Proposed Bill to allow students to carry concealed weapons on campus
Dominique Moore
Western Herald
A bill in the Michigan Senate may make it legal for those with a concealed weapons permit to carry their weapons onto college campuses.
Michigan Senate Bill 747 was introduced to the Judiciary Committee on Aug. 19. This bill is intended to allow students to carry concealed weapons on campuses and in dormitories.
If the bill passes, it would amend Section 50 of the bill 1927 PA 372. By amending this section it will be doing away with the law that says students are not allowed to carry firearms in dormitory or classrooms of community college, college, or university.
The bill was introduced to help students protect themselves on campus from harm that may come their way as they go to and from their classes. It will also protect young women as they walk to their dorms after having evening classes.
The senators said that students should be able to protect themselves from all types of harm while they are on campus. Senators feel with this bill students should have the right to carry firearms to protect them.
“There is always a risk involved as long as that bill is still there,” said Greg Rosine, senior vice president for the university legislative affairs.
There has been little movement on the bill since it was introduced, as the Senate tries to produce a budget. Bills like this can go either way if it gets the right amount of support needed, Rosine said.
“I don’t think this bill will pass,” Rosine said. “But I have seen a lot happen in Lansing.”
Rosine is not alone. A recent poll from Inside Michigan Politics and MRG shows that out of 600 registered voters in Michigan, 67 percent oppose the bill, 32 percent support it and one percent are undecided.
“Some people have a wild west fantasy,” said Ronald Kramer, Ph.D., director of the criminal justice program at Western Michigan University.
“In reality, if more people carried guns it will keep you protected.”
However Kramer does say that there is more to protection than just being able to carry a concealed weapon.
“The bill won’t be any good if we don’t change our culture and all the violence that exist in our society,” he said.
Weapons have been banned on WMU’s campus since 1971.
“No person shall possess on university property any firearms or other dangerous weapons with the exception of police officers, transfer agents licensed to carry weapons and persons using any such weapons for class instruction when authorized by the dean of the appropriate college,” the 1971 Board of decision reads.
For some students, the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, where a student, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded 23 others, is enough reason to carry a weapon on campus.
“I think [students should be able to carry concealed weapons] because it…will protect them. It will prevent a Virginia Tech from every happening again,” said Robert Richardson, a freshman.
Not just anyone can carry a concealed weapon: an applicant must be over 21 years old and a legal Michigan resident, without a felony criminal record or convictions for certain misdemeanors.
The applicant must also attend and pass a pistol safety-training course and fill out a CCW application and pay a filing fee. The application must then be approved by a local board.
Still, such regulations are not enough for some students.
“I don’t think [a] college campus is the right place for students to be able to carry guns,” Cohen Sangster, a senior, said.
“It will cause too many problems between students and faculty.”
On large campuses filled with a verity of personalities that are bound to clash with people from all over the world.
“I think it is a bad idea,” said senior Don Clark.
“It sounds dangerous. People are set to get angry quickly and might not think about they are doing.”
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on Oct 13 2009. Filed under News.
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How about those who are not legal to carry firearms in campus?Are they suppose to buy illegal firearms?
*variety
Also, this article is COMPLETELY biased.
How does something like this even come up? In an age where we’re worried about shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, who thinks this is a good idea?
I hope the Bill does pass, The facts are that CPL carriers (CCW was changed to CPL) are some of the most law abiding and safest people there are. Campus is not safe, no matter what the administration says, and most students travel off campus as well which is even less safe. The FBI has released information that shows that people with CPL’s are some of the most responsible citizens, if someone is willing to go though everything to do something legally, then they are not going to break the law, on the other hand, criminals by definition do not obey the law, so why limit the ability of law abiding citizens to defend themselves from violent criminals?
Here is a fact, at VT, 17 of the students were lined up on their knees and executed one by one, not ONE fought back. What is wrong with our mindset that we will not fight for our lives? That we would rather let others decided when we are harmed or die, then use every means to ensure our own survival over that of someone who is attempting to harm ours?
Anyone who tells you that you should not be able to defend your life is not your friend.
The problem isn’t with the people that are licensed to carry concealed weapons. The problem is with the people that don’t have license but carry the guns on campus anyways. If someone has a gun in my classroom I’d like to be able to feel safe nowing that they’ve had extensive background checks and have no criminal history as well as training on how and when it is acceptable to use the gun in self defense.
I am absolutely against allowing concealed weapons on campus. I will not feel safe at all knowing that one of my classmates could be carrying a gun in their backpacks. I have to agree with Melissa that this article is biased. The only mention of anything against this bill is right at the end. For the students who believe this may prevent another VT, how could you believe that? This could cause more problems in the long run. There are many things that should be taken into consideration. If this bill passes in no way should a student be allowed on campus with a concealed weapon without a psych test. Anyone could pass a pistol safety test and pay a fee. We hear about people in the media who are able to carry a weapon that snap and use their weapon in a drastic and harmful way.
Kim, the point of concealed carry is not to create people as a sort of sudo-cop, its not meant to make “you” feel safer, its for the person carrying to feel safer and be able to defend themselves and others.
How can it help in preventing another VT? Here is a few things, Utah allows concealed carry on campus, they’ve never had any shootings. WMU DPS has said in the past that they will be on sight of a shooting within two minutes, do you realize how many shots can go off in that amount of time? Possibly hundreds. If a trained and legal CPL carrier is on sight they have the ability to defuse the situation before anyone else gets killed.
And the people you hear about in the media is almost always are police officers, don’t believe me, look it up. Take for example Michigan, in the past 5 years of the CPL there have been 0, that’s right 0 problems with carriers, however police have had more then 250 alcohol related weapons violations. Do you feel safer now, knowing that police commit more crimes then CPL carriers?
One other thing for your knowledge, MSU board of trustees voted on June 19 of this year to allow concealed weapons on its campus, although weapons are not allowed inside buildings.
Guess what no crazy shootings. Or is there just something mentally wrong with WMU students that makes them incapable of defending themselves?
Also,
1999-In Pearl, Miss., assistant principal Joel Myrick stopped triple murderer Luke Woodham using a handgun from his car.
1998-In Edinboro, Pa., the 14-year-old who killed a teacher at an off-campus dance was captured by shotgun-wielding James Strand.
2002-At Virginia’s Appalachian School of Law, student Tracy Bridges used his pistol to detain murderer Peter Odighizuwa.
Utah has permitted it since 1995. If you Google “Utah school shootings,” you will find exactly none. They have also had 0 incidents of firearms violations on campus.
Researchers John Lott and William Landes, then at Yale and the University of Chicago, respectively, studied multiple victim public shootings. Data from 1976 to 1995 showed the number of shootings in states with concealed handgun laws declined by 84 percent, deaths plummeted by 90 percent and injuries by 82.5 percent.
Also take a look over the 2007-2008 CPL report from the Michigan State Police at:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/CPL_Annual_Report_2007-2008_269128_7.pdf
Just remember when you add up all the assault category convictions and get the whopping number of 9 and the number of brandishing convictions of 0 that there are over 203,000 valid CPL holders in this state. Also keep in mind that the crimes and convictions are listed because they are CPL holders, not necessarily because they had anything to do with firearms.
And let’s not forget the opinions of these guys:
“A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular,” he wrote, “and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inferences.” – Thomas Jefferson
“It will be found an unwise and unjust jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty on the supposition he may abuse it” – George Washington
I rephrase your question: Why should trained law abiding citizens have more restrictions on where they can carry their legal firearm than law abiding Police Officers? or Reserve Officers? Under current law a Reserve or Auxiliary Police officer (or member of a Sheriff’s posse for that matter) or retired Police Officer that has a valid CPL is exempt from gun free zones. I know many CPL holders that train more often and more thoroughly than police departments require.
Michigan police are notoriously slow to respond to anything. I know, I used to live there. There’s a saying that “9mm is faster than 911″. If I’m attacked, and I wait for the police, I might as well have them send the meat wagon too.
Here’s an interesting thing to think about. Police agencies have no constitutional duty to protect citizens. They are crime solvers and criminal hunters. That they may protect citizens in the course of their duty or as a result of their actions is true enough but they don’t have to go out of their way to save your hide.
I would love for this bill to finally pass. For those who have commented that you wouldn’t feel safe knowing a student is carrying a firearm, just think about this. Every day you go to the supermarket, walk downtown, visit the mall, go to a movie, etc. someone is carrying a concealed firearm. I bet that none of you who have cited fear mongering are at all disconcerted walking about your daily lives, even though the statistics say that there is at least one CCW holder in the vicinity. Being on campus, an arbitrary and invisible line, would not change that.
Before making these wild, emotionally based arguments, you should really educate yourself about concealed carry. A great place to start is here.
http://www.concealedcampus.org