Your thoughts on guns on college campuses [90% yes, blamed on Freerepublic, apparently]

Roanoke.com ^ | 2-4-06

[SJackson]

Our Thursday story about a proposed bill that would allow guns onto college campuses drew quite a response.

Thanks in large part, apparently, to a call to vote from the conservative Web site freerepublic.com, our poll question garnered more than 2,000 votes -- more than 90 percent in favor of the legislation.

And more than 30 of you visited the roanoke.com message board to voice your own opinions. Here is a sample of what you said:

>I am for gun rights but changing this could endanger lives, it's all about someone having the power to say no to carrying a weapon and the masses do not like it. -- tyreesr

>As a VT employee, I know that the university campus is not immune from having crime. Cops do their best, but they can't be everywhere at once! People need to have the option to protect themselves, and I see no reason why people who have the training required to get a concealed weapons permit should be barred from carrying their weapons on campus. -- angelava

>It's completely unfair to create a patchwork of laws across the state so that a law-abiding citizen legally carrying a gun becomes a criminal just by crossing the street. -- benminer

>No police organization has a specific duty to protect individuals. The only truly reliable defense is self-defense. -- 3fgburner

>The proposed legislation does not go far enough toward promoting safety on campus. I'd rather see state colleges and universities issue handguns to all students, a adopt a rule requiring they be carried at all times on campus. -- devoutchristian

>Anyone who knows Tech, or VCU, or any other campus for that matter, knows that boundaries are crossed as simply as crossing a street, or sidewalk. Town of Blacksburg is OK to carry, Tech, no. Or Richmond vs. VCU. Get my point? Students typically cross these borders several times a day. Essentially, to ban guns from campus, schools are disarming citizens from the "real" world. -- HokieCHPholder

>I think that any faculty and/or staff member that has been issued a permit to carry a gun should be allowed to carry that gun in their vehicle on a college campus. I'm not sure they need to have it on their person.

I do not think that ANY student (high school and/or college) should be eligible to get a permit to carry a gun!

There are somethings that are or should be reserved for adults. -- brownark

>What I would like to know is what VT will do when a student who is CHP holder is assaulted, raped, or killed on their watch, and either the victim or the bereaved family of the victim slaps VT with a big lawsuit for keeping that person from protecting themselves!?!?!? Wouldn't they be held liable? -- AndrewY

>Virginia law was specifically amended in 2003 by the General Assembly to allow even minor high school students to keep unloaded guns secured in their vehicles on K-12 school grounds. So who the heck is any VA college president to then tell these same folks when they graduate from high school that they **lose** gun rights by going to college? -- majstoll

> If a person has gone thru the minimum standards of what I believe should be and that's 4 hours gun safety and 100 rounds on a qualified firing range... and has a conceal carry should be allowed to carry on a university campus -- bondsman1

[Khepera]

Yes College would be OK. I really don't see anyplace being off limits to law abiding gun owners.

[manwiththehands]

I was misunderstood. Some colleges are indeed not private institutions, I know that.

My point: there are a great number of places in this country (including where I live near Columbus, Ohio) where concealed carry is allowed, but guns are not in certain places.

I am speaking of any business or organization (with it's own set of rules) posting a sign outside the door that says: "Firearms prohibited".

My right to carry a gun should not supersede an organization's desire to keep guns out of their building.

I may not agree that "gun free" means "safe", but it needs to be the right of organization to make the determination for themselves.

[SauronOfMordor]

Colleges are private institutions for a reason, and should be allowed to restrict certain "privileges" the rest of us have.

Which would not apply to public institutions like state colleges.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

What if the students had weapons in their possession at Kent State during the massacre?

[Jeff Gordon]

My right to carry a gun should not supersede an organization's desire to keep guns out of their building.

I can agree to that. A private business should have have the right to forbid anything it wants: guns, men, women, clothes, smoking, perfume, cell phones, etc.