More Guns on Campus?

I think it is a bit disingenuous to keep focusing on the question of how allowing concealed carry licensees to carry on campus will make things safer, overall. It would probably make things safer by making nut cases choose somewhere else to go out in their "blaze of glory," but that's not the point. at all If overall campus safety was not increased at all by such a policy, it would still be a good idea. If someone has a Concealed Handgun License (CHL), it implies that they have taken steps to enable themselves to defend THEMSELVES more effectively. Anyone else on campus who may also benefit from the CHL holder carrying on campus is just an added benefit. The point is that policies that forbid it, deprive the CHL holder from defending him/herself! What rationale does anyone have for that? The one that seems to be proposed most often is that the safety of others will suffer from the presence of more guns on campus. Yet there is NO evidence for this. In fact ALL the evidence available, and there is a lot, suggests the opposite. If it were dangerous to have students keeping or carrying their guns on campus, why was there not a major problem with it before the 1970s when these laws started? There is no evidence that there would be drunken or rage-related shootouts, and all the evidence from the days when we had guns on campus, as well as the data from states that have passed CHL laws, clearly indicates that this is not a concern. If the mere presence of more guns is dangerous in itself, why are there not thousands of wrongful shooting incidents, or at least accidents, in Iraq and Afghanistan, where every American carries a loaded gun all the time and everyone is stressed out and "jumpy" ? Remember, many of those who want to carry on campus are our veterans. Why are less safe when they are carrying back here than they were overseas? How about, "All the crazies will be carrying on campus"? Hey, they are NOW, they already beak the laws. How about, "People will feel safer"? WHICH people, not ME! Only the totally uninformed would. How about all the innocent folks who'll get hit in the crossfire? The first mass shooting on a campus happened at UT Austin, in 1965, when a nut started shooting students from a clock tower on campus. According to the retired Texas Ranger who went up the tower (with the assistance of an armed civilian, by the way), and shot the "sniper," he never hit anyone after UT students started shooting back with hunting rifles in their trucks. No one was killed or injured in the "crossfire," but the shooter was kept pinned down by student fire until the Ranger was able to shoot him. I have a CHL and I feel safer when I carry. Why isn't MY right to feel safe as important as that of someone who doesn't even want to accept responsibility for his/her own safety?

Notice that the psychos usually are not so crazy as to open fire in a police station or a gun store. They tend to like nice soft gun free zones replete with helpless targets. Nothing makes more sense to me than banning, or severly limiting the number of gun-free zones for screened,trained and tested civilians.

Here's what I think is a viable solution for a campus environment: Allow conceiled cary, but limit the pistols to over/under derringers. It would be virtually impossible to pull off a massacre with one of these, but very easy to stop one. ....Your welcome.

I had to shake my head in disgust the other day as I read a sign posted on the door of a campus building at my school the other day. The sign was put up in response to the NIU massacre, and it outlined the school's policy for a "lockdown." As prescribed by the school administration, there are four actions to be taken in the event of a campus lockdown: First, lock all doors to the classroom, Second, turn off the lights, Third, take cover under desks or tables, Four, wait for police to give the "all clear." As I read these instructions, it was all I could do to resist the urge to take my pen and write, "Five, for God's sake, don't shoot back because somebody might get hurt!" I hold a valid Texas concealed handgun license, but state law prohibits carry in all schools even at the college level. How many more defenseless students and faculty members are going to be gunned down before the administrators and legislators stop perpetuating the fairy-tale of the "gun-free zone?" They ban law-abiding citizens from carrying their defensive firearms on campus, while at the same time boasting about how everyone can "feel safe" because guns are no allowed on campus. And yet, surprise surprise, the psychopaths and madmen continue to bring guns onto campuses across the country and wreak bloody havoc. When you deny a person the use of effective tools with which to defend themselves against violent, armed attackers, you effectively condemn them to either try to run away, or to cower under a desk and wait for a madman to decide the moment they will cease to exist with the pull of a trigger. Simple as that. "Gun-free zones" may as well have signs posted at every entrance reading, "Killers:All victims in this area have been disarmed for your safety and convenience. Rest assured that they will offer no effective resistance. Thank you, and enjoy your spree. Signed: The Management."

I have a question for everyone using the 2nd Amendment as justification to carry a weapon. How does "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Give individuals the right to carry a weapon under normal conditions? The 2nd amendment was put in place to ensure that the United States was prepared to defend itself against attackers at a time of war. How is this even remotely applicable to this discussion? It also uses the words "Well Regulated". That seems to work counter to most of the pro-gun arguments. Now granted...I'm sure plenty of the people on this board are in some sort of Militia, but I don't think that's what TJ and company were referring to. Thoughts?

What everyone seems to forget is the criminals could care less about laws. A criminal could care less about a gun law. This has been proven time and again. All one has to do is watch documentary that highlights the criminal activites of gangs and criminals. All one has to do is look to the DOJ/FBI crime statistics to see how, when, where and who is committing these violent crimes and with what. It is not the gun bought in a legal gun store or at a gun show. It is the gun bought off of the street under illegal means. Sure there are these crimes that occur when a person legally purchases a gun and goes on a shooting rampage because they went off their medications. We will never stop these crimes with laws against legal, law abiding citizens with foolish antiquated laws aimed at disarming.Why would you not want law abiding citizens to be allowed to protect themselves and quite possibly others? I teach at a community college. Our 'safety' is a joke! They call it 'safety' because security is too hostile. The staff is generally students who need a job and can't even remember to open doors! I am going to depend on them to come to my rescue when a crazed person or student goes on a violent rampage? I don't think so. On any given day a student could be illegally carrying a weapon on campus! I want the law abiding students, faculty and citizens who have training and been cleared to be able to carry their weapons and protect themselves and others. I want strict laws against the students or persons who carry a weapon on campus without the permit to carry. These are the people we need to regulate! Fact: anyone can harm or kill anyone at any given moment! Do I want a fighting chance to come home to my family or do I want to go with the antiquated laws and possibly find myself in prison for weapons violation against carrying on campus or wind up dead! I know my answer. For those that oppose, please stand aside. I am a law abiding, legally permitted citizen exercising my 2nd amendment rights to carry and subsequently protect myself.

We need total and complete gun control. No guns for anyone. Make it a federal offense to own one, and a life sentence if you're caught with one. This love affair Americans have with a weapon is sick and twisted.

I am studying medicine right now and I agree, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, etc are riddled with corruption and are not doing much to truly help the mentally ill. I took classes in psychology in undergrad and I agree that a lot can be done for these people in your department, but as a psychologist you probably realize the magnitude of treating all mentally ill patients to the point of being cured or at least to the point where they are stable enough to not go on a killing spree. Or even just detecting all the potential people who might do so. There is just not enough time/money in the world to put security guards in every classroom, reform the medical community, and treat every mental illness in order to prevent violent acts from occurring in the first place. It is a truly noble concept you have brought to this discussion, but (at least for now) I don???t believe it is a viable solution and I can think of no other viable and immediate alternative other than taking up arms (legally) and defending myself and those around me if such a situation were to present itself.

Everyone else,

Let me close by clarifying a little bit of information about concealed carry. We aren???t talking about giving guns to anyone and everyone. Those of us who carry (in most states) have taken a firearms safety course, passed a written exam, displayed appropriate control and use of a firearm, submitted fingerprints, passed state background checks, passed federal (FBI) background checks, and paid well over $100 in order to obtain a permit. This system, while not perfect, does a terrific job of screening individuals who want to carry a firearm and in most cases assures that the general public is in no more danger than they were before each applicant received their license.

I really didn???t mean for this to be so long! :) Thanks for reading!

Don???t forget to check out www.concealedcarry.com

www.concealedcamups.org