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Students, citizens have right to defend themselves
Daily Reveille ^ | 22 July, 2008 | Matthew Gravens

Posted on 07/23/2008 9:45:16 AM PDT by marktwain

This past Tuesday a University student, Cassie LeBlanc, was robbed while getting into her car after leaving the library around 9:30 p.m. The robber forced her against her car and asked for her wallet, then he discovered there was no cash. He decided he didn't want it, but after seeing text books on the front seat, the thief decided to take those instead.

I was very glad to hear LeBlanc was alright, but a very important question came to mind: What if she had a firearm to defend herself? Would this incident have happened?

My answer is probably not. The thief was unarmed. If Leblanc had possessed a firearm and simply pointed the weapon - loaded or unloaded - the thief would have probably run. I can imagine simple thieves like this are just trying to make a quick buck. As soon as things get complicated they usually run.

I can already hear what my opponents are saying, and they are right. If Leblanc was armed and pulled the firearm on the thief things could have gotten a lot worse. She could have shot him, he could have turned the gun on her and injured or killed her and it would have gone from a simple robbery to assault with a deadly weapon or murder. I understand this point, but what if it wasn't simple robbery? What if it was rape? I would like to see how many people change their mind on students' rights to carry firearms as soon as a young girl gets raped or murdered. Apparently no one got it after two international students were shot at their on-campus apartment.

Louisiana law does not allow anyone with a concealed carrying license to carry a firearm on any college campuses, public or private. This is obviously a violation of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

To carry a concealed weapon in the state of Louisiana, an individual has to: complete a rigorous application, prove that he or she is more than competent in using the firearm, be fingerprinted by local police department and pay a fee. Not everyone can just go and get one of these permits.

Unfortunately, things in this country have gotten pretty bad. First was Columbine and then Virginia Tech. During the later more than 30 people died.

These things can be avoided. If you know other people have guns, you're less likely to try and commit a crime.

The argument against that is if the killer is suicidal other people carrying guns won't deter that killer from going on a rampage. Well that can be countered by arguing if any of those Virginia Tech students who were killed had had a firearm they may not have died, and one more saved life is reason enough to allow people to carry concealed weapons.

A serious problem is laziness among people in this country. If we can have someone else do something for us then we're all for it, and that is what is destroying this nation. Why protect ourselves when we have people to do that for us? If the founders of this country saw the state we are in now how disgusted they would be disgusted.

Thomas Jefferson would want to know what happened to the self-reliant farmer. No one knows how to take care of themselves anymore. People are too dependent on the government to provide them with goods and services, and that, my friends, limits freedom.

This country was never designed to have so many programs and so much control over individuals' lives. Take Social Security as an example. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution does it say the federal government has the right to take individuals' money and put it into some type of retirement fund.

Why should the government be allowed to take the hard-earned money students work for and tell them how to save for retirement? Shouldn't citizens be allowed to decide how they want to save for their futures? Are there not more lucrative forms of long term investments that individuals can invest in for their future?

Students need to demand that state legislatures give us the right to protect ourselves on campus. It is more important now than ever.

It's little things like the right to protect yourself that Americans forget because they were born into it. Just because it has been going on for a long time doesn't mean it's right. It is high time that this generation take control of this country. Our time is now. We can no longer rely on our parents and grandparents to do it for us. We let them do that in the past and look where we are now.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Louisiana; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; banglist; defense; gun; gunfreezone; rkba; school; secondamendment; selfdefense; virginiatech
A decent opinion piece by a student at LSU. Some of the comments at the end of the article are pretty bad.
1 posted on 07/23/2008 9:45:17 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: marktwain
He decided he didn't want it, but after seeing text books on the front seat, the thief decided to take those instead.

What the hell? Folks are stealing textbooks now?

Just remember, folks: Columbine...Virginia Tech...were all gun-free zones long before the shootings took place at each site.

2 posted on 07/23/2008 10:00:01 AM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." Ronald Reagan)
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To: marktwain

Good gravy, kids in public schools from elementary age up to high school age are practically forbidden from protecting themselves (aka, fighting back) when attacked or bullied. If they fight back, they receive the same punishment the instigator receives. Instead, the victim is supposed to tell a teacher or administrator.

Right. While having the snot beat out of them, they’re supposed tell a teacher. Ridiculous.


3 posted on 07/23/2008 10:18:23 AM PDT by CarolinaPeach
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To: marktwain


4 posted on 07/23/2008 10:20:21 AM PDT by XR7
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To: marktwain

An armed woman is a rapists greatest nightmare. Every girl should learn to shoot. Engraving an the trigger guard of a Colt revolver -”Be not afraid of any man, no matter what his size. When danger threatens, call on me, and I will equalize.”


5 posted on 07/23/2008 10:20:29 AM PDT by Citizen Tom Paine (Swift as the wind; Calmly majestic as a forest; Steady as the mountains.)
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To: marktwain

Requiring a permit to carry a firearm is a violation of God-given rights.


6 posted on 07/23/2008 10:20:50 AM PDT by wastedyears (Show me your precious darlings, and I will crush them all)
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To: marktwain

She was armed, she had textbooks. Ever been smashed in the face by one of those? Those corners hurt! A bic pen works too, just shove it 3-4 inches up his nasal cavity, he’ll run. But that would’ve required being able to think on her feet. Students today aren’t taught to think, they’re taught to recite and regurgitate.

Arm the brain and the body will follow.


7 posted on 07/23/2008 10:47:27 AM PDT by Ellendra (Most eco-freaks wouldn't know nature if it bit them on the butt . . . and it often does!)
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To: rabscuttle385
What the hell? Folks are stealing textbooks now?

Have you priced textbooks? I have a single textbook on Hegel that cost more than $500. Even the little ones go for hundreds of dollars, and you don't need a fence: the student bookstore will buy them back with all the others.

And college students carry these stacks of cash around all day, every day. Without any way to protect themselves. And they're taught by their Peace Studies instructors acquiessence is the better part of conflict. Firearm Free Zone? Make that Free Mugging Zone.

8 posted on 07/23/2008 10:55:01 AM PDT by KingTurnip
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To: KingTurnip
Have you priced textbooks?

Yes, I have. I have three boxes of textbooks right here, packed to mail back to a book purchasing company. Though, the most expensive textbook I have is worth about $150 retail. The best solution for students is to mark inside the book that it's their property.

9 posted on 07/23/2008 10:57:39 AM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." Ronald Reagan)
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To: Ellendra

Arm both the mind and the hand. Appropriately!

The idea of using common items for self-defense is akin to using a zip lock bag as a condom, sure it can be done, but there are much better ways.

The ablity of a person to pick up and use whatever is at hand should not be the question, certainly a gal or guy could become “McGiver” in a pinch, but when a thug begins to attack, your bic pen is not the tool to “go to”.

Ideally, one should have better situational awareness-why did this gal go out to her car by herself? Okay, independent college gal not withstanding, common sense should apply.

I begin CCW courses with common sense preventitive instruction-avoid everything you can possibly think of and then be prepared for the rest of the situations you cannot influence.

God Bless


10 posted on 07/23/2008 3:50:53 PM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret) "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
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To: rabscuttle385
The best solution for students is to mark inside the book that it's their property.

Such a practice prevents a book from being sold back at the end of the semester.

11 posted on 07/23/2008 5:43:13 PM PDT by clee1 (We use 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 2 to pull a trigger. I'm lazy and I'm tired of smiling.)
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To: clee1
Such a practice prevents a book from being sold back at the end of the semester.

Not necessarily. And you can still resell the book on eBay to another student, an option that will net far more than the bookstore will give you.

12 posted on 07/23/2008 6:03:24 PM PDT by rabscuttle385 ("When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." Ronald Reagan)
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To: Manly Warrior

The tool to go to is the one in your hand.


13 posted on 07/24/2008 8:07:44 AM PDT by Ellendra (Most eco-freaks wouldn't know nature if it bit them on the butt . . . and it often does!)
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To: Ellendra
Yep, assuming the bad guy is only after property, not your body or your life...

I prefer to train folks to carry the worst case tool kit close at hand, like on your belt....

Expert ninja types are easily defeated with a single well executed round of ammunition, while a poorly trained but dedicated thug can whoop your a$$ easily, especially if you pull your wanna-be roscoe (BIC Pen, car keys etc) and pretend to play “make me”. Usually it goes south from there.

I hope your college age daughter has a ton of expert training for her BIC, mine, well, has some of that plus the sense not to go to her car alone in the dark (since she cannot carry legally on campus).

It is indeed a tough question-banned from self-defense because you are on a school campus-makes absolutely no sense. Almost enough so to make one carry anyway-what are they gonna do? Convict you of using your firearm on the wrong piece of ground? Well, I guess a dead innocent is better than a dead perp in some folks eyes; I am contrary to that.

In MO, Precedent has been set by a similar case, a person defended themself with a concealed weapon in a prohibited place, but was fully justified in doing so, so the law being at odds with itself, is null (provided 100% justification exists). Same happened in WS I believe, piazza delivery guy w/ a “illegally” concealed weapon found justified in carrying it after having to defend himself.

God Bless & MOLON LABE

Molon Labe

14 posted on 07/24/2008 8:48:06 AM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret) "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
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To: Manly Warrior

I am the college age daughter at my house. You’ve got at most 3 seconds to set the tone of the attack, I prefer the tooth-and-claw approach rather than the “I’ve got a gun and I’ll use it . . . as soon as I can get to it, you mind letting up so I can get my elbow loose enough to pull my gun out?”

Any perp will back off if they think you’re insane. Speed and ferocity outweigh equipment and finesse, at least in all the fights I’ve been in. And there have been quite a few.


15 posted on 07/24/2008 10:29:45 AM PDT by Ellendra (Most eco-freaks wouldn't know nature if it bit them on the butt . . . and it often does!)
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To: CarolinaPeach
Good gravy, kids in public schools from elementary age up to high school age are practically forbidden from protecting themselves (aka, fighting back) when attacked or bullied. If they fight back, they receive the same punishment the instigator receives. Instead, the victim is supposed to tell a teacher or administrator.

No... usually the perpetrator gets let off and they punish the victim. Also whenever you tell the teacher they do nothing.

Liberals are against self defense and hate freedom.

16 posted on 07/24/2008 2:08:25 PM PDT by mainestategop
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To: wastedyears

Liberals dont believe in rights or God.


17 posted on 07/24/2008 2:09:12 PM PDT by mainestategop
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To: Ellendra
Ellendra said: "Any perp will back off if they think you’re insane. "

Almost. "Any perp will back off if they think you're MORE INSANE THAN HE IS". If you think the perp may be too insane, then flight rather than fight might be the correct course.

18 posted on 07/24/2008 2:46:43 PM PDT by William Tell (RKBA for California (rkba.members.sonic.net) - Volunteer by contacting Dave at rkba@sonic.net)
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To: Ellendra

I’d hate for you to have to prove it in a life/death struggle-even you are a black belt something or other (I am, and I still will always carry a firearm if possible).

I have been in many real world up close and terminal conflcits, I tell you, you do not want to be on “equal” footing with someone-always be at least one notch higher.

Get proper firearms training, plus other methods. Practice avoidance and tactical smarts above all...

God Bless

)


19 posted on 07/24/2008 4:34:19 PM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret) "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
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To: Ellendra

One other thing, seeing youare a college age person (less than 25?) I strongly recommend you pay attention to the lessons many many other men and women have learned, some the hard way.

Yes, If you are jumped, no weapon other than brute force and ferocity will prevail-no remote control help...; however, if you do get jumped, you already are behind the power curve, no matter what.

Facts are facts, only in unusual circumsances will any woman, no matter how determined, will overpower any man on brute force alone.

Preventionis always better than a BIC or a S&W...

I know.

God Bless


20 posted on 07/24/2008 4:58:14 PM PDT by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret) "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War")
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