Concealed Carry Question/Poll

[snapper]

I stand by my original point that the loss of life if you let guns on the campus as a policy--over say 10 years--would easily outpace what happened the other day.

So you think that because there is a law "not" allowing guns on campus...thats why the crime rate is lower? I don't know what its like to get a CCP in VA...but its not an easy process in PA. I say if a person is mature enough to take the steps in gaining a CCP...then they are mature enough to carry anywhere. If someone is inmature enough to kill someone while drinking...then they are going to do it if they want to anyways.

I'll say it again...the only way to stop a gun is with a gun. If no one on campus is armed (which by law, no one legally was) thats why criminals can do what they do and massive life is lost!

It is all speculation (I agree), however, just the sheer fact of knowing others may have a carry gun might be enough as well to deter some of these things.

If I were a criminal and I knew Joe and Sue down the street didn't believe in guns and didn't own any...but Jack and Jane had safe's full of guns...who do you think I would rob?????

[Guest Clay008]

I don't know what its like to get a CCP in VA...but its not an easy process in PA.

It varies a little by each county or city but basically there is a requirement to have some sort of training involving firearms education either a handgun course or hunter safety. Then there is a background check and approval.

I believe the process takes about four to six weeks. Some places require you to get fingerprinted.

The state police handle the bankground check I believe.

[wtnhunt]

It is all speculation (I agree), however, just the sheer fact of knowing others may have a carry gun might be enough as well to deter some of these things.

If I were a criminal and I knew Joe and Sue down the street didn't believe in guns and didn't own any...but Jack and Jane had safe's full of guns...who do you think I would rob?????

Problem is this guy like most in these scenarios wanted to die anyway. Remember the suicide issue. Just more speculation, but would doubt that the thought of someone else being armed would have stopped him. He might have just used a bomb instead of a gun .

Another thing here with as fast as all this happened, even if someone, another student, did have a gun, what would have stopped Cho from shooting that student then potentially taking that persons gun and having three guns and that much more ammo? He was prepared, he knew what he was going to do to go for the highest possible casualties, and create the most fear. There is no way of knowing what might or might not have happened, but it sure makes us all think.

Only one thing is for certain that I think we can all agree on in all this, and that is that one creep can ruin hundreds of lives forever and it is incredibly sad. Guns or not, concealed carry allowed on campuses or not, in my opinion this creep or monster or whatever you want to call him was going to do whatever he could to meet his sick need and create as much pain for others as he possibly could.

[Grant-KS]

i agree 100% also that it should be allowed but one thought i have is, just colleges, i mean federal law is you must be 21 to own a gun. or to be even in possession of one unless your are younger than 21 then if your parent or guardian is there you may possess one but not own, the question is so people on these campuses that are only 21 and over can carry, what about freshman and sophmores who might be under 21, they are defenseless, and must rely on hoping someone in there class is over 21 who has a gun, what about high school students where many shootings having been, they are still helpless, hoping the teacher might be carrying, do we lower the federal law to 18 to be able to own and possess a firearm so high school students are not left out, where do we draw the line to try and protect others, but i agree 100% students should be able to carry conceal on college campuses

Wait, what? If federal law states that you must be 21 to own a gun, why can I go to any gun shop/wally world/place that sells firearms and buy a shotgun/rifle at 18? I assume you're referring to a handgun, but even then the statement is incorrect(edit: in many places). In Kansas, which is subject to all federal laws of course, anyone with a clean record over 18 may own and open carry handguns anywhere not posted, or the "gun free zones that we hate so much." Private party purchases of both long arms and handguns can legally be made by otherwise qualified persons 18 or older. Firearms retailers cannot legally sell a handgun to anyone under 21, or a long arm to anyone under 18, but long arms can be possessed unsupervised by literally anyone, and handguns can be possessed/open carried (in KS at least) by anyone over 18 (of course with no felonies/other disqualifying factors).

As far as the high school thing, I'm pretty sure that no school would permit open carry, so high schoolers are just pretty much hosed as very few states allow CCW under 21. I remember one incident where I believe it was a high school teacher in MN(I think) stopped a shooting at his school with his handgun that he, albeit illegally, had on the premises. I would definitely be in favor of teachers (who want to and have CCW Permits/basic training) concealed carrying, and college students who have CCW permits.

Gun free zones are some of the most vulnerable, and easiest pushovers for crazy people who want to shoot other people. I think that licensed CCW permit holders should be able to carry pretty much anywhere. As an example...say the teacher who held the door in Norris Hall and was killed trying was a CCW permit holder, but for legal reasons he couldn't carry at the college. That would basically be the same situation Suzanna Hupp was in. Then, she couldn't legally carry her weapon into the restaurant where a killer came in and shot both of her parents and others.

With the current trend of school shootings, unless attackers are met with physical force, there is nothing to stop them. Laws don't work against criminals. If a school shooter wants to conceal a weapon on his person, he'll not likely sign up for the soonest CCW training class and pay $150 to do it.

End of rant. Thank you.