Virginia quashed bill allowing handguns on campuses

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

One of the sure-fire ways to get 33 people killed on a college campus is to force all the law abiding citizens to give up any means of self defense, could there be anything more stupid? Guess who was the only person on campus with a gun, you got it a whacked foreigner with no respect for our people or our laws, go figure.

Virginia quashed bill allowing handguns on campuses
Tech spokesman celebrated 2006 defeat because it would help make campus safe
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Posted: April 16, 2007
3:15 p.m. Eastern

By Art Moore
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
Virginia state capitol

More than one year before today's unprecedented shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the state's General Assembly quashed a bill that would have given qualified college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus.

At the time, Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said he was happy to hear of the bill's defeat, according to the Roanoke Times.

"I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus," the Virginia Tech spokesman said.

At least 32 people were killed today at Virginia Tech in the worst campus shooting in U.S. history.

The proposal, House Bill 1572, was initiated by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, on behalf of the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

But the bill didn't pass its first stage, the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety.


Todd Gilbert

Most universities in Virginia require students and employees, other than police, to check their guns with police or campus security upon entering campus.

Backers of the bill wanted to prohibit public universities from making "rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a student who possesses a valid concealed handgun permit ... from lawfully carrying a concealed handgun."

The bill's sponsor, Gilbert, told WND that with today's tragedy still unfolding, he is uncomfortable commenting and cannot assert the university's policy in any way contributed to the shooting. But he said, nevertheless, it's clear it couldn't have stopped the attack.

"The one thing that this tragic event does illustrate is that there is not a single gun law, rule or regulation that will stop someone with this kind of evil intent from going about their business and taking life at will, if they are committed to doing that," Gilbert said.

While advocates of gun control often believe they are improving safety, they are depriving law-abiding citizens from defending themselves in dangerous situations, he contended.

"Had I been on campus today, and otherwise been entitled to carry firearms for protection and been deprived of that, I don't think words can describe how I would have felt, knowing I could have stopped something like this," Gilbert said.

People who are willing to jump through all the legal hoops necessary to get a weapons permit usually are not people society needs to worry about, he argued.

The suspect in today's shootings might have been a legal weapons holder, Gilbert said, but the law didn't prevent him from doing what he did.

In the spring of 2005, a Virginia Tech student who had a concealed handgun permit was disciplined for bringing a handgun to class, the Roanoke paper reported.

Second Amendment groups questioned the university's authority, but the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police argued against guns on campus.

In June 2006, Virginia Tech's governing board approved a violence prevention policy that reaffirmed the school's ban.

[Nick Gromicko]

Gun control causes crime.

[whandley]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Gun control causes crime.

Exactly! With gun control only the criminals have guns.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Hot off the presses... Nagasaki city mayor is shot dead!

The mayor of the Japanese city of Nagasaki has died several hours after being shot, police said.

Itcho Ito, 61, was shot at least twice in the back in the center of the city just before 2000 (1100 GMT) on Tuesday, and died in hospital on Wednesday.

Police said they had arrested a man, who was allegedly a member of one of Japan's leading organized crime groups.

Japanese media said the murder appeared to be linked to an alleged controversy over public works contracts.

Mr Ito was campaigning for re-election to a fourth term as mayor of Nagasaki, 980km (610 miles) south-west of Tokyo on the island of Kyushu.

Police identified the suspect as Tetsuya Shiroo, who was arrested on the spot.

Television pictures showed police struggling with Mr Shiroo and pushing him into a police car.

Paramedics treated Mr Ito on the ground outside a train station in the center of Nagasaki before he was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Doctors worked for several hours to keep him alive but he died at 0228 (1728 GMT on Tuesday).

One of the bullets had reached his heart, hospital officials said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Nagasaki city mayor is shot dead

What is the big friggin' deal you say... Well, Japan has some of the strictest gun laws in the world, I 'm not even sure if their cops carry guns. Just goes to show you that gun control like the war on terror, and the war on some drugs & home inspector licensing is mostly a failure and a waste of time & effort. Personal responsibility & integrity is the answer to most problems not government intervention.

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Originally Posted by whandley

Exactly! With gun control only the criminals have guns.

Ditto!!

[Scott Keiper]

That is why Texas changed there law after the mass shooting in the diner. If one person had a weapon the outcome might not have been as bad.