Oklahoma Lawmakers Say Student Guns Can Stop Violence

[Purveyor]

March 27 (Bloomberg) -- Oklahoma lawmakers have a plan to prevent violent outbreaks at colleges: let students carry guns.

The state's House of Representatives voted March 13 to allow students and employees who have law-enforcement or military backgrounds, or who undergo training, to carry concealed weapons on public campuses. If the measure is enacted, Oklahoma will be the fourth state where collegians can be armed legally, as a result of legislative, court or administrative action in the past five years.

A group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus has sprung up, claiming 23,000 supporters including members at Harvard University, since a senior at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg killed 32 people last April. Legislators in 10 states are considering bills to permit weapons at colleges, pressed by gun-rights proponents. Opponents, including Oklahoma's 25 college presidents, say firearms will make crossfire deaths more likely.

``If it would help for me to get down on my knees to plead with the legislature for the safety of our students, I would do so,'' said David Boren, the president of the University of Oklahoma in Norman. The legislation, which would add 25 schools to the list of those with guns allowed, would invite ``chaos'' during emergencies, said Boren, a former U.S. Democratic senator from the state.

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Representative Jerry McPeak, a Democrat who voted against the measure, said he learned to shoot at age 6 and has a ``house full of guns.'' Still, McPeak, a former college dean, said he's worried students, especially those who drink alcohol, could make poor choices, he said.

Proponents believe ``that the good guys will outshoot the bad guys,'' said the 61-year-old McPeak. ``I'm more concerned about the good guys who make bad decisions with guns.''

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence says letting students carry guns will lead to more suicides and firearms accidents.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a9d.578smSG8&refer=news

[sharesunited]

1. More guns solve gun proliferation?

There are already too many guns (and too many pro-gun posts).

We need to make it more difficult to acquire guns.

[SteveM]

11. I hope you don't want to make it difficult to make pro-gun posts.

[Ordr]

2. Students have a constitutional right to carry a gun.

[mkultra]

3. Im from tulsa

I i can say from first hand experience that we have a corner on the stupidity market. Whenever i find a thoughtful intelligent person here they sparkle like a diamond black sand.

[Winterblues]

4. I would bet this is a Republican bill and exactly what have they been right about so far?

:shrug: If Republicans present it there has to be something wrong with it. They just don't think straight.

[jmowreader]

5. Some comedian had a solution to the Hijacking Problem

His idea was to issue a gun to everyone on the plane. Someone tries hijacking the plane, another passenger puts a cap in his ass...problem solved.

The Oklahoma House sounds like they want to take that idea into reality.

Unfortunately...when the comedian said it, it was supposed to be a JOKE, dammit!

[sharesunited]

9. It was Archie Bunker.

[fascisthunter]

6. That's Pretty Damn Orwellian

adding this hypothetical isn't convincing.

[aikoaiko]

7. If OK lets adults get permits to carry elsewhere, then they should let adults carry on campuses too.

Its reasonable.

[chixydix]

8. I'm confused here...how is a properly trained student any different from a policeman?

...?

[sharesunited]

10. Everyone's sanity hangs by the thinnest thread.

Fewer guns and less access to guns and ammo are the ONLY sensible way to go.

[slackmaster]

12. Unregulated name-only gun-free safety zones provide target-rich environments

For those who choose not to abide by the rules.

If you want an area to be free of weapons, implement real security measures like they have at airports and courthouses.

[SteveM]

15. I don't see the sense in this...

Our violent-crime rate has been rather steady over the last 15 years, yet the number of firearms has gone up dramatically. The "sanity" of an individual largely depends on the trust we place on our fellow citizens to make good day-to-day decisions. We can point to bad choices (Bush being elected, teen pregnancy, yes, even killing), but the vast number of people comport themselves well in this country. That's why I sleep eight ours a night -- and keep a loaded revolver near my bed.

[ulysses]

13. define "properly trained".

[KG]

16. they know where the trigger is...

:eyes:

[ulysses]

18. well hell, gimme a gun!

If I can keep it separate from the dry erase markers, pens, pencils, cell phone, id badge and flash drive that I normally have on my person at work, then I'll be the first line of defense against the gunman likely to burst in any day during math.

;-)

[ulysses]

19. no answer from chix?

Seemed like an easy request...

[uppityperson]

17. Do students get the same training as police do?

[slackmaster]

14. It's very unlikely that a student would be able to actually stop a massacre in progress

But as long as allowing properly permitted people to carry weapons for their own protection doesn't make everyone else LESS safe, there is no reason not to allow it.