Cam Edwards observes that Ignorance Is Bliss when pointing out an op-ed written by a college student. The piece by Sally Sanderson in the Michigan Tech Lode:

The bottom line is this: the Constitution ensures that United States citizens have the right to bear arms, yet it does not define for what purpose. Therefore, it is left for those of us following today’s laws to decide how to interpret the words written over 200 years ago.

She uses Wikipedia(!) as her first reference and includes this:

Though [the Second] Amendment seemingly does reserve the right for individuals to bear arms, it is confusing in the way it is written. The beginning of the sentence causes one to infer that an individual can bear arms if part of a militia, which should be used to ensure “the security of a free state.” However, the second part of the statement could be interpreted differently, as: individuals’ rights to bear arms will not be taken away. According to a Web site sponsored by the United States Senate, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/html/amdt2.html, “there is no definitive resolution by the courts of just what right the Second Amendment protects.”

As Cam writes, she seems to be unaware of the Heller decsion.

Now, Michigan Tech is located in the near-wilderness of the Upper Penninsula, but I guess if she’s getting published on the internet, she should be able to do some research and follow a bit of news on the internet, too. (via Sebastian)

Court rules gun shirt promotes violence

Does a shirt “promoting” the hunting of terrorists “prommote” violence?

Here’s the back of the shirt in question:

Like Joe, I’m not exactly sure where I stand on this. I don’t think that the shirt promotes anything offensive or wrong. But I also wouldn’t send my kids to school wearing it.

If, that is, I sent my kids to school. I avoid this jackassery, and all sorts of other jackassery, by homeschooling.

At Opposing Views: Would Allowing Students to Carry Weapons Make College Campuses Safer?

A few experts on each side weigh in. And some not-so-experts weigh in via comments.

Example:

yes…allowing the youth of america to posess guns, knives, …perhaps grenades, bombs, etc….is a great way to keep colleges safe!!!!

I can’t tell if he’s serious or not.

WOOD-TV:

FERNDALE, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a first-grade boy brought a loaded gun to school in Ferndale and showed it to a classmate before it was taken away by a teacher.

WXYZ-TV and the Detroit Free Press report the classmate told the teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School about the gun shortly after being shown it Thursday, and the weapon was confiscated.

Ferndale Public Schools spokeswoman Stephanie Hall says the student who brought the gun wasn’t in school Friday. Parents of students in the suburban Detroit school were told about the weapon in a letter.

Ferndale police Capt. Timothy Collins says the gun was loaded, but there wasn’t a bullet in the chamber.

They told the parents about the incident in a letter?!? What if the gun had “gone off” accidentally? Would they have at least called on the telephone?

Without knowing any details, you can bet that a large part of this began with bad parenting.

North Texas School District Allows Teachers to Carry Guns in School

Kim Priestap at Wizbang:

The Harold Indpendent School District in North Texas is the first district in the nation to allow their teachers to carry guns for protection.

My first reaction to this was it’s about time…

In order for teachers and staff to carry a pistol, they must have a Texas license to carry a concealed handgun; must be authorized to carry by the district; must receive training in crisis management and hostile situations and have to use ammunition that is designed to minimize the risk of ricochet in school halls. (emphasis mine [Priestap's])

This is obviously something that many will find very controversial. I was 100% convinced that a program like this made sense until a public school teacher I know said it was a bad idea because teachers would shoot kids that got out of line. And was serious about it. I’m still at least 90% sure that a program like this makes sense and am also at least 90% sure that the teacher I know was either kidding me or just plain wrong.

Now we have a first chance to see. The odds of something happening in this particular school are probably minimal, and the fact that would-be shooters know that teachers may be carrying will decrease those chances. But if this goes without mishap, we’ll be seeing additional schools adopting similar programs. And, if things continue without mishap, it will begin a trend that will start to undermine alarmist fears just as state after state successfully adopting concealed carry without mishap has eroded the “the streets will run red with blood” claims.

Jeff Soyer points this out:

Jared was sharing a conversation during his free period snack time at school. He was talking with a friend about the recent spring 2008 turkey season. Both boys had been out hunting with their dads and Jared was asking his friend where he had gotten his first turkey.

“Jared’s teacher covered her ears, trying to block the conversation, and singing ‘la la la la.’ When asked by another school employee about her odd behavior, the teacher claimed she did not want to hear about the boys and their ‘killing.’

The teacher switched all snack times in her class to “working” snack times so she could limit what students talked about.

The student’s parents pulled him out of the school and began homeschooling him.

But can’t spell United States. Hilarious.

From a UCLA student editorial on proposals to allow concealed carry on college campuses:

In light of the continued, horrific history of on-campus violence, gun control must be tightened, not loosened. Campuses and surrounding areas should be rid of, not flooded with, weaponry of all forms.

I keep wondering why they don’t adopt rules that ban killing people and guns on campus.

Oh. They did. I guess I’m not sure how many more rules you can pass, then.

I emailed the author looking for his suggestions. I’ll let you know if I hear back.

Also:

Concealed guns are meant to allow one the ability to kill based on a constitutional amendment that fulfills a now historically archaic role in American (and global) society, and they serve no purpose on college campuses.

“Historically archaic”? I wonder what they’re teaching kids these days.

Seen at Joe’s Crabby Shack:

As seen on the windows of UNO’s office of fuzzy-wuzzy involvement… (or some such organization):

“School shootings are no game. Shooting games teach violence.”

Then, 5 feet to the left also on the window:

“Student HALO 3 Tournament!!!”

I believe that UNO is University of Nebraska (Omaha).

At the Univeristy of North Carolina - Charlotte:

Participants had to give their teachers a heads-up at the start of class if they wore a holster.

You have to alert your teacher that you’re wearing an empty holster? Do people wearing pink ribbons or rainbow pins have to give the teacher a heads up? How about people wearing Livestrong wristbands?

Via Instapundit.