Recent Kent State University graduate Kaitlin Bennett sparked outrage over the weekend after posting photos to Twitter of herself holding an AR-10.
The conservative woman claims she has taken death threats from liberals after she took aim at her university’s anti-gun policies while holding a graduation cap that read, “Come and take it.”
Bennett, founder of Liberty Hangout at Kent State, a student media outlet for libertarian views held a photo shoot on her campus and the tweet has since gone viral.
Now that I graduated from @KentState, I can finally arm myself on campus. I should have been able to do so as a student- especially since 4 unarmed students were shot and killed by the government on this campus. #CampusCarryNow pic.twitter.com/a91fQH44cq
— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) May 13, 2018
“Now that I graduated from @KentState, I can finally arm myself on campus. I should have been able to do so as a student- especially since 4 unarmed students were shot and killed by the government on this campus. #CampusCarryNow,” she wrote on Twitter.
“I wanted to draw attention to the gun policies on campus that allow guests to open carry, but not students,” she said. “I find it insulting that the school values the lives of their guests more than those attending the university for four years.”
Kent State has strict rules against students, teachers, and staff carrying any type of “deadly weapon” on campus. But, after a student graduates and become an alumni they are allowed to carry a concealed weapon.
According to the university’s spokesman Eric Mansfield, Bennett is no longer a student, which mean she did not violate any school policies.
“After graduation, she joined the ranks of our proud graduates,” Mansfield said. “So at the time of this photo, she and other graduates would be permitted to open carry on our campus.”
I have no apologies for my graduation photos. As a woman, I refuse to be a victim & the second amendment ensures that I don't have to be. pic.twitter.com/5CKmQobrMb
— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) May 15, 2018
Why would a university allow ‘guests’ to carry deadly weapons on their campus, but their students and staff may not do so? Every individual should have the right to defend themselves in the same nature.
Bennett has received several death threats every since sharing her photos, but she has had no problem standing up to the bullies.
Wouldn't it be awkward if the people calling my AR-10 in my grad photos an "assault rifle" found out assault rifles are banned & the AR-10 fires at the same rate as any modern pistol?
Don't talk about gun control when you can't even get your facts straight.— Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) May 16, 2018
“I have no apologies for my graduation photos,” she tweeted Tuesday. “As a woman, I refuse to be a victim & the second amendment ensures that I don’t have to be.”
–The Horn editorial team