As I followed the story of the Idaho legislature making the carrying of guns on campus legal for a small subset of students that were highly trained, it was shocking to see how much silly disinformation was published in an attempt to railroad the legislators into voting against the measure. Everything was thrown at them, from the usual “blood in the streets” predictions to smears of adult students as irresponsible drunks, to a highly inventive notion that Idaho campuses would lose funding for their nuclear research reactors. One educator asked when he would be able to shoot students, in a lame attempt at sarcasm that was published by the New York Times . . .
The legislation became effective on 1 July. The small number of trained and licensed students are now able to legally carry on campus. And while it’s still early days, a reporter interviewed some students at Idaho State University and most are fine with it.
“I do not and would not carry a gun on campus, but I am for it,” says ISU student, Scott Fisher.
“It really doesn’t matter to me. I mean if they want a weapon on campus, fine, just don’t show it off. I’m good not knowing,” says ISU student, Abigil Barnes.
Some students on the ISU campus say they feel a sense of security, now knowing that their fellow classmates and their professors can be armed on campus.
Here is the money quote:
Although there are not many students attending the summer session at ISU, most the students that were on campus said they don’t have a problem with the new gun law.
As has happened again and again, as the right to bear arms has been slowly restored across the country, dire predictions of blood and disaster are put forth in attempts to frighten the population and legislators into doing what those who desire a disarmed population want. Then, when that didn’t work and the predicted bloodshed failed to materialize, they wait for the next proposal to loosen the restrictions, and regurgitate their inane arguments all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat. They have nothing else.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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