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About the Episode

Recent shootings on the I-10 freeway have led to a spike in gun safety classes in Mesa, AZ. This particular class focuses on real-life situations using virtual reality. People of all ages from 18 up, and equal parts men and women, have been registering for the class. Whitney Wingfield, the owner and instructor of the class has told local news that most of the people are everyday people, not gun enthusiasts. That sound you hear is the minds of anti-gunners exploding when they hear that normal people feel safe with guns, too.

The Utah Supreme Court issued a strong endorsement of self-defense this week. In Ray v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. the court held that an employee’s right of self-defense trumps an employer’s right to fire that employee, including an employee who can usually be terminated without just cause. The case came to the court after 2 employees used force in self-defense against armed shoplifters. Wal-Mart has a policy of disengaging in such instances. However, the employee’s personal right to self-defense is protected by the Constitution, whereas Wal-Mart’s disengage policy is not.

The University of Michigan has submitted a brief that argues that the state carry laws do not affect campus policy, because only U-M’s board can set university policy. The University asked the court to throw out a lawsuit filed by Joshua Wade, an Ann Arbor resident who wants to openly carry his firearm and disagrees with the University’s argument of sovereignty. Current campus policy prohibits any firearms being carried on campus by anyone EXCEPT law enforcement or military. The university can issue a waiver to allow someone to carry a weapon if they demonstrate extraordinary circumstances. The controversy is that Michigan has open carry laws, laws that did not clearly outline where U-M’s sovereignty began and ended.

Madeline Singas, Acting District Attorney for Nassau County, NY, has instituted a workplace policy of disarmament. This is not a workplace disarmament, by the way. Attorneys working in this office are not allowed to own handguns at all. They cannot own handguns in the home, the workplace, anywhere. This prevents very vulnerable prosecutors – people who deal with and often help to achieve punishment against criminals – from protecting themselves against aggrieved offenders. This does not include long guns, for whatever reason. This seems like a political move, and like Madeline Singas might want to run for a higher office someday. That’s no excuse for making your employees vulnerable.