Go to http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865613500/Utah-gun-law-that-canceled-USU-speech-is-an-embarrassment.html to read the full article. Who knows, maybe schools can get some more protective rules in place.
Monday, October 20, 2014
A "Gun On Gun" Situation
Anita Sarkeesian was supposed to give a speech at USU recently, but canceled it last minute due to death threats threatening, “the deadliest school shooting in American history” (Deseret News). Apparently, universities have no legal right to ban fire-arms on campus. If you have a concealed weapons permit, you can carry on campus. That doesn't particularly make me want to go off to college . . . knowing any of my classmates could, legally, have a gun sitting 3 feet away from me. Especially if threats are floating around simply because a woman is going to come speak to me. University of Utah has even attempted to fight this law, in attempts to keep their students safe. But when they banned firearms in about 2004, they were sued for being "unconstitutional" in 2006. Having lost the suit, they lobbied to have the law changed, only getting as far as a law that "allows any student living in a dormitory to specify that he or she does not wish to room with a concealed weapon permit holder." Well thanks, glad to know none of the 5 people I sleep with have a gun. But does my next door neighbor?
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This is a Utah law that restricts the ban of guns on public university campuses. Other states have laws set up that ban firearms on campus, or that let individual universities decide. It does seem a little scary, but in Utah you can carry a gun practically anywhere (as long as you have a concealed weapon permit). You can even carry a firearm onto public K-12 school property if you have a permit. With the pro-gun dynamic in Utah, and the loosest gun laws in the country, it seems unlikely this law will change.
ReplyDeleteThe next question, how do we check to see if these gun-holders even have the required permits and registrations? Seems to me like anyone could get away with just hiding a gun in their pocket.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that is nerve racking to have someone carrying a gun around you but I also think it could be a good thing to know that you are most likely always going to be safe.
ReplyDeleteIt is scary knowing that people are just walking around with guns strapped to them, but do you think that if they were to have shot you they would have done it by now. Criminals are Criminals and restricting gun control isn't going to help. Criminals will still be criminals and they will find a way to get that gun. We need to just say our prayers that we are protected. But, on a serious note I don't think that gun control will decrease the risk of shootings.
ReplyDeleteBut even if at these private events if they had a screening like they do at airports (not nearly as strict, a simple metal detector would do) and ban guns from those events, I would feel safer. I'm think Ms. Sarkeesian would agree.
ReplyDeleteThe school shootings we've seen over the past few years happened on campuses where firearms were prohibited. The movie theatre that was shot in Colorado also banned guns. A firearms ban has no teeth unless there's huge security to enforce it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I've seen, a firearms ban only disarms law abiding citizens who would stop the mass shooter.