Collegiate Times

I am a full supporter of the alert boards that we have in classrooms. They are probably the most effective way of reaching students on the academic side of campus in a timely manner. But that doesn't even begin to touch the number of students on the residential side of campus, whether they be in dorms or dining halls. How about students walking around campus? We can certainly pour more and more money into different alert methods, but eventually we will have to draw a line and realize that there simply isn't a way to inform everyone in a timely manner.

VT police have nothing to do with whether you received your alert or not. The police responded quickly, took the matter seriously, and did a good job. You sound like a 12-year old making stupid statements to prove you're cool. Grow up.

Concealed carry? Last thing we need is more idiots running around with guns on this campus. That turned out well in the past.

Hey Anon Y Mous, are you scared of people with guns? Or just people in general? Calling everyone idiots implies that you're included, so should we trust you with the US's deadliest weapon - the automobile? Or were you referring to the police when you meant "idiots running around with guns"? Make a coherent statement and you'll sound like less of an idiot yourself!

Haha nice, probably just a paranoid anti-gunner. I mean tell me, WHAT ELSE could you do if there were another 4/16 and you were in the targeted room? Curl up in a ball and hope that you aren't hurt? Hope that a text message will save you? Will Bulloss talks about a viable means to protect yourself, but Anon would probably rather leave his life to chance than preparation. Genius...

Were you even here during the shootings, Kevin? Do you even know what it was like to be here? I would not assume that people just curled up in a ball awaiting their fate. The texting system might have made a difference. Guns are not the answer.

The problem with concealed carry is its biggest advantage. As a cop, student or even as another CCW holder I don't know who the hell will be doing the shooting (one shooter without uniform - question answered). Do CCW holder(s) have the responsibility to draw their gun (in an active situation), return fire, shoot straight or just run like the rest of cowards (with gun in hand - good idea). A heroic situation involving CCW is possible...but just as possible are students or instructors getting killed / injured in crossfire (shrug shoulders). Tough luck grieving families? Does the CCW holder take responsibility? (covered under personal liability?) or do the University and State take the fall. Probably the latter...and WHY there is a ban on guns on most college campuses. If you put it to a vote, most students and their families (some minors on campus) would agree.

Brian- Concealed carry, as it is advocated for on this campus, is strictly a means of SELF-protection. No citizen should have the responsibility of protecting an entire classroom of people. The hero complex argument has been nixed a million times- people get concealed permits for protection of themselves and their families, not to become Superman. However, there are a lot of crimes that happen on campus outside of the classroom (like attempted abductions, rapes, robberies, etc) where having a firearm for self-defense would come into play in a one on one situation. Crimes in a classroom are totally different, and can never be predicted because you nor I have no idea where we would be sitting, which door a shooter would enter through, how many weapons he/she would have, etc etc etc. Your argument of people getting caught in the "crossfire" is null and void. What is the first thing people do when they hear gun shots? Hit the ground. Meaning the only one still standing is the shooter. Who does that leave in the crossfire? No one. Further, a responsible gun owner who has taken the steps to be trained and get a concealed permit would use his/her firearm in total caution. It can be a seriously deadly weapon, not a toy to be used without thinking, and any responsible firearm owner would agree with me on that.

Further, ALL cops are trained for active shooter situations, even our campus police- they receive the same training as cops off campus. Think about it, concealed carry is allowed in all public locations off campus- how would the cops tell if someone was a good guy or bad guy off campus? The same way they would if it were on campus- through their training. Lastly, if the campus strips you of self-defense, they are liable for your life (hence why we're trying so hard to avoid law suits from the families of 4/16 victims). They try to protect the entire campus (30,000 people) with our police force (40 people). On average, it takes police 9 minutes to respond to a scene, by then it's too late. How do you feel now?

Brian, in recent years, legislation in this country has swayed toward allowing concealed carry by cleared citizens. If we had two parallel universes: one where concealed carry has been allowed on campus for decades, and the other where it has not, those in the first universe would be as unaware of it as most are of the fact that anyone you pass in many public places could be legally armed. The reason is because none of the horror stories about allowing concealed carry have come true. For the benefit of anyone who's new to the issue, I'll repeat the mantra that only about 2% of citizens in the NRV area have permits, you must be 21 to obtain one and pass a background check and safety courses, saying that college students can't handle the responsibility because they just get drunk and high all the time is offensive, and no emotionally stable person is just going to whip out a gun and start shooting because they get a bad grade. Historically, school shootings are premeditated and are not affected by anti-gun policies; people don't just snap and then say, "well, as long as I have a gun, may as well use it." Add to this the fact that there is no way to guarantee that people aren't already illicitly carrying on campus, and I don't know what more to say to convince you.

"Your argument of people getting caught in the "crossfire" is null and void". Sure, most people will hit the ground, but some might head for the exit (not "curled up in a ball") or try to take on the shooter or be used as a shield...a thousand scenarios. Right, cops don't know who's "the good guy or bad guy" thus complicating the situation. Of course, the University has to accept responsibility and liability for protecting students in such an environment. As you said the concealed weapon holder is responsible for his own safety, family...that's it. What about those not old enough to get a permit?...maybe more than half the classroom. On or off campus, awareness and being prepared for most situations are our best defense. A good alert system (apparently, we don't have that), strong locking doors, lighting, travelling in groups, etc...not glamorous. I doubt there have been fewer hijacking in a gun free area (aircraft) because of TSA. I think its because the hijacker knows he'll be beaten to death by 70 unarmed but informed passengers...with or without the fake bomb.

Brian, your argument about the airplane is not analogous to campus. There are security measures to help ensure that dangerous materials do not make it onto aircraft. Granted, they sometimes fail, but when was the last time you walked through a metal detector before you stepped foot on VT's campus? When you say "awareness and being prepared," why isn't making the personal decision to carry a firearm a legitimate mode of preparation? A good alert system, locking doors, lighting, etc. are part of the equation, but they do not represent a comprehensive solution. A firearm is not a cure-all, but it does provide an additional line of defense.

30,000 students carrying guns would help? right. dumb real dumb

Anonymous @ 1:46- Read the previous posts before you write something so ignorant. You must be 21 years of age to even be considered for a concealed permit. Who is 21 on our campus? Seniors, grad students & professors. As Jason T explained, only about 2% of people apply for permits, so do your math before you assume.

OK, for the concealed carry zealots -- how would having a weapon at your disposal on campus on Thursday changed the outcome? What would you have done, popped the pranksters? Defended your room against a search by the police? Set up a posse to go after the pranksters and string them up? Methinks you have watched too many Westerns from NetFlix.

Really, Joe Hokie? Too many Westerns? A threat on your life of any kind is a serious matter, not a movie. Because of the outcome of the specific situation on Thursday, someone with a permit would have never needed to think about defending themselves, but that doesn't change the fact that there was a supposed threat. What if those actually were gunshots? I don't care how quickly the police are called after gunshots are fired, the fact is that they've already been fired in order for police to show up, meaning someone's life is already in danger. The police don't show up in time to save your life, they show up to take pictures of the crime scene. As we saw on April 16th, even securing one building where an incident occurred doesn't get rid of the threat. If the noises in Prichard had actually been gunshots, and the suspect had left the dorm after shooting (just like 4/16), then EVERYONE else on campus would have been in danger- making it appropriate for someone with a concealed permit to consider using their firearm to defend their life if the situation arose.

And I will add this- if you think a concealed carry permit holder would ever "pop" a prankster, stand up against the police, or set up a "posse" then you are very mistaken. The fact that you even suggest those actions shows that you have absolutely NO knowledge on the topic of concealed carry. As I have stated before- concealed carry is about self-defense and does not entitle the individual to become a "gangster" or a police officer. So do as I say and check your facts before you assume.