Hysterical hysterics were in plentiful supply at Georgia's Gold Dome Capitol Building, March 2nd, during the first Senate hearing for House Bill 859, a bill which would decriminalize carrying a concealed pistol for self-protection on public college campuses. In other words, you would not be subject to going to jail as a criminal just because you wanted to preserve your life from criminals. Nice! When put in those terms, one wonder why it became illegal in the first place.
To the GA Board of Regents, Bloomberg's Moms Demand Action, leftist elitist professors, and their amateur groupies, colleges are peaceful, warm fuzzy places where unicorns prance around farting out rainbows, where the presence of firearms would put a poo-poo of evil-spellishness over these little kingdoms of light turning them into darkness, and their Spring into Eternal Winter.
Oddly enough, these same groups view colleges as cesspools of drunkeness and sexual predators, filled with mentally ill students, filled with students with "under-developed brains", filled with students ready to do violence over emotionally charged topics in the classroom or over the grades they receive, and all constantly stressed with college life to the point that one more trauma involving an assignment or romantic breakup could push them to snap.
The more they press their reasons for not allowing adults to carry firearms on college campuses, the more they make the case for us to do precisely that.
Were I a college student, I would want to carry my firearm to defend against thugs coming in to commit rape, robbery, and mass murder. After hearing from these campus carry opponents, I'd have an additional reason to carry - my fellow classmates, if I was influenced by their rhetoric.
The way college students are being maligned en masse as being the dregs of society at worst and emotional misfits at best, I'm surprised they are not in an uproar over their vilification and infantilization regardless of where they stand on the position of campus carry.
Imagine that it's those of us who are pro-campus-carry who actually treat college adults with the adult respect they deserve!
A little tidbit of history was served at the hearing by "Mike From Philly 3", a member of the Internet forum GeorgiaPacking.org. He pointed out that another "sensitive place", churches, were protected by a law in Georgia back in 1770 which required all able-bodied males to be armed with guns while attending services.
The astute Senator Vincent Fort posed Mike a "gotcha" question. He inquired from whom were those armed church-goers defending against. Were the literal, historically correct answer to be given, Native Americans, Fort would have retorted, "Have you seen any of them lately attacking churches?"
What Fort perhaps is unable or unwilling to grasp is that people bears arms to defend against any threat that would seek to harm and kill innocent victims. Certain groups of Native Americans in 1770, or crazed mass murderers today. As Hillary would say, "What difference does it make?" Senator Fort, please take a clue from Ms. Clinton, okay?
When campus carry was recently debated in the Florida Legislature, Representative Greg Steube pointed out that data shows that overall, adults with a license to carry are six times less likely to commit crime than police officers. Is this because too many 21 year old impulsive, immature, psycho, under brain-developed kids are being given uniforms, badges and guns?
It shouldn't have to be pointed out, but all major wars in the history of our country were largely fought on the front-lines by "kids" 16 to 21 years old. And the majority of those who survived came back into society and led well-adjusted, normal lives.
Surely, college is not nearly as stressful an environment as war, and the proposed bill in the GA General Assembly only applies to licensed adults 21 year old and above.
Attorney Ed Stone, one of the founders of Georgia Carry and a former police officer, was recently a panelist at Georgia State University discussing campus carry. He was surprised to learn that a professor knows that some students currently carry firearms in class. Perhaps these students are law enforcement officers that can legally carry under current law.
To be honest, if I was a student or professor at any college, I would also be glad to know that some students carried firearms in class. They certainly would not have me crying about it to the authorities if they were not among those who wear a badge.
Unfortunately, police are often not true first-responders anyway. That's not to take away from the sacrificial work they do; it is merely a simple fact. First-responders are the ones on the front-line of any criminal attack the very moment it happens. Arming would-be victims makes them effective defenders and first-responders indeed, instead of sheep for the slaughter.
Back to the Momz for a moment. A few of them at the hearing wanted a photo with Lt. Governor Casey Cagle. Why? Perhaps because they hoped a photo which would go public would influence the Lt. Governor into siding with them against HB 859, or merely because they genuinely like him. Who knows?
What simply happened is that Lt. Gov. Cagle decided to not be rude to them and obliged with the photo - which, when all is boiled down, does not matter. What was he to do, not act like a gentleman?
In any case, Governor Deal has come out in support of the bill, which should tell you that it is going to pass and be signed into law. It will take effect July 1st.
Students who carry on campus will be required by the new law to conceal their firearms, but that is not to say they must remain silent as to their victory and exercise of a fundamental liberty. They also have the right of free speech.
There is a way they can proudly proclaim they are carrying a firearm for the safety of themselves and others without disrupting class. They can wear the GCO (Georgia Carry dot Org) lapel pin with the logo of an American Revolutionary Sentry who stands guard to protect the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I suggest that all college and university students in Georgia who qualify to legally carry a firearm first join Georgia Carry, and then purchase and wear this beautiful lapel pin every day on campus:
Edit: Hold the presses! Alert!... Maybe that photo mentioned above and maybe Governor Deal's public "support" of the bill were signs of clouds on the horizon. Is the fix in again?
Seems there is now a news story of Governor Deal speaking of "softening" the bill. I personally thought it was taken out of the oven already a little soft, as gun possession was still banned in on-campus living quarters. Really?
Anyway, what further "softening" could be done? I mean, a student either carries or not carries. It there a such thing as "somewhat carry" or "almost carry"?
Maybe they are thinking of putting in a provision to ban carry in campus libraries. Hey, that would keep good guys AND bad guys from bringing guns there, and would solve the problem with all those recent robberies in the GSU Library. See my sarcasm font?
