Reader: Call box is no substitute for a gun if a rapist is attacking

The controversy stirred by Colorado Democratic Representative Joe Salazar, who made comments about rape and guns on college campuses that set off Republicans, carried over onto the comments section of our post on the subject. Here's the take of a reader who questions Salazar's thesis that the presence of a...

By Michael Roberts

February 20, 2013

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The controversy stirred by Colorado Democratic Representative Joe Salazar, who made comments about rape and guns on college campuses that set off Republicans, carried over onto the comments section of our post on the subject. Here's the take of a reader who questions Salazar's thesis that the presence of a gun could potentially cause more problems.

No Snakes writes:

Salazar is obviously an idiot. Whistles? Call boxes? Safe zones? Your average Police response is 10 minutes. Some people say 10 minutres is ok. BS! A LOT can happen in 10 minutes. Ask a lady who has been raped how long 10 minutes is. Ask a Columbine or Aurora theater survivor how long 10 minutes is.

I'm not saying the answer is for everyone to carry a gun. Pepper spray can be a beautiful thing if used correctly. Whatever your position on the 2nd Amendment is, the thought that SOMEBODY might be packing can do a lot to make a would-be rapist think a little more about whether it's worth risking it.

I don't guess Mr. Salazar has a daughter...

Note: A subsequent poster notes that Salazar has two daughters.

For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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