Would you carry to a college party?

[Black92LX]

Last night I was at a college party and was talking with a nice young lady about me being a criminal justice major, what i want to do when i graduate, etc. That eventually led to me talking about my passion for guns. A few minutes later she starts putting her hands in my waistband and up my pant legs I looked at her kind of funny and she said "ohh sorry just checking to see if you were carrying."

This got me thinking. My University is in a not so good part of town and muggings with multiple perps and firearms happen quite often. (considering i go to a Jesuit University = rich white kids in the middle of a predominatly lower class black neighborhood. Stereotyping yes i know considering i am not one of the rich kids) Being one who usually doesn't drink i end up walking lots of girls home. So this made me consider carrying to parties once CCW goes thru here in Ohio. Granted i wouldn't carry if the party was in a campus owned building. Or if i did decide to drink i wouuld definatly not carry. But only carry strictly by the books.

The only problem i saw is that a college party is a place where alcohol is served. But the Ohio CCW law states specifically no carry only establishments with a Class D Liquor Liscence. And considering the parties are thrown by the run of the mill college students no class D liscence.

So does anyone forsee any problems with this idea?

Ohh and by the way the nice young lady will be going to the range with me when the weather warms up

 

[George Hill]

I'm in Utah... they don't have college parties here.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

If it is legal to carry, do so. If it were illegal to carry at all places that served alcohol, I wouldn't be able to carry in my own house. They are talking about businesses, not parties.

 

[Car Knocker]

I trust you checked to see if SHE was carrying?

 

[Samurai Penguin]

Could get sticky...

First off, OH CCW hasn't passed yet, and you have no way of knowing what kind of restrictions they'll tack on it. If there's one that says anything about "school property," you may want to study very closely the definition of "school," "school zone," "school property," and so on. That's an easy way to get tripped up.

Secondly, will they stick with the No-Bar-Carry provision or will they stick on a more stringent restriction? What will be the "Carry Definition" of legal intoxication?

There's a lot to try to figure out here. When the law is finally passed, I'd go over it with a fine-tooth comb before I'd carry anywhere near a campus.

One final thought--having to draw down on or shoot someone is usually treated very differently in the court system when the perp is an Upstanding College Boy as opposed to your typical Gangsta. Basically, if you have to injure(or worse) some date-raping frat boy, not only will you probably see prison, but his parents may well sue you into the poorhouse for the next ten lifetimes. Not that this is guaranteed to happen, but we all know the Golden Rule: Those with the Gold, make the Rules.

Good luck, and of course, IANAL.

 

[Baba Louie]

I never did back in my collegiate days cause just about every party I went to had amounts of cereal malt beverage being comsumed in mass quantities as well as people smoking their own hand rolled cigarettes (the 70's folks) and likely as not the local small town police or county sheriff deputies showed up to walk around and visit now and again.
Side's that, ya might find a female companion who would rather make love than war (remember this was in the middle of Kansas in the 70's) and carrying something like that might not be conducive to a successful parlay
But there was also very little in the way of negativity or people being targets of crime, unless it was assault with a friendly weapon.
Oh, some of the aggies liked to get liquored up and fist-fight, but they'd usually take on the 19 year old guys from Ft Riley, who were usually looking for coeds who liked to consume massive quantities of cereal malt beverage. And it was mostly 3.2 beer anyway (Eeeewwww)
Ah the good old days.

 

[Aikibiker]

Considering some of the bad things I have seen happen at parties I would and do carry. I can't describe how fun it is to have to take a pair of nunchucks away from a drunk who is hell bent on defending his ladie's honor on a guy that hadn't said more then hello to the lady in question. All part of the entertainment.

I also do not drink, ever.

If it is legal in your state go for it. When Ohio's law finally get's passed go over it with a fine toothed comb to make sure you will be legal.

Also take what Samurai Penguin said to heart about perceptions on lethal force. It would probably be a good idea to look into hand to hand training. There should be a few martial arts clubs on the campus of your university where you can get training for a decent price.

 

[ny32182]

Carrying at a college party is asking for trouble, IMO...

I don't know about the parties there, but at the open parties here, there is lots of drinking and sometimes fighting going on. The best thing to do is accept that environment, and either take your chances with your fists and your friends, or don't go.

Shooting college partyers is going to land you in jail for a very long time.

 

[seeker_two]

While I didn't carry a gun then (pre-CCW here), I did carry a knife or two to the occasional party. And I went to a college in the same type of area (think lots of lawyers, many Baptists, & a few homicidal basketball players ). Never thought twice about it, and never had to draw down on anyone (but for one time I had to stare down three "inner-city youths" to protect my date--good thing God protects the bold & the stupid. )

A few minutes later she starts putting her hands in my waistband and up my pant legs I looked at her kind of funny and she said "ohh sorry just checking to see if you were carrying."

THAT usually didn't happen until AFTER the party...and it was a mutual "frisk"...

 

[Zundfolge]

Carrying at a college party is asking for trouble, IMO...

As long as you're carrying legaly and you're not drinking or using drugs, what trouble are you "asking for"?

If its not safe to carry at a college party, its not safe to be there in the first place.

 

[Sportcat]

Not only risky, but here in South Carolina, carrying on school/ college/ university property is a no-no!

 

[zahc]

If its not safe to carry at a college party, its not safe to be there in the first place.

Exactly.

Shooting college partyers is going to land you in jail for a very long time.

As well it should. Unless it was justified, and if it was, would you prefer the shootee be unarmed? Is it better to be dead? That's a pretty illogical statement right there. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

 

[Black92LX]

Clearly some of you have not read my post very clearly.

One final thought--having to draw down on or shoot someone is usually treated very differently in the court system when the perp is an Upstanding College Boy as opposed to your typical Gangsta.

The problem here is not fights at the parties. i have yet too see one! In three years. the problem is the neighborhood that i walk the ladies home in and most of the perps are that gangsta sort. And have been armed in the past!

Even if there was a problem at the party it would not be worth drawing for. I am talking about walking ladies and drunk friends home in the rough neighborhood.

Most of the parties here are off campus. So i am not too worried about the school zone thing. And i believe it is written as buildings for universities.

Also Ohio CCW has been passed and the law is written it is just in it's 90 period before it goes into law. i have read it over and over!

 

[Ryder]

its not safe to be there in the first place.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter. Five years of college here and I never went to an open party. I only partied in privacy with friends. Strangers are strange for a reason!

 

[BowStreetRunner]

i think you are asking a good question..........
if i was going to drink i wouldn't carry
and if i did carry i wouldnt let anyone know, not anyone, even if a girl frisked me (well, maybe later........ )
but i digress..........
i think its all up to you.........im sure the class you have taken or will take in OH will pinpoint the hazards of a self-defense or third party defense shooting (legally, civil and criminal)
BSR

 

[Black92LX]

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the matter. Five years of college here and I never went to an open party. I only partied in privacy with friends. Strangers are strange for a reason!

Same here. Once again the party is not the problem.
IT IS THE WALK HOME!

 

[Greg L]

Hey J,

There is a building over on Winding Way (or at least there was 15 years ago ) that has a bunch of select fire M16s in the basement. Swing by there & "borrow" one for your trip home. Either that or a Bradley will probably, probably mind you, get the young fluff home safely. Not that I would have any knowledge of any of this mind you .

PM me when you get a chance & we can try again.

Greg

 

[Glock_PhD]

As long as your being smart legaly and consumption wise carry. Just because you are being a college student and having a good time doesn't imply in any way you should give up your right to protect yourself. Carry!

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'm several decades too old to hang out at college parties. That saidâ„¢, if I'm beyond the front door, I'm carrying: my life is worth defending wherever I am.

 

[El Tejon]

Carried during university, never had a problem. Was spotted only once at a grocery store sophomore year by my sifu (cheap IWB and belt under my blue jean "hood" jacket, learned lesson). Even when we had parties at members of my martial arts clubs or the rifle & pistol team, no problems.

Of course, it was Indiana, so most everyone at the party was responsible and armed (and used to drinking heavily).

Hey, Black, she touched you. Take it for an old bull, that's a good sign, young man. Usually it's just the arm. Did she laugh at your jokes and look at you as you talked?

 

[Black92LX]

Hey, Black, she touched you. Take it for an old bull, that's a good sign, young man. Usually it's just the arm. Did she laugh at your jokes and look at you as you talked?

Yeah she sure did. and after awhile was all about holding my hand. (quite a few folks mentioned some things today) though that situation was really hard for me considering it has been less than a week since my girlfriend of 4 years and i decided to go our seprate ways.

and greg you've got a PM

 

[Samurai Penguin]

The problem here is not fights at the parties. i have yet too see one! In three years. the problem is the neighborhood that i walk the ladies home in and most of the perps are that gangsta sort. And have been armed in the past!

'Kay, granted. You did say "when the CCW passes," though, so I was under the impression it hadn't gone through the final tweaking yet. My bad on that score.

Thing is, the walk home might be the most dangerous part. Good on ya for realizing that and being concerned. The point I was trying to make, however, is that sometimes life doesn't turn out quite how you might expect. What if you find yourself in a situation where it isn't the gangstas confronting you, but a bunch of drunken jocks?

All too often, there's a certain population of college students--particularly athletes, though not exclusively--who've grown up shielded by their parents' money and been brought up thinking that the sun shines out their nether orifice, and that anything they do is going to bring them no or negligible consequences. They can be even more dangerous, since a gangsta usually knows what a gun can do, while Mr. Young-Spoiled-&-Stupid just can't believe you'd actually hurt him. (Let's just say I've seen that mentality at work and leave it at that...I ain't admittin' to nothing! )

It's fine to recognize an obvious threat, and be prepared to meet that threat. But focusing on that one set of circumstances to the exclusion of all else can't be good. If you've ascertained that you can carry where you need to without going to the pokey, then cool, strap it on. I'm just hoping you think about different possible scenarios and the fact that justice ain't necessarily blind when it comes to certain classes of people.

Just My Opinion, No Warranty Expressed Or Implied, Effects In Other Universes Unknown, Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Ball, Void Where Prohibited, Not Available In Certain Areas, I Am Not A Lawyer, All Resemblance To Any Actual Opinions--Right Or Wrong--Is Purely Coincidental, I Had Nothing To Do With It.

 

[SapperLeader]

Im a college student, and my personal policy is that as long as your not drinking, doing drugs, or violating a state law, go ahead and carry. Since I dont drink or do drugs, and its ok with my state law ecept at uva, I carry. Im usually not too worried about the actual event, but its usually a 15 minute walk to my truck in the dark, and then 45 minutes home driving. Thats a long ways where something bad could happen, and ive avoided two potential muggings at my school already. As for the girl feeling you up for a gun, good luck with that, and i hope the range date develops into a date of a different sort .

 

[Black92LX]

What if you find yourself in a situation where it isn't the gangstas confronting you, but a bunch of drunken jocks?

That's the nice thing we have none. We don't have a footbal team, and i work the basketball team (biggest sport here). by the way we just sent The University of Cincinnati and Coach Thuggins home with their tales between their legs!
So that is really not a problem. I know it sounds crazy but the students here are all actually really good drunks. It's by no means the run of the mill state university. being one that transfered in. it is very calm here in comparison

 

[ny32182]

As long as your carrying legally and not drinking or using drugs, what trouble are you asking for?

I explained this in my first post. When you go to a college party, you are willfully entering an unstable situation. Its your decision as to weather you want to do that or not. If you use your firearm in said situation, "justified" or not, you WILL be burned in court, and you WILL go to jail. Period. And I can't say I'd have much sympathy. Drunken parties and loaded firearms don't mix. I don't know how much more obvious that could be.

If its not safe to carry at a college party, then its not safe to be there in the first place.

Agreed. A college party is not "safe", ever. Accept this fact, and make your decision with that in mind. Twice in three and a half years, I've found myself driving a buddy to Oconee Memorial Hospital at 5am with folding knife lacerations requiring stitches. If the same thing had occured as a mugging on the street instead, would my buddies or myself have been justified in pulling a sidearm and killing the other guys on the spot? Maybe. If any of us had pulled firearms, resulting in dead frat boys in said incidents (at drunken college parties), I wouldn't be typing messages on THR right now, I'd be doing time... because there is no way to convince anybody, especially an entire jury, that you were justified in killing someone over a scrap at a sorority party.

As well it should. Unless it was justified, and if it was, would you prefer the shootee be unarmed? Is it better to be dead? Thats a pretty illogical statement right there. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

I have no idea what it is that you are talking about here.

Now I realize that Black92LX is talking about the walk to and from the party. If his party is ONLY with a group of people that he entirely trusts, and he will not be drinking any signifigant amount, go for it. Otherwise, I'd highly recommend that he drives that Mustang of his to and from the party rather than walking, and leaves the gun in the car. JMO. Obviously, YMMV.