[JerseyHighlander]

I almost got killed in college by a ‘roidhead wrestler armed with a Glock. Even after he discharged a firearm in a dorm at least twice, with an illegal unregistered firearm, in the state of NJ. Because he was the star wrestler at the college, the cops didn’t even take statements.

While I generally support concealed carry, I can’t support CCW on university campuses.

Big universities have way too many young men with way too little common sense and way too much machismo and alcohol/drugs to not have increased shootings.

Also, you have at almost every large university a self sustaining drug culture and drug trade, which would in some cases start a arms race between competing factions of dealers.

In the long term, even more cash strapped students would be drawn into the illicit gun trade, the black market opportunities create profit margins worth the risk.

[Mad Dawg]

I'm not challenging your opinion (yet -- though I may never challenge it.) What we know is that having unarmed students means that only the bad guys carry on campus. What I take you to be suggesting is that if students were allowed to carry, where otherwise permitted and all that, it would be worse -- that is more students would be wounded or killed.

The 'droidhead, though, was illegal twice: he was carrying on a campus in Jersey. So I still have to wonder if he would have been as big a jerk if he knew that others were armed as well, that folks could be armed without risking arrest or suspension.

And I don't understand the last comment. Why would the illicit gun trade grow if there was a licit trade?

[tcostell]

That's exactly the kind of mentality that liberals take on this issue... that common people are too stupid or irresponsible to take care of themselves.

It's not effective to limit the rights of the law abiding to prevent a few people from doing illegal things. If there is a drug war, then do something about it without preventing law abiding people from protecting themselves.

I'm not calling you names here, I suspect you just haven't thought it through carefully, but your position on gun control is the Mike Bloomberg/Barbara Boxer position exactly. And naturally, I think it's a mistake.

[Dad was my hero]

I can't refute your thoughts on what might happen, but here's my opinion on the subject.

You and I attend VT and are in the same class in the science building this guy locked and started shooting in. The only thing you know about me is from another student who told you I must be a gun nut, I have a CCW permit. We're in the same class in the building when he locks the doors and down the hall he starts shooting. Screaming, people running down the halls and not able to get out of the building, running back down the hall and being shot. Shots are moving closer to our class room, they're just down the hall now. More screaming. Shots in the room next to ours and we're assuming we are next. After realizing you're trapped with no where to go, among many thoughts one pops into your head, hey that nut case guy with the permit is here, are you...

a) Hoping I'm carrying and having broke campus rules or...

b) Hoping I'm not because you don't want to see a "wild west" type shootout?

[Wonder Warthog]

"Big universities have way too many young men with way too little common sense and way too much machismo and alcohol/drugs to not have increased shootings."

This group is NOT the one that will take the trouble to obtain a CCW license---they'll just buy guns and keep them anyway.

"Also, you have at almost every large university a self sustaining drug culture and drug trade, which would in some cases start a arms race between competing factions of dealers."

Already exists. Allowing CCW won't affect this at all.

Your arguments are all bogus.

[Atlas Sneezed]

You opposed carry freedom on campus because one unstable moron was willing to break important rules and safety practices, and the cops demonstrated that they are of little use?

This is great support for having qualified, legal, stable citizens carrying on campuses and everywhere else.

Few states allow CCW for those under 21, so we are talking about professors, staff, and graduate students, not the average varsity roidhead, or beer-swilling frat boy.

[dirtboy]

I almost got killed in college by a ‘roidhead wrestler armed with a Glock. Even after he discharged a firearm in a dorm at least twice, with an illegal unregistered firearm, in the state of NJ.

You just underminded your own case. The guy didn't obey the law anyway regarding his gun. Criminals don't. All gun bans on campus do is restrict the law-abiding and careful citizen from being able to defend himself. You have to be an upstanding citizen to get a carry permit.