Tag Archives: economics professor

Well… Bye!

A university economics professor has apparently soiled himself at the thought that students at the University of Texas-Austin (UT) will be allowed to exercise their right to keep and bear arms by carrying concealed weapons on campus, so he has huffily submitted his resignation to the school.

“As much as I have loved the experience of teaching and introducing these students to economics at the university, I have decided not to continue,” economics professor Daniel Hamermesh said in a letter to university administrators this week. “With a huge group of students my perception is that the risk that a disgruntled student might bring a gun into the classroom and start shooting at me has been substantially enhanced by the concealed-carry law.”

What I find instructive about this sniveling missive is the fear for his own safety. He’s afraid his students would shoot him. Why is that? Is he that horrible of a teacher? Is he cruel? Is he unfair? Why would any student want to shoot him?

And more importantly, if a student did want to shoot him, would a law banning concealed carry on campus stop him or her? Given the fact that guns were banned on the Virginia Tech campus when Seung-Hui Cho committed his atrocity, I doubt it.

Additionally, I would think that this particular pusillanimous weasel would prefer a legally armed student in his class to hide behind in case a disgruntled cretin does decide to take his impotent rage out on the professor. Even if he doesn’t  have enough testicular fortitude to carry a tool of self defense and take responsibility for his own safety, one would think he would have enough common sense to rejoice at the thought that someone in his class could act in that capacity! But no…

Not this weasel.

I cannot believe that I am the only potential or current faculty member who is aware of and disturbed by this heightened risk. As I wrote on my blog several years ago, no doubt this law will make it more difficult to attract faculty, especially those who are willing and able to teach large groups of students.

You can’t believe that other educated, intelligent, rational adults wouldn’t project their own insecurities onto law-abiding adults, who choose to peaceably exercise their rights? You can’t believe that other faculty members don’t think so little of themselves, that they would publicize their paranoia about being shot by a student? You can’t believe that other educators respect their students as rational adults and law-abiding citizens, while you think so little of them and yourself that you would quit your job over a law that allows them to exercise their rights?

Luckily for his students and any future classes this pathetic coward may have taught, he’s moving to Australia to teach in a “gun-free” environment.

We say, “See ya!” You won’t be missed.

The actual copy of the letter can be found here.

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