Students don hosters to protest weapons policy.
UK students are donning T-shirts and empty holsters throughout this week to peacefully protest state and university policies that prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms on campus.
More than 110 other university campuses around the U.S. are participating in the protest, which is organized by Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
"Basically we're just trying to raise awareness by carrying the holsters and making sure they're empty," said business management junior Dave Burnett, a member of SCCC at UK. "We're not for civil disobedience; we're just trying to raise awareness."
UK's concealed weapons policy states that no person except a police officer can carry a firearm or any other weapon on campus property.
"It's been that way forever, and we're not the only ones. It's a state law," said Capt. Kevin Franklin of UK police. "It's for safety purposes. I just don't think it would be a good learning environment if we had everyone running around with guns on campus."
"But we do respect their right to protest," Franklin said.
The protest started with e-mails informing members of the UK community of the protest and the meaning behind the empty holsters.
The empty holsters are a symbolic representation that students and faculty on college campuses are made defenseless by state laws and school policies that refuse to allow concealed handgun license holders the same rights that they are allowed everywhere else, according to the SCCC Web site. The holsters also serve a practical point by encouraging conversation between protesters and individuals who might not know the facts.
UK President Lee Todd also sent out an e-mail Sunday afternoon notifying campus members of the event and endorsing the protestors' right to freedom of speech while still affirming that UK is a deadly-weapons-free campus.
Other state universities, such as Western Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University and Northern Kentucky University, are participating in the event, Burnett said, and the protest has gained national attention.
Local gun shops are also getting involved by donating or discounting holsters for students taking part in the protest, Burnett said.
"It's become bigger than I could imagine," he said. "The awareness is snowballing around the nation."
For more information and a list of the protest guidelines, visit the national SCCC Web site (
www.concealedcampus.com) or e-mail
[email protected].
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