Coup for museum or bad taste? Display of UT sniper’s gun raises ire

[TexasTowelie]

WASHINGTON — For the past week, Charles Whitman’s rifle has sat in its new home: a glass case at the National Museum of Crime and Punishment.

But to the last living cop who stopped Whitman’s 1966 shooting spree atop the University of Texas tower, the rifle doesn’t need to be displayed — it needs to be destroyed.

“The dadgum thing should be put in a smelter and done away with. End of story,” said Ramiro Martinez, a retired Austin police officer who confronted Whitman on the 28th floor of the tower.

The Remington Model 700 rifle that Whitman used to kill 16 people and wound 32 others on Aug. 1, 1966, is the museum’s newest addition. Housed in a 28,000-square-foot facility, the museum sits near a hub of activity in downtown Washington.

Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20141212-coup-for-museum-or-bad-taste-display-of-ut-snipers-gun-raises-ire.ece

[rock]

1. Coup and bad taste are not necessarily contradictory concepts

Although in this case I do believe it's bad taste and should not be displayed.

[Gothmog]

2. This is in poor taste

This is a big mistake