Posted on 03/06/2011 4:10:08 AM PST by marktwain
Let me first state, in no uncertain terms, that I love guns. I think guns are awesome. I own them, I use them, I like them. I think that the Second Amendment is great and I believe that you have the right to own a gun. Guns are cool. Go guns.
That said, I hope that I never have to see a gun used at Purdue. There is no place for concealed weapons on a college campus.
OK, let's back pedal. There has been a lot of talk and controversy about a piece of legislation going on in Texas which would prohibit college campuses from banning guns. Similar bills have been introduced and shot down in 23 states since 2007 (see what I did there?). Texas gets a bad rap for being a state of backwards, intolerant gun-nut cowboys, and not every bit of that is undeserved, but even the Lone Star State should "steer" away from this bill (stay with me, folks.)
I believe that everyone has the right to protect themselves in any way necessary, but mixing college and guns would bring nothing but trouble and tragedy.
The main argument made by people who support the right to carry guns on campus is in regards to school shootings. If some psycho wants to go on a shooting spree, they may think twice about it if they know that their victims can start shooting back. Maybe the tragedies at Columbine, Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois could have been diminished or avoided if the students and teachers were all packing heat. I myself have often thought "Man, if I were there, and I had a gun, maybe I could have stopped that bastard." Everyone wants to be a hero, and everyone wants to see bad people punished for doing bad things, but all the hindsight and good intentions in the world can't prepare you for what another person might do with a gun.
A college campus is just no place for guns. There is too much stress, alcohol, hormonal imbalance and general insanity. There's a saying that "guns don't kill people; people kill people," and that's absolutely true. Do you know what there are a lot of around campus? People. People who could kill other people a lot easier if they have guns.
Two shootings have occurred while I've been at Purdue. The first one happened when some guys jokingly pointed a loaded gun at a friend, and it went off accidentally. Another one happened when an argument outside a night club turned violent. Alcohol was involved both times. Would adding more guns into the mix have made these events turn out better?
Even if everyone carrying a gun goes through the background check, the three day waiting period, all the required paperwork, permits and training, something will eventually go south. The tension and paranoia would build and build until something or someone finally snapped.
Think for 15 seconds about all the people you've met and known on campus who you don't trust with a loaded weapon. Think about the drunken frat boy who wants to start a fight with anyone wearing red and white. Think about the friend in engineering who's having a nervous breakdown from three term papers, two senior design projects and a group presentation. Think about the girl crying and screaming about her boyfriend breaking up with her. Think about practically anyone else. Now put a gun in everyone's hands and think about how safe you feel.
OK, another scenario for you. Some psycho pulls a gun in the middle of a final exam and pops off a couple shots. Someone else goes to stop the guy from hurting anyone and takes him out. Another person turns to see the second guy gunning someone down, and pulls on him. The cops arrive on the scene and find five people pointing guns at each other. Who gets taken down? My guess is not just the original shooter.
Like I said, I think that you have the right to defend yourself in any situation that your life is threatened. I think that it's an incredible freedom that we have as Americans to own a gun. When the zombie apocalypse finally happens, I hope to hell that I can put some lead into some undead, and actually, I'm kind of looking forward to that day. However, until that day comes, keep the guns at home.
Tyler Figg is a senior in the College of Technology. He can be reached at opinions@purdueexponent.org.
357 SIG ....
I don’t have any actual stats, but I’d venture to suppose that alcohol has killed more college students on campus than firearms.
This sentence tells me all I need to know about how familiar Tyler is with guns. Me thinks he is full of BS.
That's what all these arguments against college kids carrying guns so they don't get massacred in class are all about -- what MIGHT happen.
This is known as a crock of SH!T and should be called exactly that.
I hope that I never have to see a gun used at Purdue.
Well, duh, dumbass (the author, not you, Mr. Twain) - we ALL hope we never see guns used at Purdue. Is ANYONE teaching critical thinking or writing in college any more?
OK, let's back pedal.
You'll be doing a lot of that if you ever stop and actually think about what you wrote instead of doing a cut and paste from the Brady Center website.
There has been a lot of talk and controversy about a piece of legislation going on in Texas which would prohibit college campuses from banning guns. Similar bills have been introduced and shot down in 23 states since 2007 (see what I did there?).
Note how the author very carefully does not mention what has happened in the states that have adopted the law. Wouldn't want empirical evidence (look it up, kid) interfering with my sweet little liberal world view.
I believe that everyone has the right to protect themselves in any way necessary, but mixing college and guns would bring nothing but trouble and tragedy.
Self evident internal contradictions in the logic of my writing are not going to stop me from making my point. See Hardastarboard's first critical point about this article above.
The main argument made by people who support the right to carry guns on campus is in regards to school shootings. < snip> Everyone wants to be a hero, and everyone wants to see bad people punished for doing bad things, but all the hindsight and good intentions in the world can't prepare you for what another person might do with a gun.
The author is right. Cops, SWAT teams, the FBI HRT, and American Special Forces should just quit bothering with that stupid training stuff, and with using and carrying guns. It doesn't work. You can never be prepared for bad guys with guns.
A college campus is just no place for guns. There is too much stress, alcohol, hormonal imbalance and general insanity.
Fortunately for all of us non-students, none of this stuff exists out here in the real world outside of college.
Two shootings have occurred while I've been at Purdue. The first one happened when some guys jokingly pointed a loaded gun at a friend, and it went off accidentally. Another one happened when an argument outside a night club turned violent. Alcohol was involved both times. Would adding more guns into the mix have made these events turn out better?
Let's turn that argument around, especially in the first example. Would adding more guns have made it WORSE?
Even if everyone carrying a gun goes through the background check, the three day waiting period, all the required paperwork, permits and training, something will eventually go south. The tension and paranoia would build and build until something or someone finally snapped.
Again, he's right. That's why we should disarm the police. They have even more stress and paranoia than the rest of us.
Do any of these publications have real editors any more?
Yes, and it was supposed to protect and defend our freedoms instead of taking them away. It was supposed to provide for the common defense instead of letting us be invaded lest we be accused of being racists.
The federal and state governments have failed at almost everything they were supposed to do, all the while taking freedoms away right and left and telling us all what we should eat and what kind of curly fry light bulbs and electric cars to buy.
I think the experiment in self-government in America is over. At least at the federal level. We will have to return to individual sovereign states before we can go forward again. And even to do that, individual states have to throw off the fedgov, something I don't think the little piggies have the collective will to do.
There's a prestigious university not far from my home, and they are most definitely going to class inebriated in substantial numbers. From my perspective, alcohol abuse in college is epidemic. So is mental illness, such as described in the commentary. So is liberalism with all its warts, entitlement, communism, Che-worship, thuggery, mooching, atheism, nihilism and poor hygiene. Nor is any of it confined to the students. There are professors out there so dumb, they literally cannot make change of a dollar.
As to gun rights, they WILL be abused if colleges permit carrying. Nevertheless, there's a constitutional right.
So if you are uncomfortable about these potential crazies packing heat while packing hormones, hooch, hash, and bad judgment...stay out of college. It's a waste of money in most cases anyway, and a leftist indoctrination camp as well.
(If you DO go, learn first aid, self-defense, logic, and a marketable skill first.)
They aren’t trying to protect us from anything. The purpose of gun control is to protect the government from US.
Thanks for the info. I have heard of the 357 Sig in passing, but my experience with it (and study thereof) is zero.
Good round....give it a try. I’m a 45 fan yet when HiCap is sought I carry the SIG caliber. Accurate an in gold dot hollow points 125gr it will punch car doors as well as the magnum variant out of a wheelgun.
Worth a peek if ya get a chance to try it.
Stay safe...
Thanks for taking the time. Remember, its for the Chil... er.. Lurkers!
I plan to. Right now I'm looking for a good SMALL handgun for CCW (the Taurus is "just too big"). Right now I'm leaning toward the Taurus .22 magnum eight-shot revolver, but I'm very much in the "info-gathering" stage.
Revolver or semi auto ?
SW mod 13. With three in tube an round butt is my favorite CHL revolver to carry. Also the Charter Arms 44 special Bulldog is a favorite as far as revolvers go.
Semi Autos I lean towards basic 1911A1 or SIG or Combat Tupperware aka the Glock... If .22 is your choice I would say find a old Beretta 70S at a gun show or pawn. I have carried that as a backup.
A recent purchase of a PM 30 from Kel Tec has been fun. Great shooter with a 30 round mag of .22 Magnum. Bought it to compare with my old Grendel version of such.
But for a wheel gun 22 rimfire take a look at the SW 317 with the three inch barrel. Great rig an accurate.
I totally agree (see my tag).By the way, thanks to you and yours for your military service. Go Navy!
Predator IV?
Once the article started with “Don’t get me wrong, I love guns”, I already knew where this nonsense was heading..
LOL that is true. Once the article started with “I love guns BUT..”, I already knew this guy who has the liberal pansy look ain’t no gun guru. Maybe Nerf guns..
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