Monday, April 16, 2007

Wingnut solution to campus gun violence - allow students to carry concealed handguns to class


Phil Valentine wants more guns on campus

College life.... a time where young adults are growing, learning, experimenting, and of course - PARTYING. Who does Nashville's conservative radio talk show guy, Phil Valentine, blame for the VA Tech tragedy? Politicians that defeated a bill that would've allowed students to carry concealed guns on campus. Phil Valentine insisted that if students could carry guns on campus, the VA Tech tragedy would not have happened. Perhaps, but look at the big picture .... what else would happen if students were routinely able to carry and possess guns on campus? Does any reasonably intelligent person believe that a multitude of students with guns on campus would prevent murders over time? Doesn't this guy think before he speaks? Of course he seems reluctant to blame the campus police whose job it is to protect the students.

Put yourself in a professor's shoes. Imagine teaching a class knowing there are concealed guns in the room, particularly these days where binge drinking among college students is at an all time high. Violence directly related to alcohol consumption for students 18-24 is also very high. Alcohol consumption peaks in college aged students 21-25, with 44% admitting to binge drinking ... and Phil thinks giving guns to students to carry at school is a good idea.

In universities, the pressure to succeed and to make the grade is severe, it is a very stressful time for these young adults. In my experience, many students begin taking psycho-pharmaceutical drugs in college (Prozac, Paxil, etc...) to control panic attacks, depression and other psychological problems that tend to manifest themselves during the stress of college life. Students are also prone to relationship and social stress in college that often precipitates emotional extremes. Hardly a weekend frat party goes by without a fight breaking out ... and Phil Valentine wants to add guns to the mix. Real smart, Phil ... great thinking! That should keep the students safe. Beer drinking party animals with guns.

Students carrying guns on campus is about the most ludicrous suggestion I think I've ever heard. You can't take a gun into a Federal Building, into a concert, or on a plane ... but it's ok to carry concealed handguns to class, frat parties, sporting events? Are you nuts, Phil? Think about kids with guns, alcohol, the stress of college all together. More things could go wrong than go right. This is an excellent example of the judgement of idiot gun nut conservatives. These are the same people who put America in this Iraq quagmire. Might makes right. Guns are the solution to everything.
UPDATE:
CNN reports that the killer purchased the gun legally from Roanoke Firearms and the background check took one minute.
UPDATE II:
Phil Valentive says we should have faith in people who go through background checks and have proper firearms training .... yea like the Secret Service guy who accidentally shot his fellow agents in the face and leg at the White House yesterday?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Actually, the kids who take the time to get concealed carry permits are much more likely to handle a gun with mature responsibility than you seem to think.

I think your perception of college kids as some kind of party freak is way off.

Wasn't true when I went to Tennessee Tech, wasn't true when my daughers went, and it isn't true now.

Compare murder rates in Washington DC with its draconian gun laws with those in Nashville with looser laws.

Anonymous said...

Sorry if you didn't party college, stats don't lie - 44% of collge students binge drink, 77% drink socially. Guns, alcohol and college don't mix well.

Anonymous said...

Yea dude... great solution to gun violence... give everybody guns. What a dipshit

Anonymous said...

They should pass a law to outlaw campus shootings!

Liberal pussy sheep - I would rather be in a gunfight than a massacre any day

Anonymous said...

Yea, gun nut asshole, go find yourself a gunfight... maybe like these guys

Anonymous said...

Why not allow teachers or other members of the faculty to carry guns?

Anonymous said...

It is truly sad that we have to consider anyone having a gun would make us safer...there were no guns used on the day of 9/11...guns will not make us safer...there will always be humans that don't follow the rules and don't care who they hurt...and as long as that is the case you will always have people dying one way or the other......a person with a gun killed over 30 people yesterday...you might want to ask how many drunk drivers and people speeding in cars KILL EVERYDAY...it is hard to believe humans can be of the higher intelligence when we still can not get along with one another...no one wants to follow the rules....it's not the guns or the cars or what ever...it is PEOPLE THAT KILL and are full of hate for each other...

Anonymous said...

"You can't take a gun into a Federal Building, into a concert, or on a plane ..."

OK, so do you want to put a wall around every campus, and put the metal detectors and x-ray machines at the gates, or do you just want to want to install them at the doors of every campus building and dorm and fraternity/sorority house? You know, like they do in federal buildings and airports?

Of course, outlawing guns will make them as hard to obtain as marijuana -- and that ban really worked out well.

Anonymous said...

In Sweden we have the tuffest gunlaws in europa may be in th world.

Acording to Mr Vallentines reasoning we would have wery high crimerate but as a matter of fact it is very low even by european standards.

Pease explain??

Anonymous said...

the fact of the matter is that most crime is brought on by poverty. Sweden has an extremely low poverty rate, especially compared to the levels of the US. People can disagree all they want but "most" crime originates from minorities(go ahead and call me a racist even though I am not). I was deputized recently and I am still not allowed to carry on campus. Would you or your children not feel more safe with a permitted carrier such as myself just down the hall when a lunatic walks into your classroom with the intent of taking lives? I know I would.