Be Careful What You Shoot For . . .

This is a good bit off-campus from my usual fare, but I cannot resist. Let me begin by apologizing to my friends who are card carrying NRA members. I am not a member and do not care to be, but I am also not against it. I have plenty of realtives and friends who have guns for hunting and recreation and I have enjoyed going to the shooting range myself, but I really do not see the need for folks to walk around with concealed guns unless they are police. Daily I read about bar fights, guys or girls at a party having a fight, etc. etc. Moreover, while I consider myself fairly level-minded I am sure there are plenty of less level-minded individuals out there that can qualify to buy and carry a concealed weapon. And so, I am not happy when students can carry concealed weapons on campus. Seriously, college campuses allowing students to be carrying on campus.

http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aiL1FpbQYfUU&pos=10

The excuse given in the article is self defense, but that is total bull pucky. I am 50 and have never needed a gun for self defense. I would only need one, or any one would only need one, if other students or (in my case) co-workers could also carry concealed weapons. Sure, someone could always illegally carry a weapon and in that one moment in a million you need a gun to protect yoursef. But I have kids and when they eventually go to college (I pray) I am not about to send them to schools that allow other kids to carry guns to class. This BS is infringing on my rights because I have to fear folks walking around with hidden guns. Truly folks, there is no real need in self-defense or otherwise to carry a concealed gun around in today's world in this country. I am all for people having guns for sport or target practice or even in case of national invasion, but given today's society there are just too many idiots out there for me to feel safer with folks around me carrying concealed weapons.

Now I suspect it is just a matter of time before some A-Hole on campus takes out his concealed weapon and does in some fellow students or professors or something even worse happens leading to a major political push to limit guns more than they were in the past. I truly hope they dial this back before that happens. I am not worried about the folks I know carrying concealed weapons, I am just worried about everyone else. Just think about the ass who was tail-gating you the other day that you flipped the bird to having a gun - or if you were inadvertantly tail-gaiting someone with a gun. I am not extreme and I get plenty pissed driving on a regular basis. Road rage is no strnger to me. I cannot imagine having road rage with guns. Moreover, if folks with concealed guns are allowed to go out and drink I am staying home. Never mind terrorists - our own citizens with guns actually scare me more and I was in NYC for 9/11.

Point being, I lived and worked in NYC for nearly two decades; my car was broken into seven or eight times, my apartment was once stipped to the bone (I mean appliances, couch and everything), and I dealt with road rage on a daily basis. I never needed a gun nor wanted one and was quite glad those around me did not have one (though some in NYC obvoiusly carried illegal guns. I was still better off without one). You may feel better if your son or daughter have a concealed gun on campus to protect themselves, but think about it - would you feel safer if every other student on campus had a gun? Would you feel better if all your neighbors and co-workers had a gun - a concealed gun? If you would, either (a) you know people much better than I do, (b) you truly expect terrorists to invade on a massive scale or (c) you really do not know your neighbors and friends well enough. Either way, I am against concealed guns as I really see no need for it. We are no longer in the wild West.

Disclosures, None.