Did UC open carry walk meet its educational goal? Campus newspaper says no.

Last month, a group of gun owners, embarked on an "open carry" walk through the campus of the University of Cincinnati. The group was motivated by a recent incident in which an engineering student, after being violently beaten by a mob of teenagers outside a fraternity house near the UC campus, spoke out about his status as a concealed handgun license (CHL)-holder who has had his right to bear arms for self-defense denied by state law.

From coverage by the UC campus newspaper, the News Record:

The crowd of 67 people — including 13 UC students — walked from Martin Luther King Boulevard to main campus; stopping for a photo outside of Van Wormer Hall before walking past Tangeman University Center and up around McMicken Hall.

Most of the people on the walk openly carried a firearm, which unlike concealed carry, is legal under Ohio law.

Walk participant Stephen Feltoon, the former director of Students for Concealed carry on Campus (SCCC), told Buckeye Firearms Association that the purpose of the walk was to raise awareness of the right to keep and bear arms under Ohio's laws, and to encourage interaction and questions.

Were they successful in their educational effort? According to the article, the entire campus received an email from Bob Ambach, interim director of public safety at UC, "about the event and the legalities surrounding it" two days before it occurred. By any objective standard, an event that resulted in the entire campus of more than 33,000 students individually being informed about the legality of open carry on a college campus could be deemed as having met its stated goal of raising awareness.

Proving that media bias starts young, however, the News Record's headlined its coverage of the event "Group fails to educate UC community on firearm rights." The writer, Ryan Hoffman, based this assertion on his observation that "very few of the dozens of students and other bystanders showed the slightest hint of curiosity" about the march. But given that the entire campus had received an email informing them about the event, it is unclear why Hoffman expected there to be more inquiries. Indeed, a quote in his own article suggests that the campus-wide email answered many students' potential questions in advance.

“I was like, ‘What in the hell?’ and then I remembered why,” said Brian Richardson, a first-year finance student who was initially surprised when the group passed him on Calhoun Street.

Additionally, Feltoon told Buckeye Firearms Association that the group was approached several times on campus by individuals with questions, and that the interactions were far more numerous off-campus.

"Questions were asked and answered, a great deal of literature was offered and accepted, and in some cases contact information was exchanged," Feltoon said. "Overall, the vast majority of the discussions we had were positive and we took steps to portray gun owners in a reasonable, responsible light."

Along with education, the News Record article notes that many attendees voiced support for concealed carry on college campuses, which are one of several areas where concealed carry is prohibited under Ohio law.

“I know people who have been mugged,” said Josh Basler, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who participated in the walk. “They target students for a reason. They know they’re not armed.”

Many of the other students participating in the walk said they were also concerned with safety in the area.

“I don’t believe you should have guns all over the place, but we live in a dangerous place,” said Bryce Martens, a former student who lives in the area.

Martens was one of the few bystanders who went out of his way to engage the group of pro-gun walkers. He said people who are licensed to carry concealed should be able to carry on campus.

Organizers said they hoped the event would be a springboard for similar events in the future.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.

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