Colorado Concealed Carry on Campus: The Facts are In

Image: usconcealedcarry.com

I suppose if you have your emotional life bound up in something, it won't matter whether that something turns out to be true or not. You will continue to insist your emotional viewpoint is right even though the facts (reality) show you to be wrong. Case in point, Colorado's twelve year experience with legal on-campus carry.

When the Colorado legislature decided to even the field, dispensing with the often contradictory and unrealistic web of local, municipal and county concealed carry laws by establishing state wide statutes that invalidated all of those others, the Regents of the University of Colorado felt that they were somehow superior to the lawmakers and could rule over the state colleges regardless of the wishes of the people and legislature.

The Colorado Supreme Court said otherwise. Naturally, certain segments of the communities involved were terribly shocked and outraged, predicting an onslaught of gun violence on campus. Pretty standard fare for them. However, after over twelve years in which adults with valid carry permits have been carrying their guns on Colorado campuses, there have been no shootings by concealed carry permit holders, or by anyone else. A Colorado University employee did discharge her weapon while "showing it" and was promptly and properly fired.

I want to put forward a few quotes by David Kopek from his Washington Post article of April 20, Guns on university campuses: The Colorado experience.

"In 2003, the Colorado legislature enacted the Concealed Carry Act. The statute was written by County Sheriffs of Colorado, the organization which represents all 62 of Colorado’s elected Sheriffs. The Act passed with broad bipartisan support, including all Republicans and almost every Democrat except some from Denver and Boulder." 

Even though, as Mr. Kopek points out, the act had broad bipartisan support, there were some people who felt that their personal opinions matter more and they needed to help everyone else bow to their wishes. They are still pushing to get their way mostly by fear-mongering and presenting their cherry-picked and skewed ideas that "guns are bad”. Even after twelve years that solidly demonstrate otherwise, these people are still not satisfied and and tried again in 2013 to have legal handguns banned from college campuses. As the Colorado Sheriffs have pointed out, adults who have been licensed to carry guns in the state should not lose their right of self defense when they attend or teach at a college campus.

I think the most telling parts of this story are demonstrated by two things: the fact that violence has not escalated on Colorado campuses since this act was enforced, just the opposite, and that especially for women, the campuses are safer places than before. Here are a couple of examples from Mr. Kopel's article that brings this point home.

"The Colorado Sheriffs’ support for defensive arms carrying is confirmed by national data. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts in-person interviews with several thousand persons annually, for the National Crime Victimization Survey. In 1992-2002, over 2,000 of the persons interviewed disclosed they had been raped or sexually assaulted. Of them, only 26 volunteered that they used a weapon to resist. In none of these cases was the rape completed; in none of the cases did the victim suffer additional injury after she deployed her weapon."

And, in particular the testimony of Amanda Collins, again from Mr. Kopel's article:

"In 2012 the Colorado Supreme Court ruled 7-0 that the University of Colorado must obey the Concealed Carry Act. This was consistent with the precedent the CU has no special exemption from civil rights statutes.

But in 2013 a bill was introduced to outlaw licensed carry on all campuses. Rape survivor Amanda Collins testified before the Senate State Affairs Committee about how a ban on campus carry had affected her life. As a 21-year old, Msw Collins had a Nevada defensive handgun license. But the University of Nevada at Reno did not allow licensed firearms on campus. She was raped in then parking garage of the campus police station, which was closed for the night.

The crime took place just a few feet from an emergency call box.

 “How does rendering me defenseless protect you against a violent crime?” she asked the Colorado Senators. State Senator Evie Hudak told Collins that if Collins had been carrying a gun, statistics showed that the gun would have been taken from her. Actually, statistics show that fewer than one percent of defensive gun use results in the defender’s gun being taken.

“Respectfully senator, you weren’t there,” Collins responded. “Had I been carrying concealed, he wouldn’t have known I had my weapon; and I was there. I know without a doubt in my mind at some point I would’ve been able to stop my attack by using my firearm. He already had a weapon of his own; he didn’t need mine.”

Because the rapist was not stopped that night, he later raped two more women and murdered one.

Senator Hudak resigned in December 2013, to avoid a recall election.”

I think that supporting licensed adults the right to carry on campus for self defense has been proven to work, regardless of the dire predictions from the hand-wringing fear ridden opponents, and that it is certainly a step forward for women in Colorado. Predators like to prey on the weak and having a concealed carry equalizer on your person takes that advantage away.

Women, arm yourselves.

Armed to the Teeth

My wife and I went on our regular walk around town today. It was pleasant for 7000' in southern Colorado. Small town, little traffic and it seems you know most everyone you meet. Still, there are strange cars and strange people in town. Now that summer is coming, so will the tourists and travelers. The last thing you expect here is trouble. But like Monty Python so accurately noted: No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

I remember in another small town in Oklahoma, many years ago, awakening in the middle of the night to see a large man standing in our bedroom doorway in the moonlight. He didn't linger after I snatched my S&W .41 from the bedside table. I chased him though the house, out the back door into the night. He disappeared into a car that started up on the street and sped away with the lights out. He was caught a few days later. Had a record. Peeper. Looked to me like he was trying to climb the perp ladder.

So, even here, you never know.

The interesting thing was that I took an inventory of the weapons I was carrying today on our walk. Well, two were actually weapons and two were tools that can readily serve as weapons if the need arises.

One S&W M&P Shield in 9mm.
One Ruger LCP
One Spyderco Delica 4
One Spyderco Tenacious

Why two of each? I've come around to Massad Ayoob's philosophy that if you are going to carry a gun, you might as well carry two. If one becomes inoperative, dropped, taken, then you have another. If you have a friend in a bad situation that could work with you and he or she doesn't have a gun, you have an extra to give to them.

Two knives? Well, I like knives. They are the most basic of tools. With a knife you can make other tools. I don't really need a backup knife, I just like the ones I have and sometimes take two along just because I feel like it.

Now there are some people who would consider a senior citizen who walks about his own little village packing what they would consider to be four deadly weapons to be odd, if not a little crazy. I understand that but I can't do much with people like that so I just don't raise the subject. I can also see the remote possibility that some might be thankful for it, should the worst ever be realized.

Control

Modifications to the LCP for better control

For many people, carrying a small, but effective, modern firearm like the Ruger LCP, loaded with modern self defense ammunition is a comfortable and effective solution. However, these types of small handguns can be made more effective and comfortable by applying a good quality "gun tape". In fact, many handguns can be improved by the simple addition of added friction, or traction, to the gripping surfaces.

There are companies that sell pre-cut patterns of grip tape for different popular handguns. The grip surface is usually offered in either a 'rubberized' or 'abrasive' surface. Each has its advantages. I have chosen to use more generic products on this LCP which are both cheaper and just as effective as the pre-cut offerings. Either, though, will provide a definite improvement to a handgun.

Left side mods

In the photograph above, you will note that I have used two different types of materials. One is skateboard tape, which is a high-friction and rather abrasive surface that I have attached to both sides of the rear of the LCP's slide. This ensures a solid, non-slip grip on the small side making racking the slide much easier and sure. This is an especially good modification for small and medium size handguns due to the small slide serration area, and is also an improvement for semi autos with stiff recoil springs, or those compact models with nested springs. Those are difficult to rack for some people, especially those of us with weaker or smaller hands due to injury, or age.

The sides, front and rear of the grip are covered with a generic "gun tape" which I bought through Amazon. I paid somewhat less than the cheaper pre-cut alternative, but got enough tape for three or more applications. Having used a pre-cut grip kit on my M&P Shield and comparing that with this generic 'gun tape', I can detect little difference.

Right side mods

By following the maker's directions to ensure the surfaces are clean and dry, then heating them with a hair dryer, applying the cut out sections and then heating again with the dryer and pressing them down firmly, I got a very good, solid fit. The tape adds little bulk, does not inhibit the draw from my holsters, except for the Kusiak which I will discuss in a subsequent post, and gives the little LCP a solid, non-slip presence in hand.

These simple modifications are within anyone's capabilities, are inexpensive and quick and will improve the feel and control of any handgun.

False Hope: Concealed Carry Permits

Of the fifty states in the Union, only three — Vermont, Alaska and Arizona — do not require their citizens to apply and pay for a concealed handgun permit. Yes, pay for. There are always fees. It's like the poll tax. No money, no permit. If you are a law-abiding citizen, but can't come up with the $200 or $300 for classes and a permit, too bad. Is this fair? No. Does anyone making the rules care? Not so much.

But, as many people will say, aren't permits a good thing? Don't they weed out the bad, the unstable, the questionable who might want to carry a loaded gun concealed among the rest of us? It's a hope. But, as I hope to show, a false one.

What's in a permit that might provide a higher level of safety among the public? Well, you have to get a background check. Yes, but what does that mean? It usually means that if the applicant is known to the system, flags will be raised. A criminal record? Flag. A restraining order? Flag. Some record of alcohol or drug abuse? Flag. Arrest record? Flag. It should be obvious that many people who are flagged by a background check may not, indeed, be a liability with a firearm or anything else for that matter. Some people would then be prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm when there may be no actual or practical objections.

Then, those who can pay for the necessary training classes and permits, and who don't get flagged by the system, are issued permits and can carry concealed amongst the unarmed public. Does this make the world a safer place? No. It just means that there are fewer people who can carry a concealed firearm for self defense to counter those other people out there who don't have permits, never applied for a permit, and don't care about permits, rules, laws and regulations.

People who have their reasons to harm others, whether those reasons be for greed, religious fervor, malice, envy, power or just a twisted psychopathic brain don't care about permits and never bother to apply. They carry what they want, when and where they want and are much happier if they know you, and those around you, are unarmed.

In states where legislation that would follow Vermont, Alaska and Arizona's rule that the citizenry should not be prohibited from arming themselves if they so desire has been defeated, and those opposing such legislation get all dewey-eyed and jubilant that they've somehow made themselves safer, no one stops to observe that in those three free-carry states, there has never been an increase in violent crime that could be legitimately connected to permitless concealed carry. The violent crime waves tend to occur in states and cities that make it extremely difficult for a citizen to walk armed for their own protection.

But, as we all know, reason plays little part in this struggle. Reason will show that an armed society is a more polite and less dangerous society. Reason, however, usually loses out to fear, fear among the ignorant, uneducated and timid who just don't like guns and don't like people who do like guns. They would rather have a cop on every corner and in every classroom, but they of course, want someone else to pay for that.

Me, I respect cops and the job they do to keep us as safe as they can, but I certainly don't want to encourage a police state. I would rather be able to stand a chance against the bad guys, the terrorists and the ones who want to kill you and me as their ticket to their twisted version of heaven.

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