Growing Number Of College Students Wish To Bear Arms

Local college students want to carry more than books and laptops to school. They want the right to carry guns on campus.

[JasonInJersey]

"Grace said if students want to take action, they should vote for stronger gun control."

Yeah that works. I'm sure the people that are shooting up the schools are really concerned that the LAW states they shouldn't carry a gun on school grounds and kill anything that moves. People like Mr. Grace are REALLY missing the boat on this one. Either ban ALL guns or allow people to defend themselves. Plain and simple.

[Concerned Mom]

Unfortunately the events that have taken place in this world have to make us take a look at past laws and morals. I hate guns and everything about them but as a mother of two small children I'm concerned about the recent college massacres. So I would have to change my way of thinking if that means protecting my children on a campus and allowing them to carry a weapon to protect themselves in the future.

[Ken]

I go to Temple University, and if I could carry a concealed firearm, then I would. I have all faith in the Temple Police Department, but cops aren't everywhere 24/7. Like what JasonInJersey said, these psychos aren't going to care what the law says. However until the law gets changed (which I doubt it ever would), then I guess I am out of luck.

[SCCC]

Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has nearly 21,000 members nationwide. It has organized chapters on over 215 college campuses.

ConcealedCampus.com

[dan fisher]

i say go for it tell the brady people to go to hell i would carry my gun no matter what the school said its better to be judged by 12 then carried by six

[Ron]

I say they should be able to carry a weapon this world is getting way out of hand.

[Louis]

The facts are in a crime or life or death situation the police simply can not be there in time to save the victem's or my life.
I believe it is my right to carry a fire arm to defend myself and my family, especially is the need for the "castle doctrine". Why should I have to flee my home, or my car first when a threat will kill me. Before I get a chance to call the police, I will loose my life or a family member to a criminal.
The same is true for any 21 year old who can legally own a fire arm. We trust education about so many things, why not the lawfulness of the 2nd ammendment and the correct way to handle a fire arm. Fear and ignorance concerning fire arms only feeds the incorrect assumption that criminals will follow the law.
The professor is correct the answer to gun violence to teach individuals moral and ethical responsibility concerning life and respect for any gun. Gun violence should not affect the right of a sound legal citizen to carry a fire arm. Criminals do not abide by the law on any level no matter what law is written, on law abiding citizens obey the law. Any more gun control laws will only affect legal gun owners.

[Tony]

I think they should be allowed to carry firearms on campus. No one can possibly protect the students better then an armed student who is right there. The cops show up when it is all over. The American people should not be so quick to give up one of their rights. The criminals don't care about the law so gun control laws are meaningless to them. The teachers should have the option to be armed also.

[jerry]

It is proven that where citizens are armed and permitted to protect themselves, crime goes down. Most of the "school shooters" of the past are cowards, they kill themselves before they face any resistance. If they know their victims could be armed, it is likely they would not carry through with their diabolical plans. And if they still try... hopefully an armed student or teacher will be there.

[Bill R]

It's an old saying but it will always be true. Guns don't kill people...people do. As far as gun laws are concerned...is a law against purchasing guns really going to stop someone who's willing to kill from getting an "illegal" gun? It's similar to the idea that locked doors keep honest people honest. However, the locked door doesn't see to stop the thief. It is "illegal" to steal isn't it? Lastly, I wonder if anyone’s done a survey of gun laws and how many there are now vs. how many there were 100 years ago and compared it to school violence with guns then and now. I'll bet anything those statistics are inversely proportional. If gun laws worked...why is that? Could it be that we've raised a generation of people who don't understand the importance of "self government"? I'll end with three quotes from men much better able to express themselves than I.

"We have no government armed in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
-John Adams

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not uponthe power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves,to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
-James Madison

If chance be the Father of all flesh,
disaster is his rainbow in the sky,
and when you hear,
"State of Emergency!
Sniper Kills Ten!
Troops on Rampage!
Whites go Looting! Bomb Blasts School!"
It is but the sound of man worshipping his maker.

- postscrip from poem "Creed" by Steve Turner

[Anonymous]

I am a student of West Chester University and I understand how this student feels. I have been considering as a female to carry mace but it is against the university policy. I do not know what my options are in order to ensure my safety at this point because there are too many incidents occurring. The college has been sending out safety reports about break-ins and robberies that have been occurring a few blocks off campus as well as on campus. Lately, everyone is receiving more than one safety report in their email a day. Those are just the ones that are being reported. Many students feel unsafe lately especially off campus since there has been many reports of breaks-in and muggings at gun point on the street. Many students feel the police spend too much time trying to arrest students for underage drinking and not enough time on the safety of the residents of the town. The students are also residents of West Chester and need protection as well. I regularly attend Inter-Greek Council meetings and few members have had people break in there home in the middle of the night and refuse to leave. That is scary that we hearing about the same incident occurring in different homes off campus about everyday. A fraternity on campus is teaming up with student government and trying to get students to register to vote in the county. They hope that by giving students the power to vote where they go to school it will bring about change in the future. Something has to be done to keep West Chester and it's students safe. When a student has the need to carry a weapon to feel safe then there is something wrong. It's ridicules that the borough can afford to pay employees to walk around town writing parking tickets all night but they really need police officers on the streets patrolling.

[recon1911]

I'm tired of hearing about adding more gun laws as the answer to shootings. If students are resaponsible enough to pass a CCW course and obtain a permit, then they should be allowed to protect themselves. The people doing the shootings are not necessarily the responsible young adults that are trying to defend themselves. Kids are scared alone at school, why not let them protect themselves?

[karl willow grove]

everyone has aright to defend themselves. its a basic human instinct.the people mentioned in the story are trained inthe use of a firearm.in the state of pa. you must be 21 yrs. old to posess a handgun and to obtain a permit to carry a weapon. not many college students even qualify.i would seriosly doubt if the students involved in drinking parties ,as mentioned by mr.grace fit into this catagory.

[Tara]

As a student at Widener University-Main Campus I don't always feel safe. Campus Safety isn't everywhere and nor do they carry weapons so what good is that going be in an emergency situation like that. There has been numerous occasions of armed robberies on campus and thankfully thus far no one has been injured but who knows what could happen. Being able to carry a concealed weapon would definitely increase my feelings of being safe.

[Louis]

I was mugged at gun point in Oct. 1994 outside Bottner dorm, arcoss from Wallio's Frog Pond Cafe on Widener's Campus by two males with a fire arm. The one male put the gun to my chin and pulled the trigger twice. Thank God the gun didn't fire. I pushed the guy with the gun back and yelled, what could I do, the other was behind me, i moved to keep both infront and continued yelling for help. I filed a report with security and left the school.

I was then and am now an avid individual for the right to carry, especially if you are of age. The police nor campus security could have helped me at that time. Thank God the guy never reloaded, or loaded the gun. I was unarmed.

Get educated about fire arms and respect them, they could save your life. Until people learn to value life you can value your by defending it.

[Nate]

Students for Concealed Carry on Campus now boasts more than 20,000 members at 945 campuses. Fact check.

[Ben Miner]

Despite their "we are ok with hunting" facade, the truly dangerous gun control groups like The Brady Campaign want laws that say no citizen should be allowed to own any gun for any reason under any circumstances. They ignore the fact that criminals don't care about "gun free zones" any more than they care about "murder free zones".

[Dave]

If college students want to be safe on campus they need to go to school in England,Canada,and/or any other industrailized democracy in world except the United States. This is contrary to the NRA's assertion that guns make us safer. We have more guns and less real life regulations on guns then anywhere. And the result you and children are less safe.
Philadelphia (pop 1.2 M) could have more deaths by guns this weekend then England(pop 60 M) will all year.

[sam]

I understand the need to protect one's self, everyone wants that... You don't need a gun! Here is an idea for ya GET SOME PEPPER SPRAY!!

[JasonInJersey]

Dave: Fair enough. Now compare the number of stabbing deaths in England this week and compare that to Philadelphia. It doesn't matter what the means, someone will find out the hard way what the end is.