Ohio Considers Allowing Concealed Weapons On Campuses

[OhioChick]

Source: Newsnet5

POSTED: 6:00 pm EDT April 14, 2008
UPDATED: 6:37 pm EDT April 14, 2008

CLEVELAND -- It's been almost a year since the Virginia Tech massacre and it will be eight years next week since the Columbine shootings.

Some Ohio lawmakers are pushing new plans to allow students to carry concealed weapons at public universities.

Some students are in favor of such a law, saying that's might be what it would take to stop the next campus gunman, NewsChannel5 reported.

"Would you rather just sit there cowering at a desk when someone executes you or would you rather have a chance to defend your life? That's what it really boils down to," said Ohio student Michael Flitcraft.

Ohio is one of at least eight states currently considering allowing guns on campus, but supporters know they have an uphill battle.

Flitcraft is licensed to carry a concealed weapon on the streets but can't bring it to school.

"To me it makes no sense that I can defend myself legally over there but I am a felon if I step on the grass over here," said Flitcraft.

Utah, Colorado and Virginia already allow guns on campus, though it's up to school officials to set policy.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/news/15880186/detail.html

[Kolesar]

1. Since Governor Strickland has a braincase of hardened carbon steel

He is likely to sign this.

[muntrv]

2. Oh joy!! Drunk frat boys with loaded guns!

[Lorien]

8. Glad that I'm no longer a college student in Ohio

though now I have one more reason to worry about my mom, who lives close to the OSU stadium. Drunken frat boys already trash her front yard after every home game. Now they may be firing off guns, too. :-(

[timothyb]

13. ACrawley

In opinion, allowing college students the right to conceal weapons on campus is outrageous. I guess nobody remembers the Virgian Tech shooting or anything else. Law states 21 to bear arms. If guns are allowed to be on campus the minors will be buying weapons illegally from private sellers not because of being cool, but for shear fear of what might happened one day if a depressed student comes to school one day with vengance. I believe that now that this is taking place, more proposterous things are on the verge of being exposed!

[johnnypneumatic]

3. seems iffy, still there are legal sticking points

Minors under 18 are prohibited by federal law from possessing a handgun, and persons under 21 are prohibited by federal law from purchasing a handgun. If they were 19 they could buy a gun from someone in a private sale.
It's also usually the case that you have to be 21 to get a concealed carry license, although I don't know what the law is specifically in Ohio.
So there are lots of college students age 18, 19, and 20 that are still left out.

[Old Codger]

7. I don't think

Minors under 18 are prohibited by federal law from possessing a handgun, and persons under 21 are prohibited by federal law from purchasing a handgun. If they were 19 they could buy a gun from someone in a private sale.
It's also usually the case that you have to be 21 to get a concealed carry license, although I don't know what the law is specifically in Ohio.
So there are lots of college students age 18, 19, and 20 that are still left out.


You have to ba within federal law to get a concealed carry permit in any state that allows them. You have to be 21 to buy a handgun I don't believe the states can override that federal law.

[WildClarySage]

9. The drinking age also leaves out students under 21,

and yet there seems no shortage of alcohol on college campuses.

just sayin'...

[Art_from_Ark]

14. Ain't that the truth

And street drugs are illegal regardless of age, but that didn't seem to stop anyone in my dorm (except me) from having a stash.

[sasquatch]

4. This isn't going anywhere

This is going to sink like a rock.

[Newsjock]

5. I guess *that* would prevent another Kent State

Somehow I suspect that's not what those lawmakers are thinking about.

[sasquatch]

6. LOL!!

:spray:
Kent State would then become Shay's Rebellion.

[ladym55]

10. Wouldn't THAT be special!!!

And of course Newsnet 5 interviews the turkey who would turn a classroom into the OK Corral. And thinks it's a good idea. :eyes:

As someone who taught for a LONG time on an Ohio campus, I really, really, really would not be comfortable teaching a class knowing that all my angry, conservative white male students (you know, the kind who think the people will try to go to prison for the "cushy" living conditions?) are armed. Ummm, yeah.

Why is arming everyone suddenly such a GOOD idea??? How does this make people "safer"? :shrug:

[sergeiAK]

11. Utah has done this for a while

No blood in the streets. CO allows it too, IIRC. Oddly enough, no blood in the streets there either.

[Kolesar]

15. COlumbine...eom

[Tejas]

16. Excellent example of the need for CCW n/t

[sergeiAK]

18. Not a college, and before CCW was allowed on campus -nt

[Kolesar]

19. They died with fewer whiskers on their chins ... eom

[sergeiAK]

22. CCW also wasn't allowed

So your example is irrelevant.

[rayofreason]

12. Would you feel safer...

..if angry leftist female students of color were packing?

[ladym55]

23. No

However, I taught on a very conservative campus, filled with very angry young white men, first of their families to attend college. It would have been really, really a good thing if my classes had included angry leftist female students of color as well who were willing to speak up and challenge. Among other things, you learn more when you experience diverse opinions and perspectives. Instead I had intimidated young white women and some AA students, but most stayed fairly quiet as Rush's followers held forth.

Oh, and I did politely question Rush's followers ... but if I pushed too hard an agenda they didn't agree with, they toddled off to the director of the program and I would be accused of not running a fair classroom. As an adjunct without tenure, it was not a fun place to be.

Anyway, cranky people who are scared and angry don't do well armed.

[benEzra]

17. FWIW, to obtain a CHL...

I had to pass a Federal background check, a state background check, a mental health records check, have my prints run by the FBI (clean), take a class on self-defense law using a state-approved curriculum, pass a written test on same administered by the sheriff's office, and demonstrate competence with a handgun on a shooting range, live fire. I can pass the state police firearm qualification of most states, if it makes you feel better. There are also minimum age requirements, generally ranging from 21 to 25 depending on the state.

I suspect that faculty and staff would have higher rates of CHL issuance than students.

[Kolesar]

20. I had a pocket calculator, a book bag, & a set of winter clothes when I left for college

Which just goes to show how blithely absurd your vision of a "weaponized" campus is.

I could just imagine being a teenager at the school I went to when the John Birch types start to spew their violent fantasies. It would be truly intimidating.

[benEzra]

21. Me, too.

I had a pocket calculator, a book bag, & a set of winter clothes when I left for college

Me, too. I also wasn't 25.

I suspect that in states that allow authorized individuals to carry weapons on campus, most of the CHL holders are either faculty/staff, or the occasional grad student with a military/LEO/shooting background. Not many undergrads are old enough to qualify.

[-..__...]

24. The gun-grabbers will be in a snit over this one.

[Downtown Hound]

25. A bunch of youngsters with lots of alcohol and guns

What could go wrong there?