ODU Can’t Keep Campus Safe So They Move to Ban Guns Entirely
By D.J. Spiker | Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 | Politics, VirginiaA protest organized by the ODU College Republicans and the VCDL today has received a number of media attention, calling attention to the ill-advised attempts by the Old Dominion University board to outlaw all guns on campus, including those by lawful conceal-carry members.
ODU of course has been bedeviled by numerous violent crime and robberies in the surrounding area directly next to campus. This past summer a nephew of Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings was shot and killed in his home directly behind campus. Friends of mine who live in the area are nervous about going out at night in the area for fear of crime and violence.
ODU’s reaction?
BAN ALL GUNS.
ODU continues to demonstrate how absolutely moronic their Board is, somehow thinking that preventing their students from protecting themselves lawfully, this will somehow reduce the amount of violent crime. Nevermind that many of the crimes taking place are not student-on-student, but rather non-students in the Norfolk area preying on college students. An urban campus in a poor neighborhood like those between 29th and 49th streets off of Hampton Blvd is rife with danger and forbidding students from protecting themselves is a recipe for even more disaster.
Those committing the crimes aren’t concerned with conceal carry laws, or with the laws of a university they don’t attend. So ODU isn’t preventing violence, they’re actually encouraging it by letting those who would commit crimes that if we have our way students will be unprotected always.
Events like those in Virginia Tech of course must give up pause, but also must remember it was the work of a deranged man who slipped through the cracks. That’s not to take away from the magnitude or tragedy of that event, but too often it becomes a blanket we throw over any and all gun laws regarding campus safety.
ODU is a unique situation and requires unique solutions. The ODU Board’s lack of regard for their students constitutional rights to protect themselves flies in the face of the very freedoms this country was founded on. I personally join the ODU College Republicans in calling for ODU Alumni to withhold donations from the Monarchs until the Board understands the ramifications of their ill-thought regulations.
[UPDATE]
Thanks to BD contributor Andrew Schwartz who sends along this email from the President of ODU, attempting to spin this regulation. I think Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli would be particularly surprised to know that Broderick claims the AG recommended ODU enact this unconstitutional legislation.
Dear Campus Community:
Tomorrow, two organizations will be holding events on campus relating to weapons policies at colleges and universities in Virginia.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League and Students for Gun Free Schools will be supporting opposite sides of the debate on whether universities should permit weapons on their campuses. Similar events are being planned for the College of William and Mary, Virginia Tech, George Mason, James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth and Radford universities.
The debate was sparked by recent actions of ODU and other state colleges and universities to change their existing weapons policies to regulations.
Since some media reports haven’t accurately captured what prompted this move by Virginia universities, I thought it would be helpful to the Old Dominion community to provide the background.
For more than two decades, ODU has had a policy prohibiting firearms in its buildings and athletic facilities. This past summer, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued an opinion that universities’ policies banning the possession of firearms on campus do not apply to visitors – uninvited guests, specifically – who have a concealed carry permit.
The attorney general’s guidance was for colleges and universities to enact regulations, which carry the force of law, to ban any visitor from entering university facilities while armed. So, this fall, Old Dominion began that process. After review from the attorney general’s office, the university’s regulation will be presented to the Board of Visitors for approval.
These actions do not represent a change in our rules or our philosophy to weapons on campus. The same rules we have had in place for years will still remain; only they will now be enforced by a legally sound regulation.
Sincerely,
John R. Broderick
President
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Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right...entrenched on the right as a member of the Establishment, proudly tattooed member of the Republican Party, bartender by trade serving both sides the libations needed to continue the debate and discourse. College student, ten years late, majoring in Public Policy and Administration with an eye to serving the conservative and Republican movement in the public or private sector. ducit amor patriae You can find D.J.on facebook, Twitter, or contact via email at gosport.conservative@gmail.com. You can find D.J.on facebook, Twitter, or contact via email at gosport.conservative@gmail.com.
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20 Responses to "ODU Can’t Keep Campus Safe So They Move to Ban Guns Entirely"
D. J.,
Gun bans have been proven to reduce handgun violence. Consider the District of Columbia, which has had one of the most restrictive gun laws in the country for over 35 years.
What? Oh, never mind.
The Second Amendment–because when seconds count the police are minutes away.
ODU is one of the very last places in Virginia I would want to visit unarmed. Since “crime, crime go away…” doesn’t work, keep your gun control failure out of my holster.
An image comes to mind of predators circling the outside of the campus perimeter preying on students and faculty as targets of opportunity. I used to park in back of Batten Arts and Letters building, years before the renovations, when attending night school for a post grad program. W 43rd street was a 2 lane road and the neighborhoods to the south were a no mans land.
It’s been a proven fact over the years that armed students directly result in higher grades.
You’ve all said that banning guns isn’t the solution, so what is the solution or what are solutions?
Do you have any ideas to help reduce gun related violence at and around ODU and other areas of the Commonwealth?
Troll, all students should be free to obtain a Virginia Concealed Handgun Permit and be free to carry on/off campus for personal protection and for the protection of others.
From an article in yesterday’s WAPO:
“A South Carolina sheriff is urging women to get concealed weapons permits and carry guns to protect themselves.” “The sheriff encouraged women to walk in groups. And he said it’s better to carry a gun than mace.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/south-carolina-sheriff-encourages-women-to-obtain-concealed-weapons-permits-carry-guns/2011/11/01/gIQAfmPxbM_story.html
ToR,
The solution is for the criminal element to have a certain degree of uncertainty about whether or not a potential victim is armed. The District of Columbia, which despite DC vs. Heller still bans handgun possession, has one of the highest armed robbery rates in the country. Fifteen minutes away where I live in Fairfax County, armed robbery is practically unknown. What a weird coincidence!
I wonder how comfortable you guys would be if bunch of middle eastern guys and minorities that look like gang-bangers were walking around campus with guns. Can I point out the obvious – if everyone can walk around armed, how will you be able to spot the nut case with the gun just before he shoots half of you? You are either going to have a lot of false alarms every time someone touches a gun or people will be lured into a false sense of security. As usual, conservatives don’t understand that you try to fix the problems, not double down on them.
BS, “middle eastern guys and minorities that look like gang-bangers” are predators and are already walking both in and around the ODU campus with guns and other deadly weapons. Do you like reading about ODU students/faculty as victims of violent crime in the Mace and Crown or their obituaries in the Virginian Pilot? When is enough, enough?
http://maceandcrown.com/2011/10/25/robbery-at-49th-street-and-killam-avenue/
“Police are searching for three suspects after they robbed two men near the corner of 49 Street and Killam Avenue on Oct. 13. The suspects are said to have driven up to the men in a silver Toyota, displayed a weapon and demanded money around 11:15 p.m. One of the victims was an ODU student.
The robbery accounts for one of almost 300 violent crimes committed within a mile of the campus since May of this year. These violent crimes have even resulted in the death of an ODU student in his rental house near the school.”
“In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education reported ODU as having 50 robberies and burglaries in on and off campus housing. 15 accounts of forcible sex offenses and 12 instances of aggravated assault were also included. Collectively, these events have led some students to question their safety as they live on or off campus.”
Mr. Swindell, the “nut with the gun” is easy to spot. He or is the one doing the shooting. Also, even if he does manage to shoot “half of you”, it’s better than 8 minutes of shooting helpless students like the prioverbial fish-in-a-barrel. Why aren’t you advocating for the repeal of driving automobiles since we cannot discern who the nut behind the wheel is before they swerve through a yard full of school children? I’m watching the national news right now… no mass shootings to report. However, a bunch of automobile wrecks happened today and a bunch of driver’s licenses were issued too. I guess you think the DMV is just doubling-down on that problem.
Is logic allowed on this thread?
Also, Mr. Swindell, people who are uncomfortable with a “bunch of middle eastern guys and minorities that look like gang-bangers” open carrying are probably already concerned that those same guys are carrying concealed. Putting any prejudice or stereotyping aside, I have no doubt that on average people like you, the unarmed, are more likely to be afraid of the aforementioned group than people like me and, considering that you generally choose to be defenseless, for good reason.
No, I would think that everyone should be pushing for the city and police to solve the problem without the students having to go wild west on everyone. You just want to carry guns to make you feel cool or powerful. As soon as you get what you want you won’t be out protesting for the police to crackdown on criminals which is what you should be directing your energy towards. People got robbed and shot when I was at ODU, it’s nothing new – it’s a problem that won’t be stopped by you. Mr Wilburn, you know nothing about me or what self defense measures I take which also leads me to believe you know nothing about other things you discuss. Instead of making the media focus on the problem you waste everyone’s energy on your personal agenda.
Maybe suggest ODU spend more money on campus security, maybe a guard on every corner if need be – rather than a football team and other non-scholastic things that are so popular now. Providing a safe campus should be the highest priority for ODU and Norfolk.
Brett Swindell,
First, in order to carry concealed you must pass a background check and demonstrate proficiency with a handgun. Therefore, anyone who meets that criteria is not a threat to the rest of us, whether they are middle eastern-looking, midwestern-looking, or a racial minority. Quite frankly, I am offended by your racist characterization that those who favor Second Amendment rights somehow feel more threatened by persons of different ethnic backgrounds. That is a BS assertion that speaks volumes about your agenda.
As for the police “cracking down” on criminals I have a news flash for you: they are doing that now. The problem is that we don’t live in a police state and we don’t want to. Preventive arrests, unwarranted searches, and detainment on unproven suspicions are the tools that physical cowards like you are suggesting that the police use to “crack down” on criminals. If you want the security of living under the watchful eye of Big Brother instead of the security of capable and law-abiding citizens being armed for self-defense, then go for it. Fortunately for the rest of us, our Constitution is not on your side of the argument.
Brett Swindell,
Have you been to New Orleans lately? There is, quite literally, a cop on every corner in the French Quarter after dark. Same thing in Georgetown in DC on weekend nights. Guess what? The mugging, robbery, and handgun violence rates in both places are exponentially higher than Fairfax County in Virginia. Look it up.
It is called the Second Amendment because when seconds count the police are minutes away.
You’re right Mr. Swindell, I don’t know what measures you take to defend yourself. I’d imagine keys between your fingers, reading rape prevention literature, and walking in well-lit areas. Perhaps you carry a gun; if so, you are an elitist. If not, you’re now well advertised prey. I gasp at your casual acceptance of violent crime around ODU as if it something you just shrug off daily saying it’s “nothing new.” Would you shrug off the murder or rape of a family member just as easily? You’ll take your chances with known criminal element in society, but not a known element of lawful citizens carrying. Simply preposterous.
Oh, and thanks for speculating about my motives and sincerity… classy. I’m fighting for your rights whether you value them or not.
Rocky – you totally missed the point. Are you going to personally or is anyone – going to ask every person carrying a gun if they have papers? Who’s going to pay for that? Nobody, so while some people who have good intentions will legally carry some nut case will just blend right in, sit down next to you and maybe decide to pull it out and end your life. Everyone that legally carries isn’t going to be someone you like – that was my other point that you so elegantly perverted – maybe they won’t like you at all and maybe when they hear your right wing shit they may just snap and put a round through your skull. Many people that can carry shouldn’t because they can’t control their temper. Don’t you people even have a clue why guns were outlawed in towns to start with? We already had the wild west – read about it. We made decisions years ago (at a time when everyone carried a gun) that it wasn’t a good idea and didn’t solve problems. Conservatives seem to always forget history and want to take us backwards to horrible times that people fought hard to improve. If a very large police presence is needed than it’s needed but it won’t be a police state as you say – it will only be where it’s needed and it’s long overdue at ODU. I would feel much better sending my daughter to ODU if there were police everywhere than a bunch of 19 yr old students with guns. You don’t seem at all concerned about solving crime you just want to be able to protect yourself (which is a fools game). Lastly, one of my good friends was murdered just off campus in 1991 and if everyone of us was carrying a gun it would have still happened – his name was Steve Torpy. He was gunned down after a party near Colley Ave. & 48th over less than 20 bucks. That same year one of my best friends was beaten and ended up in the hospital when his 42nd street apt was robbed. In both cases being armed wouldn’t have helped a bit. You are fighting for the criminals, not the people being victimized by saying that you don’t want or need police that you are capable of protecting yourself. I seriously doubt that applies to most of the students on campus that don’t want or wouldn’t know how to use a gun. You think about yourself but not the overall problem or the majority of the people. I guess you expect all the students to buy, get trained and carry guns in order for your solution to be possible and it still doesn’t stop the crime from happening to start with. I know that none of you give a shit about what some older person with experience has to say which is why they say with age comes knowledge. Keep pushing your agenda, it won’t solve a thing but you don’t care about solving a thing – you just want to be a big man with a gun you probably aren’t man enough to use.
If you’re scared for your safety learn how to really protect yourself – http://www.kravmagavirginiabeach.com/
Mr. Swindell,
1. If Steve Torpy had been carrying a gun, Steve Torpy might well be alive today.
2. “Krav Maga” is great and fine for assailants you have the ability to “take” that are unarmed and within your reach. A criminal with a gun can reach you a hundred feet away. Also, I’m not about to suggest disarming the elderly and handicapped that cannot “Krav Maga” their attackers. Firearms are a great and necessary equalizer for many people.
3. Your “wild west” rhetoric ignores the fact that 250,000 Virginia CHP holders are among our 8.1 million residents. Wal-Mart, Food Loin, Kroger, banks, government buildings, college campuses, and even our General Assembly building in Richmond already allow legally carried guns and they are not the “wild west.” By the way, 19 year olds will not be allowed to carry concealed under our current laws anyway, but they are certainly old enough, can, and do fight in Afghanistan and Iraq now. You trust them in our military, but you don’t trust them when they come home.
4. We study history and learn from history far more than you. It was an armed citizenry that allowed our independence from a tyrannical government. We are now free so that guys like you can depend on guys like us to vigorously fight to preserve our rights to say whatever we want. The second amendment makes all the others possible.
5. We don’t have personal agendas per se, control is the agenda of those that wish to disarm us. That was obviously true in colonial times and has remained true throughout the history of gun control. Gun control has roots in the Jim Crow laws. People who truly cherish liberty will not tolerate gun control.
“You are fighting for the criminals, not the people being victimized by saying that you don’t want or need police that you are capable of protecting yourself.”
That is not only harsh, but untrue. I didn’t say I don’t want or need the police–just that they can’t be everywhere all the time. Even in the circumstances, as I cited in the instances of New Orleans and Georgetown, a virtual police state presence doesn’t deter crime. I have to ask you, in the case of your friend who was beaten and robbed in his apartment, how were the police more effective than him having a gun?
Finally, you clearly are addressing this entire issue from a position of ignorance since you apparently don’t know that you must be 21 in Virginia to own a handgun or to get a permit to carry one concealed. Therefore, arguing with you is a waste of time.
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