Lies and corrections about HB2439, Petty Offense (AZ gun law improvement bill)

Howard Fischer's latest screed against self-defense. I've posted the article in the Star, plus my comment.

Senators favor concealed guns on college campuses By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services Tucson, Arizona | Published: 06.28.2009 PHOENIX — State senators voted Friday to let people with concealed-weapons permits carry guns onto college and university campuses. Supporters said the move would make campuses safer. The 15-6 vote on the provision in HB 2439 came after backers said they believe that having people who are licensed by the state to have weapons should cut down on the number of massacres that occur on campuses. And Sen. John Huppenthal, R-Chandler, said that has happened in Arizona. He did not refer by name to the 2002 incident at the University of Arizona, where three instructors at the College of Nursing were slain by student Robert S. Flores Jr., who then turned the gun on himself. But Huppenthal said the evidence shows that it makes sense, from a safety standpoint, to let people carry guns.

"The states that have concealed-carry (laws) have statistically significant smaller mass shootings," he said. Huppenthal said he would not support guns on public-school campuses, saying Arizona has no history of massacres on those campuses. "The situation is different in our universities," he said. "We've had a mass shooting in our universities," Huppenthal continued. "We sort of have a track record of not being safe in our universities." University of Arizona lobbyist Greg Fahey said his school opposes allowing anyone to have guns on campus. And Fahey said he's not convinced that rule should be waived for those with permits to carry concealed weapons, even though they have undergone background checks and training in state laws, and have been shown to be proficient in the use of the gun.

"Our chief of police and the police of all three universities have consistently said that their experience is that having people with guns is just more of an invitation to have accidents, to have problems," Fahey said. "And they don't want anyone who's not a sworn officer being armed on campus."

The bill, which includes provisions to allow permit holders to carry in other public places and events, awaits a final Senate vote. In separate action Friday, the House voted to restrict the ability of businesses to ban employees from bringing guns into company parking lots.

The original legislation would have barred any limits as long as the worker left the weapon locked out of sight in the vehicle. That brought protests from business owners who said it interfered with their property rights.

As finally approved, SB 1168 allows gun bans to remain, but only if the parking lot or garage is fenced, has limited access and the company provides "temporary and secure" storage for workers' guns. Companies also could keep guns out of their parking lots if they provided free parking adjacent to the regular lot. The measure needs final Senate approval before going to the governor.

Mr. Fischer's article is a LIE, there is no bill being considered in the Legislature that would allow weapons in universities and college campuses. Current law (ARS13-3102) does not prohibit people from bringing guns onto campus, however, ARS 13-2911, specifically authorizes colleges and univisities to set rules prohibiting weapons on casmpus, which they have done, and it's under this statute, 13-2911, by which they enforce it.

HB2439 in no way, shape or form would override ARS13-2911 and permit ANYONE to bring a weapon onto a college or university campus. The fact is, Howard is making assumptions based on misinformation given him by that lobbyist and others, and of course, Howard's own propensity to spin the law to suit his personal bias towards self-defense.

HB2439 reduces the penalty for carrying a concealed weapon to a petty offense, UNLESS it's in the commission, or attempted commission of a serious or violent crime - upon which the penalty goes from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 FELONY.

The Senate engrossed bill would also permit concealed weapons permit holders to enter NON-SECURE public buildings (those that employ minimal to no security measures to disarm criminals), unless that building has certain security measures at hand.

The fact is that HB2439 is being portrayed as a "guns in schools" bill solely in an attempt to kill it, because the anti self-defense crowd has been unable to kill the bill any other way.

When the going gets tough, they stoop to any deception or outright lies to promote their agenda, and in collusion with certain chiefs of police, the left-wing Attorney General and others who would rather punish all Arizona citizens than just the criminal element.

Don't buy into it, the bill does more to punish misbehavior than ANY bill in recent memory.

__________________________________ John C. Wentling Vice President Arizona Citizens Defense League P.O. Box 10325 Glendale, AZ 85318

The irony of all of this is that students on the Arizona university campuses have been armed to the teeth since forever, probably a lot more, per capita, than the public at large, who wear guns as often as they wear underwear. (Well, it does get hot out.)

I once heard two female students some years ago, when one was rooting through her purse, and the other glanced over, saw something, and said, “What’s that?”

The girl with the purse replied, “That’s my gun.”

The other girl said, “No, I mean that,” she said, pointing to another object. “Is that a BlackBerry?”

"Our chief of police and the police of all three universities have consistently said that their experience is that having people with guns is just more of an invitation to have accidents, to have problems," Fahey said. "And they don't want anyone who's not a sworn officer being armed on campus."

Okay 'Chiefs', answer this:

I took a look at the 'Campus' map of the University of Arizona. And as I suspected, inside of the 'campus borders', there are numerous buildings that ARE NOT part of or owned by the University (personal residences, shaded gray).
So are you saying these Citizens cannot own and or posses a firearm in their house? It seems you are and that also seems to be a tad UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
And then we have University Buildings that are OUTSIDE the 'Campus Borders' and which are surrounded by personal residences (shaed gray). Are these people also to go unarmed just because the Univ built an Academic Building in the middle of THEIR neighborhood?

So IMO this whole 'Gun Free College Campus' idea is absurd and unenforceable. College Campuses are not walled off like some Medieval Castle with 30 Ft high Walls with manned gates to enter and exit from. I had this epiphany when our youngest daughter graduated from ISU (IL State Univ) and we went on a drive around the 'campus'. All of a sudden I realized,

"Hey, hold on, where does the 'campus' begin or end. There's all these non Univ residences right in the middle of 'the campus'."

And I know of at least three other Universities in IL that are the same (I assume most are). The 'campus' is an imaginary border drawn on some map. It's really meaningless. Calling them 'Gun Free' is a joke. And making them that is a BAD Joke.

the ONLY exception is 'The Quad'. There you know you are on 'the campus'.

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