SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the protect-yourself-'cuz-no-one-else-will dept.
Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
Concealed handgun license holders in Texas can carry their weapons into public university buildings, classrooms and dorms starting Monday, a day that also marks 50 years after the mass shooting at the University of Texas' landmark clock tower.
The campus-carry law pushed by Gov. Greg Abbott and the Republican legislative majority makes Texas one of a handful of states guaranteeing the right to carry concealed handguns on campus.
Texas has allowed concealed handguns in public for 20 years. Gun rights advocates consider it an important protection, given the constitutional right to bear arms, as well as a key self-defense measure in cases of campus violence, such as the 1966 UT shootings and the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech.
Opponents of the law fear it will chill free speech on campus and lead to more campus suicide. The former dean of the University of Texas School of Architecture left for a position at the University of Pennsylvania because of his opposition to allowing guns on campus.
Officials told the Austin American-Statesman it was a coincidence that the law took effect 50 years to the day after the UT shooting. Marine-trained sniper Charles Whitman climbed to the observation deck of the 27-story clock tower in the heart of UT's flagship Austin campus, armed with rifles, pistols and a sawed-off shotgun on Aug. 1, 1966, killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others before officers gunned him down.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 07 2016, @09:54PM
I'm actually interested in how this will turn out. I don't know how hard it is to get a concealed carry, but I have a feeling it isn't easy so a college student or faculty / work will probably take the responsibility seriously. Most stupid decisions happen off campus anyway where the concealed carry is legal.
(Score: 2, Offtopic) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday August 07 2016, @10:40PM
In Texas? Dunno. Across the river in Oklahoma? Gun safety class, prove you can hit the broad side of a barn, and don't have any felonies that would prevent you from owning a gun.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 3, Informative) by deadstick on Sunday August 07 2016, @11:38PM
Here in Colorado, even the firing range session is optional. You just have to pass a police record check and sit through a half-day presentation -- most of which is an infomercial for a prepaid legal-services plan.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 08 2016, @04:25AM
I attended a CC class where a blind man got his permit.
They had to direct him to where to point the gun down range, but he did make the score and was awarded.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Thexalon on Monday August 08 2016, @02:23PM
Extremely easy, as the Daily Show's Jordan Klepper demonstrated [youtube.com]. As he put it, in a matter of a few hours he went from "gun idiot" to "idiot with a gun". As things currently stand, it's much easier to get a concealed carry license than it is to get a driver's license. Which, seeing how many dangerous idiots out there behind the wheel of a car, doesn't give me a lot of confidence in the people going around with legally concealed guns.
Also relevant to this discussion that is brought up in a report: The percentage of mass shootings stopped by an arm civilian at the scene is somewhere around 1%. Sure, that's better than not stopping the bad guys, but it doesn't seem to be the case that arming the good guys really solves the problem. One example I bring up on this is when Gabrielle Giffords was shot, one of the people present was a Marine reservist with a pistol, and he never drew his weapon, he did exactly what the unarmed people did - took cover until the shooter had to reload and jumped him unarmed. There you have somebody who's without a doubt a good guy, with a gun, who knows exactly what to do in a firefight, and his gun didn't make the slightest bit of difference while his training made all kinds of difference.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 2) by Zinho on Monday August 08 2016, @06:27PM
Google is your friend on this one... [lmgtfy.com]
FAQ 1: What are the requirements for obtaining a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)? [state.tx.us]
Texas Government Code Chapter 411, Subchapter H sets out the eligibility criteria that must be met. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age (unless active duty military) and must meet Federal qualifications to purchase a handgun. A number of factors may make individuals ineligible to obtain a license, such as: felony convictions, some misdemeanor convictions, including charges that resulted in probation or deferred adjudication; certain pending criminal charges; chemical or alcohol dependency; certain types of psychological diagnoses, and protective or restraining orders. The state eligibility requirements can be found in GC §411.172. The federal firearms disqualifiers can be found in 18 USC 44 §922.
You must also submit a completed application, pay the required fees, complete all required training and submit required supplemental forms and materials.
FAQ 26: What type of class or training is required in order to obtain a Texas License to Carry a Handgun? [state.tx.us]
An original (first-time) LTC applicant must complete classroom training, pass a written examination and pass a proficiency demonstration (shooting). All classroom and proficiency must be conducted by an LTC instructor certified by DPS. The classroom instruction may be a four to six hour course and must cover the four (4) statutory required topics:
* Laws that relate to weapons and the use of deadly force
* Handgun use and safety, including use of restraint holsters and methods to ensure the secure carrying of openly carried handguns
* Non-violent dispute resolution
* Proper storage practices for handguns with an emphasis on storage practices that eliminate the possibility of accidental injury to a child
Training material related to the safe storage of handguns may be found on Safe Storage.pdf
See LTC Qualification Course Requirements (pdf) for the proficiency demonstration (shooting) requirements.
To locate a DPS-certified LTC instructor, see Instructor List.
"Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin