Anita Sarkeesian, a feminist and youtube blogger (see video above), canceled her scheduled speech at Utah State University on Wednesday because she was unnerved by the state’s pro-gun laws in the wake of a death threat, local media reports.
According to school officials, staff members received an anonymous threat vowing “the deadliest school shooting in American history” if Sarkeesian was allowed to give her presentation.
Staff members then notified Sarkeesian of the threat, but assured her that security measures would be put in place to keep her safe. They also learned that the threat was “similar to other threats that Sarkeesian has received in the past.”
Yet, once she learned of the state’s pro-concealed carry laws, which allow a an individual to carry a firearm into the venue provided he or she has a valid concealed firearm permit, she opted to cancel the speech.
Forced to cancel my talk at USU after receiving death threats because police wouldn’t take steps to prevent concealed firearms at the event.
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) October 15, 2014
To be clear: I didn’t cancel my USU talk because of terrorist threats, I canceled because I didn’t feel the security measures were adequate.
— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) October 15, 2014
Obviously it’s her decision. If she felt her life was at risk, she certainly shouldn’t give the speech. But in all honesty she shouldn’t fear licensed concealed carry permit holders. For one, the individuals have passed a criminal background check. Second, with armed law-abiding citizens in the audience, if anyone were to try and start shooting up the place, that individual would face resistance. In short, it’d be a suicide for the perpetrator.
But even if she rejects those reasons, she should ask herself about the circumstances in which most mass shootings occur. That is to say, they happen in gun-free zones, places in which law-abiding citizens are prohibited from carrying. Is that a coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.
Regardless, it’s foolish for her to presume that an armed sociopath is going to obey a “No Guns Allowed” sign. While Sarkeesian may think she’s safer in a gun-free zone, there is plenty of evidence to the contrary.
CCW permits aren’t going to be anywhere near this commie so what’s the worry?
Nobody seems to have raised the [at least to me] glaringly obvious point that since “she has received many similar threats in the past,” what is the chance that she is supplying/making the threats to increase or maintain her notoriety?
Regardless, this is much ado about nothing, & I’m not even convinced it merits qualifications as “news.”
Ha. Utah college students better off for not having to listen to idiot’s drivel.
Glad this article only consumed 2 minutes of my morning.
Good for Utah – the state lucked out by not being subjected to anti-gun BS.
What a long bunch of distracting bullshit.
Not even worth a good comment.
I’m just glad I only let this article steal 15 minutes of my life and not any more.
A little logic would reveal that concealed weapons have not been used in the majority of shootings – it is unreasonable to fear citizens who qualify for Utah’s concealed carry license. If Ms. Sarkeesian didn’t insist on presenting her radical message she would not be receiving threats. Utah State is certainly not any worse off for not hearing her speech.
No one cares what she thinks, no one is forcing her to carry or to speak at any particular venue. She is free to confine her activities to gun free zones and speak to her choir. As for me, I try whenever possible to never go anywhere I can’t carry.
These type of games degrading women are sickening.
First things first, I am a gun owner/carrier. I am rarely without a firearm and shoot about 400 rounds a month, additionally I hunt and eat the things that I kill. That being said I absolutely agree with Ms. Sarkessian, if we look at all of the latest mass shootings that our electected representatives want to use to take away our firearms they can all be traced to internet porn and violent video games. The problem isn’t the guns but the graphic violence in our media. This video game crap sickens me and makes me want to find the over weight can’t get laid , closet homo That comes up with this collective crap and put a bullet in their under developed brains. The collective drizzle is infringing on my constitutional rights and putting my daughter at risk from ass clowns at on bottom half of the intelegence curve. Ms. Sarkessian, don’t be afraid, buy a gun learn how to use, it and kill anybody that threatens you. Be an Americian and don’t take crap off anyone, man or women. as a gun owner and a father of an young women I get what you are saying, any man that disagrees, needs to take a hard look in the mirror and make sure he has all is man parts. Men should be reminded that real way to a women’s heart or pants is to earn their respect. The true measure of a man is not what he gets but what he gives.
Typical left wing ultra liberal probably is a worthless piece of crap sounds like. Sounds it’s her way of stirring crap so if stupid met a use of force death face to face what would dumb butt want a weapon to counter use of force or her friggin rehtoric BS. What a useless piece of humanity probably made the crap up!
Feminism????? Really?? I can’t believe anyone cares what this woman is saying. Did the world suddenly become bored with real issues that we’re still hashing out something that was more or less settled in the 60’s or 70’s? The only men out there who are still sweating over threats to their masculinity are muslims. And maybe Canadian-Americans. Who knows?
She and her family have been viciously threatened in the past, simply for her expressing her ideas. She cancelled the talk because she didn’t want to see anyone get hurt, seems reasonable.
That being said, this is the first article I have seen that gave well reasoned push back without attacking either her character or her political views. I am both a feminist and gun advocate, and sometimes views espoused in the gun world can be hard to stomach. I really appreciate this piece. Thanks!
Feminist BFS u r full of crap
Calling yourself a feminist is as stupid as someone saying they’re a misogynist or something similarly pro-male, anti-female. Or calling myself a racist and then expecting *everyone* else to like me for it. It’s ridiculous. How about calling yourself pro-freedom? That covers a lot of areas, including equal opportunity (note the word “opportunity”, which has lately been redefined to mean “opportunism”) and being a supporter of the 2nd amendment. The feminist label has a lot of really ugly, embarassing crap associated with it.
And for the record, I think an armed, educated, and outspoken (not obnoxious, but simply willing to stand up for hers) woman is (a) awesome and (b) a requirement in any woman I date.
What I find funny is that the best protection the lady could get would be a concealed carry herself. What also strikes me as funny is why after the Utah State Police, and FBI (to include the FBI Cyber Terrorism Task Force, and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit) determined that the threat was not credible, neither group brought her up on charges of filing false reports of the threats, I mean all they had to do to locate the source of the e-mails look at the routing addresses. Well I guess that would have happened only if the threat was to a PRO-GUN activist.
There are normal very attractive female students, who have concealed carry permits, who carry to protect themselves not only from male rapists, but from professional feminist predatory bulldykes.
Could this be the real reason Sarkessian pulled out? (Pun intended!)
Anita Sarkeesian has a history of making things up in order to draw attention. She’s a self proclaimed Canadian-American feminist that believes in strong women, but God forbid any of those women at Utah State University actually be armed.
The Campus Police, Utah State Police, and FBI (to include the FBI Cyber Terrorism Task Force, and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit) determined that the threat was not credible. When you read the email sent, it does not appear that the message was sent from someone who was in the United States – click here for the actual email http://imgur.com/xt8YPfK
The statement from USU issued was amazing. They respect the rights of concealed carriers and their student. Here is the direct link to the actual statement by USU – http://www.usu.edu/ust/index.cfm?article=54178
Seems like Anita Sarkeesian bluffed and USU called her bluff.
There’s a bit more to this story than simple liberal gun hatred. This woman has recently been the target of a massive, organized campaign of cyber-bullying, largely over her views on misogyny in video games. She has been sent numerous threats of rape and/or murder, with the sender describing in horrific, vile detail how he wants to do it. Dozens. Hundreds of these threats. I’ve read some of them. EVIL stuff people are doing to this poor girl.
She may be a left-wing nut job, but NOBODY deserves the treatment she’s recieved.
She’s wrong in thinking she’s in more danger where CC is more common, but I don’t begrudge her a large dose of paranoia. People really ARE out to get her.
Wouldn’t be the first liberal to create false-flag events in hopes of blaming conservatives/gun owners. They regularly paint swastikas on synagogues, participate in “SWATting,” make false claims of rape, etc., all to advance their agenda. She may be sending some of those message to herself.