JCCC students want to carry guns!
EDITOR’S COMMENTARY
STUDENTS’ REQUEST TO CARRY FIREARMS IS GOING TOO FAR! By Wayne Hodges
OVERLAND PARK, KS – If someone were to ask you which area Community College has a student group campaigning for the right to carry guns on campus, Johnson County Community College would probably be the last school you mention, right? Think again. The “Students for Concealed Carry on Campus” have made it known to state legislators, school administrators, and faculty they want to start packin’ and fast. “The way we see it is society is safer when criminals don’t know who is armed,” said chapter leader Ian Thomas. “So when they are thinking about something stupid they won’t continue when they don’t know who legally is allowed to be carrying a firearm. That’s the whole idea behind allowing us to carry on campus.” Wrong!
See, the solution to classroom safety shouldn’t require anything with bullets in it. In my view, allowing students to carry firearms will have little to no impact on reducing crime rates. After all, criminals prey on unsuspecting victims for a reason. We don’t know they’re coming. Seriously, have you ever seen a mugger deliver a greeting and handshake prior to jackin’ somebody? Heck, the assailant will be long gone by the time a weapon is drawn; and that’s if he or she doesn’t steal it first. Unless the victim has the firearm equipped, with a finger ready on the trigger; a gun is pretty much useless during the time of conflict.
The student group, however, begs to differ. And from what I understand, they’re prepared to appeal to legislators if their demands are not immediately met. “It’s a viewpoint that people have that it’s under their right to bear arms,” said Jerry Wolfskill, executive director of JCCC public safety. “It scares me to think there would be students carrying guns and what might occur as a result of that. It’s certainly in their right and if they challenge that statute and get it through Legislature, we’d have to change our policy in relationship to that.”
Hey, I’m scared too; especially if the students somehow manage to pull an upset, and come out with a victory. “We’re here to win, so if we don’t succeed this time around we’re going to keep going,” said Thomas. “We’re going to let everybody know the pros and cons of our organization.” Now, comes the million dollar question. Why, in a community of such great prestige and wealth, would college kids elect to carry guns at school?
STUDENTS WANT TO TAKE SECURITY MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS
Hmm…makes you wonder. Has there been a rash of robberies and car-jackings on campus recently? Are muggers snatching students’ purses and wallets? Has there been reports of terroristic threats? So far, there’s been no word. But keep in mind: academic institutions in Wyandotte and Jackson Counties are doing everything in their power to keep guns out the hands of students; while Johnson County support groups are petitioning to do the exact opposite. I just don’t get it. Then comes the issue of responsibility. Are traditional college students mature enough to carry lethal weapons? And who becomes liable if a student or faculty member gets shot by accident?
In addition to maturity, another area of concern involves the stability of our nation’s academic institutions in relation to campus security. The national ‘Students for Concealed Carry on Campus’ organization was formed in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. The tragic event, in addition to the Northern Illinois shootings and Columbine Massacre, has just about everybody on-edge. And, obviously, for good reason.
Nevertheless, if we’ve come to the point in society where students have to pack handguns to feel safe; why not shut down the colleges and make degree programs available exclusively online? Look, I understand students want protection. And their reasons no doubt have merit. However, if the SCCC pushes Kansas legislators into allowing concealed handguns on campuses; the opening of ‘Pandora’s Box’ will soon follow.
Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the editor of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and legislative intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com
To see students voice their opinion, click the play arrow located on the video box.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:46 am
I disagree. Students should be allowed to protect themselves. Having a safe, gun-free campus sounds good. But tell that to the parents of the students at Virginia Tech. Johnson County, despite its reputation, is just like any other county. And I’m sure criminals don’t check zip codes before committing their attacks. Whether we accept it or not, we are living in dangerous times. And unfortunately college campuses are a part of that.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:50 am
Wayne, I agree with you. The solution to crime and gun violence is not more guns. As parents, do we really want to create a culture that encourages our children to carry firearms at institutions of higher learning? The system is not perfect. But we shouldn’t let the bad guys win. This is not Iraq. This is America.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Point well noted. I have an 18-year-old in college right now, and I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I knew he was on campus with a bunch of students carrying handguns. As a society, I don’t believe we’re at that point yet. Let’s hold off on the panicking, and resume to business as usual, at least for now.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Nice article! I live in Wyandotte, but I have friends in Johnson County and they tell me a lot of stuff goes on there but the media covers it up. But it seems like Wyandotte County issues are always on the news. Why is the media picking on us?
April 20th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I’m trying to understand your logic. So you feel safe surrounded by police with guns. They insure that the rest of the world must listen to you because you can be “intellectual”, but the police are not. What happens when the police get tired of being looked down upon by the “intellectual crowd” and turn those guns on you. Look at your history. Think Hitler, Germany, registered guns, gun confiscation, genocide and gas ovens. That was the order. The law says age 21 for hand guns, in most states. You don’t say, so you have or have not researched? Your definitation of a ‘kid” is 21 years old? Let your son or daughter grow up and call them the adult they are. Maybe that is most of the problem, everyone “intellectual” and parents treat them as kids instead of the adults they are. in this article, you speak of several sceneraoes as fact, when you don’t cite facts. Being an educated individual I would think that you know how to properly cite your statistics. You didn’t answer the question: how do I protect myself against crime before the police get there?
May 4th, 2009 at 7:03 am
I agree with non-traditional student. We should be allowed to protect ourselves on campus. If students were allowed to carry guns at Virginia Tech, the story may have unfolded differently.
May 11th, 2009 at 8:47 am
There’s no way legislators should allow guns on campuses. The tragedy at Virginia Tech was and still is an American nightmare. But whether we accept it or not, this is not the norm for academic instituions across the U.S.
May 19th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Please, no guns on campus. As a society we have more pressing issues to worry about.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
If the State Legislature says carrying guns is legal, what’s the problem?