Armed Campuses!

1. These are four of the greatest states in this country, and hopefully Florida and Arizona will follow their lead. The more guns in the hands of law abiding citizens, the better for us all.

2. It’s not that campuses themselves are especially dangerous, but people are disarmed AROUND campus. Just outside campuses, there are always well known hot zones of violent criminal activity. If you can’t carry at school, then you can’t carry when you walk from the shuttle stop to your apartment.

3. The Texas legislature is now considering two “campus carry” bills (SB 1164 & HB 1893) that would allow CHL holders to carry their “concealed” firearm on college campuses throughout the state. Since you have to be at least 21 years of age to obtain a Texas CHL, these bills are “aimed” (no pun intended) at college seniors and staff only.

   The rationale behind these bills is simple. The current law does not allow firearms on campus for anyone and this conflicts with our CHL laws and our laws which allow citizens to have firearms in their vehicles. This means that college students and staff effectively give up their right to self protection when they step foot on a college campus.

   As a father of four daughters with two in college here in Texas, I was very concerned about this “bubble of insecurity” on our college campuses. If you look at the violent crime statistics here in Houston you will find that the area of town in which the University of Houston campus sits has a significantly higher rate than other areas of the city. After looking at these statistics I was very grateful that my daughters decided to attend college elsewhere, even though U of H is a fine school.

   A few weeks ago an “alleged” Saudi terrorist was arrested in Lubbock, Texas not more than a few miles from where my daughter lives on campus at Texas Tech. Lubbock is in the Texas panhandle about as far away from a major metropolitan area as you can get in Texas and is generally considered to be a very safe place to live, work and attend college. Learning that an “alleged” terrorist was attempting to build bombs not more than a few miles from where my daughter lives, scared the daylights out of me. Knowing that those 50, 000 students and faculty had no means of self defense while on campus made me feel both angry and frustrated.

   So to answer your question simply; YES!

   If Texas does not for some strange reason pass our “campus carry” law I would look for a school somewhere that does allow CHL holders to carry their firearms while on campus. College is important but the right of self protection is more important. I can also tell you this; none of my daughters will be attending the University of Houston until the violent criminals understand that college campuses are no longer “target rich environments”.

4. Here in Oklahoma, I can’t legally carry on the campus of the school I’m attending, which of course is frustrating because state law says you can keep a firearm locked in your car in any parking lot, but the law is vague about whether you can keep a firearm locked in your car (while unattended) when the parking lot is part of a school campus. Once again, the law abiding citizen (me) will grudgingly respect the policies of the school and the law of the state, while the “active-shooter” (if there ever is one) will not. Being at a disadvantage is beyond irritating. Unfortunately I am not attending a school in Utah or Colorado, as they are more deserving of my tuition for the simple fact that they acknowledge the 2nd Amendment.

5. It is incumbent upon those carrying on the few campuses where it is allowed to behave impeccably, as any “incident” will be scrutinized to death. Certainly a self-imposed zero-tolerance policy for alcohol for anybody carrying is a no-brainer. Wanna go have a few with your buds, you gotta lock the heat away. One drunk frat boy brandishing his piece, so to speak, and it’s over. I think through the power of a good example, this trend will spread. There’s certainly a movement for it here in Oregon, though I don’t know that it will come to much.

   • Impeccably, no. Responsibly, yes. Booze and guns do not mix any more than booze and cars, whether for frat boys or superannuated bastards like me. But those who carry cannot and should not be held to a higher standard than those who do not. There’s no special price that needs to be paid in order to exercise a constitutional right.

     • Maybe “impeccably” is asking too much, but I’m addressing the political reality. On principal, I agree with you, but people who carry will be held to a higher standard by the press and society at large. So to those of you who carry (and I may yet join your ranks), I ask that you hold yourselves to a higher standard. If we don’t want the government to regulate us, we’d be wise to regulate ourselves. And having spent a year of my own life being 19, I think an abundance of caution and discretion is wise for any college kid planning to carry on campus.

       • I understand. BTW, I spent about ten years of my life being 19, and the rest I wasted.

         • Yep!

       • Just to be clear, 19 year old with a firearm will still be in violation since CHL holders must be 21 (excluding military exception).

         Drug and alcohol use are not an issue with either of the CHL bills HB750 or SB354, since druken beer and drug parties are not taking place in class (unless there is something I’m not aware of) this is not a valid argument.

         CHL holders are already allowed to carry at frat parties off campus, so this is a non-issue.

   • I agree – some dumbass drunk frat boy in Florida caused an ND with his rife which killed a girl who was partying with him. This lone incident DERAILED the campus carry portion of the Florida open carry bill. That portion of the bill was doing so well with SCCC getting support and then this happens.

     Whatever I’d say to that wanker if I met him in person probably wouldn’t even make it through the flame filter here.

     Ralph at least he’s no Magoo with what, “irresponsible items and such.” He makes a good point.

6. One unanswered question in Texas about the campus carry bill is whether or not peace officers, other than campus police, can carry on campus.

   I am both a long time deputy sheriff, and a paid college faculty member. I work with two other long-time deputy sheriffs who are also full time college faculty. All three of us have current peace officer licenses and commissions, and still work with the sheriff’s department, but have been explicitly told that while it is not illegal for us to carry on campus, college POLICY prohibits us from carrying on campus, or even having our otherwise legal weapons locked in our cars on campus! The policy dictates that there is a zero tolerance, and we are subject to immediate dismissal for having weapons on campus.

   The proposed campus carry law in Texas applies to CHL holders; we are concerned that our campus administration will still prohibit us, as peace officers, from carrying on campus, even if the bill passes. For that reason, all three of us are starting the CHL process.

   We ran into one minor (silly) issue applying for a CHL. There is a “quicky” $25 CHL for paid peace officers, but since our salaries are now paid by the college and not the sheriff, despite the three of us having a combined 85 years with the sheriff’s department and having current commissions, we have to pay the full fee ($140), and attend the CHL training classes. We really do not mind, as all three of us are former firearms instructors, and still have to qualify (firearms) as deputies several times a year.

   The joys of bureaucracy.

   • As much as I bash on cops (collectively, not individually, and mostly at the Federal level, I know at least one excellent cop, but I have problems with authority), if anybody should be carrying on campus, it’s you. I’m sure you won’t abuse that trust.

   • I wasn’t aware that SB1164 and HB1893 would not apply to off-duty LEOs and will check with the Attorney Generals office and Senator Patrick early next week. However, I believe the other two bills (employee parking lot protection) currently under consideration (SB321 & HB681 – both of which recently passed out of committee this week) would prevent your employer from banning your firearms locked in your vehicle.

     As for your CHL license costs, if these four bills are passed into law this September and you still are unable to carry concealed “because” you are a LEO then I will personally write a check to your CHL instructor to cover the class for the three of you. That is how important this issue is to a father of four daughters here in Texas. You can contact me via my blog.

     Thank you for your continued service!

     Jeff Lynch
     Sugar Land, Texas

     • Way to put your money where your mouth is, Jeff! I really appreciate that. Seems like the law should apply to LEOs, but I have no idea.

       As for having your weapon locked in your car, seems nearly useless, and increases the danger of theft. I don’t carry (yet), but I would not be comfortable with a gun locked in my car, if I could help it. You gotta have it with you.

       And four daughters! That’s a pack. I’ve got two sons and a daughter.

       I grew up in Houston. Sugar Land was strictly for duck/goose hunting.

     • Thank you for the offer Jeff. It is most kind of you. It is not the money ( as we 3 can easily afford it) or the time, but the principle of it. The sheriff’s department offers CHL classes after hours in its classroom and range (off campus) and we can take the class and qualify for free; we still have to pay for the license. Other deputies with the same commission and license who teach CJ classes on campus or in the academy, but paid by the sheriff, can carry on campus. The fire marshals who teach in the fire academy can carry because they are paid by their respective departments. Since we are paid by the college, we must abide by its rules and policies while on the payroll.

       Our hope is that college administration adopts a more “reasonable” (I almost said liberal) policy on those of us that are commissioned and licensed peace officers carrying on campus.

       • As a TX Peace officer, you are not restricted anywhere including college campuses.

         Whether or not the college wants to let you go because they are nitwits or not, I think I would use my better judgment and keep it with me anyway.

         Of course it’s just me, but I would approach the campus police (if there is a department for your institution) and get express written consent from that chief and then put that in your back pocket for future use if it becomes an issue.

         Otherwise, were it me and I was let go, I’d find a good attorney and make on e heck of a stink.

         Anyone that says an officer (retired or not) cannot carry is mentally challenged to say the least.

         BTW, the current bills in TX Leg are HB 750 and SB354. I testified in support of both.

7. No one should be restricted as far as the place to carry. Some schools even have the terrible law of banning people from wearing body armor for self defense.

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