The right to bear
The right to bear arms
By James Allen | Entertainment Editor
After the tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois universities in the past couple of years, campuses everywhere have beefed up security. At the University of Indianapolis, we’ve created the Watchdog alert system and after the retirement of Chief Keith Smith, we’ve hired Chief Mick Reddick, whose emergency preparedness resume is intimidating for the field of criminal justice. However, a lot of other campuses are overcompensating when it comes to securing the student body.
A few months ago, CNN’s Glenn Beck on the air said in his boisterous way , “Well in the wake of Virginia Tech massacre, many have finally come to the conclusion that maybe this gun-free [is] not such a good idea.” He goes on to say that only people with guns are the bad guys and that the kids on campus are nothing more than fish in a barrel.
Campuses all across the United States are seeing the creation of an organization called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC), including chapters at IUPUI and Ball State. This organization fights to uphold the state-issued license of a gun permit, so that students can legally carry concealed firearms on campus, including the classrooms and the dorms.
My question to them is, “why on earth would more guns help?” The idea of wanting to have all students armed on campus who are legally eligible to do so sounds more like an on-campus arms race than a security measure.
One of the arguments of the SCCC is about the court case Bowers v. DeVito (1982) where the ruling was made that the police have no legal obligation to make the safety of an individual their No. 1 priority.
This case surrounded a woman who did not get a response from the police when the deranged ex-husband violated a restraining order. The SCCC uses this case to support the argument that police aren’t required to protect a citizen. I would challenge this group to seek out one officer who isn’t willing to serve and protect.
The SCCC is essentially requesting the state to uphold the permits in gun-free zone campuses so the students can defend themselves in the event of a mass shooting. While the SCCC argues that the guns will be used for self-defense only, who is to say that will even work?
In the state of Indiana, anyone over the age of 18 who has $100 and a criminal record free of all felonies and misdemeanors involving assault can get a gun permit.
It does not require any firearms training. The state does not regulate licensing fire arms based on a test on proper usage. This means there are arms carriers who have never discharged their firearm. This is like driving a car without training; someone could get killed.
Not to mention the moral implications of taking a life. Not everyone is willing to intentionally fire on another person, even in dire circumstances.
These are not soldiers or trained police officers the SCCC is arming. These are everyday students worried about their classes, their future and their careers to come.
Students are not equipped to work a firearm in a high-stress situation until they are trained to do so.
This editor is willing to bet that no one wants to take a chance on the student with a gun who makes the lucky shot.
