This week, empty holsters will be accompanying the wardrobe of many CU students.
The bearing of these empty holsters is part of a week-long protest hosted by Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. The protestors are calling for students who have a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit to be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus.
"We're asking for the regents to change policy and allow those who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon around the state also be allowed to carry one on campus," Jim Manley, a third-year law student and campus leader for SCCC, said.
Manley said this week is the second "Empty Holster" protest SCCC has held. The first protest, which happened last November, had about a dozen CU students bearing the empty holster. This year, Manley said around 50 students are carrying an empty holster.
Some students say the fact that they are unable to carry a concealed weapon on campus is frightening.
"It's a basic right to self defense," David Knutzen, a fifth-year senior computer science major, said. "Currently, I only rely on the very fact that may or may not get shot."
Knutzen, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, said gun permits are not handed out to just anyone. He said the process in which to get licensed is intense and requires about 5 or 6 weeks to complete everything needed. For his own permit, Knutzen said he had to have firearms training, submit to an extensive FBI background check and submit fingerprints on top of a $250 registration fee.
"The state also ensures that people don't have arrests for drug or alcohol abuse, domestic violence or any other sort of violent act," Knutzen said. "So, basically, not just anyone can be licensed."
Manley, Knutzen and other members from SCCC gathered outside the UMC Tuesday asking students to sign a petition that asked for the regents to allow licensed students to carry a concealed weapon on campus
Not every student is a fan of the idea of having weapons on campus. Adjacent to SCCC's protest, students not affiliated with any particular group were protesting against allowing concealed weapons.
"We don't want people to put their minds on violence by carrying or seeing weapons on campus," Rebecca West, a sophomore psychology major who organized the counter-protest, said.
The opposing students held a petition against concealed carry and hosted a "die-in" in which several students "played dead" in front of SCCC members. Students said by allowing guns on campus, the school would be promoting violence.
"Concealed carry is a step backwards," Daniel Daenen, a freshman film studies major said. "It's not working toward the end goal, which is to end violence."
Yet, Manley said statistics showed that concealed carry has lowered rates in crime. He said concealed carry is a deterrent, whereas prohibiting students from having a gun is not effective against violence.
"Gun-free zones are proven not to work," Manley said. "Both Virginia Tech and North Illinois University were gun-free and look what happened."
Currently, 11 colleges across the U.S. allow for concealed carry on their campuses including Colorado State University.
"The opposition basically doesn't believe victims should defend themselves," Manley said.
West, who wore a shirt listing all the names of students who were killed in a school shooting during the past decade, said even if concealed carry were allowed, it would not have stopped a shooting.
"I don't feel that if those victims were allowed to carry weapons, they would have been any safer," West said.
Despite the stigma held about guns, members of the SCCC said they believe that concealed carry would not promote violence but instead ensure self defense.
"I want to be able to defend myself if I need to," Knutzen said. "I hope to God that I'll never have to, but if I need to, at least I'll have that as an option."
Contact Campus \Press Staff Writer Sara Fossum at Sara.fossum@colorado.edu.
TK: Reaction posed on the story as of April 27:
From Jon:
Jon
posted 4/25/08 @ 3:15 PM MST
"We don't want people to put their minds on violence by carrying or seeing weapons on campus,"
"It's not working toward the end goal, which is to end violence."
It's actually kind of sad how naive some people are. First off, concealed weapons carry means that no one should be seeing the weapons. Second, I know that it's very nice and happy to think about a world without violence, but that will probably never be a reality. At least, not anytime soon. That being the case, it's important for otherwise peace loving people to be able to protect themselves, others, and that peace. If those with concealed weapons permits are allowed to bring their guns to school, then that brings with it the responsibility that those people had to have in order to obtain those permits. If there's a ban, then just think about how easy it would be for someone with harmful intent to bring a gun to school anyway. In that situation who do you want on your side, a responsible gun owner or someone as toothly unarmed as you?
"It's not working toward the end goal, which is to end violence."
It's actually kind of sad how naive some people are. First off, concealed weapons carry means that no one should be seeing the weapons. Second, I know that it's very nice and happy to think about a world without violence, but that will probably never be a reality. At least, not anytime soon. That being the case, it's important for otherwise peace loving people to be able to protect themselves, others, and that peace. If those with concealed weapons permits are allowed to bring their guns to school, then that brings with it the responsibility that those people had to have in order to obtain those permits. If there's a ban, then just think about how easy it would be for someone with harmful intent to bring a gun to school anyway. In that situation who do you want on your side, a responsible gun owner or someone as toothly unarmed as you?
Laura
posted 4/26/08 @ 3:58 PM MST
I suppose the college students that would like to receive permission to carry weapons on college property are not the same ones that like to show off. They are not the same students that like to binge drink. Different than the students that are just finding their way through love and relationships. Not the same young adults that on occasion act like juveniles that might be capable of "accidentally" firing a gun off, running away, and acting like it was not them. And, of course, not any of the highly intelligent students that the teacher "just doesn't like". I am 34 years old, I have been a full time college student for the past 4 years obtaining an associates and bachelors. I work full time with 2 kids, one o fwhich is in highschool. I AM A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR that actually signs off on students receiving safety course for the right to carry. Guns do not belong in the schools or colleges. The likelihood that an act of violence will occur in the college that could have been prevented by a person carrying a gun AND that that person wanted to be involved and acted on the situation is very very unlikely. Based on common sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment