Gun bill targets colleges
This is a touchy subject. I notice something odd in the discussion though. The “Pro-carry” people comment on the legality of the universities ban on legal carry by permit holders, while people against the new law talk about the need for the rules. The critics of the law are not addressing the issue of the legality of the current university rules. It may be important, you may see a need, but are the current rules legal? I’m not sure they are. I’m also concerned with enforcement. How would a visitor with a legal permit know these areas are off limits? I think this new law, or one like it needs to be put in place to clarify these gray areas. It’s legal, or it’s not, and it should be reflected in State Law, not just in local or university rules.
The other problem I have with this article is the use of the emotional plea to gain sympathy for the people against this bill. The writer has an opinion about this bill, and uses the comments of others to put it forth rather than stating his own opinion. In this article the plea is more subtle than most.
“But officials at colleges throughout the state argue that school isn’t just another place and guns are anathema to a learning environment that should be free of fear or intimidation.”
“We do believe this has grave implications,” he said. “Why would the General Assembly wish to legislate to make campuses unsafe?”
“Free of fear or intimidation.” “Make campuses unsafe” On their face these statements seem like common sense. They’re not. Statistics show that legal carry doesn’t make people less safe, but more. John Lott. among others has documented this extensively. Causing fear and intimidation usually falls into behavior that can be prosecuted. If someone is scaring people, or flashing a gun, call the police! Have the person arrested. Brandishing (waving, flourishing a gun menacingly) is against the law.
Don’t expect rules and laws to keep you safe. Just because there are rules against guns on campus doesn’t mean there are no guns on campus. Someone who has a carry permit isn’t immune to laws about intimidation, stalking and so forth. They have to follow the same laws as everyone else. What a carry permit does mean is that the person took the time, effort and money necessary to learn how to use a gun safely and legally. That’s a good thing.
The students carrying illegally are the ones you need to worry about. University rules won’t protect you from them, but the 35 year old mother of two sitting two rows behind you might. If you let her use her permit and carry concealed.