HOW HIGH MUST THE BODY-COUNT GO?

[seamusTX]

It's kind of a different world today, hey?

It is indeed. I pointed out in another thread that solid majorities of the House and Senate had joined Sen. Huchison's amicus brief. I have to think those majorities would not repeat the mistakes of the 1960s-90s. Every year at least one more state has shall-issue concealed-carry, state pre-emption, etc.. The antis are starting to look more like a lunatic fringe. Only a few "old bulls" (some of them female) in Congress keep the "gun control" movement from withering completely.

- Jim

[Moonpie]

Please correct me if I am wrong(usually am ).....but even if the politicians pass a law to allow CC on campuses won't a great majority of students still be unarmed as the law says no one under 21 may have a CHL?

[seamusTX]

You are correct. About 2% of eligible people have a CHL in Texas, and the under-30 demographic even less.

However, as they say, if it saves one life, it's worth it.

- Jim

[Charles L. Cotton]

Please correct me if I am wrong(usually am ).....but even if the politicians pass a law to allow CC on campuses won't a great majority of students still be unarmed as the law says no one under 21 may have a CHL?

Correct. The number of students 21 or over varies by institution, but there is a good chance that some in any given class will be armed. The odds are lower for freshman and sophomore level classes.

Chas.

[locknload]

It's kind of a different world today, hey?

It is indeed. I pointed out in another thread that solid majorities of the House and Senate had joined Sen. Huchison's amicus brief. I have to think those majorities would not repeat the mistakes of the 1960s-90s. Every year at least one more state has shall-issue concealed-carry, state pre-emption, etc.. The antis are starting to look more like a lunatic fringe. Only a few "old bulls" (some of them female) in Congress keep the "gun control" movement from withering completely.

- Jim

There is a way to help, if we want to do it. Cathie Adams, President of Texas Eagle Forum <cathieadams@texaseagle.org>, is a CHL. She is pro-gun, a devout Christian woman, and very knowledgeable about matters politic. She is a woman after my own heart. I count her among my dear friends, though we have never met face to face. We will take care of that, when she comes to speak at Clear Creek Republican Women on May 2nd. She needs our help. Cathie is running for Republican National Committeewoman. If you go to your Precinct Convention on March 4th, in your Precinct polling location, right after polls close, you can vote on the Planks for the Republican Platform and will be eligible to attend the Senatorial Convention in your District. At that local Convention, the delegates for the State Republican Convention are elected. Usually, in our District, anyway, there are enough seats available for everyone to go, who wants to go. At the State Convention, which is in Houston this year, you will be able to vote for the Republican National Committeeman ... or woman, in this case. I do hope you will join me in pursuing this avenue of service and vote for Cathie. We can use all the gun-friendly men and women that we can get in positions of power and authority, at all levels. Besides, the Conventions are fun, and you leave with a feeling that you have done your part to put this country back on track.

If you want to know more about Cathie and her candidacy, please, go to: <www.cathieadams4rnc.com>

Thanks for considering Cathie.

[troglodyte]

Please correct me if I am wrong(usually am ).....but even if the politicians pass a law to allow CC on campuses won't a great majority of students still be unarmed as the law says no one under 21 may have a CHL?

You also have the teachers, professors, instructors, janitors, TAs, parents, visitors, etc. that would be eligible. Not that many of them would take advantage of the opportunity but a few would.

A few more is better than none.

If it happens to work its way into pre-college, I know of at least three on our campus that would with possibly three more.

[Venus Pax]

Excellent article. You're a good steward of your talents.

[Glock 23]

i'd say at any given time, about half the people on any given campus are at least 21.

[WarHawk-AVG]

Please correct me if I am wrong(usually am ).....but even if the politicians pass a law to allow CC on campuses won't a great majority of students still be unarmed as the law says no one under 21 may have a CHL?

Correct. The number of students 21 or over varies by institution, but there is a good chance that some in any given class will be armed. The odds are lower for freshman and sophomore level classes.

Chas.

But if ONE person in the crowd in ANY of those shootings scenarios had been legally carrying the outcome could have been MUCH MUCH MUCH different, but as it stands NOONE can carry legally...they either become criminal and ignore it, or are criminal and ignore it anyway

I know it, you know it, many others know it..but the anti's just don't get it...and as Mr. Cotton said...what body count number will it take for them to understand?

[artx]

I've been listening to the radio more the last few days, trying to see what 'public reaction' is to the latest round of shootings in the victim disarmament zones - Rush Limbaugh advocated concealed carry on Friday, today a SATX radio station had about an hour + of discussion (Ben Fergerson or someone like that on 1200) advocating CHL in schools. Many many callers agreed with him. One caller also mentioned Utah's policies (CHL allowed in schools).

[milodog]

Not sure if you want to include them in the stats but there were two other shootings that happened on a school campus this year...

13 February 2008 - California - middle school student killed another student... classified as a hate crime. 1 dead
8 February 2008 - Ohio - estranged husband charges into classroom, fires one shot and then stabs wife in front of 5th grade class... He also stabbed someone five blocks from the school... he killed himself at home... Wife is supposed to be fine, students wont forget that scene ANYTIME soon...

I agree with you Charles. I sincerely hope the law changes in 2009 but I have to tell you, I'm not holding my breath. Common sense and politicians dont mix...

Good Luck!

[jpierce30]

I will certainly be writing my representative and senator when this comes before the Legislature in '09. We need to lead the way in Texas and abandon the "gun free victim kill zones". We can't let the libs get every one headed in the wrong direction with this issue.
Thanks for the highlighting the issue Charles.

Jim

[jbirds1210]

IMO when the time is appropriate......this is an issue worth being made visible on Capitol grounds by an organized event.

Jason

[jpierce30]

Charles,

Just let us know what we need to do to support when the correct time arrives. I will help anyway I can.

Jim

[KBCraig]

I'm no legislative strategist -- I believe in asking for exactly what I want, instead of "bargaining".

That said, I think 2009 will need a multi-pronged approach. First, define schools to mean public K-12. The principle is that the law should never ban carry on private property (I include bars and racetracks in that, but those are for a different day). Point out that colleges and universities are where adults go to school, not children, and they are in an open, 24 hour environment where in loco parentis no longer applies. This could even be done in the Education Code, with a pointer to that definition in the Penal Code.

That would take care of worries about private schools in churches, private universities, barber school, etc. And of course, those private entities would be free to post 30.06, just the same as they are now. Public colleges and universities would not be able to post binding 30.06. (They shouldn't even be able to restrict students via their handbooks, any more than City Hall can tell citizens they can't carry while paying their water bills; only the legislature can restrict the manner and place of carry.)

For the next step, I'm not sure how to approach the public K-12 issue. There are several chapters of code involved. Personally, I'd just charge in and delete all references to "schools" as off-limits. That's going to raise huge flags and guarantee a fight from the usual suspects. Slipping in an exception for CHL holders, or a technical nullification of some sort, might work too. That leaves us with a complicated Code, lots of confusion, and a good chance of beating the rap only after taking the ride. Still, it would be an improvement.