University of Texas Shooting

[tRidiot]

I'm on the fence about CC on campus.

Although I'm 100% confident of my ability to conduct myself properly with a CCW, I'm not so sure about the majority of my peers. People that I otherwise trust and whose company I enjoy, I wouldn't be caught dead around with a gun.

If there were a way to allow CC on campus, but increase the safety regulations to avoid certain individuals from carrying. My prejudice is showing, I'm sure, but I would be afraid of too many well-to-do sorority girls' parents buying them a gun and getting them through the process of obtaining a CCW. You can argue that the certification process to get a CCW weeds out the individuals who can't properly handle their weapons, but everyone on here knows that some CCers are just as much a danger to themselves and those around them as the mass shooters they intend to protect themselves from.

To put it simply, I know for a fact that a lot of people already carry on campus, and the fact that they aren't regulated scares me. When I think of some of the people I sit next to in class, and imagine them on the trigger end of a firearm, that bothers me.

Also, IIRC, anyone with a CCW cannot legally enter a bar/establishment that serves alcohol with their weapon? What is college, if not for one giant establishment that serves alcohol? My dorm is up the hill from Frat Row, and I hear some pretty good drunken arguments each night. Add firearms, and there's an accident waiting to happen.

In the end, though, I would still support CC on campus. Just in a much stricter sense... First, a minimum GPA, community involvement, recommendations. I know it may sound absurd, but my goal would be to weed out anyone with poor or irrational intentions. I got an appointment to USAFA (long story there), and an application along those lines is just the beginning of the process that I would want to see to actually allow college students to carry on campus. And, even if someone met all the criteria on paper, I would expect to see a practical failure rate of at least 50%. To guarantee some form of order and safety, I would hope to see training consist of more than just a few hours in the classroom and at the range.

So, my point is that I would trust myself and few others (mainly ROTC buddies) to have the composure and the self-control to carry on campus, but I feel justified in saying that the majority of college students lack the maturity that comes from living in the adult world (quit kidding yourself if you think all college students are adults) and wouldn't be able to properly handle the responsibility involved.

How old do you have to be to get a CCW permit in Oklahoma to begin with? Are the average students at college less responsible and capable than the average comparably-aged individuals at large in the community?

 

[tRidiot]

People don't seem to appreciate the fact that during the 1966 shooting at UT there were people all over campus shooting back with hunting rifles.
There was an English professor at Parlin Hall shooting at Whitman with a deer rifle. He had about an 80 degree angle on the guy, impossibly acute angel, but he was giving it Hell.

When the cops got to the observation deck, there was all kinds of lead bouncing around.
Ahhh... memories.

I don't really see the point you're making here...

The shooter in that case was in an elevated and semi-protected position, with military training and tactical surprise and advantage.

So does the fact that he was unsuccessfully engaged by counter-fire mean it's useless in general to try to keep oneself safe in the future?

 

[ignerntbend]

I don't really see the point you're making here...

The shooter in that case was in an elevated and semi-protected position, with military training and tactical surprise and advantage.

So does the fact that he was unsuccessfully engaged by counter-fire mean it's useless in general to try to keep oneself safe in the future?

It doesn't mean anything other than what it means.
Real world anecdotal examples. You see them tossed out all the time.

 

[vvvvvvv]

So does the fact that he was unsuccessfully engaged by counter-fire mean it's useless in general to try to keep oneself safe in the future?

Actually, he was successfully engaged in counter-fire by civilians.

Civilian counter-fire is credited with relegating him to firing through drainage ports and keeping him in that position.

 

[ignerntbend]

The cops had to go up there and kill him

 

[vvvvvvv]

The cops had to go up there and kill him

Yes.

But by limiting range of aim, casualties were very likely reduced. That and he was likely less ready when the cops showed up.

 

[ignerntbend]

The tower has been open to tourists for over ten years.
Go take a look at the drainage ports.
They give you quite a vista.

 

[tm8634]

thats a bad deal for all them kids down there, prayers go out for them...thank God no one else was hurt...