On March 1, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) student newspaper, The Rebel Yell, published an opinion article contending that until concealed carry holders are allowed to carry their guns on campus, only criminals on campus will be armed.
The Rebel Yell article states that “self defense is a right,” yet one that is denied if the ability to carry a gun for protection is curtailed. As a result, the power of criminals increases because their victims cannot fight back–and this is especially true for women.
The article quotes UNLV’s Students for Concealed Carry president, Zachary Guymon, stating, “We need concealed carry [on campus because of] everyday acts of violence and crime, especially for females for whom firearms are the great equalizer.”
Opponents of Campus Carry argue that allowing concealed license holders to bring guns on campus also opens the door for criminals to bring guns. Breitbart News recently reported that Salon made this very argument in stating its opposition to the growing GOP push for campus carry. But in reality, criminals are not waiting for campus carry to be legalized before they carry guns on campus; rather, they view gun-free zones as places in which they alone can be armed for mischief and criminality.
The Rebel Yell article made this point with another quote from Guymon, who said, “Current law only stops law abiding citizens from carrying on campus. If you’re determined to murder, rape, terrorize, and assault, would the possibility of a gross misdemeanor really stop you?
Nevada Assemblyman Derek Armstrong (R) is also quoted as saying, “I think the belief that absolutely no one ever brings a weapon onto campus under the current restrictions is naive.”
Nevada lawmakers begin holding hearings for campus carry on March 5.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
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