Washington
State legislators and students supporting legislation to allow concealed firearms on college campuses aimed to debunk the notion that “traditional” aged college students are too reckless to own and possess firearms during a recent public forum held in Washington, D.C.
During its first national meeting, “Supporting Self-Defense on Campus,” Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) along with The Second Amendment Federation (SAF), hosted a six-part forum on Aug. 1 at the National Press Club in an attempt to gain support for legislation allowing concealed guns on college campuses nationwide. The group advocates that licensed individuals at least 21 years old with substantial training and background checks should be allowed to carry concealed firearms on campus.
Louisiana state Rep. Ernest Wooten (R) said groups like SCCC are “fighting a perception.”
“We need to be diligent, we need to pay attention, and we need to educate,” Wooten said during the legislative panel discussion. “We have to prove that we’re responsible.”
The former sheriff is behind the Louisiana’s HB 199, which would allow students, faculty and staff with valid state-issued credentials to carry concealed weapons onto public Louisiana college campuses.
Ken Stanton, a Virginia Tech graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in engineering education, agreed in an earlier debate with Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Stanton, who is the leader of Virginia Tech’s SCCC chapter, said it is unfair that many people think all college students abuse drugs and binge drink, thus making them poor candidates to carry concealed firearms on campus.
Helmke countered Stanton’s argument saying college students are often likely to commit suicide and in engage in substance abuse-related behavior.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, in a 2006 national survey on drug use and health, reported that almost 70 percent of individuals aged 21-25 either engaged in social alcohol drinking, binge alcohol use or heavy alcohol use. It also reported that the rates for serious psychological distress in 2006 were highest for adults aged 18 to 25.
