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Is it time for concealed weapons on campus? I thought my opinion on this was absolute: concealed handguns on a campus is a terrible idea. But, after Virginia Tech, and now Northern Illinois University, I'm not so sure. I think it's time to have an honest "what if" discussion.
I have some baggage on this issue. My fear of guns goes way back to an incident in high school. Frank was a junior, and his locker was next to mine. No one knew that almost every day, Frank would beat the crap out of his younger brother, Tim. One afternoon, Tim ended the abuse with one of their father's shotguns. I decided then that the presence of guns facilitates tragedy, and the fewer of them we have, the better. I've carried that opinion almost 25 years. I've always been a fan of gun control, and I've always felt that gun proponents are scary people.
But then Columbine happened five miles from my home. In October, I stood at the memorial for the victims at Virginia Tech. Someone opened fire at a mall this Christmas shopping season. We find ourselves in a sad age when sad, depressed and angry people can commit suicide, take others with them, and become national news celebrities.
The pervasiveness of these horrifying incidents is making me feel less secure. Like many parents, I worry about a shooting at my son's school. I feel a little tiny bit vulnerable going to a conference, a crowded movie theatre, or any large store. I really, really hate that fear.
A few months ago, we had another shooting rampage here in Colorado. A gunman took out two young people at a missionary center in the Denver metro area, then headed south to a megachurch near Colorado Springs. A young woman – a rent-a-cop – took down the assailant in the parking lot. Had she not been there, armed, that bastard could have killed dozens.
That incident resonated with me. As much as I hate to think about guns on campus, I can't help thinking: what if even just one of those students in the Northern Illinois lecture hall had been in possession of a legally-licensed handgun? Would that young man or woman have shot back at the assailant? While I don't relish the idea of a lecture hall turning into the O.K. Corral, I wonder if fewer lives might have been lost? I don't know. But, I feel that it MIGHT have ended differently.
This "what if" flies in the face of some long-held beliefs of mine, and as I sit here typing, I'm not sure how I feel. Maybe some of you are wrestling with this idea today, also. Banning guns on campus hasn't prevented these tragedies. Would allowing them change the equation?
According to an article in today's USA Today, some states are passing laws overruling campus "no guns" policies. In many states, campuses can no longer prohibit anyone from carrying a legal, licensed concealed weapon in classrooms, student unions, or residence halls. There is a non-profit organization – Students for Concealed Carry on Campus – whose platform is becoming less fringe.
Does the presence of these concealed weapons make us more vulnerable, or safer? If I were a programmer on a campus, I think I would be holding forums on this question, exploring the opinions of my student body, faculty, and staff. You can bet that Second Amendment proponents are going to be pushing this in your legislature, and more members of the public are going to be supporting these measures.
We're afraid. We're looking for answers. And while the prevalence of guns scare us, the idea of a gunman shooting indiscriminately until he reaches the final bullet for himself scares me even more. And, we haven't even begun the era of suicide bombers in this country yet. I worry that's coming soon.
I always say that we can choose to live by hope, or by fear. I hate living by fear – fear of crazy, angry people with guns and suicidal intentions. The peace-loving side of me wants to buy the world a Coke, you know? But if you aren't a little scared, then you aren't paying attention. I am becoming more open to the hope that good people with guns can be an antidote. I'm not there yet, and I'm sure I'll never feel entirely comfortable about it, but I'm opening up to the idea.
At NIU today, there is tragedy, grief and mourning. For the rest of us, a question. After the candlelight vigils, the Facebook groups, the black ribbons, what are we going to do?
