Time for a change?

Criminals are opportunistic. They prefer to hunt victims they believe can’t fight back. They’ll watch out for police officers and security guards. They’ll size up bystanders and check for security cameras.

Society does a good job of counting the number of crimes they commit. But those are easier numbers to get than the number of crimes that didn’t happen because a criminal worried that a potential victim was armed and dangerous - to the criminal.

The April 16 massacre of 32 Virginia Tech students and teachers has renewed the debate over weapons on campus. Virginia law allows colleges to prohibit students, teachers and employees from carrying concealed weapons, but the prohibition doesn’t extend to campus visitors.

The larger issue of group versus individual safety is clouded by another fact about criminals: They don’t obey the law. Virginia Tech murderer Seung-Hui Cho wasn’t supposed to have a gun on campus, let alone two.

At George Mason University in Northern Virginia, a student group has formed with the goal of allowing students to carry concealed weapons - one of more than 50 groups to spring up around the country.

“This policy does not take into account that the vast majority of concealed handgun permit holders are law abiding citizens; all have been scrutinized by extensive background checks and taken courses in handgun safety,” Andrew Dysart, the current president of GMU-SCC, said in a news release.

Since a person has to be 21 years old to get a concealed handgun permit in Virginia, the movement won’t be putting weapons into the hands of freshmen and sophomores.

To some people, the idea that a person with a gun can stop a crime sounds like something out of the Old West. But while deterrence is hard to measure, the number of times that citizens have used weapons to stop criminals isn’t.

This issue isn’t going away, because no one wants a repeat of the Virginia Tech massacre - including members of the General Assembly. While it’s true that firearms restrictions can create safer kill zones for people like Cho, it’s equally true that the widespread availability of firearms also leads to more guns being stolen, fired accidentally and used in suicides and homicides.

If nothing else, the current law has a contradiction that should be addressed - one way or the other. The General Assembly should question why Virginia’s college students and professors can’t carry concealed weapons for protection but campus visitors can.

LET THOSE FACES IN THAT LAST PHOTO -- ESPECIALLY THE BEAUTIFUL ONE FRONT ROW LEFT -- HAUNT YOU AS THEY DO ME AND IMAGINE YOUR CHILDREN IN THAT SITUATION!

CAMP GUNFREE!

A common sense and historically proven way to keep those dangerous and destructive GUNS out of YOUR life. MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE NOW!

Details below.

Concerned about the easy availability of guns in our society?

Are you as alarmed as the United Nations and some within our own government about the "gun nuts" and other freedom wackos allowed to run loose?

Wish the government would just repeal the Second Amendment and confiscate all the guns because you believe sensible people shouldn't suffer because of some idiotic notion about some antiquated “right?”

While we can't take the guns away from the people, we CAN take the people (or at least SOME of them) away from their guns.

Nazi Germany Weapons Law (1938) §1: "Jews are prohibited from acquiring, possessing, and carrying firearms and ammunition, as well as truncheons or stabbing weapons. Those now possessing weapons and ammunition are at once to turn them over to the local police authority."

At CAMP GUNFREE, we have created an atmosphere of near-total tranquility where you and your family will experience the benefits of a GUN FREE environment.

The unique main gate at Camp GunFree.

The sign over the beautiful wrought iron gate declares: “NO FIREARMS ALLOWED!” Most arriving camp guests never see this view from their comfortable rail cars.

Each of our camps is a gated community designed to keep guns away from camp guests. Firmly enforced security measures ensure that these dangerous and destructive devices are kept outside. Each camp boasts 24 hour, 7 day a week sentries and state-of-the-art enclosure systems, guard dogs, trenches and surveillance equipment to absolutely GUARANTEE that no firearms enter the facility. Rigidly controlled access ensures that no guns will ever be smuggled in.

No cost has been spared to ensure that Camp GunFree remains gun free.

All camp members are given distinctive uniforms to distinguish them from any gun-toting barbarians who might attempt to evade our security measures. Each camp member is also assigned a distinctive ID number to ensure that only the right people are allowed within the camp.

Camp Director, Oberstfurher Koch, and his crack staff are here to see to your COMPLETE safety from dangerous firearms.

Spacious and comfortable sleeping accommodations are a hallmark of Camp GunFree. Room and board are provided to each member in exchange for rewarding tasks designed to provide a sense of accomplishment and to demonstrate that large numbers of people CAN exist – even if for a short time -- in a gun violence free community.

Camp members engaged in one of our many fun-filled organized play activities.

Current headlines prompt us to remind you that there has NEVER been a shooting by a student in any of the camp schools and we can GUARANTEE that there never will be!!

For more information, call 1-800-GUNFREE OR visit our new website at http://www.privategunsareabadthingandwe'llseethatyouare”safe”.batf.gov

(This idea from a pamphlet originally created by The Minnesota Center for Individual Liberty, PO Box 32170, Minneapolis, MN 55432-0170)

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