Recently, my roommate “NO” ranted about Guns on Campus and apparently it sparked some controversy: Stephen J. Feltoon, a Midwest Regional Director from http://concealedcampus.org, decided to write a rebuttal.
No bother finding me on facebook, here I am! It’s too bad you said you’re from Texas. If you were from WA, PA, CA, VA, CO, IN, MI, KY, or a few other states that I can’t remember right now, I’d tell you to pack your bags. Why? Cause those states allow concealed carry on campus by law (in the sense that they don’t forbid it by law…and if they don’t forbid it, it’s legal) so I can take a trip down to Kentucky, do a jig in the middle of a college campus with a concealed firearm, and would be committing no crime. I feel so unsafe walking around campus without a firearm, so since this is a battle of who feels safe, who wins? I’d much rather you be uncomfortable but have me able to better defend myself than leave me relatively defenseless but have you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I’m surprised you don’t feel unsafe considering that criminals break laws and that a criminal intent on committing murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and rape isn’t going to care about the (most likely) lesser crime of illegally bringing a concealed firearm (which, in all honesty, they’re probably concealing illegally too) on campus.
If you’d like to discuss this further my email address is Stephen.Feltoon [at] ConcealedCampus {dot} org but chances are you’re content with being uneducated on this issue and just spouting off opinions without facts to back them up. You think this group is idiotic? What about the college administrators and law makers who think that a sign that says “no guns allowed†keeps criminals from bringing guns on campus (since law-abiding license holders will abide by the law)?
I have a few statements to make. First, I have no problem with guns; I’m actually getting a concealed handgun license when I turn 21. I fully support the 2nd amendment and value my rights to own a firearm. Second, I checked the first state he listed, for the states that allow handguns on campus, and indeed it’s doesn’t say anything about prohibiting firearms on campus; however, Washington’s laws are very cloudy, when it comes to guns. Although, their statues prohibit the sale of guns at least 500 feet away from schools. Why would they prohibit from selling guns 500 feet away from schools, but allow people to carry them to school? I can’t answer that: It’s not written specifically in Washington’s state statues.
This quotation is taken from USA Today’s article on guns on campus.
“School is the only place I’m not allowed to carry my weapon,” says Washington State University senior Kristin Guttormsen,
Apparently, Kristin goes to Washington state and isn’t allowed to carry a gun.
I did some more research on Washington State University’s policy and I found this.
Illegal possession, carrying, or discharge of any explosive, firearm, or other weapon (including shotguns, rifles, pistols, air guns, and pellet guns), is prohibited at Washington State University. No student may possess any firearm, explosive, dangerous chemical, or dangerous weapon while on the campus or in other University residence halls, apartments, and approved housing except in transit to approved storage (located at the WSU Vancouver Department of Public Safety in the Physical Plant building) or to leave campus.
If Fletoon ” [did] a jig in the middle of a college campus with a concealed firearm” he would be breaking school policy.
Oregon, like Washington, also doesn’t specifically ban guns from public places, but a highschool teacher was denied permission to take her pistol to school. This proves that even if law doesn’t specifically prohibit were guns can be possessed, the courts decide if it’s legal or not.
And now for the combo breaker. 18 USC § 922
(A) It shall be unlawful for any individual knowingly to possess a firearm that has moved in or that otherwise affects interstate or foreign commerce at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.
Just another example of Congress stretching its interstate commerce power. The act has been turned down twice, but revised and re-enacted. You can argue all day with interstate commerce, but this is the law of the land right now. Federal Law supersedes State laws, so it seems that even if a state doesn’t have laws prohibiting guns on campus, it has to obey the United States Code. This translates to guns on campus are illegal! Again, if Fletoon ” [did] a jig in the middle of a college campus with a concealed firearm” he could be “jigging” his way to jail or a big fine.
Finally, I disagree about how Mr. Feltoon’s stance on guns on campus. This section is dedicated to him personally.
I don’t know how much safer I would feel if everybody was allowed to carry guns. In fact, I would be even more worried: Anybody could be carrying a gun and I would have to watch what I say. If somebody’s temper flares up, he/she can easily pull out a gun and end a life, or start a firefight. Imagine how many innocent people would be killed in the crossfire if everybody had a firearm and uses it during a confrontation.
The fact is, you’re not trained to fight a terrorist or a gunman; so even if the situation arises and you need to use one, you won’t know what to do. You might end up getting killed and your gun taken, or possibility shooting somebody innocent. There are reasons why people -like police officers- get trained for situations like that; it’s takes lot of tactics to gunfight and trap the enemy. It’s better for you to remain as a student, and let law enforcement take care of it, instead of playing hero. I believe the solution to school shootings is to have better prepared local law enforcement and maybe even campus security. You probably won’t agree with this and cite Virginia Tech, as a failure for the law; however, hopefully we learned from that and in the future, the police will be better prepared for those terrorist situations.
Bottom line is banning guns on campus is the right choice. We can’t ensure that there wont’ be guns. But what sense does it make to let everybody carry them? It’s exactly like fighting fire with fire; it doesn’t work. The best way for our schools to minimize casualties-in a school shooting- is to have trained professionals on the spot, and a definitive emergency plan.
Feel free to add ya’lls opinions on this matter.
Yeah.
