You'll excuse me, but surely Florida is not in the American West. By any definition.
If you'd perhaps like to define the "American West" in turns of gun-law it might add an aspect to my knowledge of the subject. Admittedly I'm self-educated but it's been a fairly comprehensive self-education and I'd suggest that in all but a few places - Dodge City was, I'd agree, a well regulated place - gun law ruled.

You could maybe also define West - please remember that other than Bleeding Kansas anything beyond the Mississippi was considered to be "West" until the late 19th century.

You might also consider the Quantrill gang, Lawrence Kansas, and the activities of the likes of Sheridan, Phelps, and George Armstrong Custer in your response.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 20:22, 1 reply)

This school is in the American West; the first student mentioned was an out-of-state student from Florida
I consider anything west of Kansas City to be the American West.

In the Old West, where sheriffs were able to exert their rule - towns, mostly - gun control was practiced. Visitors from out-of-town were required to leave their weapons at the sheriff's office. I have no doubt there were reasons for that. Up until about World War I, gun infractions were among the most-common causes of arrest in towns in the American West.

I'm puzzled by the reference to Sheridan, et al. They were professional soldiers, not amateur gunslingers.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 20:34, closed)

Perhaps referring to the "Indian wars" might not have been appropriate.
But you have to accept that you are generalising a vast geography from a very blinkered point.

Let me ask you then - towns like Aitcheson - largely gone now - and those temporary towns established as the likes of the Chisholm trail expanded from Texas drives to railheads - were they gun free?

Wasn't one of the biggest shoot-out vendettas of the West carried out near Santa Fe?

Still leaves the Quantrills, Bloody Bill Anderson, The James Gang etc..
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 21:00, closed)

I'm speaking from my experiences; yours may have been different
I attended several college campuses in the American West - most campuses urban; one not. In cities, or out, nowhere did I see effective oversight of arms on campus. You just didn't know who was packing what, unless you asked.

Of course, arms were present in the Old West. People tend to assume there were more than there were, though. Arms were expensive, and many people either couldn't afford or didn't want the burden. The most crucial group were the 'thou shalt not kill' churchgoers, who eventually supplanted the wilder types, and were averse to owning guns, on Christian principle. The process moved at different speeds in different places.

Regarding Santa Fe, I'm unaware of any vendettas. Nevertheless, Tombstone, AZ had its famous OK Corral shootout, which appears, in part, to have been an effort to enforce Ordinance #9, which prohibited anyone from carrying a deadly weapon.

Regarding the student who was shot and killed, that was a fact, and not an opinion, blinkered, or otherwise.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 21:51, closed)

Oh man!
Just when this week was being spoiled by people posting relevant and amusing stories you two come along and rescue it with a semi-informed and unfathomably fucking tedious discussion about fucking gun law. I hope you're both put out of your dreary fucking misery. I don't care if it's a gun. They can pummel you to death with crudely hewn clubs for all I care.

Pricks.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:10, closed)

Leave it Shambo
A man needs a hobby - take note - American West and American civil war is mine.

He knows his stuff.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:19, closed)

My hobby is wishing people a violent death for having dull and inappropriate conversations on a public messageboard.
Don't you oppress me.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:22, closed)

Also calling them pricks.
Pricks.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:23, closed)

I have no first hand experience at all
I live in the UK and I'm not questioning your college experience.

I'm also not about to provoke a fight. You are perceptive in saying that proceeses moved differentely in certain places.

Bedtime for me in the UK, so here's another one - Montana is West by your definition, it was largely sold by James J Hill. Would you say that current Montana is rightfully owned?
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:16, closed)

Clouded titles everywhere
That's they way they liked it in the West. I'm from NM, home of murky titles.

Thanks for the Prick-tastic conversation. We must meet sometime, discuss Western water law, and stick needles into a Dr. Shambolic doll.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:36, closed)

We may be speaking from different perspectives
But I think we both love the subject.

Neither of us can be right from this distance in time.

John D. Unruh's "The Plains Across" is the definitive work for me.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 22:44, closed)

Must look up that title!
It'd be fun to write on the West. So many untouched themes. With "Breaking Bad" I sometimes dabble on the edges.
(Perv With A Dog had his eyes pecked out by scrub jays on, Fri 22 Mar 2013, 23:14, closed)