Brady Campaign Press Release: 0 for 15

[Cole]

Guns-On-Campus Bills Fail At State Level Across U.S.
For Immediate Release:06-19-2008

Contact Communications:
(202) 898-0792 Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Washington, D.C. - The gun lobby’s efforts to pass legislation to force colleges and universities to allow loaded, hidden handguns onto their campuses have been met with complete rejection by state legislatures across the United States this year.

In 2008, proponents of guns in the classroom have gone zero-for-fifteen with “guns-on-campus” bills, failing in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Only two bills are still pending - in Michigan and Ohio - and neither has shown any sign of movement in the last two years. Only one state - Utah - has ever passed such a law.

“Forcing school administrators to allow guns on campus against their will is a bad idea that needed to be defeated. We are pleased that it failed so consistently across the country this year. The gun lobby made these bills a big priority but they came up empty,” said Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke. “Even states that have been friendly to the gun lobby in the past, and legislators who have been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, are sensibly rejecting these dangerous proposals to force more guns on college campuses.”

The NRA sent alert after alert to their members this year urging them to back legislation that would arm college students, but each of these bills failed. Even legislators that previously received the organization’s backing rejected this new priority of the gun lobby. For example:

* The NRA’s “guns on campus” legislation failed in the South Dakota State Senate by a vote of 17-14 last February, with six “A-rated” NRA senators voting against the bill.

* In Indiana, where the legislation fell one vote short of approval in the State Senate, ten NRA-endorsed senators voted against the bill.

“Arming college students is the wrong lesson to learn from Virginia Tech,” continued Helmke. “That tragedy teaches us that we need to strengthen background checks so that dangerous people like the mentally ill Virginia Tech shooter cannot buy guns in the first place.”

The Brady Campaign first exposed the gun lobby’s campaign in its report: No Gun Left Behind: The Gun Lobby’s Campaign to Push Guns Into Colleges and Schools.

College and university administrators and police officials have strongly condemned guns-on-campus legislation. The vast majority of students are also opposed. Law enforcement officials are concerned that arming untrained students and faculty will lead to more violence. Police Chief Gene Ferrara at the University of Cincinnati recently told CNN “I don’t think the answer to bullets flying is to send more bullets flying. My belief is we ought to be focusing on what we do to prevent the shooting from starting.”

# # #

As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

For continuing insight and comment on the gun issue, read Paul Helmke's blog at www.bradycampaign.org/blog/. Visit the Brady Campaign website at www.bradycampaign.org.

[sluggie24]

What a bunch of dipshits. I don't know who is worse. The politicians or the Brady bunch gloating about it.

[WhiteFeather]

What a bunch of dipshits. I don't know who is worse. The politicians or the Brady bunch gloating about it.

Who is worse?

The Gun Owners in those states that did NOT speak up when they should or could have made a differance.

All of these states still have victim disarmament zones other wise know as “gun free” school zones.

sluggie24 It also makes me sick reading this AG gloating stuff....

Read the Cost of GUN FREE School Zones

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/concealed...ool-zones.html

[Mr_Anderson]

My thoughts these schools look like easy targets for people that want get even on the bully or teacher that picked on them and to get their 15 min.

When was the last time you heard of someone walking into a police station and shooting it up? I am sure there are a lot of people that have problems with police officers, but you do not see them shooting up police stations. Wonder why that is?

[Philadelphia]

"Law enforcement officials are concerned that arming untrained students and faculty will lead to more violence."

What makes them think the students and faculty who want to carry would be untrained?

[Siobhra]

What makes them think the students and faculty who want to carry would be untrained?

And what is wrong with training them?

[Cole]

I look over on the Brady site from time to time. It helps to know the arguments that others are using and what sort of propaganda is being spread. Between the NRA's alerts and this site, you also get a get to see what's going on with new gun control legislation around the country.

[XD40coyote]

As I see around all the gun forums, everyone who has or wants to get a concealed lisc is always either discussing range time, defensive techniques, what training they should get, or the state they live in/apply for has a class they have to take. I'd think that the # of people with concelaed lisc's who have zero training is pretty low. A person at least knows how their gun works and can aim at a threat. I haven't heard of a plethora of NG's among people with carry lisc's, or wild rampant public shooting- LOL- silly Bradys, they just can't get over 1987 when FL went shall-issue, and they predicted wild west shootout doom and gloom. What is it with the anti gunners, they act as if we are all sub intelligent naughty little children?

Oh yeah and some people even take a basic class even if not getting a concealed lisc, or they live in a stupid state like MD. I know one woman ( also lives in MD) who did and she still remembers lots of info. We were discussing the thoracic triangle last time I saw her. She took the class years ago, and it was not required to be taken by the state.