Like many other rights and plain English in the Constitution, even the founders almost immediately tweaked, or ignored them as they set precedent and moved forward. Every court, including the SC recognizes that famous “stare decisis”. Your rights have the ignoble standing to have been infringed very early on and nothing is going to change that. You can fight it, you may win inches here and there, but overall, there will be gun control, there will be places guns are not allowed, there will be cases where restrictions will be enforced.

I do not ask you to like it, or see the logic you refuse to see by calling it “emotion”. It is quite enough that it exists. If there is a “win” in this scenario, it will not be yours. The statistics of death by gun will always mean controlling people and guns.

“I am not a Virginia Tech student, so I can carry there if I want to…. at least outside. Even openly, if I want.”

Picnic on the drillfied? Sounds like a good idea for spring!

“You are correct that emotion drives my decision-making process in this and every situation.”

Thank you for letting us agree on this.

“By the way, are you saying that using my emotions to make a decision is inferior?”

No disrespect intended, but on this particular topic, which is literally a life or death decision made for everybody, yes.

“I do not yield on restricting locations where concealed carry is not allowed. Schools, universities, courthouses should be handgun free for good reason.”

You realize that the first two have no security against anyone, criminal or otherwise, carrying anyway, right? That throws “gun free” right out the window in reality.

All this healthy and constructive banter aside, I would love to have you in class sometime. One of the regulars here may be taking my next class. The classes are not at all political and offer a lot of information on everyday carry. Please let me know if you’re interested.

“Likewise, but can we agree that your position is based more in emotion than history, statistics or reason?”

Sort of. You are correct that emotion drives my decision-making process in this and every situation. By the way, are you saying that using my emotions to make a decision is inferior? It certainly appears so in this response to a post by Sandi, “…even if it is an emotional argument based purely on feelings without the interference of reason.” In my emotional mind, reason does not interfere. Reason and logic inform me. The more information I get, the better decision my emotions make. JW, people make decisions in very different ways. It is, thankfully, what makes us all unique. Imagine this blog if we all saw things through the same filter.

However, that does not mean that I am devoid of reason or that I ignore history. Statistics may well be in your favor. You continue to equate the drop in violent crime with the increase in concealed carry. Maybe that is true, maybe it is not. Time will tell. As for history, it appears to be replete with folks killing each other intentionally and accidentally with handguns. I am sure there are instances where handguns deter crime, too. Quite simply, you think that more handguns make people safer. This is evidenced by your statement in response to Dan, “Rape could all but become extinct if more and more women carried. Assault would fall out of favor too. Murder will always be here, but it would become more and more difficult to do.” I think more handguns make people less safe. Reason and history sadly tells me that human beings, rape, assault, rob, and murder no matter the weaponry. As I have said before, the use of a handgun makes it easier to kill. I don’t think that fact is in dispute.

As we have gone back and forth, I think I have softened my stance in oppostition to concealed carry. It is inevitable that people will carry handguns, so I would rather they be permitted and trained. That said, I do not yield on restricting locations where concealed carry is not allowed. Schools, universities, courthouses should be handgun free for good reason.

JW, your posts make me think, and for this, I am appreciative.

I’m sorry I missed this little gem. The guest speakers and other visitors do get to carry. It’s just students and faculty/staff who do not get to carry.

I am not a Virginia Tech student, so I can carry there if I want to…. at least outside. Even openly, if I want.

Wow, I cannot believe that you actually believe that. With police departments across the country full of people with guns, why are there not more murders in police departments?

Speak for yourself. I, on the other hand, welcome them in the classroom, as do many other like-minded people.

Bring some facts already! Every story of a kid shooting himself because of an irresponsible parent or finding those one or two bad apples within the 9 million+ CHP holders (a record better than cops) doesn’t at all make your case.

What is the reason carry should be banned in any of these places when every re-expansion of carry thus far has not only NOT shown to be a problem, but coincided with a near perfect overlap of the graph of declining violent crime?

You guys argue so passionately against a less infringed right to carry, but have yet to offer anything but solutions in search of problems that we do not have and you cannot show evidence of.