The shooting tragedies that have occurred at the hands of evil at U.S. schools and universities in recent years have brought the issue of firearms on campuses to the forefront. Many people claim that we need to keep campuses gun-free, but a growing number of people—including students, teachers, and parents—argue that if trained people are allowed to carry guns, they will be safer…and they will have a better chance of protecting themselves.
On one side, you’ll find people who argue that guns make campuses and the surrounding areas more dangerous, that guns may just be stolen from dorms or classrooms, or that students can’t be trusted to safely and responsibly carry firearms. On the other side, you’ll find groups like Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, a non-profit organization that is pushing for legislation that allows concealed weapons on campuses. You’ll also hear the stories and petitions of countless numbers of citizens who simply want the right to keep themselves safe.
Don’t know where you stand?
Let me tell you a little about Lindsey, a 20-year-old music student and fellow Alabamian. She’s relatively new to firearms. She has only been carrying a gun for personal protection for a few months. But she’s certainly glad that she made that decision. Because at around 10 p.m. on a recent Monday evening, while she was doing laundry at the student-housing complex where she lives, Lindsey heard two loud gunshots nearby. A few seconds later, she heard a third shot.
In that moment, one thing crossed her mind: active shooter.
Without thinking twice, Lindsey ran for her Ruger LC9s and crouched down in her laundry room. “I wasn’t trying to be paranoid,” she said, “but I was crying, preparing myself for the possibility that while I wasn’t certain what [was happening], I may have to stop a murderer.”
Lindsey called 911 and discovered that help was already on the way. Within just a few minutes, she heard the police presence outside. “I made my way to the window and looked out,” she recalled. “There was a lot of commotion, but I [couldn’t tell] what actually happened because they were in the building next to mine.”
Thankfully, the situation was under control. “While I don’t think anything serious came out of this,” Lindsey stated, “let me just say that as I sat there with gun in hand, I was terrified…but I also felt secure. I knew it wasn’t a cure-all, but with my gun in hand, tiny little me actually stood a chance against what could very well have been a life-threatening situation. I’m thanking God it wasn’t.”
Lindsey is also thanking BamaCarry (http://bamacarry.org/), Alabama’s only “no compromise” gun rights group, an organization that supports firearms education, training, and Constitutional carry and serves as a source of information relating to Alabama’s gun rights and laws. She mentioned that members of the group have supported her and have “answered my questions, given me tips on self-defense, and taught me to shoot. I’m blessed to have found [them.] I would have been so clueless if it weren’t for [their] helpfulness.”
Lindsey wasn’t unarmed in a gun-free classroom when shots rang out on that frightening Monday evening. But it could have happened anywhere. And in this world of lockdowns and school shootings, Lindsey has made the decision to protect herself with a firearm. We should support her, and we should stand for her right—and for our right—to carry a gun, wherever we may be.
