Woman concealed carry gun in purse
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Students at colleges in two southern states—West Virginia and Tennessee—will be a little better protected now, thanks to their state legislatures passing laws to increase self-defense options.

In West Virginia, Senate Bill 10, called the “West Virginia Campus Self-Defense Act,” was passed by the legislature and signed into law by Republican Gov. Jim Justice back in 2023. That law just took effect on July 1.

Under the new law, law-abiding carry permit holders can carry on the campus of a state institution of higher education. Current state law does not prohibit carrying of a defensive firearm on campus, but institution policy may lead to expulsion or termination of employment.

As pro-gun legislators explained during debate on the measure, adults who are officially licensed to carry a firearm for self-defense should not be prevented from doing so just because they seek higher education.

At the time the measure was signed, NRA West Virginia State Director Art Thomm said: “The Campus Self-Defense Act recognizes the fact that danger doesn’t disappear just because you’ve stepped onto campus grounds. Now, those who choose to exercise the right will have the ability to protect themselves, their classmates and their loved ones should they need.”

At the signing, Gov. Justice said the law would make West Virginians—and the Second Amendment—safer.

“I’m proud to sign the Campus Self-Defense Act which will strengthen Second Amendment protections in West Virginia,” Gov. Justice said. “West Virginia now joins 11 other U.S. states, including Texas and Utah, that have had this legislation for years. I’ve always said I will do everything I can to protect West Virginia’s Second Amendment rights, and with this law, West Virginia will continue to be a national leader.

Meanwhile in Tennessee, a new law signed recently by Republican Gov. Bill Lee bars colleges, universities and other schools from banning non-lethal weapons like pepper spray and stun guns.

The legislation was titled the “Laken Riley Act of 2024” to honor its namesake, a nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing in Athens, Georgia, who was found dead after going for a run. It was later discovered that her murderer was an illegal alien, who had been previously cited for theft and shoplifting but was released.

State Sen. Richard Briggs, a supporter of the measure in the state Senate, said the move was a “common-sense response” as some campuses can be dangerous.

″We even had a very close friend of ours when she was a student at UT was assaulted,” Briggs told wvlt.tv. “She was able to get away because she was very athletic. We have had conversations about that for many years about whether this would be appropriate or not and I think we finally did the right thing.”

Like the West Virginia law, the new law in Tennessee also took effect on July 1.

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31 COMMENTS

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  4. A less than lethal weapon is better than not having a 22lr handgun. And yet the liberals don’t want the law abiding to have even pepper spray.

    It’s a step in the right direction for Tennessee. But I’ve seen far too socialist progressive types moving here, over the past 30 years.

    The last three nashville mayor’s where all born and raised out of state. From Massachusetts and liberal Colorado.

    They finally passed a law that said you can’t run for public office. Unless you have been a tennessee resident for at least two years.

  5. Just a small note. WV is not a Southern state. The counties that now compromise WV chose to remain with the union when Virginia seceded.

    • Found this excerpt in West Virginia archives (up until that point W.V. was part of Virginia):
      The West Virginia Constitution was approved by delegates on February 18, 1862. In May 1862, Senator Waitman T. Willey (Unionist-VA) submitted a bill, S. 365, to Congress for the admission of West Virginia to the Union. He then proposed an amendment to the bill calling for West Virginia to amend their constitution to include the gradual emancipation of slaves in the state. On July 14, the Senate approved West Virginia’s admission to the Union, with statehood conditioned on its approval of the Willey Amendment. The House approved the bill in December. Lincoln signed the bill admitting West Virginia to the Union, on December 31. On March 26, 1863, West Virginia ratified the revised constitution to include the gradual emancipation of slaves. President Lincoln proclaimed that West Virginia would officially be recognized as a state on June 20, 1863.

  6. Here in Tennessee, the final decision to allow teachers/staff to carry is up to the school districts and so far, I haven’t heard of any approving. Most are saying no b/c there is a RO on campus…

    They just don’t get when seconds count, ROs are only minutes away

    And for all the antis… we are not asking for teachers/staff to become security officers, their primary job is to teach, we want them to carry to protect themselves and others IF it’s necessary, no different than why I carry.

  7. If having your children helpless and vulnerable makes you feel secure and safe, you might be a liberal…

  8. I suppose if the teachers can be armed so should the students.
    I wouldn’t want my kids getting shot for lack of shooting back.

    • Possum, when I was in high school the students were armed. Guess how many school shootings we had.

      • In 1970 my principal took me into his office to show me his twin Colt cowboy rig.
        He said he was a fast draw.
        “Put your hands in front of you and clap, anytime your ready.”
        I did and he had the barrel stuck between my hands and clicked the hammer.
        That was fast.
        My parents and us went to church every
        Sunday, we ate at the kitchen table not in front of the TV. One phone in the house. Was taught to respect your elders,open doors for ladies. Never said No to a parental request unless you wanted spanked. In bed at 21:00 up at 06:00.
        What was and what is are now two different things.
        🌈🦄🧚‍♂️’s.

        • No shit… I’ll bet your dad (whom you actually knew and was part of your “nuclear family”) went off to a regular job every workday, came home to a clean house, clean clothes, dinner on the table to eat with the family present and actually conversed. Your homework and chores were expected to be done and backtalk wasn’t tolerated.
          Contrast that to today – I’m glad that I’m old enough to have grown up in this country before it became the suck-hole that it is at present.

          • My dad said he smarted off to his mom one night at the dinner table. He told me grandaddy dropped his fork and backslapped him out of his chair before grandaddy’s fork hit the table. Said that was the last time he back talked his mom.

            • That’s child abuse now.
              The state should have taken the children into custody to protect them. ,,,,, Right

              • When I got in to trouble at school the principal would beat my ass with the “Board of Education”. Then when I got home my dad would ask our next door neighbor how was Jackie at school today? Being the principal’s secretary she would say…well Jackie was in the office today for such and such. I had it coming and going.

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      It’s not rambling, he just knows his Americans voters smart enough to read between the lines.

  10. Hah, hah.
    My son just came up with a good one.
    “What’s the ATF anyway? American Threat of Firearms.”

  12. CAN YOU DEFEND YOURSELF IF ATTACKED???
    As Lord Acton pointed out in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” Hence you invite predation when you cede power. My research (I’m a Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science) confirmed that he was correct. Ask yourself – would YOU do something that hurts or endangers YOU??? When people can’t defend themselves, they invite attacks.  

  13. Hopefully the knowledge of armed students on campus, will frighten away the liberal college staff members. They can all move to New England or California.

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