Students for Concealed Carry on Campus Empty Holster Protest (Charlotte: public schools, universities)

[cabercro]

Originally Posted by carolina_guy

Furthermore, pressures of school are no more than pressures of society in general.

If the law states that an individual at the age of 21 can legally carry a firearm with the proper permit, why should this right be denied on a college campus? What makes the permit holder more likely to lose his temper on a campus than at the supermarket, or the traffic light, or the swimming pool where he otherwise has the right to carry in these places?

Overall, I'm staying out of this debate because I'm completely torn on the issue. This small point, however, I think I'd have to disagree with.

I graduated college a little over a year ago, and I'd have to say it was, to date, the most stressful thing I've encountered. Yes, I know, my "to date" is not that long. But I don't think comparing the stresses of college to picking out dinner at the grocery store is quite fair.

I don't know how I feel about the concealed carry law yet, but I can completely see the arguement against having them on campus. Typical campuses tend to have a "bubble" effect - when you are in the world of school, dorm, student union, classroom, it doesn't feel like the outside world. Everything is magnified and focused on that one point; one experience. The sense of importance is heightened dramatically.

Combine that with the sudden stress of surviving on your own (which for some students is quite a shock), navigating an entirely different social atmosphere, and a brain that is still not done growing. Not to mention, on many campuses, a severe lack of mental health and counseling resources to help deal with the stresses.

It just seems like an awfully big gamble...

[vindaloo]

I have three thoughts on this. First, not all students are in control of their tempers and/or may have hidden psychological issues that should disallow him/her from having a weapon in a public place. This could eventually lead to unsuspected problems. Secondly, there are many universities in the U.S. that are teaching radical leftish issues. Students can be gullible at times. Do we really want students that support wacko professors that preach anarchy to be in control of personal weapons in public gatherings or anyplace as far as that is concerned. Finally, if universities want to become armed, at least they should train qualified students (preferably vets) in weapon safety, familiarization, and use. These students would need to have an intensive background check, constantly comply with university behavioral standards and rules, and only a percentage of students would be allowed to conceal or non-conceal whatever the issue may be. I keep a concealed weapon in my vehicle and sometimes in public and believe in one's right to bear arms; however, I realize that there are lots of hot tempered nutcases out there that shouldn't be around them. They could be students.

I didn't read all of the postings on this topic so I apologize if I sound like I am echoing someone elses' views (Ani)
P.S.

[carolina_guy]

I think some of you are missing the point that the current gun restriction laws do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO KEEP GUNS OFF CAMPUS!

Today, students are sitting ducks for anyone (a thug, a psychopath, a "normal" student with hidden psychological issues, a student with a hot temper, a student going through a break up, a student with a bad grade) who wishes to take their anger out on the population.

The current NC laws do nothing more than give some people warm fuzzy feelings that they are safe in their bubble. This couldn't be further from the truth. The fact is, the only bubble students, faculty, and staff find themselves in is one that is prohibited to self defense.

[Whytewulf]

Originally Posted by carolina_guy

I think some of you are missing the point that the current gun restriction laws do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO KEEP GUNS OFF CAMPUS!

Today, students are sitting ducks for anyone (a thug, a psychopath, a "normal" student with hidden psychological issues, a student with a hot temper, a student going through a break up, a student with a bad grade) who wishes to take their anger out on the population.

The current NC laws do nothing more than give some people warm fuzzy feelings that they are safe in their bubble. This couldn't be further from the truth. The fact is, the only bubble students, faculty, and staff find themselves in is one that is prohibited to self defense.

I understand your passion and I think we all understand your position, but you continue to try and sway other peoples minds with the same information. Because we state our point or disagree, it does not mean we are wrong or missing anything. I thought that is why you posted the information in the first place to get other peoples view points. If you just want us to jump on board and say "hear hear", its not going to happen.

In my opinion Guns are not self defense. Having a gun does not protect you against being shot, they aren't a shield. It is a Deterrent. Its a draw first scenario. If I have a gun in my backpack or on my belt and someone walks in to campus, walks up behind me, drives by shooting, my gun does nothing to help me at that point. It is in rare instances that a gunman would walk around in a chain event where someone else with a gun could stop the chain. We don't know whether an increase in legal guns on campus could reduce the actuallity or the threat of additional gun violence.

As I stated earlier and as others have as well. The concern we have is that guns in college environment is different, a college campus is different. I am not against people owning a gun, but I am not certain that I want to allow students in the college environment getting more opportunities to carry a gun on campus. Yes this law does not prevent illegal carrying but nothing prevents that, except insane security procedures that are not cost effective and violate human rights. The current restrictions could prevent the "normal" person from having a bad day and using it, they could prevent accidents, they could prevent someone else having access to an increase number of guns on campus.

Overall it always comes down to a comparison, a cost benefit analysis. What is the risk of this law vs not having this law. By allowing more access do accidents and shootings go up. We may never know until we enact it. It's up the "experts" to guess the outcome, people to provide their opinion and see how it could work.

[fp1978]

Originally Posted by BarbJ

As a former professor and the wife of a former professor, I can assure you that I would never step into a classroom where I knew that I might irritate a student who was carrying a gun.

Well, guess what? I can assure you that law or no law, you very well may be stepping into a classroom where you might irritate a student who is carrying a gun everyday. Remember, the VT killer was breaking the law simply by bringing guns on campus, while those he killed, along with everyone else on campus, were obeying the law by not bringing guns on campus. Does that make you feel better?

My husband taught, organic chemistry and biochemistry, two very demanding courses which frustrated many students. These courses were and continue to be the downfall for many students who have an unrealistic hope of attending medical school. There is often a lot of anger associated with a student's failure in these courses. I would hate to think that there was even the possibility that an angry immature student might bring a firearm into such a class and, seeing a "D" or an "F" on a returned exam, take out his frustration on the professor.

Do I sense a case of projection?
Besides, do you honestly think that someone who is so mentally disturbed and unbalanced that he would shoot his professor, or go on a campus killing spree, over a bad grade would care that bringing a gun into class is against the law? This kind of thinking is completely without logic. It's like saying that the only thing stopping a person from going out and murdering people everyday is the fact that murder is illegal.

A psychotic murderer doesn't care one bit about the law, yet you want to use to law to prevent innocent people from protecting themselves against said psychopath. Why?

[burt49]

It boggles my mind that people think that if a law is made then they are now safe.. and if something scares them if they ignore it or outlaw it, it will then go away...if someone wants to kill you they can do it with a pencil,folding chair, a stick, a well placed blow or punch... yet most criminals use a gun because it is the easiest way to kill long distance and effectively...even if we could get rid of all guns you would see murder rates by other methods rise overnight, and weaker people would be at great disadvantage because a gun was the great equalizer.. weomen could be just as deadly as the strongest man once the gun was invented... once guns are outlawed in society this great truth will be discovered and people will long for the return of guns but it will be too late to get them back... i think people who see guns as evil need to get over their fear and pick one up and get familiar with the great protection tool they have available to them, develope their skill level and realize they had nothing to fear all along..

[VaTechKA]

I went to Virginia Tech and was an undergraduate during the shooting. After this, there was a huge movement by some students and Blacksburg residents about this very issue. Personally, I feel that adding guns to the classroom may have helped the situation, but ultimately it just adds more guns and more bullets flying to the situation. Let's face it, many people that want to carry a gun are not necessarily the most accurate shooters. It's not THAT hard to get a concealed carry permit. I feel like in a situation like the Virginia Tech shooting, having a bunch of people shooting and bullets flying may have made things worse. Just my opinion.

[Huckleberry3911948]

the schools have demonstrated repeatedly that they do not have the ability to protect the students.
in fact herding them into one central location made it easier to murder them.

[Stripes17]

Originally Posted by VaTechKA

I feel like in a situation like the Virginia Tech shooting, having a bunch of people shooting and bullets flying may have made things worse.

To honor the OP's request to not make this thread political, I will only say that I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement.

[duane55792]

How about if they just require extra training and mental testing before being allowed to carry on campus? I know we can not always depend on the police to be there, I reside 1 block from the local police department; the response time to my house is no less than 15 minutes. In other words, in the event of a home invasion, if i were unarmed, I would be a statistic, I am not willing to be a statistic. I say allow it with extra training/testing.