Memorial Tribute to Preston Covey

By Harry Schneider, Chairman
Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Association
(Posted here with permission of author)

It is with the deepest regret that I announce the passing of a friend and patriot: Dr. Preston Covey Jr.

Pres Covey was a brilliant academic who taught applied ethics at Carnegie Mellon University. I recall one year it had fallen to Professor Covey to select the speaker for Carnegie Mellon University's Presidents Distinguished Lecture. It was customary to bring in the likes of Henry Kissinger, but Pres treated the students and faculty of CMU to Massad Ayoob. Dr. Covey told the audience that Ayoob, a practical firearms instructor, teaches the best short course in applied ethics that he had ever seen.

When the Allegheny County Sportsmen's League sued the City of Pittsburgh over their illegal assault weapons ban, Dr. Covey lent his name as plaintiff. A local hoplophobic weekly newspaper ran a cover article attacking Preston for his ethical views . The paper admitted that they really tried to get other academics at CMU to criticize him, but while most disagreed with Preston 's views on gun rights, none could fault the man, except that he swore lot. (no wonder).

Dr. Covey recently testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee - and laid bare the prevarications and misstatements of Philadelphia officials who demand that the state demonize law abiding gun owners, in effect making scapegoats of them to conceal and avoid addressing the real reasons why Philadelphia has a serious crime problem.

Pres was well aware that his positions were unpopular in academic circles. A man of his extraordinary intellect could have gone much farther in academia if he acquiesced to the hoplophobic biases and prejudices that dominate most universities. Pres had struggled with numerous polio related disabilities his entire life . He understood prejudice and discrimination and would not tolerate either. He knew that accommodating discrimination is not only unethical, but that it leads to greater disability.

Dr. Preston Covey Jr. distinguished himself as a friend and warrior-academic of the finest caliber. His work survives and will give us guidance and intellectual ammunition far into the future.

Pres, rest in peace my brother.

Related:
"CMU Professor Didn't Let Polio Sideline Him"
"Preston Covey, Rest in Peace"
"Philosophy and Firearms"
"Can Gun Control Reduce Violence?"