After VATech - moves to carry on campus

[Story]

This South Carolina initiative is worth following closely, with a mind to copying any successful moves in our Commonwealth.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...a095059D65.DTL

S.C. lawmakers consider allowing concealed weapons on campuses

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- To prevent school shootings, some South Carolina legislators want more guns on campuses.

A House subcommittee approved a measure Wednesday that would allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry guns onto public school campuses, from elementary schools to universities. Supporters say having trained and armed gun owners in schools could prevent massacres like the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech, where one armed student killed 32 people.

Only Utah currently has a law allowing concealed weapons on campuses.

"We're not talking about kids. We're talking about responsible adults," said Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan, who sponsored the bill.

Opponents fear more guns will mean more accidental shootings, and questioned if colleges were an appropriate environment for guns.

"I'm concerned about more guns around younger people combined with emotions and sometimes alcohol," said Rep. Doug Jennings, a Democrat. "I don't think it's a proper reaction to the Virginia Tech tragedy."

The bill heads to the House Judiciary Committee, though it is not expected to pass the Legislature before its scheduled adjournment for the year next month. Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican, said he hadn't yet thought about the bill.

Nationwide, 37 states ban weapons at schools. Of those, 16 explicitly prohibit weapons on college campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

College police chiefs across South Carolina said allowing guns on campuses would make it difficult to pinpoint a criminal. "Today, if we respond, we know the person with the weapon is the bad guy," said Ernest Ellis, the law enforcement director at the University of South Carolina.

To obtain a concealed weapon permit in South Carolina, a resident must be at least 21, undergo at least eight hours of handgun training, and pass criminal and mental background checks.

[Kenshin]

College police chiefs across South Carolina said allowing guns on campuses would make it difficult to pinpoint a criminal. "Today, if we respond, we know the person with the weapon is the bad guy," said Ernest Ellis, the law enforcement director at the University of South Carolina.

This is what just pisses me off. They automatically stereotype bad guy with gun. Maybe if they went in and actually thought about it the good guy would be the one not shooting at them and that they shouldnt shoot the first person they come across with a gun.

This is what goes through my mind when im carrying whether or not the cop is gonna think im one of these bad guys.

[Mark]

This asks about CCW at college campouses.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3180684 its about half way down. You have to click a link to vote.

[KeithPA]

This whole debate is turning in a mess of mass confusion.

in SC it is ILLEGAL to carry on campus. VA, PA and many others it isn't illegal, but there is no state law that overrides schools authority. The only state that has that is Utah.

I constantly see on these t.v. shows people saying the only state where its legal is Utah. That might make alot of uniformed people get confused if they see someone with a gun on campus in PA, especially when they aren't affiliated with the school.