Texas State makes the yahoo.com homepage, over students' rights to carry concealed weapons Options

[Mommy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071121/ap_on_.../guns_on_campus

I dont want a bunch of moronic college students carrying weapons on campus.

[schwab]

i dont either but welcome to texas

[THECHICKEN]

21 yrs old is a junior in college? I think if you are licensed, and of age, you should be able to carry. Carry rules already prohibit carriers from showing the gun in any way (as in intimidation or hanging out of shirt for people to see). Also, rules of accountability rise if a person has a carry license.

Of course it is a double edged sword, but if a guy can kill over 40(?) people before campus security can get to the problem... are campuses really secure enough to say that no guns are allowed, even though the guns are allowed in most every other place in Texas?

[Spectatrix]

Even in Texas, the number of people with concealed carry permits is small -- even on a large campus, you wouldn't be adding a ton of guns to the mix. Furthermore, licensees are far less likely to be involved in either violent or non-violent crimes than non-licensed folks. The people I've known with concealed carry licenses, students or otherwise, do not take their guns or licenses lightly.

Public colleges should not be second amendment (or first amendment, for that matter...) black holes. Private colleges, on the other hand, should be able to make whatever f'ing rules they want on the matter.

[Melanie]

I guess I should reply to this since I'm in Student Government at Texas State University. I was one of 15 Senators that voted no on this piece of legislation. I did bring in some of my personal feelings to this vote, but I also voiced the opinion of parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and most importantly, Students. While I am aware of CHL laws in Texas, but we're at a state funded institution and we're there for one purpose and I have never felt the need for a gun on campus. Texas State has one of the safest campuses in the nation and we have some of the best Police officers on campus. In my year and a half here, never have I felt the need for a gun while sitting in class. College Republicans (who were the big pushers for this legislation... the CR Chair authored it... yeah) utilized many 'what-ifs' and other hypotheticals. But that's the thing, they're what ifs...

It's intersting to see others inputs at other Universities. I will take this into consideration.

What Yahoo and others haven't pointed out is that ASG DID NOT ENDORSE THIS! We pushed it to Student Referendum for them to vote in the Spring

[blaarg]

Even in Texas, the number of people with concealed carry permits is small -- even on a large campus, you wouldn't be adding a ton of guns to the mix. Furthermore, licensees are far less likely to be involved in either violent or non-violent crimes than non-licensed folks. The people I've known with concealed carry licenses, students or otherwise, do not take their guns or licenses lightly.

This is actually one of the issues that I haven't formed an opinion on, so hopefully this thread can lean me in a direction...

Concerning your point "licensees are far less likely to be involved in either violent or non-violent crimes than non-licensed folks." I figure is somewhat accurate, can I have some statistics if you find them/have them.

Also, I would be MORE concerned that if more guns are allowed on campus the number of accidental deaths would rise. I think that if more guns on campus is allowed, the second someone accidentally gets shot would be the end of it...

[blaarg]

College Republicans (who were the big pushers for this legislation... the CR Chair authored it... yeah) utilized many 'what-ifs' and other hypotheticals. But that's the thing, they're what ifs...

I don't quite understand this as a valid reasoning. So you are saying you shouldn't prepare for situations that haven't happened but could potentially happen (regardless of how remote the possibility).

[Spectatrix]

Concerning your point "licensees are far less likely to be involved in either violent or non-violent crimes than non-licensed folks." I figure is somewhat accurate, can I have some statistics if you find them/have them.

Found this: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=9367

I'm sure there's more, but I'm not going to go digging around too deeply right now.

[Melanie]

I don't quite understand this as a valid reasoning. So you are saying you shouldn't prepare for situations that haven't happened but could potentially happen (regardless of how remote the possibility).

We have campus police. That's what they're there for. We don't have militia on campus for a reason. Why not give more money to UPD for more officers and training? We don't pay Student Service Fees with UPD Fees included for nothing.

[Spectatrix]

We have campus police. That's what they're there for. We don't have militia on campus for a reason. Why not give more money to UPD for more officers and training?

The city has police too, but people can legally carry their guns there. Virginia Tech had campus police, but Seung-Hui Cho still managed to kill 32 people before committing suicide -- note that the police weren't even able to get to him before he killed himself.

Please note that I say this never having owned a gun, much less having a concealed carry license. I probably never will own a gun either, but that's my personal choice and I don't want the government infringing upon it one way or another.

This post has been edited by Spectatrix: Nov 21 2007, 02:14 PM

[blaarg]

where is Impala when you need him...?

[Melanie]

The city has police too, but people can legally carry their guns there. Virginia Tech had campus police, but Seung-Hui Cho still managed to kill 32 people before committing suicide -- note that the police weren't even able to get to him before he killed himself.

There was a 2 hour lapse between the first murders and the rampage that he went on. Had the UPD been properly trained, things would have been different. We're at school for that... school, learning environment. It's a stressful situation. We don't need CHLs on campus. I stand by my no vote.

[Spectatrix]

Yeah, and if there hadn't been a preliminary shooting, the massacre probably would have been even worse.

To use "campus is a stressful environment" as an excuse is an insult to every adult who works and has a CHL. Furthermore, your arguments can be reworked to fit any environment. You're at work to... work... yet you can carry a gun. You go to a restaurant to... eat... yet you can carry a gun. Etc...

Long story short, I think the restrictions are unconstitutional.

This post has been edited by Spectatrix: Nov 21 2007, 02:23 PM

[FORSAKENR320]

There was a 2 hour lapse between the first murders and the rampage that he went on. Had the UPD been properly trained, things would have been different. We're at school for that... school, learning environment. It's a stressful situation. We don't need CHLs on campus. I stand by my no vote.

god you people......


having police is nice..... having security is nice... but when it comes down to it, there is only one person you can trust to defend your life properly, and that is you yourself. when you are one of those 32 that have been shot to death.. you can't sit there and say "man, i wish those police were trained better" i refuse to be a sitting duck for some brain-damaged fuck to plink shots at. i do not have a CHL, but i believe in the constitutional right that everyone has to be able to defend themselves.


your solution to this issue is "we'll get them next time" you've completely written off those 32 people that chink killed as a necessary expense. fuck that. you are not putting yourself in the place of those 32 people. you REFUSE to acknowledge that this situation could happen to you. and that is complete and utter bullshit. it's the same attitutde that lead to the equipment not being repaired in New Orleans, and all other disasters "it never will happen to me" and nothing gets fucking done because you dumb fucks want to live in your little psuedo bubble of reality.

[Melanie]

what the hell, you people?

Again, I stand by my vote of no. The legislation passed to include an ammendment to go to student referendum.