Tools

From the Urban Dictionary comes this definition of a tool:

One who lacks the mental capacity to know he is being used. A fool. A cretin. Characterized by low intelligence and/or self-esteem.

(For example:) That tool doesn't even know she's just using him.

On Monday, December 27th, the Brady Campaign finally was able to file their amicus brief in D'Cruz et al v. BATFE et al. As some may remember their earlier attempt at filing an amicus brief had to be withdrawn as no Motion to Dismiss had been filed.

The Brady Campaign brief had the usual suspects - Mothers Against Teen Violence and the Texas chapter of the Brady Campaign - as interested parties. In addition, they were joined by the University of Texas Student Government, the University of Texas Graduate Student Assembly, and the Students for Gun-Free Schools in Texas. I imagine that the Brady Campaign feels they have scored a major PR coup by getting those three student groups to join their amicus brief. I wonder if those groups even realize that they have just been used.

The person behind both the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly signing on to the Brady brief is John O. Woods. Mr. Woods is a graduate student in cell and molecular biology at the University of Texas and a graduate of Virginia Tech.  As a story in the Dallas Morning News notes, his girlfriend was one of the students murdered at Virginia Tech back in 2007.

He seems to have made it his mission to keep college campuses in Texas as so-called gun-free zones. His blog discusses his feeling on gun control, politics, and other items. Having scanned a few of his entries, I think it is safe to say anything James D'Cruz may have said on his Facebook page pales by comparison to the ramblings of Mr. Woods.

Mr. Woods is a Director of the Students for Gun-Free Schools in Texas. He is also a representative in the University of Texas Graduate Student Assembly. Both the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly recently adopted resolutions urging a ban on handguns on campus that were authored by him. The minutes from the Student Government meeting are here. The Student Government adopted another resolution to that called for "closing the loopholes" in the "Brady Background Check System."

The Brady Campaign and Mr. Woods both have an agenda which includes the disarmament of young adults among other things. One must wonder if the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly representatives realize that by signing on to this brief they are saying to a substantial part of the student body you aren't worthy of the full rights of adult citizens. Probably not because they are tools.