Calvin Lim is a chapter leader for SCCC. He can be contacted at [email protected].In regards to Jed Pressgrove’s article on how the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus’ arguments are based on “questionable assumptions,” perhaps his article’s arguments should have been edited and evaluated for the similar “questionable assumptions.”
First, Pressgrove mentions that the SCCC’s development is due to the exploitation after the rampage at Virginia Tech. That is simply his “assumption.” The SCCC was developed to raise awareness that college-age students of legal adult age can face the same dangerous situations on any campus as they face outside of any campus. Moreover, they are reminded that they have/should have a right and means to protect them.
Second, Pressgrove continuously tries to find the logic behind how a vehicle is considered an extension of your home. Any Mississippian, including Pressgrove, can contact any number of Mississippi law enforcement agencies or legislative branches, such as the Attorney General’s office, an attorney or even a judicial court who will tell you that your car is considered an extension of your home. For the written definition, Pressgrove could simply research properly and thoroughly and consult the Miss. “Castle Doctrine” as well as Miss. Code 97-3-15 and 97-37-1 where the defensive rights extend to one’s home and vehicle. The proper terminology used in our state’s law is “dwelling,” which is defined as “a building or conveyance of any kind that has a roof over it … mobile or immobile.” Therefore, this state, as well as numerous other states, considers one’s vehicle an extension of their home, or dwelling.
As to addressing the “mathematical issue,” Pressgrove points out that “college students, on average, are already not as likely to commit violent crimes with guns, even on campuses.” By that report, he admits that college students are not likely to commit a violent crime, referring to the FBI’s standards to only include rape, assault, robbery and murder on campus. However, his assumption is that if we increase the number of concealed carriers on campuses, the number of violent crimes will increase. What is Pressgrove’s basis for this? Moreover, by his “mathematical logic,” having more students already increases the potential for more violent crime. By the way, as far as I know, there has yet to be a recorded incident involving a licensed permit holder in Mississippi. Moreover, have you taken into consideration that because of concealed carry laws, violent crime has gone down? A great example is Florida’s and our own track record, among several other states.
In addition, does simply being on campus change a once-law-abiding carry holder into a deranged felon? It doesn’t. Campuses, like our MSU, are just like our surrounding town of Starkville. People live, commute, meet and socialize there as they would in any town. Crime exists on college campuses just as they do in any community. As to the idea that the presence of a firearm being inadvertently seen in a classroom will disrupt learning in the classroom, name one thing that does not already disrupt learning in any classroom. The idea behind concealed [carry], as you said, “means just that.” How many concealed carry permit holders’ guns have you or anyone else ever seen inadvertently exposed in any public place around town? I have yet to see one.
Furthermore, as to “the knowledge that some students are allowed to carry firearms may still disrupt the learning environment of a campus to a certain degree,” well, that is also just another one of your baseless assumptions. Does any other kind of knowledge that any students possess hamper or disrupt their means to learn? Does the fact that there are convicted felons attending our own university disrupt the learning environment? How about the “probability” that anyone can be attacked, raped or robbed inside or outside campus? Does that knowledge seem any more troublesome and disruptive than having law-abiding, legal concealed carry holders to possess their firearms on their person on campus or any other “gun-free zone”? How about the fact that one is far more likely to be injured or killed by a vehicle than being affected by violent crime, let alone by a permit holder’s firearm? Are these facts any more distracting or simply never thought about much? The idea that one may feel safer on campus or any other place does not actually mean that people are safer. Of course, MSU is lucky to have a great and respected law enforcement community which keeps our levels of crime down. Other universities and areas in Mississippi are not so lucky.
Lastly, Pressgove’s concern over trusting a permit holder with a firearm. Well I guess he trusts the thousands of drivers on our streets. Each of these actions, whether driving a 4,000-pound car or handling a firearm, falls back to each individual and his responsibility to learn, practice and choose to do smart and safe handling of firearms, just as if it were any other device.
For what it’s worth, Pressgrove says he does not believe there are “many regular American citizens that I trust with firearms, especially in relation to my personal safety.” Exactly who does he trust? Police? Former or current military? Just to let everyone know, they are people too; we are all fallible, but we are also all capable of rudimentary safety and responsibility, whether it be inside a college campus or in town. Just as they are capable of making decisions, being safe with firearms and trusted to protect lives, any competent law-abiding citizen can also.
Mr. Pressgrove, before you publish your thoughts, on “questionable assumptions,” it would have made more sense if your own case were not based on “questionable assumptions” and “holes in logic.” Thanks for your time.