Michigan’s bill HB 5474 would prohibit colleges and universities from banning concealed weapons. As usual with this sort of proposal, this law would merely allow those who already have concealed pistol licenses to carry as normal.

Here’s a quote from Helmke on the bill:

“We need to do more to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “Michigan should reject this bill, just as all other states have done.”

Helmke apparently didn’t elaborate on how the first part of his quote (about making it harder for dangerous people to get guns) related to the second part of his quote (about guns on campus).

Getting past the predictable input from the Bradys, here’s more on the topic:

The MSU Board of Trustees voted in June to allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry firearms through campus. But concealed weapons are not permitted in dorms, classrooms, arenas or stadiums and this would not change, said state Rep. Jase Bolger, R-Marshall.

“(These) are pistol-free zones and that wouldn’t change at all,” Bolger said. “They are prohibited today, and they would be prohibited tomorrow. Michigan State would not change a thing because of this law, because Michigan State has passed policy that is consistent with state law.”

But some university officials disagree.

MSU Trustee Colleen McNamara said weapon regulation on campus should be determined solely by the university.

“It’s our campus,” McNamara said. “And we have responsibility for the safety of the students and the employees of the university, and our policy on guns should be our policy, not the state’s.”

MSU spokesman Kent Cassella said the university could not speculate on proposed legislation.

The bill is included in a package of bills supported by the Michigan State Police to eliminate inconsistencies in statewide firearm regulation.

“We have a situation right now where the state has said, ‘Our laws are going to be the only laws that are going to (be) applicable on this topic,’” said First Lt. Matt Bolger, legislative liaison for the Michigan State Police.

The State Police backing the bill should give it a better chance.

Here’s some input from a Wayne State University (in Detroit) student:

Second-year Wayne State University medical student Peter Howard told the committee he should be able to carry a concealed weapon on campus. He arrives at school early in the morning, and doesn’t leave until late at night.

“I take precautions to walk in lighted areas, (but) a close friend of mine got robbed at gunpoint last year,” Howard said. “I’m not living in fear, but it’s something I’d like to take precaution with.”

The whole “living in fear” claim is made quite often, and opponents of concealed carry or guns on campus will try to make it look like gun owners are paranoid and irrational. Just ask the opponents if putting on a seat belt indicates an irrational fear of being in a car accident.

Finally, here’s this from a Michigan State student:

Psychology and art senior Megan Davis said the university has a right to regulate weapons on campus and concealed weapons should not be allowed on campus at all.

“It’s a big campus and it could be very dangerous,” Davis said. “Walking on the campus in the evening is already scary.”

So walking on campus is “already scary” without concealed carry. Sounds like she should consider getting a gun, some training, and a concealed carry permit for evening walks on the dangerous campus.

UPDATE: Comment from Wayne State’s Peter Howard who was quoted above:

So the reporter called me up and asked me “are you afraid?” I sensed what she was up to and asked her to clarify the statement. I told her I’m not afraid, but I’d like to take precautions since my buddy got robbed two blocks from school. Way to butcher my quote lady. She totally tired to trap me into saying something retarded.

Nice.

Tags: MI

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 am and is filed under CCW, Schools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.