Blind justice

February 10, 10:13 AMDenver Gun Rights ExaminerDan Bidstrup

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     After 9-11, an Air Transportation Safety officer unwrapped a passenger’s Christmas gift for inspection and discovered a GI Joe doll. In order for the passenger to get on her flight, she had to surrender GI Joe’s 3" long plastic gun. In hindsight, perhaps that was a too-strict interpretation of the TSA rules. Now, in Aurora, we have another example. Marie Morrow is an honor student and a member of the Douglas County Young Marines. Like soccer players who have soccer balls and pads in the car, she had the equipment she planned to use after school at drill team practice in the back of her car in the school parking lot. Unfortunately for her, they are shaped like rifles. At second glance it would be evident they were wood and plastic and duct tape, but first glance got her suspended and may get her expelled. Tustin Amole, a spokesman for Cherry Creek Schools said "The law doesn't make any distinction between a genuine weapon and a facsimile." Cherry Creek Schools prohibits guns on campus. (I personally worry more about who has the gun than the gun itself, but that is their rule.) Must rule enforcement be utterly brain dead?

     This is wrong for several reasons. Locked in her car, the equipment wasn’t a threat to anyone even if they were real rifles, and Marie wasn’t threatening anyone. The school said students told teachers there were guns in a car in the parking lot. Certainly, investigate student concerns. After looking in her car, the school officials should have said "Just replicas, not real, go back to class." Judgment has to enter in. How do they know without a body search that some student isn’t secretly carrying a GI Joe 3" long plastic M-16? Is it worth stopping the school day to frisk everybody? Certainly intent should weigh into the decision. Marie Morrow seems to be a model student. Indeed, to me she sounds like the flower of American youth. It is people like her who defend our country today. The Young Marines organization is like the Boy Scouts in that it seeks to inspire kids to the best character, and develop in them leadership skills and a healthy lifestyle. She clearly has no intent to harm anyone. I am also impressed that she took the responsibility for having the props in her car. It is refreshing for someone to own up to their actions instead of looking everywhere for an excuse or a scapegoat.

     I am also encouraged by the response from several state legislators. They are seeking to refine the legislation to include a modicum of judgment. State Rep. Cindy Acree (R-Aurora) said "I think the issue is what constitutes a weapon and how far reaching is that description." Sen. Scott Renfroe, (R-Weld County,) added "We need to look at this and add some common sense to our statute." Please, Cherry Creek Schools, don’t expel a good student who shows the values that made America such a great country. Let’s show some balance and reason as we enforce the laws of our state.