In this Sunday Edition, KSL's Rich Piatt explores Utah's national reputation when it comes to firearms with Deseret News reporter Lois Collins. Also, following a national call to stop bullying, Carla Kelley from the Human Rights Center of Utah explains how we can prevent tragedy.

Segment 1: Firearms in Utah

If you say Utah, to an avid gun lover, you are likely to get feedback about the state's concealed firearm permit. It's one of the most popular, and to some, controversial from coast to coast.

Collins says Utah being a great place for guns is a universal view by both people who approve and disapprove of the reputation.

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"Utah does have a reputation as a kind of a gun haven," says Collins. "It has that sought after permit, we even have our new state gun."

Other states are starting to question Utah's concealed carry permit law. A permit seeker from another state does not have to come to Utah.

About one-fourth of the people applying for concealed carry permits actually live in Utah, the remaining do not come from Utah or even from states that recognize Utah's permit. For the Deseret News story, Lois interviewed a man from New York, where Utah's permit is not recognized. This man uses the permit on business travels around the country. He also recently became trained to teach Utah's permit class in New York.

Utah's gun training program is highly regarded.

"Even people who are detractors, agree that the gun training program that goes with the permit is really a very good program," explains Collins.

Utah is currently the only state with a designated state gun. And now other states are now considering naming their own.

Related:

Examining Utah's gun reputation

We've got a state bird, a state flower and a state gun--the 1911 semi-automatic Browning pistol. Even without that tribute to John M. Browning, Utah is known around the country as gun land.

It is also unique that Utah allows guns on college campuses. But other states are considering changing their laws.

You can read more about why gun owners around the country love Utah in the Mar. 27 Deseret News.

The internet has become a popular place to sell guns. KSL.com general manager Brett Atkinson explains what action our own website is taking.

Private parties and dealers are allowed to list firearms for sale on ksl.com. There are specific guidelines and legal notices unique to this category.

"There is a legal notice telling people that they need to do their research as to what they are getting into and what it entails to have a firearm transaction," says Atkinson. There are federal and state laws involved.

It is generally one of the top five classified sections on ksl.com, with 6 to 7-million page views per month. Currently there are approximately 2,000 firearms posted.

In the next month, ksl.com management will be talking with the public and public safety agencies, to determine if there are other measures they can take to "better encourage public safety." Today, the public is invited to participate in an online survey at ksl.com to weigh in on the sale of firearms on the website.

Segment 2: Bullying

When it comes to bullies, President Obama has recently called for action from parents, schools, churches and the government. The goal is to start a national dialogue that leads to real change.

The White House says one in three American school children, nearly 3-million, report being bullied each school year. And some of those cases end in tragic results.

Bullying is torture.

Utah has laws on bullying. The laws bring awareness.

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"It has made our administrators and teachers in our schools more aware that they have to pay attention and that more and more kids are hurting themselves and others," Kelley says. "I think our teachers and administrators want to do something about the problem, but the problem is extremely complex."

"I think our schools get scapegoated. It is not a school problem. This is a community problem, this is a cultural problem," explains Kelley.

Kelley says boys and girls both bully equally, but do it differently. Girls gossip and exclude, while boys have a tendency to be more physical. Girls use more cyber bullying.

Bullying has varying effects. It is one of the leading causes of absenteeism.

"If a child does not feel safe, particularly at school, how can they learn?" says Kelley. "Then a child is denied their education."

"The effects are long term and over a lifetime."

Kelley has talked to parents who have taken their children out of school or have moved because of the effect on the child. "It's depression and, of course the very worst, suicide."

Kelley believes we create bullies through our culture with exposure to violence which dehumanized children. She says bullies need help just as victims need help. Often bullies were victims themselves.

We can eradicate bullying. "We need to have the resources and the commitment from not only the schools but our legislators, our parents, our neighborhood. We all need to be on the same page because bullying prevention and bullying education needs to be consistent and over time," explains Kelley.

Coming Up:On April 3, Governor Herbert will discuss his 10-year strategic energy plan.

Viewer response

Rhonda Bolt:I work in an elementary school and I am sad to say bullies are rampant. When our administrators have tried to address the problem we are finding that even when the children have openly broken rules and openly bullied and admitted to it, their parents back their behavior. I agree that not only the victims need help but also the bullies. But after observing an increase in parents backing their child's behavior I think that maybe parents need to be educated also in the seriousness of the problem. We no longer live in the day when a child can go home and feel safe in their family environment. Now we have to worry about cyber bullies too. I feel we have finally dehumanized ourselves as a society and our children are paying the price for our stupidity. Even in the media we see bullies with their own one sided talk shows and in sitcoms that we see every evening. It is sad we have lost our decency and we don't strive to do better, if for any reason our own children.