It seems really obvious to me -- if the state allows someone a license to carry a concealed handgun, no state agency should be permitted to turn around and declare that concealed carry is not permitted unless there is an overriding public safety/order basis for it. Courthouses are a legitimate exception, but college campuses are not. The Texas legislature is considering precisely that issue.

Legislation allowing state university students and employees to carry their concealed handguns on campus appears to have enough pledged support from lawmakers to pass the full Texas House.

The bill would prohibit public universities across Texas from creating rules that forbid concealed handgun license holders from carrying their pistols into a classroom, but it would allow private institutions to exempt themselves.

Chances for passage in the House — if it gets there — look strong, as 76 members have signed on to support the bill, authored by Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland.

The House Public Safety Committee already has signed off on the measure. Now, it needs to get scheduled for debate in the full House.

Of course we know from empirical evidence that those with a CCL are the least likely to misuse a handgun, so the argument for banning guns on campus is a crock. Besides, we've already seen how well those bans have performed in preventing mass murder on campus, haven't we?

The Houston Chronicle, though, offers its usual anti-gun take on the matter.

But the most troubling, irresponsible one of all is a bill to allow concealed weapons on college campuses. Authored by Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, it seems to have enough support to pass the House. In the Senate, 13 of the 31 members have promised their support for an identical bill authored by Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio.

ItÂ’s a horrifying thought. It is our fervent hope that cooler heads in the Senate will prevail and block its passage. Students have enough on their plates without having to worry that horsing around, drinking or otherwise acting like a college student could result in an unintended tragedy.

Of course, that this has not happened away from campus is simply discounted -- but the paper offers the following as compelling evidence that college students should not be permitted to possess the means to defend themselves from crime while on campus.

There are excellent reasons why all major car rental agencies require that a driver be at least 25, or pay a hefty premium if younger. Psychologists are well aware that the ability to foresee the consequences of oneÂ’s behavior is still developing long past adolescence.

Which, of course, explains why younger voters supported Obama in record numbers. So maybe there is a good argument there for restricting the right to vote, like the right to keep and bear arms, to those over 25. Heck, we can do away with all the protections of the Bill of Rights until the kids are 25 -- along with the right to marry, drive, own real property...

Unless, of course, one believes that adults should have the full rights of adulthood, even if they are college students. And that includes the right to keep and bear arms that is protected by both the US and Texas constitutions.

Posted by: Greg at 01:37 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 556 words, total size 4 kb.