Issue date: 11/14/07 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Kevin Fiscus Mikhail Chernyavsky [Click to enlarge]

A college student walks on to campus with a handgun holstered to his side. It is in plain sight and everyone who comes across the student can easily notice the firearm. The thing is, no one is saying or doing anything about it. As a campus police officer walks by the student, he pays no attention to the gun and simply gives a greeting smile and nod as he continues on his way.

On the week of Oct. 24, students on college campuses across the nation participated in a protest against gun restrictions on campuses by wearing empty gun holsters.

The protest was in response to the Virginia Tech University shooting on April 16, in which, Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people before he committed suicide.

The protest was the work of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC).

"SCCC contends it is now abundantly clear that 'gun free zones' serve to disarm only those law abiding citizens who might be able to mitigate such tragedies," the SCCC official website stated.

Barney punching a baby makes more sense than this argument. Gun free zones do not serve just to disarm law-abiding citizens, but everyone that steps within that zone. This includes that creepy guy in your class.

Every time there is a tragedy such as a school shooting, or a bombing of some sort, there is always a group of people who say things like "he was so nice," or "he would be the last person to suspect."

This is why it is necessary to have gun free zones; because the last person you would ever suspect will not have the opportunity to carry a gun onto campus.

Imagine if every single person was carrying a gun. How high would the tension be? Would you not be afraid to get into an argument with some?

There have been times in the heat of the moment when totting a gun seems appealing. In that split second of time where emotion takes over and logic takes a step back, something would go wrong.

How often have you just wanted to "pop a cap" into someone over a heated debate? All this just to prove your point and say, "who's laughing now?" How many teachers would end up in the emergency room because an overly ambitious student got his or her first "B?"

In a Fox News article, Seattle Pacific University graduate student Ethan Bratt said, "People who would otherwise be able to defend themselves are left defenseless when on campus."

Gun ownership will not stop school violence. On Wednesday, Finland had its first reported school shooting. This is a country where owning a firearm is quite standard.

We have protection on our campus. We don't need to carry guns. If everyone on campus had a handgun, then the shooter would just bring an automatic.

Before you would be able to pull your gun out, there would be several bullets in you. How can you defend yourself if you're already down?

If you truly fear a shooter is going to come on your campus one day, then I suggest you go to a new school or wear a bulletproof vest.

Mikhail Chernyavsky can be reached at mchernyavsky@statehornet.com.

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