By John Crump
Kent State University –-(Ammoland.com)-When Kaitlin Bennet graduated from Kent State University, she decided she wanted to take a senior picture that would not only commemorate her graduation but also take a stand for the Second Amendment.
What happened in the days after the picture was outrage from the “tolerant left.” Instead of having her voice silenced by those anti-gun fanatics on the left she fought back by embracing her new notoriety to organize pro-gun rallies. Each rally she holds gets more prominent, and the resistance towards these rallies by the left gets more underhanded.
Recently Kaitlin’s GoFundMe efforts to raise money for security and speakers for the Second Amendment rallies have been targeted by Antifa and other groups. They successfully petitioned GoFundMe to pull down her fundraising efforts, but Kaitlin plans to carry on her efforts.
I had a chance to speak to her about the controversy surrounding her picture, and her rallies.
John: What made you decide to take the picture with your AR-10?
Kaitlin: I decided to take my graduation pictures with an AR-10 to protest Kent State University’s policy that prohibits students from protecting themselves with a firearm on campus but allows guests. I find it insulting that they value the lives of their guests more than their students.
John: Did you know that the picture was going to go viral?
Kaitlin: I figured the photo might go viral, but I never imagined it would blow up as much as it did, nor did I envision gaining a national platform out of it.
John: You seemed to have turned negative attacks on your beliefs into an opportunity to advocate for the Second Amendment. What made you decide to take the opportunity and run with it?
Kaitlin: I decided to turn negative attacks on my beliefs into an opportunity to advocate for the Second Amendment because the left has gotten away with trying to silence the right for too long. I refused to let them shut me up. The more they attacked me, the more they helped my platform grow, and they still haven’t realized that.
John: Kent State banned students from carrying firearms on the KSU campus, but visitors are permitted to carry guns. Has the faculty of KSU ever explained how they think that would prevent any acts of violence?
Kaitlin: After my photo went viral, the university justified their policy by touting the fact that they have university police on campus. However, they failed to mention that rapes have tripled at Kent State, and women on campus need firearms more than anyone.
John: I am a little bit older than you, and when I attended George Mason University in the mid to late 90s I didn’t find the indoctrination too bad. Reading articles about GMU now it seems like the dial on indoctrination has been turned up to 11. How bad was the leftist indoctrination at KSU?
Kaitlin: The leftist indoctrination at Kent State is atrocious. The student body tried getting me expelled on multiple occasions, and professors would routinely rail against Trump. I now get messages from my friends on campus about how professors will talk poorly about me. The staff at the school has treated me so poorly and told me I’m not welcome on campus. This was said to me even WHILE I was still a student.
John: How much support does the Second Amendment have at KSU?
Kaitlin: The Second Amendment, however, does have more support on campus than I initially believed. After taking my photo, lots of students have either messaged me or approached when I returned to campus to thank me for taking my photo and say they are very enthusiastic about the Second Amendment.
The open carry rally I’m planning at Kent State later this month is going to be a great opportunity for students on campus to talk to gun owners about campus carry and the Second Amendment. We will also have speakers and live stream the event to Liberty Hangout. We are expecting hundreds of gun owners to attend and even more to lend their support.
John: You held a rally last spring that did very well, and you are holding another one this month. Is this going to turn into a regular event?
Kaitlin: My hope is to continue to host, or at the very least, help other students hold open carry rallies at their universities to promote campus carry.
John: Just from reading Twitter, a lot of the people on the left are accusing you of just seeking attention, yet they celebrate attention seekers like David Hogg. What is your response to those people that say you are just trying to self-promote?
Kaitlin: If I was just trying to self-promote, I wouldn’t choose something that gets me ridiculed, harassed, and threatened on a daily basis. Nor would I choose to be on the opposite side of people capable of getting my GoFundMe’s banned. If I just wanted attention, it would be a lot easier to be a leftist where I can be liked by everyone, just like David Hogg who has chosen to walk all over the graves of his dead classmates.
John: Now that you are done with school, what are your next plans?
Kaitlin: For now, my plans are to continue to promote the Second Amendment as far and wide as I can and be a voice for those who feel just as I have but are too afraid to speak out.
John: What can people do to help out your cause?
Kaitlin: Since leftists got my GoFundMe taken down, please donate to the following link. It will help students spread the message of campus carry and push back against the gun grabbing left on universities. https://supportkaitlinbennett.givingfuel.com/support-kaitlin-bennetts-campus-carry-initiative.
Kaitlin will be holding her Kent State University open carry rally on September 29th from 2 PM – 5 PM. Readers can find more information on the events Facebook page located at www.facebook.com/events/350953335441689/.
Readers can find the Liberty Hangout at www.libertyhangout.org
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.