State of Virginia considering bill to allow students to carry guns

[DareDemon]

I support the right to have a gun.

But this is just the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

 

[Tron5000]

As for illegal gun sales... then the government needs to make sure that these things don't happen. Ban people from participating in gun shows if they don't have a license. Ban people from selling weapons which aren't registered. Severely punish people by taking away their gun license or fining them heftily for violating these laws. There is a lot which can be done.

The government tries to make sure these things don't happen. They check up on people, they arrest people all the time for selling firearms illegally. I'm pretty sure the ATF does that quite a bit.

The government can't be everywhere all the time. They can't prevent some kid from buying a gun from some other kid. How is the government going to protect someone from killing kids in a school? You can't have a polive officer in every classroom. When the shooter is the only one with a gun, the other kids are sitting ducks. It's not like they can use their books to defend themselves. These kids were literally sitting there, laying there, waiting to die. The were waiting for the shooters to put a bullet in them. And there was no one to save them from that happening.

 

[Tron5000]

People who currently have concealed-carry permits are allowed to carry their weapon in public places, although this is banned in federal buildings, banks, places that serve alcohol, schools and certain other places. My roommate has a concealed-carry permit and knows how to use his firearm correctly. Many, many others do as well. Personally, if I am in a public place and someone there is attempting to harm me or someone else, I would like for there to be someone there trained with a weapon who could possibly prevent it from happening.

 

[Lantern Venom]

This is a horrid piece of legislation. A college campus isn't like a private home. It's a place of raging hormones and drunken parties. Anybody who's been to college has no doubt seen countless fights and disagreements. The only people who should have guns are trained, mature, sober professionals. If VA wants to save lives, hire more security guards and put up more security cameras. Putting guns in the hands of college students will cost many more lives that it will save.

 

[zanos]

If the eleven thousand students who go to my campus suddenly had the ability to carry a gun, I would feel less safe than if we weren't allowed to carry guns in the first place.

You also use the definition of "stable" and "responsible" for those who can't carry guns... but even the unstable and mentally irresponsible people will be able to carry guns on campus... so in some instances, the likelihood that someone may shoot another student -- perhaps because that other student called his girlfriend hot -- rises. And that bill doesn't prevent petty shootings from happening on college campuses, nor does it decrease the threat of violence. Yeah, the idea is spot-on. If someone carries a gun, someone else may be deterred from committing a violent act. But it doesn't erase the threat of violence or provide a logical way to at least reduce that threat by a sizable margin.

You know how you prevent campus shootings altogether? You make everyone who wants to purchase a gun undergo a psychological evaluation. If the Virginia Tech shooter or the NIU shooter had to undergo a psychological evaluation before purchasing their respective weapons, mark my words, these tragedies never would have happened.

The idea of the bill is to have the ability to shoot back, not to prevent violence.

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard! How about creating an environment where no guns are permitted on campus grounds? Post guards at all entrances to search for weapons or something.

 

[Tron5000]

This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard! How about creating an environment where no guns are permitted on campus grounds? Post guards at all entrances to search for weapons or something.

I'm pretty sure that guns are not permitted on the VT or NIU campuses. These crazy kids ended up using guns anyway. The "gun-free zone" didn't exactly stop them.

So you think it would be appropriate and, more importantly, logistically (or financially) possible to station guards at the entrances of all campus buildings, whether they be laboratories, dorms, libraries, cafeterias, etc? How about in common areas such as courtyards and the like? Should security guards patrol all of these areas and search kids?

There are hundreds of entrances and exits to the buildings on most college campuses. There are thousands (over 20,000 at Virginia Tech) of students at these major colleges and universities. Your suggestion that guards should search each and every student at each and every possible entrance is, quite simply, highly unreasonable.

 

[bell110]

First, they are talking about grown adults. People are posting like they are trying to arm highschoolers.

Second, if a person is allowed to carry a gun in other public places, why not on campus? What make a campus so special?

Third, how hard is it to get a concealed-carry permit in VA?

Fourth, you guys seem to be assuming that EVERYONE will start carrying guns to school.

Fifth, if I'm a responsible person, why shouldn't I be allowed to defend myself if someone starts opening fire in my class?

 

[Tron5000]

First, they are talking about grown adults. People are posting like they are trying to arm highschoolers.

Second, if a person is allowed to carry a gun in other public places, why not on campus? What make a campus so special?

Third, how hard is it to get a concealed-carry permit in VA?

Fourth, you guys seem to be assuming that EVERYONE will start carrying guns to school.

Fifth, if I'm a responsible person, why shouldn't I be allowed to defend myself if someone starts opening fire in my class?

First: Correct

Second: Nothing

Third: Background check for mental instability and felonies. Same as with most states

Fourth: Yes, they are assuming this. The percentage will likely be reflective of the national percentage of gun owners compared to overall population.

Fifth: You should

 

[bell110]

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_ResidentConcealed.shtm

Application for a Concealed Handgun Permit

Any person 21 years of age or older may apply in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city in which he or she resides, or if he is a member of the United States armed forces, the county or city in which he is domiciled, for a five-year permit to carry a concealed handgun. There is no requirement as to the length of time an applicant for a Concealed Handgun Permit must have been a resident or domiciliary of the county or city where he or she resides.

The application may be obtained from the circuit court, sheriff’s office, or police department. The form (SP-248 Application for Concealed Handgun Permit) also may be downloaded and/or printed from this web site. This form can be viewed, downloaded and/or printed by visiting the Virginia State Police Forms page.

The court shall require proof that the applicant has demonstrated competence with a handgun and the applicant may demonstrate such competence by one of the following, but no applicant shall be required to submit to any additional demonstration of competence:

Completing any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries or a similar agency of another state;
Completing any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course;
Completing any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law-enforcement agency, junior college, college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or the Department of Criminal Justice Services;
Completing any law-enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement;
Presenting evidence of equivalent experience with a firearm through participation in organized shooting competition or current military service or proof of an honorable discharge from any branch of the armed services;
Obtaining or previously having held a license to carry a firearm in this Commonwealth or a locality thereof, unless such license has been revoked for cause;
Completing any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state-certified or National Rifle Association-certified firearms instructor;
Completing any governmental police agency firearms training course and qualifying to carry a firearm in the course of normal police duties; or
Completing any other firearms training which the court deems adequate.
A photocopy of a certificate of completion of any of the courses or classes; an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted or taught such course or class attesting to the completion of the course or class by the applicant; or a copy of any document which shows completion of the course or class or evidences participation in firearms competition shall constitute evidence of qualification under this subsection.

The court shall charge a fee of $10.00 for the processing of an application or issuing of a permit. Local law enforcement agencies may charge a fee not to exceed $35.00 to cover the cost of conducting an investigation pursuant to this Code section. The State Police may charge a fee not to exceed $5.00 to cover the cost associated with processing the application. The total amount of the charges may not exceed $50.00, and payment may be made by any method accepted by the court.

No fee shall be charged for the issuance of a permit to a person who has retired from service as a magistrate in the Commonwealth, as a special agent with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board or as a law-enforcement officer with the Department of State Police, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, or a sheriff or police department, bureau or force of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, as a law-enforcement officer with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Secret Service Agency, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs Service, Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service or Naval Criminal Investigative Service, after completing 15 years of service or after reaching age 55; as a law-enforcement officer with any police or sheriff's department within the United States, the District of Columbia or any of the territories of the United States, after completing 15 years of service; or as a credentialed intelligence agent of the armed forces of the United States or of a civilian agency of the United States government, after completing 15 years of service; or as a law-enforcement officer with any combination of the agencies listed in clauses (ii) through (iv), after completing 15 years of service.

The court shall issue the permit within 45 days of receipt of the completed application unless it appears that the applicant is disqualified.

The person issued a permit or in possession of a de facto permit must have the permit on his person at all times during which he is carrying a concealed handgun and must display the permit and a photo-identification issued by a government agency of the Commonwealth or by the United States Department of Defense or United States State Department upon demand by a law enforcement officer.

 

[twylight]

Smart people

I say go for it, the worst thing could happen is a shooting spree and then just reverse the bill. The best thing? No more shootings.

Honestly, where I live, the 'No Guns on Campus' rule is bunk anyway, considering everyone and their dog has a gun in their car and we could bring them on campus anyway. Who's -honestly- going to stop us? It's not like the Campus security frisks us, and it's an OPEN campus in the middle of downtown. That said, it's the law abiding ones who get hurt because we follow the rules.

 

[BatSpider]

Wow........

 

[C.F. Kane]

In a related story- State of West Virginia considering bill to change it's name to "The Smart Virginia."

There's no such thing...

 

[Albiceleste]

I love guns but this is a bit moronic.

 

[Tron5000]

Smart people

I say go for it, the worst thing could happen is a shooting spree and then just reverse the bill. The best thing? No more shootings.

Honestly, where I live, the 'No Guns on Campus' rule is bunk anyway, considering everyone and their dog has a gun in their car and we could bring them on campus anyway. Who's -honestly- going to stop us? It's not like the Campus security frisks us, and it's an OPEN campus in the middle of downtown. That said, it's the law abiding ones who get hurt because we follow the rules.

Precisely.