If the last few years haven’t made it painfully clear, schools and colleges are a target for crazed shooters.
Why?
Some could argue it is because schools are densely populated—but so are malls, subways, and downtowns. Some could say it is just coincidence.
But one thing is certain: Our laws stop students and teachers from being able to defend themselves, and shooters—likely aware of this fact—have been able to kill more people, unchallenged by anyone armed.
Umpqua Community College reportedly didn’t even have an armed security guard. And, the campus banned guns inside campus buildings and facilities.
America will demand solutions to stop future killings. President Obama already said we need more gun control laws, and many conservatives are saying we need more good guys with guns to stop these evil people—but which solutions will actually work?
It’s time to let students, teachers, and security guards arm themselves. Certainly this means considering eliminating gun-free zones in schools, but beyond that, we need to look at more creative, implementable solutions to protect our schools.
At yesterday’s press event, President Obama pretended to have a silver bullet to stop gun violence, saying, “Each time this happens, I’m going to bring this up,” calling for more gun control legislation.
Later he said, “This is something we should politicize.”
While his passion might excite leftwing activists, President Obama needs to answer this basic question: which specific proposal or proposals would have stopped this string of shootings?
The specific background checks and assault weapons bans he has proposed would have done little, if anything, to stop these shooters. Even more draconian gun control measures have largely failed in America when tried in liberal states and large cities.
Not only that, these types of laws would never pass in most states—especially right-leaning states. We need implementable solutions.
America’s schools should not be gun-free zones, and teachers and students with permits should be allowed to defend themselves and the student body. Now, of course not all schools and states will feel comfortable with this change. Even in Texas, we’ve seen resistance to lifting gun bans on campus.
For those areas not ready to lift gun-free zones, let’s at least provide teachers and professors with military-grade pepper spray and bulk up the number of armed security guards and police on campus.
It’s shocking how few campuses and schools have armed guards. Why did Umpqua Community College decide against having armed security?
Joe Olson, the former president of Umpqua, said they decided against it last year because, “having armed security officers on campus might change the culture.”
In our view, that’s exactly what needs to happen: It’s time to change the culture on campus.
It’s time to change the culture that says students and teachers should be left defenseless against criminals.
It’s time to change the culture that says campuses should be afraid of trained guards arming themselves to do their jobs.
It’s time to change the culture that says law-abiding, permit-holding students and teachers shouldn’t be allowed to defend themselves and their campuses.
