AlterNet: Gun Crazy: Firearms Proponents Want a World Where College Kids Carry Concealed Weapons

[marmar]

Gun Crazy: Firearms Proponents Want a World Where College Kids Carry Concealed Weapons

By Liliana Segura, AlterNet. Posted December 9, 2008.

The NRA and Co. have pushed campaigns to allow concealed-weapons permits on college campuses in 15 states this year and failed in all of them.



First the bad news: Despite its election day smackdown, the NRA and its pals soldier on in their mission to arm god-fearing Americans in ludicrous places. A flurry of news stories earlier this year reported a pioneering solution proposed to the rash of recent campus shootings: instead of redoubling efforts to enforce the whole "gun-free school zone" thing -- a quaint little notion from, like the 1980s -- why not change the rules to let students bring more guns onto college campuses?

A few answers leapt to mind -- binge drinking, drug use, close living quarters in a high-pressure environment -- but for awhile, it seemed like the idea was catching on. In the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007, in which 32 people were killed, several states began considering legislation to expand the right to carry a concealed weapon onto college campuses.

So what's the good news?

The legislation has been a dismal failure.

Despite all the media attention to the fight to extend concealed weapons onto college campuses, this end result has gone underreported. "In 2008, proponents of guns in the classroom have gone zero-for-fifteen with 'guns-on-campus' bills," the Brady Campaign reported this June, "failing in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Only two bills are still pending -- in Michigan and Ohio -- and neither has shown any sign of movement in the last two years. Only one state -- Utah -- has ever passed such a law."

The gun lobby is hardly declaring defeat, however. One thing it has to show for its efforts is a new generation of gun activists, who have formed a new group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. Spawned in the wake of the Virginia Tech killings, the apparently thriving organization is spreading the gun lobby's gospel of "self-defense," and arguing that under the banner of states' rights, students at public colleges and universities should be allowed to carry concealed weapons onto their campuses. "We don't feel that campus is some magical environment," SCC spokesman Michael Guzman told FOX News last year. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/rights/111317/gun_crazy%3A_firearms_proponents_want_a_world_where_college_kids_carry_concealed_weapons/

[virginia mountainman]

1. College Kids?!?!?

That is clearly a misleading statement...

You MUST, be at least 21 to get a CCW..

Lets try something new, "gun free" zones are clearly NOT working at all..

I have no problem, with a law abiding citizen, who is 21, with the proper permits, carrying a defensive firearm, even at collage.

[Cid_B]

2. To include teachers... (obviously)

I'm with you on this one

[minavasht]

3. Why not ,If those "kids"

have CCW permits and safely carry guns outside of the campus?
Do you really believe that just being on campus turns people into crazy murderers? That people who carry guns safely everywhere else, suddenly succumb to those unknown "campus effects", and start killing right away?
Because that's what you are saying.
Also, tell us how all these police officers can safely carry guns on campus, and still fight the urge to kill?
Are they given a special vaccine?

[depakid]

4. "Students for Concealed Carry on Campus"

In other words- cowards.

[jmg257]

7. Yeah - how dare they? Scared of being unarmed victims! Wussies every one.

:puke:

They should be BRAVE and thrilled that they can always throw their text books at a murderer/robber/rapist. Just grow a spine and have nerves of steel as they hide behind their desks to helplessly avoid getting executed. Sissies.

:sarcasm:

[yodoobo]

5. 2nd Amendment doesn't grand the right to carry in schools

The NRA is going off the deep end.

Unless they are hosting hunting classes, or ROTC, this is a non-starter.

[jmg257]

6. The 2nd doesn't grant any right. If you can be the victim of violence on school property, why can't

you also have the means to defend yourself adequately?

[virginia mountainman]

9. Are you saying the US Bill of Rights DO NOT APPLY??

WOW, I cannot even begin to explain how WRONG it would be to start having "Bill of Rights Free Zones"

Since it is OK to deny the 2nd Amendment on collage campuses...

By the same token, it could easily be argued that the 1st has no place their eaither......

Please, think about the consequences of stands you take, when you take a stand such as you just took, you open a can of worms, that can only lead to slavery.

[yodoobo]

11. This was stated in Heller

that commonsense restrictions were constitutional in areas such as schools.

[virginia mountainman]

17. They also found in Heller..

That a BAN, is NOT a common sense restriction..

[slackmaster]

21. You are correct - 2nd Amendment, like most of the others in the BoR, restricts power of .gov

It doesn't have anything to do with whether or not schools ban weapons as a condition of attending classes. They certainly can do that, unless states outlaw such restrictions.

[jmg257]

8. "high-pressure environment"?? Wait till these "kids" get out in the real world! THATS a picnic! nt

[benEzra]

10. Mostly faculty and older students...

not all college students are 18, live in the dorms, and have no life experience.

[hunter]

12. Those who deal drugs will appreciate that.

:eyes:

[aikoaiko]

13. As someone who works on a campus, I wish I could carry a concealed firearm

And I would be fine with 21 and older adult students carrying concealed on campus if they meet their state's requirement to do so.

[RedCappedBandit]

14. As a college student in new york

i am glad my classmates aren't carrying guns

[DonEBrook]

19. You cannot be certain they're not.

Virginia Tech was a gun-free zone.
Theoretically.

[jmg257]

15. While my daughter would not be interested in carrying, I think my son would be.

When he goes away I would feel much better if I was able to tell him that the best way to respond to a murderous rampage is "find cover/concealment and return fire with your HK" instead of "hide behind a desk and pray" or "throw your text book at him" - leaves me feeling helpless having them inadequatley...defended.

A tough topic, but I know I feel better whenever allowed the choice to be armed - I wish they had the choice too.

I did carry to college when I was a cop (long before the string of tragedies), it was really not a big deal.

[aikoaiko]

16. If Utah, where students w/pemits may carry concealed, is any example, then it should be a non-issue

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/20/cnnu.guns/index.html">CNN article

Excerpt:

"Last year, after Virginia Tech, I thought 'I'm not going to be a victim,' " Nick said.

"My first thought was 'how tragic.' But then I couldn't help but think it could've been different if they'd allowed the students the right to protect themselves."

Days after another campus shooting -- in which five students and the gunman died at Northern Illinois University -- students at colleges in Utah, the only state to allow weapons at all public universities, are attending classes.

Nick says his gun doesn't make him feel immune from attack. "But I feel that I will be able to protect myself, and I'm confident in my training and my ability," he said.

[fascisthunter]

18. gun pushing freaks

[DonEBrook]

20. Constitution-hating freaks.

Think the Bill of Rights ends after the First Amendment.
:grr: