by Answerbag Staff on December 9th, 2009

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Would Allowing Students to Carry Weapons Make College Campuses Safer?

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  • by Sarah M on July 29th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Sarah M

    Yes it would. The reason these nutcase shooters pick campuses is because there are large numbers of unarmed people who can't defend themselves. You don't see people walking into the police department and opening fire very often because they know everyone in there is armed.
    I carried my handgun all the way through college btw. Screw the rules. I refuse to become a victim.

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  • by Anonymous on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Anonymous

    Considering the responsibility displayed by the average American college student, I'd say giving them all guns is a bad idea.

    Some knucklehead is going to shoot someone at a party for a stupid reason. Then there are going to be more guns at parties because people will feel the need to protect themselves from people with guns at the party. Add booze and drugs to the mix and you're going to have regular campus shootings.

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  • by Old School on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    Old School

    Anyone who thinks this is a good idea should have to teach high school for a week.

    Take those same hormone-addled experience-deprived skewed-values kids, add at tiny bit more maturity, then mix in alcohol, drugs and a lack of adult supervision.

    Yeah, that's the group that should be packing heat....:-P...

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  • by Banana Breath plays the piano on August 24th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Banana Breath plays the piano

    Send your pre-schooler to school with a flame thrower, why not? It will make them safer, won't it? You never know when a gang of bullies might come over demanding lunch money. And we all know, nothing works on schoolyard gangs better than a flame thrower. The more modern units are nice and lightweight so their backpacks won't be too heavy, and napalm is good and sticky, so it won't simply drip off the bullies, leaving burning trails that might damage the school yard.

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  • by jdamon on July 29th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    jdamon

    No one is saying "just any student should be allowed to carry concealed," Advocates of campus carry simply want to extend concealed carry allowances that are in place for the rest of the state to be extended to state universities. Students wishing to carry must under-go the legal processes for aquireing a CCH license, which includes a background check, and training. Students with CCH licenses have not led to a slew of shootings in off campus areas (most common locations for drinking parties are off campus, which is also where guns can be carried legally), why should this lead to such a thing on campus? (Look to Utah... if the anti-gun arguments applied, then Utah campuses should be shoot-em-up and gun theft central... they are not)

    So yes, allowing those legally able to carry guns elsewhere to carry on campus WOULD make colleges safer.

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  • by Reptar on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    Reptar

    I`m at a loss for words here....All I can muster is a loud sigh, a shake of my head and mumbling the ultimate question....WTF?

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  • by T1000_Android on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    T1000_Android

    Teenagers are stupid and unresponsable. They would point a gun at you just to make a point. How does being able to shoot other people make you safer? There would be no more food fight but gun fights. Every little dispute will be a serious life threatening siuation.

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  • by tfrenchy on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    tfrenchy

    Guns dont save lives they take them, that is their sole purpose and that is why no one should have one.

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  • by gillaspy01 on August 24th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    gillaspy01

    It is about the presumption of innocence when a person carries a weapon to defend themselves. It is about the right to private property. It is about the origin of the authority police and military people have to use firearms to protect us (an extension of our right as citizens to use firearms to protect ourselves). But mostly it is about freedom to do what you want when you want as long as it does not interfere with another persons ability to do the same.


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  • by ila on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    ila

    Absolutely not, as far as real weapons are concerned. I am all for carrying a pepper spray for self-defense, but nothing that can actually kill someone has no place in any school.

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  • by Langenschwert on August 24th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Langenschwert

    The Brady Campaign are a bunch of kooks. Disarming people never makes them safer. It only makes criminals safer: "One cannot legislate the maniacs off the street... these maniacs can only be shut down by an armed citizenry." -Col. Jeff Cooper

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  • by Nightwatchdog on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Nightwatchdog

    Yes, let's give stressed out children loaded guns to play with.......it should make an amusing spectacle to watch during examination time!

    Some of my fellow gun owners are total morons for supporting an idea like this.

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  • by Zoomzoom on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Zoomzoom

    Immature young adults + guns = epic nono

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  • by Zack on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    Zack

    Watch the student body dwindle really fast all across the country.

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  • by jesicamartin on August 23rd, 2010

    jesicamartin

    NO, it would cause much more violence in schools.

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  • by Anonymous on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Anonymous

    Definently not. Allowing a bunch of untrained people to carry weapons would end horribly. If a shootout were to occur it would be total chaos. You would have a school full of people shooting at each other with no clear idea of who the original attacker was. It would be a massive slaughter.

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  • by jaydee on August 23rd, 2010

    jaydee

    No..too little maturity and too much alcohol..not to mention drugs.

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  • by Vaporeongirl on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Vaporeongirl

    I vote yes because any female college student has the right to carry a knife or gun to defend herself if she is sexually assaulted. In this stupid culture, we have decided to repress all of society to stop 1 or 2 nutjobs. The truth is, crazy people will always be out there and will always find some way to do what they want to do.

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  • by Nemesis on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Nemesis

    Hey everyone check out my new RPG.... "SHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh BOOOOOOM!" oops!

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  • by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    DA BEN DAN yanggui zi

    you've got to be kidding. Right?

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  • by CourageWolf on August 26th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    CourageWolf

    College students are not four year old children who don't know what death or guns are. Accidental shootings happen but it is basic knowledge to put the safety on.

    Guns do not increase violence. Guns are merely the object that people use as violence, but also as protection. Better to be armed against it than brought to slaughter like a herd of sheep or cattle.

    Where do they get those statistics? I don't see it sited in the piece, therefore I must assume that they pulled the numbers out of their butts and thought they would make the argument more sound.

    Okay, if the people are really suicidal, then they'll use any means. That means pills or razors too. On top of a list of any other things.

    No one, and I mean no one, leaves their door open and lets someone just tear apart their room looking for something like a gun. That just doesn't happen. Most college campuses these days also have security at the front desk that prevents anyone but the people living at the dorm and those that sign-in as guests with one of the dorm members signatures after theirs. So, highly unlikely.

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  • by drew on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    drew

    I find this whole post HILLARIOUS! Just thought I'd throw that out there! Start hiring more on site medics and nurses if you plan to arm every college student with an uzy and a switchblade.. seriousy folks... funny stuff..

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  • by canoeguide on August 24th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    canoeguide

    Those properly trained in the correct use of self defense (regardless of the particular method) and those about them are far safer than any sheep mildly grazing in meadows which suddenly may become killing fields.

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  • by RefreshPerspective on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    RefreshPerspective

    This is the last thing we need. We should be focusing on taking the guns out of the hands of criminals and not into the hands of children.

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  • by malevolentbutticklis on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: Yes

    malevolentbutticklis

    The question IS NOT would it make them safer. The question IS would it increase FREEDOM and LIBERTY? Since it would they should be allowed.

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  • by Retired From The Internet on August 27th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Retired From The Internet

    You would probably see fewer rapes, muggings, and robberies.
    As for mass shootings... who cares? You're not going to get killed that way. I'm sorry. It's not even a 1 in a million possibility. Your chance of getting killed by lightning is so much higher that it's crazy. Even your odds of winning a lotto jackpot with one ticket are so much better.

    In another question people are talking about vaccines. Your odds of being killed or paralyzed for life by a vaccine are several times higher than being taken out by a maniac with a gun on a college campus... and those vaccines are considered perfectly safe. Most people wouldn't think twice before letting a nurse jab that into their arm. Yet we want to go write new policy and change the world when it comes to campus shootings. Perhaps students having guns, or more gun control, would have stopped a campus shooting. So what? You can't base policy around incredibly rare events. If 100 people read this, only 5 of them are going to die of anything other than sickness and/or old age. Only one of those people will be "killed" (including murder, execution, suicide, suicide by cop, military service, etc.)

    Accidental deaths are rare. Murders are very rare. Murders among non-criminals are incredibly rare. If you think more or less guns on a college campus is going to make a difference either way then you're crazy. Worried about your kids? Well the odds are better they will die from an overdose of booze than be shot by that madman you're all scared of. If you're a parent in your 50's you are more so much more likely to die from hearth disease right now today than your kid in college is to be shot. If your kid drives to visit you for Christmas, his odds of dying on that one trip are better than being shot on campus for the entire term.

    What it comes down to is that you are basically safe from being shot whether there's guns on campus or not. Worried about accidents? You should be more worried about eating solid food, since the risk of choking is almost three times that of somehow being killed in a firearms accident.

    This is why accidental death insurance is such a great money maker for the insurance companies... we all think we could get killed in some horrible accident or assault, when the reality is the vast majority of us will just end up killing ourselves with a crappy diet. Put sunscreen on and don't drink cola - there, you just made yourself far less likely to die than any amount of gun control could ever do even if it worked perfectly.

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  • by Rick L from WP on August 27th, 2010

    Rick L from WP

    I resent that the question was posted in such a biased way.
    "America"...what about the shooting and stabbings in Sweden (?), Germany, Japan, and England lately? Those countries don't even allow guns, yet anti-gun fools claim no one will ever be killed if they take our guns away.
    Just like in real life, only VERY responsible people should be allowed to carry concealed weapons, whether it be a college or a grocery store.

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  • by Possum on August 23rd, 2010

    Possum

    Uh-arming a bunch of unsurpervised 19 year olds doesn't really sound like a good idea.

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  • by purplecows on August 23rd, 2010

    purplecows

    what about OPEN carry?

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  • by Fancy-Ghoul on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Fancy-Ghoul

    I get the idea they are trying to support, but it would cause more problems than it would solve. If a fight got out of hand, a lot of people could end up dead.

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  • by Doogie on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Doogie

    I went to a school full of guns and it didn't cut down on the violence at all. It just made those with the guns more powerful. The big shootout at the OK Campus..Brilliant!!

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  • by thatsJustme on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    thatsJustme

    no....even though over 18....most are still not mature or responsible enough.....they are wild and unanswerable for the most part.......colleges should be more restrictive.more security.....like schools......curfews, etc.just because they are over 18 does make them adult.........all these wild parties, sororities ,etc....are useless and inappropriate....they are there to learn , not to see who can handle the most drugs or alcohol.....

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  • by katycarver on August 31st, 2010
    voted: Yes

    katycarver

    The old slogans are true to a lot of people>....

    I will give up my guns when they pry my cold dead fingers off of them.

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  • by Justin_P on August 29th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Justin_P

    The kind of people who are willing to shoot someone on college campus aren't going to use a registered gun to do this. Allowing people to carry a registered gun on campus will do nothing but save lives in nearly all possible instances. Like Wankenstein said you will not have to worry about such a high number of rapes and robberies if the girl attempting to run from an attacker has a .22 and can easily scare this attacker away.

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  • by Brady on August 28th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Brady

    If anyone is allowed a concealed weapons permit the person is probably checked to see if they are good or bad. If they are good, maybe they could even save your life.

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  • by MEGATALICNA47 on August 27th, 2010
    voted: No

    MEGATALICNA47

    i say either way they might get shot, give them all guns theres gonna b a lot of shoot outs of disagreements that get out of hand. Now dont give them guns, guy shoots someone for a disagreement that gets out of hand then one of the guys friends gets a gun and shoots the shooter. Well thats how I see it

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  • by Christine on August 26th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Christine

    The fact that some law-abiding citizens might be carrying concealed weapons protects all of us. How can a rapist be sure I am not carrying a concealed weapon unless I am in a place where concealed weapons are banned? When concealed weapons are banned on college campuses, people like me are easier targets.

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  • by ebp on August 26th, 2010
    voted: No

    ebp

    Giving guns 2 students would b adding fuel 2 the fire & then the next thing u know something crazy would go down w/ the students & that would b all over the news starting a whole new debate so cancel that idea! Giving each teacher a gun 2 protect there students might b more realistic but who knowns how that would play out so if things r that bad off, mayb put a cop in each class or 1 cop in each school or tighten up on sercurity or something but giving students guns would almost b like the students declairing martial law or whatSoEver so come up w/ a better idea!

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  • by Happy_hangover on August 25th, 2010
    voted: No

    Happy_hangover

    All the firepower, armor, and education can't stop stupidity from within. How about getting some sincere people who would like to be counselors to sincerely help troubled students. if not, they might as well shoot the kids themselves.

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  • by Nemo_S on August 25th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Nemo_S

    While I voted YES, as the other possibility should be maybe since as always it depends on the character of the person carrying the gun and whether or not they have had the training to use that gun in a manner that protects themselves and others from an aggressor with the understanding that a gun should only be used as an absolute last resort, well regulated militia is for the people to defend themselves when the executive branch employees (Police)or any other governmental body are not present to do so ..

    ~Nemo~

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  • by hunterizz on August 25th, 2010
    voted: No

    hunterizz

    Beter that kids won't know the power of the gun , there would be more deaths than ussual...

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  • by Christine on August 25th, 2010
    voted: Yes

    Christine

    If the school takes public money at all, then it has to uphold the Constitution, and that includes the Constitutional right to bear arms.

    It might not always deter a psychopath, but it will stop them much sooner.

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  • by drew on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    drew

    If you have to ask, than you surely shouldn't be trusted to carry a firearm.. Yikes..

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  • by trailslayer on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    trailslayer

    Carrying guns would make high school and college campus safer from mass killings like columbine. Guns would also make them less safe from accidental shooting and fringe shooting from people and crimes of passion.

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  • by hello people on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    hello people

    Lol then ppl will go from what would of been a fist fight to a fatal shooting

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  • by Jaheira2016 on August 24th, 2010
    voted: No

    Jaheira2016

    carrying guns promote gun violence, it has been proven many years ago

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  • by aaa on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    aaa

    This is crazy, once some shoots happened. Everyone will have the intention to grab guns from their backpacks. Then I am afraid this may result into a battle.
    Allowing them to carry weapons means they can fight back. At some extent this is good for students to protect themselves. But with guns on their hands, more gun fire will be caused by small arguments

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  • by Anonymous on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    Anonymous

    Now to say that these students can't be trusted with guns is bullshit. They have as much a right to guns as anyone else. The problem arises when these people get out of hand, as peer pressure usually does. And when the stress on one's head is just too much, he shouldn't have a gun to turn to.

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  • by HeeroYui752 on August 23rd, 2010
    voted: No

    HeeroYui752

    Professors need to be strapped. Not students.

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  • by Marlin_B on September 3rd, 2010

    Marlin_B

    I thought both articles were well written. I think that the pro gun folks weren't trying to advocate arming teens, but were more interested in allowing competent adults to be armed anywhere. Now, laws and regulations to make that possible would be tricky. An interesting point about Utah, I'd say at least it is a good trial of a more open position on guns. let's see where it goes. The majority of people in America do not live in less populated western states like Utah. Therefore it is hard for you to understand us. For example, My college aged daughter has been shooting since she was 12. She understands guns and gun safety, as do most of her peers. I wouldn't have a problem with her carrying in a public setting like a university.

    I like that the anti gun answer focused on Immaturity, Drugs, and Alcohol. I was surprised that the statistics pointed to gun ownership being related to other dangerous behavior. Except in the case of illegal drug users, regularly breaking the law tends to make you paranoid. I'm not sure that protecting binge drinking as an American right is a very good idea. After all the student death at Utah State University was caused by one underage drinker poisoning another underage drinker. No gun needed. Right now it is much easier to get people to agree with you to ban guns, furs, or meat, than it is to find someone willing to ban alcohol. I agree that keeping all weapons off of a university campus is an admirable goal. I just don't think it is possible. Going to school would be like going to the airport.

    TAM

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