Texas to allow concealed handguns in universities

Azaran on 14/5/2011 at 01:26

I just saw this story...shocked me quite a bit
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/10/texas-concealed-handguns-public-universities) Republicans instituted a new law in Texas allowing concealed handguns in public universities

"The holders of concealed handgun licences are set to be allowed to carry weapons into public college buildings and classrooms in Texas, after Republicans in the state senate approved the measure as part of a universities spending bill.

Republican senator Jeff Wentworth had been unable to gain the votes he needed to pass the issue as its own bill after it met stiff resistance from higher education officials, particularly from within the University of Texas UT-System.

The senate's 12 Democrats had mostly worked together to block the measure but were powerless to stop it on Monday when a majority in the 31-member chamber got it added to the spending bill as an amendment.

Supporters hope the vote will help push the measure past a roadblock in the house, where a similar bill has been stuck without a vote in that chamber with just a few weeks left in the legislative term.

"Campus carry has more momentum than a runaway freight train," said Scott Lewis of Students for Concealed Carry, a nationwide group backing the measure.

Supporters call it a self-defence and guns rights issue. UT-System chancellor, Francisco Cigarroa, wrote to politicians and Governor Rick Perry outlining concerns that the measure will lead to more campus crime and suicides.

Hearings were dominated by testimony from supporters who had been raped or assaulted on college campuses, and several people who had survived the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech University when a gunman killed 32 people.

Democratic senator Judith Zaffirini, who was a student at the University of Texas in 1966 when sniper Charles Whitman killed 12 people and wounded dozens of others, argued against the bill. She predicted mass chaos if police responded to a call and found several people with guns drawn.

"I can't imagine the horrors if this passes," Zaffirini said.

Wentworth, recalling the shooting at Virginia Tech, said he wanted to give students a chance to defend themselves.

"There was no one there to defend themselves in a gun-free zone that was a victim-rich zone," he said. "I'm trying to avoid that type of situation."

Texas passed its concealed handgun licence law in 1995. Licence holders must be at least 21 and pass a training course.

Guns on campus bills have been rejected in at least 23 states since 2007. The bill originally covered private universities, but was changed to cover only public institutions of higher education. The senate rejected attempts to allow university boards of regents to decide gun policy on their campuses.
Concealed handgun licence holders in Texas are allowed to skip metal detectors in the state capitol,. Perry made headlines for shooting a coyote on a morning jog last year.

Earlier on Monday, senators voted to allow themselves to carry concealed handguns into places the rest of the public cannot, such as churches, restaurants and sporting events.
Perry has said he supports the campus guns measure and is expected to sign it into law if it reaches his desk."

You'd think America would have learned something from all the college and school shootings...apparently not. Right wing madness strikes again...

AR Master on 14/5/2011 at 01:42

maybe the one who should have learned something... is you

AR Master on 14/5/2011 at 01:49

here because im a good guy and you're kinda dumb and i find that endearing i will help and sum up the entirety of the course of this thread:

1) omg RIGHT WINKKKGERS are CRAZY

2) uh if someone had a gun nobody would have been shot qed

3) EXCUSE ME PROFESSOR but guns are bad and evil and they kill people all the time unprovoked did you know over 30000000000 people are MURDERED by guns every day?????

4) maybe this will give someone a chance to defend thems
4b) YOU ARE CRAZY AND A RIGHT WINGER AND EVIL AND GUNS MURDER BABBIES

5) tangentically related point

6) non sequitur

7) non sequitur

8) hurf durf

9) it all goes to shit

10) thread necromancy in 3 years

Syndy/3 on 14/5/2011 at 01:58

what is this thread about STOP I cannot read that much text STOP brain melted STOP see you at behind the apple tree STOP

PeeperStorm on 14/5/2011 at 02:06

Perhaps some attention should be paid to the beginning where it says "The holders of concealed handgun licenses...". In order to obtain such a permit in Texas you must:

1) Be able to prove that you are a U.S. citizen.
2) Be able to prove that you have resided in Texas for at least 6 months.
3) Not be a felon. In Texas that includes not ever having been convicted of a DUI.
4) Have a Social Security card.
5) Be at least 21 years old, unless you are in the military.
6) Attend and pass gun safety classes, which requires that you demonstrate knowledge of gun safety and the law, as well as being able to shoot with an acceptable skill level.
7) Wait 60 days.

Clearly this is the description of someone who is a danger to society. :rolleyes:

CCCToad on 14/5/2011 at 02:06

You forgot the obligatory threadshitting where somebody disses rightwingers as being retarded for supporting gun rights on the basis that if you don't agree with their position, then you are obviously retarded. Of course, no evidence will be provided to back up that assertion.

Martin Karne on 14/5/2011 at 02:23

Well ho-hum even when I was 27 y.o. I wouldn't gave myself the right to bear arms.
Maturity is varying a lot from person to person.

Azaran on 14/5/2011 at 02:58

Quote Posted by AR Master

3) EXCUSE ME PROFESSOR but guns are bad and evil and they kill people all the time unprovoked did you know over 30000000000 people are MURDERED by guns every day?????

(http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF01.htm) Gun ownership is directly related to the level of gun crime, regardless of whether the owner has a license or not. Countries where there is more restriction on gun ownership tend to have less gun crime (unlike laws against drugs which have the opposite effect). Given the level of gun crime in America I'd say there might be a connection between US gun laws and the crime level.

But what do I know, I'm just a leftist retard

AR Master on 14/5/2011 at 05:19

hmm yes a factoid about gun control from a website called gun control dot com let me just warm up my clicking finger

Keeper Beege on 14/5/2011 at 05:30

Quote Posted by Azaran

I'm a leftist retard too, but correlation isn't necessarily causation. The USA is just a violent country regardless of what method or weapon is used. Knowing this country, we'd find a way to be violent even if citizens weren't permitted to own guns at all.

Besides, countries like Russia and Brazil (where citizens are permitted to own guns but with very restrictive laws) have the some of the highest homicide rates in the world, much higher than the USA, and Brazil has almost 50% more gun related deaths.

To focus on the weapon (in this case firearms) is to miss the point, I think. Violence is ultimately caused by people, so the question that should be asked is why the atmosphere for it exists in the USA in the first place. You can't cure cancer with a bandage.