is only giving the attacker the upper hand.

John Lott’s 1998 book, “More Guns, Less Crime,” is often upheld as evidence that these laws reduce crime. This research work concludes that ten states that enacted shall-issue conceal and carry laws between 1985 and 1991 experienced declines in murder and other violent crimes relative to the crime trends observed in other stated that did not pass these laws. However, Lott has been discredited as a reliable source in the eyes of many. He can’t produce evidence that a phone survey he documents in his book actually took place; claiming that his computer crashed and he can’t remember the names of any of the participants. This alleged phone survey purports that 98 percent of the time people brandish guns defensively it scares away their attackers. He has also been caught pretending to be a woman over the internet, using the name “Mary Rosh” to praise his research.

The Brookings Institution has just released the book, Evaluating Gun Policy with research by Stanford professor John Donohue and Yale professor Ian Ayres. The results of their studies conclude the opposite of what Lott claims.

“The evidence is stronger that passing shall-issue concealed weapons laws are increasing crime, rather than decreasing crime,” said Dr. John Donohue. “I don’t see any strong data that shall-issue laws are decreasing crime.”

Kenneth Hartman, political science professor at Longview, believes that the new legislation has beneficial aspects to it. He said, “It makes some people feel safer and gives them the sense of security in knowing they can defend themselves.” Hartmen said that although there is no concrete evidence that conceal and carry laws drastically reduce crime, the fear of increased violence and rampant wild-west style gun battles in the streets is not valid because that has not occurred in the majority of other states that have adopted conceal and carry laws. “If something does no harm and it maximizes peoples’ freedom, why not allow them to do it?” he says.

LV resources can take you to the destination of your dreams

Web Editor — Fri, 10 Oct 2003 22:22:03 +0000

by COURTNEY KUNS

Longview´s College Night , Sept. 30, 2003 (Paul Lessane/The Current)

Employment Resources
The Employment Resources office at Longview has all the information needed to transform just about anyone into a one person, career-building powerhouse. They provide assistance with resume and cover letter writing. They can also help you pump up your interviewing skills. Employment Resources has an expansive job database. Plus, they keep an updated collection of employment outlook and labor/salary information documents on file. Many of their resources are online at kcmetro.edu. The office is located in CC251 or by phone at 672-2155.

Longview Library
From books to electronic databases, Longview Library is a mecca of career and college-hunting resources. Their electronic databases, Choices and DISCOVER, provides vast information of various career fields. With DISCOVER, you can also find which colleges best match your individual educational needs. Online, they have links to similar databases and websites, like Career Information System. These bookmarks can be accessed through the library’s website at kcmetro.edu.

Counseling and Advising
Longview’s Counseling and Advising offices help individuals determine and meet their educational and career needs. Both offices can direct your educational planning – which takes the headache out of transferring. Advising has organized several articulation agreements with area colleges that can be downloaded at kcmetro.edu. Counseling also has various personal assessment tests, which may open a road never traveled before. Call to make an appointment for Advising at 672-2077 or Counseling 672-2255.