My Right to Bear Arms

A bill has been introduced in the Texas House that would allow the carry of concealed weapons on a college campus. They are close to passing this bill with over half of the House of representatives signing on as a co-author of the bill, the Governor favor's it, and the Senate passed a similar bill in 2009.

At face value this sounds a little scary and perhaps nerve racking. At least that is how I felt when I first heard about this especially when it has floated around that Idaho might introduce a similar bill in the next few weeks. However, after I have studied the facts I feel comfortable with this and acknowledged that this reinforces our second amendment freedoms to bear arms.

It is already law in Texas and many other states to be able to conceal a weapon. Opponents say that expanding the law to college campuses could only increase violent crime because who knows when someone might pull on gun over a bad grade, a shattered relationship, or a drunken fraternity argument. But it was also cried out when Texas first passed the concealed weapons law that "there would be blood in the streets" and "shootouts at every intersection". But clearly this has not happened. The general requirements to have a concealed permit are: age requirements, background checks, and training before you can carry a handgun. Those that have a criminal history and have mental illness can’t carry a gun. Those that go through the process established by law to conceal a weapon are law abiding responsible citizens. So, this law is not about anyone or everyone concealing a weapon on campuses but allowing those that already choose to conceal, who are already responsible to carry on campuses.

David Burnett, President and spokesman of Students for Concealed Carry said, “This is about people who already responsibly carry elsewhere in the state, including restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, churches and banks. No one feels unsafe in those places, even though the odds are someone there is armed. Yet if a citizen walks onto a college campus, their right to self-defense is taken away."

The banning of concealed weapons on a college campus have been based on the hopes of keeping violence out of that area by making it a gun-free zone. The reality is however, that making universities gun-free zones open's it up as an easy target and shooting gallery for criminal's. Those that have intent to commit violent crime by nature will not adhere to the laws that prohibit the carrying of a gun on campus. Generally police on campuses are spread thin and it can take minutes for them to respond to such crimes where in many could die within that short time but such deaths would be limited if concealed weapons were permitted.

It seems that over the years that the areas chosen for shootings by such violent criminals have been schools and universities. The FBI also reports that in addition to such shootings as Virgina Tech and Northern Illinois there were 3,000 sexual assaults, 4,500 robberies and 5000 assaults in 2008 on campuses. See Campus Attacks. I believe that if those with concealed permits are aloud to carry on campuses this could help lessen and maybe even deter much of the spike in violent crime we have seen on campuses over the years.

Currently nine other states (Arizona, Tennessee, Michigan, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Nebraska and Mississippi) are considering similar bills and it sounds like Idaho could make it ten. Utah was the first State to pass this kind of law and currently Colorado allows it universities to decide for themselves, which several have allowed.

I believe this to a good move. It not only strengthens and reinforces our second amendments freedoms, but it could actually make us safe instead of making us feel safe as the "gun-free zones" tried to do. As Daniel Crocker, the Southwest Regional Director with Students for Concealed Carry, said, “We’re not handing out pistols at the door...We’re talking about former military, ROTC cadets, professors and other mature adults with permits.”

Texas Close to Allowing Concealed Weapons on Campus

"The Creed of our Political Faith" Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address

I found the following excerpts from Jefferson's first Inaugural address to be quite inspiring and critically important to us today as it was to our nation in 1801. After a bitter campaign between the Federalists and Republicans, Jefferson wanted to remind our nation of our founding principles of liberty and our constitutional structure of republican government. He said, "[These Principles] should be the creed of our political faith."

Please take a moment to read these inspired words from our third President of the United States. I hope his words can help you see where we as a nation have fallen short of keeping true to these foundational principles of liberty and prosperity.


"Let us, then, fellow-citizens, unite with one heart and one mind. Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but dreary things....We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists.... Let us, then, with courage and confidence pursue our own Federal and Republican principles, our attachment to union and representative government....

A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned-this is the sum of good government....

About to enter, fellow-citizens, on the exercise of duties which comprehend everything dear and valuable to you, it is proper you should understand what I deem the essential principles of our Government, and consequently those which ought to shape its Administration....

Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none; the support of the State governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations for our domestic concerns and the surest bulwarks against antirepublican tendencies; the preservation of the General Government in its whole constitutional vigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace at home and safety abroad; a jealous care of the right of election by the people—a mild and safe corrective of abuses which are lopped by the sword of revolution where peaceable remedies are unprovided; absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority, the vital principle of republics, from which is no appeal but to force, the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism; a well disciplined militia, our best reliance in peace and for the first moments of war, till regulars may relieve them; the supremacy of the civil over the military authority; economy in the public expense, that labor may be lightly burdened; the honest payment of our debts and sacred preservation of the public faith; encouragement of agriculture, and of commerce as its handmaid; the diffusion of information and arraignment of all abuses at the bar of the public reason; freedom of religion; freedom of the press, and freedom of person under the protection of the habeas corpus, and trial by juries impartially selected.

These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment. They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety.

I repair, then, fellow-citizens, to the post you have assigned me....And may that Infinite Power which rules the destinies of the universe lead our councils to what is best, and give them a favorable issue for your peace and prosperity."

Freedom

I am grateful for God giving us our agency; the ability and freedom to choose good over evil. Freedom to me is the unrestricted exercise to make choices. Surely our endowed unalienable rights from our Creator are freedoms to be protected; Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For without the ability and freedom to make choices we could never experience or obtain true happiness.

Religious Freedom

This is a talk that Dallin H. Oaks gave at Chapman University School of Law on the importance or religious freedom. He presents some alarming facts about the diminishing presence of religion as a whole in our nation and the attacks on our right of freedom of religion that is granted us in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. Please take the time to watch this and visit the link below to see a 16 min Q&A with Elder Oaks on this subject as well as other excerpts and the transcript.



Link to Q&A with Elder Oaks on Freedom of Religion