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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/16/2218284.htm
US students lobby to carry guns at university By Washington correspondent Kim Landers
Posted 1 hour 8 minutes ago
Some students insist they have a right to self defence and that arming themselves could prevent a tragedy. (Getty Images: China Photos) On the eve of the first anniversary of America's worst campus shooting, a growing number of US university students are demanding the right to carry guns to class.
Their push began after a lone gunman shot dead 32 students and teachers at Virginia Tech.
While most American universities ban weapons, these students insist they have a right to self defence and that arming themselves could prevent a tragedy.
As winter slowly turns to spring, families and friends of the 32 people shot dead at Virginia Tech a year ago are preparing for a day of remembrance.
But despite enduring such a tragedy, Virginia Tech is now home to the biggest chapter of a new group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
Formed in the wake of the shootings, this group now boasts 25,000 members who want the right to carry concealed weapons on university grounds.
Andrew Dysart is a former marine who is in his final semester of a criminal justice degree. He heads the George Mason University chapter of the group.
"We're a group of students that many of us already for different reasons carry concealed handguns legally off campus every day of our lives," he said.
"We just believe that we should be able to have that same ability on campus.
"I got a concealed handgun permit when I was still in the marine corps and then afterwards started looking at different things and carrying a handgun for self-defence at different times when I thought it was necessary."
He says if he was allowed to carry his weapon, he is confident in his ability to operate it and would be prepared to use it if somebody suddenly started shooting in the cafeteria or in the classroom.
"I am. That other aspect is also of just removing the stigma from college campuses that criminals can come on campus and have their will," he said.
Risks Brian Siebel is a senior attorney at the Washington-based Brady Centre to Prevent Gun Violence.
"We've all seen the images of Animal House, and I'm sure there's the equivalent in Australia," he said.
"You know Australians like their beer, right? So certainly this is a risk and we know from a couple of studies done by Harvard researchers that college gun owners actually engage in much higher risk behaviour than the average college student.
"They're more likely than the average student to binge drink and use drugs and get in trouble with police and get arrested for drunk driving."
Utah is the only state which allows concealed weapons on uni campuses, although 16 other states have considered, but not passed similar legislation in the last year.
"The Virginia Tech shooter, had he applied in the state of Virginia for a concealed carry licence, would have been issued one before these attacks and the same would have happened for many of the people who have engaged in school shootings," Mr Siebel said.
Officials at Virginia Tech say the only guns they want on campus are the ones carried by police.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/16/2218284.htm
US students lobby to carry guns at university By Washington correspondent Kim Landers
Posted 1 hour 8 minutes ago
Some students insist they have a right to self defence and that arming themselves could prevent a tragedy. (Getty Images: China Photos) On the eve of the first anniversary of America's worst campus shooting, a growing number of US university students are demanding the right to carry guns to class.
Their push began after a lone gunman shot dead 32 students and teachers at Virginia Tech.
While most American universities ban weapons, these students insist they have a right to self defence and that arming themselves could prevent a tragedy.
As winter slowly turns to spring, families and friends of the 32 people shot dead at Virginia Tech a year ago are preparing for a day of remembrance.
But despite enduring such a tragedy, Virginia Tech is now home to the biggest chapter of a new group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
Formed in the wake of the shootings, this group now boasts 25,000 members who want the right to carry concealed weapons on university grounds.
Andrew Dysart is a former marine who is in his final semester of a criminal justice degree. He heads the George Mason University chapter of the group.
"We're a group of students that many of us already for different reasons carry concealed handguns legally off campus every day of our lives," he said.
"We just believe that we should be able to have that same ability on campus.
"I got a concealed handgun permit when I was still in the marine corps and then afterwards started looking at different things and carrying a handgun for self-defence at different times when I thought it was necessary."
He says if he was allowed to carry his weapon, he is confident in his ability to operate it and would be prepared to use it if somebody suddenly started shooting in the cafeteria or in the classroom.
"I am. That other aspect is also of just removing the stigma from college campuses that criminals can come on campus and have their will," he said.
Risks Brian Siebel is a senior attorney at the Washington-based Brady Centre to Prevent Gun Violence.
"We've all seen the images of Animal House, and I'm sure there's the equivalent in Australia," he said.
"You know Australians like their beer, right? So certainly this is a risk and we know from a couple of studies done by Harvard researchers that college gun owners actually engage in much higher risk behaviour than the average college student.
"They're more likely than the average student to binge drink and use drugs and get in trouble with police and get arrested for drunk driving."
Utah is the only state which allows concealed weapons on uni campuses, although 16 other states have considered, but not passed similar legislation in the last year.
"The Virginia Tech shooter, had he applied in the state of Virginia for a concealed carry licence, would have been issued one before these attacks and the same would have happened for many of the people who have engaged in school shootings," Mr Siebel said.
Officials at Virginia Tech say the only guns they want on campus are the ones carried by police.