Students React to La SB303

For those of you who do not know, Louisiana's Senate Bill 303 is Constitutional Amendment bill that will provide the residents of the Pelican State with the strongest Constitutional protections for keeping and bearing arms (and purchasing, carrying, transporting, using and all things firearms related). Supporters of the change say YEA! while opponents say Whoa, wait a minute. Opponents are concerned that the Constitutional change will allow for the carrying of firearms in, among other places, schools of higher education. I have a post about the change here.



LSU Reveille has a write-up about the reactions and, of course, I'll be reacting to those reactions with my reactions below. Got that? (you can go to the link and participate in the poll)

Though opposition in the Senate has been thin (36-6), the bill raised concern among Louisiana officials, including those close to the University.

The Board of Regents testified to the Senate judiciary committee expressing its concern for college campuses.

Chancellor Michael Martin has expressed similar sentiments.
“We should all be seriously concerned about the prospect of having guns on campus, in classrooms, in Tiger Stadium or the Lab School,” Martin said.

My response after the jump, go ahead and do it, you know you want to.




Yes, Chancellor, you should be concerned about all manner of weapons on campus, classrooms, labs and stadiums. However, regardless of whatever laws that are passed, criminals will not obey gun free zones, do not rape laws, do not kill laws or any other law the criminal wishes to violate. Why on Earth, Chancellor, would you want the potential victims of these criminals to be vulnerable and without means to protect themselves?

Student Government President Cody Wells has expressed his support for guns on campus but not in classrooms. He could not be reached for comment on the bill as of press time.

That's a good start Mr. President, but how would a firearm in the dorms or parking lot help the students or faculty protect themselves from the Chos of the world?

Students had mixed reactions to the bill and the possibility of guns at the University.

“We definitely shouldn’t have guns on campus,” said Craig May, political science senior.

May said guns on campus could potentially make the University less safe because unstable people could carry guns. He said he could imagine a stressed out student during finals week having a breakdown and possibly opening fire.

Mr. May, what would stop a potential spree killer from bringing a firearm onto campus now, into the classrooms and start shooting? The no guns sign? That hasn't stopped a spree killer yet.

“It could allow crazy people to carry guns,” said Ashley Heard, criminology senior. “People would have free range on campus.”

The same question goes to you as well, Ms. Heard. Is there anything in place that would prevent a crazy person from having free range on campus?

But English junior Peyton Adkins said he thinks the potential law would not change anything because the requirement of a permit to carry a weapon makes him feel more secure in who is carrying guns on campus.

Finally, we have a sensible young man.

Philosophy junior Joseph Antoon agreed, saying a trained soldier with a gun in class would make him feel safer, but he said he also sees the dangers in allowing guns on campus.
“I worry about accidental discharges or an accident where someone could get shot,” Antoon said.

Mr. Antoon, perhaps LSU should embrace this change and offer safety classes. The easiest way to avoid an accidental discharge is safety training and KEEPING YOUR BOOGER HOOKER OFF THE BANG SWITCH. If students and faculty are allowed to carry a firearm on campus, keep it in the holster and don't fiddle with it. I carry a firearm every day. I have never had a negligent discharge because I don't fiddle with it. When I remove my firearm (two or three times a day), it stays in the holster and gets put up. When I arm myself, the holster is put on my belt, and I don't fiddle with it.

The age of college students and the environment of a university campus has a greater possibility of the guns on campus being dangerous, said Amanda Marionneaux, English senior.
“I’m very understanding of guns, but having no guns takes away the ‘maybes,’” Marionneaux said.

Yes, Ms Marionneaux, it takes away the "maybe I can protect myself if I am raped". It takes away the "maybe if a gunman came into class shooting up the place, I can protect myself". The only 'maybe' having a no gun policy doesn't remove is "maybe someone won't adhere to the no guns policy and go on a spree killing".

If there is so much concern about the student body going haywire, how about we start with baby steps and allow the faculty to carry on campus?