Editorial in Today's Dallas Morning News

[Wally45]

Looks like the Dallas Morning News has shared their wisdom on the subject of legal concealed carry on the college/university campus.

[Wally45]

Sorry....forgot to include the link - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 90b017.html

[Wildscar]

Sorry....forgot to include the link - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 90b017.html

Either that link is broken or they took the story down already.

[Wally45]

Yeah, I had trouble getting to it a second time too. Here's the text from the DMN site:

DallasNews.com


04:53 PM CST on Friday, February 27, 2009

State Rep. Joe Driver and Sen. Jeff Wentworth once again are pushing their gun agenda around the state Capitol, and it is time, once again, for them to be firmly rebuffed. They're introducing legislation to abolish the "gun-free" status of Texas universities so that students and professors can arm themselves on campus.

Like most Americans, the Garland representative and San Antonio senator were outraged by the massacres at Virginia Tech in 2007 and at Northern Illinois University last year. No one wants a repeat of those incidents. But arming students and professors is not the solution.

"At Virginia Tech [or] in Illinois, it's possible someone might have been able to stop that carnage," Driver says in defense of his proposal. But it's also possible that a well-intentioned gun-toting student or professor could make matters much worse. They could wind up being shot by police, mistaken as the gunman. They could shoot the wrong person.

The possibilities for problems and errors in judgment are enormous, and not worth the potential benefits of the "campus carry" proposal. The University of Texas student government and faculty advisory council oppose the idea. Only 11 universities in the country allow concealed weapons in classrooms, dorms and other facilities.

There are certain places in our communities where it's just better to rely on police and professional security personnel to do their jobs in emergency situations. State law already outlines places where civilian possession of handguns is prohibited, such as polling places, courtrooms and secured airport areas. Schools also are off limits unless the administration issues a written authorization allowing certain personnel to carry weapons.

Have there been gun-related crises in those off-limits places? Certainly. Would the presence of armed civilians have reduced the danger? That's debatable.

We concede that only a tiny percentage of students would probably carry guns if allowed to do so. But universities are dedicated to the free flow of ideas, and they deserve to be in the special category as gun free. Students and professors should never feel inhibited by the fear that someone around them is packing heat.

[jimlongley]

And my reply, which was actually sent last night when the editorial appeared online.

In your editorial you state that "The possibilities for problems and errors in judgment are enormous"

Isn't that what you opined when you opposed Concealed Handgun Licenses many years ago?

Do you remember how that turned out?

And you also state "Would the presence of armed civilians have reduced the danger? That's debatable."

Actually, it's not all that debatable, the presence of armed civilians has reduced the danger, at Appalachian Law School, at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, and even here in Texas.

Yes, schools and university should be places free from the fear of violence, but the simple fact is they are not, and the history of concealed carry shows that besides having nothing to fear and therefore no reason to be inhibited, that those places would be made safer by armed citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights under the US Constitution and section 23 of the Texas Constitution.

Jim Longley

[longhorn_92]

"Students and professors should never feel inhibited by the fear that someone around them is packing heat."

No...it should be the law-breaking criminal who should fear that someone would be around them "packing heat."

[WEC]

Sorry....forgot to include the link - http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 90b017.html

The link failed to include the last "L" in "html." Here you go:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 0b017.html

[kirock7]

The responses are so awesome. I had never heard of the Appalachian School of Law incident... and so many have such clear and concise responses.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing!

[bonehead1185]

My daughter is at Texas State. I want NO ONE, with a gun, within MILES of her. That includes her fellow students, some of whom may not be stable. No guns should be allowed on any college campus, ever. There should be a better system of ensuring that.

I just saw this statement in the comments section and it just pushed my buttons. What is this parent thinking? Are they ok with the thought of their daughter being more vulnerable to the bad guys? Too bad they don't know me and the fact that I attend the same school but when I'm not in class I am always carrying to protect myself. I bet if they knew that, they would have a fit over it! I will never be able to understand the logic some people use.

Sorry for my little rant.

[bridge]

My daughter is at Texas State. I want NO ONE, with a gun, within MILES of her. That includes her fellow students, some of whom may not be stable. No guns should be allowed on any college campus, ever. There should be a better system of ensuring that.

Wow...how many millions down the drain to install metal detectors?...and people to run them?...not to mention the long lines to get onto campus for the 9am O-chem class. Actually, the lines would be longer outside the social science and history buildings.

[phoneguy]

My daughter is at Texas State. I want NO ONE, with a gun, within MILES of her. That includes her fellow students, some of whom may not be stable. No guns should be allowed on any college campus, ever. There should be a better system of ensuring that.

The your daughter better stay out of Hines, with the number of local cops who take criminal justice classes, the detectives that are there for seminars and meetings, etc. I guess you would call Hines a high risk environment for crimnanls, better not let your little precious near that place.

[SkinnyB78]

I will never be able to understand the logic some people use.

I'm not so sure it is logic isn't it ignorance?

[Oldgringo]

My daughter is at Texas State. I want NO ONE, with a gun, within MILES of her. That includes her fellow students, some of whom may not be stable. No guns should be allowed on any college campus, ever. There should be a better system of ensuring that.

The your daughter better stay out of Hines, with the number of local cops who take criminal justice classes, the detectives that are there for seminars and meetings, etc. I guess you would call Hines a high risk environment for crimnanls, better not let your little precious near that place.

Maybe she's so ugly, Dad is afraid someone will shoot her.

[bonehead1185]

I will never be able to understand the logic some people use.

I'm not so sure it is logic isn't it ignorance?

You are totally correct. I used the wrong word. Good catch!

[Fangs]

My daughter is at Texas State. I want NO ONE, with a gun, within MILES of her. That includes her fellow students, some of whom may not be stable. No guns should be allowed on any college campus, ever. There should be a better system of ensuring that.

I just saw this statement in the comments section and it just pushed my buttons. What is this parent thinking? Are they ok with the thought of their daughter being more vulnerable to the bad guys? Too bad they don't know me and the fact that I attend the same school but when I'm not in class I am always carrying to protect myself. I bet if they knew that, they would have a fit over it! I will never be able to understand the logic some people use.

Sorry for my little rant.

As I said in another thread, I jog through the quad packing heat at least twice a week. Sticking it to the man.