Arizona passes law allowing guns on campus

PHOENIX - A proposal to let people have guns while driving or walking through state university and community college campuses cleared its final hurdle in the Arizona Legislature on Thursday.

The House passed the bill on a 33-24 vote, which will send it to Gov. Jan Brewer.

The Senate previously approved the measure, after watering it down to no longer allow guns inside campus buildings. But the bill still sparked sharp debate before Thursday's House of Representatives vote.

State Rep. Bob Robson said guns on campuses are a bad idea because students and others experience such emotional highs and lows due to grades, exams and other circumstances.

"To make it that you could walk up to the door of an education institution (with a gun) makes no sense to me," he said.

But supporters said the bill would help people defend themselves from gun violence by someone who won't heed a campus's firearms ban.

"I find it hard to believe that on universities it just becomes a bubble — that somehow you're drastically protected when you enter the campus," Democratic Rep. David Gowan said.

The Texas Senate on Thursday cut off debate on a broader campus-guns bill that, like the original Arizona measure, would allow holders of concealed-weapons permits to carry concealed weapons in classrooms.

If the Texas legislation passes, the state would become the second, following Utah, to pass such a broad-based law. Colorado gives colleges the option to allow handguns.

[thenog91]

Uh...David Gowan is definitely not a Democrat...but nice try.

[mecanik-2009]

I love it when people from other countries show how jealous they are of our freedoms in the comments here. They're so quick to point out they wouldn't want that kind of freedom because it would require them to admit they are simply too timid to own a firearm. They've relied on other people to defend them for so long they forget that self defense is a personal commitment and not something to be pushed off to others. Freedom is for the brave not the weak. Let them live with their heads covered with pillows hiding from the boogieman. The brave will walk the earth freely as a free man with his head held high afraid of nothing.

[erasmus111]

"The brave will walk the earth freely as a free man with his head held high afraid of nothing."


I don't call having a gun strapped to your side being brave. A gun strapped to your side says that you are afraid.

Where I live, we don't live in fear. Freedom is not having to live in fear. Not having to carry a gun. Behind every gun is a spineless wimp.

[Imthaid2]

mecanik-2009....It has been a LONG time since americans showed ANY bravery. Americans let their government stomp all over them and pick apart your constitutional freedoms, of which you so strongly boast about like an ignorant monkey, and do absolutely NOTHING to stop it. You fight your wars by remote control because you are afraid to actually face your enemy. And, what color is your terror alert today? When was the last time you walked down a street in america without being scanned by at least 10 security cameras? Have you tried to get on an airplane lately? They do everything short of probing your anus, because americans live in constant fear. Or, maybe you have not tried to cross the border lately? Maybe you have been fortunate enough to miss all of those "safety checks" the police perform on major highways right before each and every holiday because americans alow it out of fear? Oh, and lets not forget your favorite sporting event which can no longer be enjoyed without military snipers to protect your feeble buttocks from "the boogieman". So, mecanik-2009, in what decade of america are you referring? Certainly not this decade, because all I see in america now are a bunch of weak, feeble, scared and pathetic cowards who have lost all of their dignity. But, go on and talk tough if it makes you feel like a man. God knows, you could use all the help you can get.

[erasmus111]

by Mortarman429 April 8, 2011 1:21 PM EDT
Yeah, like Erasmus.


Perhaps we should take a poll to see who people think is the retard? From all the posts I have seen about you, I think you would win the "retard" title.

[documemts]

Guns,......GUNS! will save us. Who needs a toaster oven or a house? But a gun...............With a gun you can steal a toaster oven and tell someone to get out of their own house! Guns,.... Power,.... Guns Good! NO GUNS? BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!

[sngore]

Only in Arizona...

[documemts]

Really.

[midwestmind]

Let me see if I understand this. AZ has an unemployment rate over 9%, they have more than a $1 billion deficit to address, they have imposed a "death panel" to determine which organ transplants will be allowed and which will be denied, and they are still looking for all those headless bodies out in the desert. But instead of addressing those issues, it's become more important to allow teenagers to carry weapons on college campuses? I guess I just don't understand the GOP priorities anymore.

[Mortarman429]

Who said they arent addressing those issues?

[documemts]

There's only one "headless" body in the desert. Its' called Jan Brewer. LOL!

[thanksgreed]

way too much inbreeding there...

[Mortarman429]

That's why we need to round liberals up and send them packing. To get rid of all of the inbreds.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Seems like every time we start talking about rounding up folks we don't agree with, call them all inbreds to intimidate them before we abuse them, next step is the crimes against humanity trials ...... better to take their weapons away before they hurt someone.

[Jaylah54]

How incredibly stupid.

[Mortarman429]

What is stupid?

[Danize]

States that pass such laws simply give themselves a black eye. They are saying their citizens are not fully developed and competent human beings and need to protect themselves from each other. I'll bet many from these states cringe with embarassment when someone brings up the topic while they vacation in other countries.

[Mortarman429]

None of this you posted is true or accurate.

[larryp0304]

Ask Amanda Collins about it. She was raped on campus. People like you should know what it feels like to be at the mercy of some animal while you are defenseless. You'd change your tune in a hurry!

[henryvenema]

I'm a university professor in Brandon Manitoba Canada. Having guns on campus is insane. I simply don't understand the gun fetish. I would never take a university job in Arizona, even if it payed a million bucks. How long will it be before some retard gun owner shoots someone on campus, because he is pissed at someone. If you think this adds to your safety you have already lost your mind in service of the gun idol. CRAZY CRAZY! And Americans think they live in the best country in the world. Ha! good luck with that delusion

[Mortarman429]

No fetish. You dont understand because you are Canadian.

We are for our own self-protection. Both from criminals and from our government.

[MB-1234]

How long will it be before some retard gun owner shoots someone on campus

gee I don't know how about Virginia Tech? Owensboro? Stockton? Columbine? Texas Tech? Yup - never happens.