Rob87
April 15, 2008, 10:05 PM
Here's a little something I wrote this afternoon. All constructive criticism is welcome, and encouraged.
Following the massacres of innocent students and teachers at Virginia Tech and Norther Illinois University, legislation has been proposed in numerous areas of the United States that would remove the restrictions on law abiding citizens that currently prevent them from legally carrying a concealed weapon on school property. Presently, millions of Americans legally carry a concealed weapon on their person on a daily basis. They carry because they understand their own personal security and safety is their own responsibility, and not the responsibility of anyone else. These citizens can carry to the store, to rent a video, to fill their gas tank, or to grab a sandwich. However, there are some restrictions on where they may carry. For example, it is illegal to carry on federal property, such as at the post office, or at courthouses. In addition to these restrictions is the restriction imposed on students and teachers at almost all school property in the country.
Many people recognize that removing this restriction would effectively allow students and teachers to have the means with which to effectively defend themselves, as opposed to being forcibly disarmed, either by law or school policy, and essentially being defenseless against a psychopath who intends to harm or murder them. A simple look back through history illustrates, in graphic detail, what happens to defenseless, unarmed citizens when a person with malicious intent forces their will upon them.
Unfortunately, there are many people that oppose legislation that would allow licensed citizens to carry on school property. Instead, they support gun control, and all of its ideals. They say that an armed citizenry is dangerous to the well being of the innocent, but fail to realize that an armed citizenry is in the best position to resist tyranny, fear, and oppression. Take, for example, the state of Florida. Between October 1, 1987, and March 31, 2008, the state of Florida issued 1,328,991 concealed weapon carry licenses, and only 3,468 licenses were revoked after the license holder was accused of committing a crime. Out of the 3,468 licenses that were revoked, 505 of them were reinstated, and only 165 of them were revoked because the licensee's firearm was used to aid in the commission of a crime. This means that out of the 1,328,991 licenses issues in Florida, only 0.223% of the licensees committed a crime, and that only 0.0124% of the licensees used their weapon to commit a crime. Given that similar patterns of behavior can be found everywhere where it is legal for law abiding citizens to carry a concealed weapon on their person, licensees are actually a group of people who pose almost no risk to the general population. Law enforcement officers and criminals themselves commit crimes more often than those with a concealed weapon carry license.
People that agree with gun control say that students will not be able to control their emotions, and will immediately respond to any adverse situations with gunfire. The same thing was said about Florida residents before they were allowed to legally carry a concealed weapon. The same was said for many places. This was not the case. Commuters were not having shootouts on their way to work in the morning. Simple disputes between neighbors were not being settled through violence. The idea that an armed citizenry is incapable of is little more than distrustful behavior, and is founded on nothing more than emotional response.
Those in favor of gun control say that they just would not feel safe knowing that fellow students and teachers could be carrying a weapon. Unfortunately, feeling safe does not equate to actually being safe. The feeling, sensation, or perception of being safe is little more than an illusion. Feeling safe does not protect one's life; being able to return fire and potentially disable or kill an active shooter, and thus immediately stop all aggression, does more to protect one's life than a "gun free zone" sign has, or ever could, do.
It is questionable if gun control advocates are capable of making the distinction between the law abiding and those who are criminals. They make the assumption that the simple possession of an object capable of causing harm to others inherently means you have malicious intent. They could not be farther from the truth. According to the US Department of Justice, firearms are legally used in over 2,000,000 self defense cases every year. Gun control advocates would rather these 2,000,000 people be subject to the will of criminals rather than defend themselves within the law.
So called "gun free zones" effectively create victims for criminals. If a person cannot defend themselves because they lack the means with which to do so, they are little more than a victim. Criminals do not want their victims to be armed, and neither do the people that oppose one's right to self preservation.
In conclusion, law abiding citizens who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon on their purpose pose almost no threat to the general population. Denying them the means with which to effectively defend themselves while on school property is asinine, as the threat posed by criminals exists everywhere, regardless of property lines or "gun free zones." The restriction that prevents students and teachers from carrying on school property is currently imposed on a group of people who are not a major threat to the general population and should be lifted.
Sources:
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing Concealed Weapon / Firearm Summary Report for October 1, 1987 - March 31, 2008 (http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/stats/cw_monthly.html)
- Department of Justice, Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms, May 1997 (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/165476.pdf)
Source: http://robfeeley.blogspot.com/2008/04/on-campus-concealed-carry.html
Following the massacres of innocent students and teachers at Virginia Tech and Norther Illinois University, legislation has been proposed in numerous areas of the United States that would remove the restrictions on law abiding citizens that currently prevent them from legally carrying a concealed weapon on school property. Presently, millions of Americans legally carry a concealed weapon on their person on a daily basis. They carry because they understand their own personal security and safety is their own responsibility, and not the responsibility of anyone else. These citizens can carry to the store, to rent a video, to fill their gas tank, or to grab a sandwich. However, there are some restrictions on where they may carry. For example, it is illegal to carry on federal property, such as at the post office, or at courthouses. In addition to these restrictions is the restriction imposed on students and teachers at almost all school property in the country.
Many people recognize that removing this restriction would effectively allow students and teachers to have the means with which to effectively defend themselves, as opposed to being forcibly disarmed, either by law or school policy, and essentially being defenseless against a psychopath who intends to harm or murder them. A simple look back through history illustrates, in graphic detail, what happens to defenseless, unarmed citizens when a person with malicious intent forces their will upon them.
Unfortunately, there are many people that oppose legislation that would allow licensed citizens to carry on school property. Instead, they support gun control, and all of its ideals. They say that an armed citizenry is dangerous to the well being of the innocent, but fail to realize that an armed citizenry is in the best position to resist tyranny, fear, and oppression. Take, for example, the state of Florida. Between October 1, 1987, and March 31, 2008, the state of Florida issued 1,328,991 concealed weapon carry licenses, and only 3,468 licenses were revoked after the license holder was accused of committing a crime. Out of the 3,468 licenses that were revoked, 505 of them were reinstated, and only 165 of them were revoked because the licensee's firearm was used to aid in the commission of a crime. This means that out of the 1,328,991 licenses issues in Florida, only 0.223% of the licensees committed a crime, and that only 0.0124% of the licensees used their weapon to commit a crime. Given that similar patterns of behavior can be found everywhere where it is legal for law abiding citizens to carry a concealed weapon on their person, licensees are actually a group of people who pose almost no risk to the general population. Law enforcement officers and criminals themselves commit crimes more often than those with a concealed weapon carry license.
People that agree with gun control say that students will not be able to control their emotions, and will immediately respond to any adverse situations with gunfire. The same thing was said about Florida residents before they were allowed to legally carry a concealed weapon. The same was said for many places. This was not the case. Commuters were not having shootouts on their way to work in the morning. Simple disputes between neighbors were not being settled through violence. The idea that an armed citizenry is incapable of is little more than distrustful behavior, and is founded on nothing more than emotional response.
Those in favor of gun control say that they just would not feel safe knowing that fellow students and teachers could be carrying a weapon. Unfortunately, feeling safe does not equate to actually being safe. The feeling, sensation, or perception of being safe is little more than an illusion. Feeling safe does not protect one's life; being able to return fire and potentially disable or kill an active shooter, and thus immediately stop all aggression, does more to protect one's life than a "gun free zone" sign has, or ever could, do.
It is questionable if gun control advocates are capable of making the distinction between the law abiding and those who are criminals. They make the assumption that the simple possession of an object capable of causing harm to others inherently means you have malicious intent. They could not be farther from the truth. According to the US Department of Justice, firearms are legally used in over 2,000,000 self defense cases every year. Gun control advocates would rather these 2,000,000 people be subject to the will of criminals rather than defend themselves within the law.
So called "gun free zones" effectively create victims for criminals. If a person cannot defend themselves because they lack the means with which to do so, they are little more than a victim. Criminals do not want their victims to be armed, and neither do the people that oppose one's right to self preservation.
In conclusion, law abiding citizens who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon on their purpose pose almost no threat to the general population. Denying them the means with which to effectively defend themselves while on school property is asinine, as the threat posed by criminals exists everywhere, regardless of property lines or "gun free zones." The restriction that prevents students and teachers from carrying on school property is currently imposed on a group of people who are not a major threat to the general population and should be lifted.
Sources:
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing Concealed Weapon / Firearm Summary Report for October 1, 1987 - March 31, 2008 (http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/stats/cw_monthly.html)
- Department of Justice, Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms, May 1997 (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/165476.pdf)
Source: http://robfeeley.blogspot.com/2008/04/on-campus-concealed-carry.html
