Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

[wwharton]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Racial.

To get a little more specific without going against the TOS:

"According to the Amherst Gazette, "the incident was sparked at 4 a.m. when two women visiting Vassell’s dorm opened a window and found a man’s face pressed against the window staring back at them. When Vassell asked the man (allegedly Bowes) to explain himself, the man went into a ‘loud tirade of racial invectives and violent threats directed at Vassell,’ the report states. Vassell then told him to go away, but instead of leaving, the man allegedly began kicking the window. The women then left the room and the police were called. While waiting for the police to arrive, Vassell called a friend for support, the committee claims. When Vassell opened the door to let his friend inside, Bosse and Bowes also entered the lobby. One of the men then assaulted Vassell, breaking his nose, the report said. Following this, Bosse and Bowes were stabbed.""

Hate to say it but Mass + hate crime... don't even want to get into why anyone involved may or may not have been charged. Seriously. We may want to let this one play out before commenting too much on it.

[Beantown]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Hate to say it but Mass + hate crime... don't even want to get into why anyone involved may or may not have been charged. Seriously. We may want to let this one play out before commenting too much on it.

Yeah, I didn't post a link to the blog that excerpt came from because it has a lot of the same ideas that you're hinting at...and much like you, I don't want to try and bring this thread down the wrong road since it is a very good topic.

[mgoblue]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Having a gun in that situation when you're not prepared makes you more dangerous than someone unarmed.

Quote for MFing truth!

That's my concern...sure, I've personally been to a gun range and could put pretty holes in a paper target. At the same time I know I'm not trained like John McClane in "Die Hard" to be able to be that "bad ***" in a pressure life or death situation.

If we armed the immature/emotional student population I shudder to think how many "accidental" shootings would occur.

I really respect the tough decisions the police have to make, and they go through this crap every damn day. Some college kid (hey, I was one once, I know what it's like) with an itchy trigger finger cause he thinks someone may be doing something bad? That scares me way more than the possibilities that exist now.

It's like guns in the home, a majority of shootings aren't burglars, they're family members etc shot accidentally. I'm not against guns, I just don't think that most of the people who'd be armed like people suggest are fit mentally, physically, and emotionally to carry one.

[davin]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

I cannot believe this thread is still open.

I personally don't want everybody having guns around me. There are enough people that can be a little out there, throw in the fact that a lot of college kids are going through a lot of stress, I just don't like the idea. Moving in with a roomate you don't know that is creepy would scare the absolute hell out of me if he had a gun.

[thmst30]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

So interesting time for me to see this thread, currently App. St. is under lockdown because a man was spotted in a ski mask with a hand gun. Still hasn't been found, and all classes have been canceled. **** these messed up people.

[jmood88]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

If you aren't willing to allow students to protect themselves, and if you aren't willing to make accomodations to allow more secure campuses (metal detectors, frisks, etc..) what do you suggest?

Either you submit to the idea that campuses will never be safe, and hope to god you are never in a situation where someone has a gun and starts shooting. Or you either allow metal detectors in every building to be installed, frisks before entering classrooms, etc... Or you allow students to carry weapons, but only if they have the proper training.

I personally don't want to be frisked, and I know we won't ever be able to carry on campus. So, I guess I'm just praying I'm never in a situation where someone starts shooting.

There needs to be metal detectors at every entrance in every University. Having more guns doesn't really solve anything.

[superjames1992]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

So interesting time for me to see this thread, currently App. St. is under lockdown because a man was spotted in a ski mask and hand gun. Still hasn't been found all classes have been canceled. **** these messed up people.

I saw that on our local news a few minutes ago. It looks like the situation is under control, though.

[JRod]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Not to minimize the gun debate (I personally think we should debate the presence of guns in our society), we can't overlook how individuals that commit this violent acts or mentally unstable.


If we have a better mental health facility and structure in the country and I think we would see a lot of these incidents go down. Not all, but the VT shootings might not have occurred if there was intensive mental health help for individuals that need it most.

[superjames1992]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Having a gun in that situation when you're not prepared makes you more dangerous than someone unarmed.

So, it's safer for the murderer to have a turkey shoot and go around picking off students at will because they cannot protect themselves?

[thmst30]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

I saw that on our local news a few minutes ago. It looks like the situation is under control, though.

Under control, he wasn't spotted again so they canceled the lockdown. Hmmm, sounds familiar. I'm guessing it was nothing, I'm hoping it was nothing. Too bad we can't know for sure.

[mgoblue]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

So, it's safer for the murderer to have a turkey shoot and go around picking off students at will because they cannot protect themselves?

But is it safer to arm people who aren't sufficiently trained to react in pressure situations like this? I know people say "they'd get CCW training", but come on...these kids wouldn't be trained to read and react in a life threatening situation. A 19 or 20 year old isn't John McClane and we shouldn't expect them to be. Do you know the training involved in order to correctly react like a police officer in a situation like that? Everyone's making it seem like a police officer or SWAT guy doesn't need to learn crap, it's just "issue gun, point and click, boom headshot". This isn't COD4. This is real life.

IMO we'd have even more gun related violence due to accidental shootings, along with impulse shootings. Throwing guns at a problem isn't the solution, and no matter what people say I know the "education" would be vastly lacking.

Also, these killers are most likely going to be in the group carrying a gun anyways...they always seem "normal" like the NIU guy. A lot of these people would make it through screening, you know?

I don't have the solution to this problem, my point is just that throwing guns at the problem definitely isn't a solution.

[Brandon13]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

problem is the discussion isn't about whether or not Americans should be allowed to carry guns. It's about whether or not students and staff should be issued guns to protect themselves (or at least allowed to bring them to class and other places on campus if they qualify).

I realize that. I was just agreeing with the point.

Having a gun in that situation when you're not prepared makes you more dangerous than someone unarmed.

Isn't that kinda obvious?

Anyways, I don't really know how I feel on this subject as a whole but I guarantee that there would not have been 32 people killed at Virginia Tech if the students and/or faculty were armed. But of course I'm taking the most extreme example here and I really don't know how it would turn out in general. Though I have to admit that knowing the person sitting behind me is carrying a Glock would unnerve me a bit.

[SPTO]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Under control, he wasn't spotted again so they canceled the lockdown. Hmmm, sounds familiar. I'm guessing it was nothing, I'm hoping it was nothing. Too bad we can't know for sure.

Stay safe out there.

[wwharton]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

Not to minimize the gun debate (I personally think we should debate the presence of guns in our society), we can't overlook how individuals that commit this violent acts or mentally unstable.


If we have a better mental health facility and structure in the country and I think we would see a lot of these incidents go down. Not all, but the VT shootings might not have occurred if there was intensive mental health help for individuals that need it most.

I wouldn't mind that topic but it should be in another thread. That could get ugly and this thread doesn't deserve to get locked for it, ya know what I mean? As for the mental health side, you're absolutely right. I think people are kind of missing the thought that guns aren't the only weapons out there. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

So, it's safer for the murderer to have a turkey shoot and go around picking off students at will because they cannot protect themselves?

Welcome to the world my friend. The same thing could happen almost anywhere in this country. Take a look at some other countries and the senseless violence. I'm still trying to figure out how a plane can fly over Manhattan. You want military, tanks, etc. everywhere (not just college campuses but EVERYWHERE) to make you feel safe? You'd rather know that anyone within 2 feet of you may be strapped and have no idea which one of those people the others should be worried about? Gotta think it through.

I realize that. I was just agreeing with the point.

Isn't that kinda obvious?

Anyways, I don't really know how I feel on this subject as a whole but I guarantee that there would not have been 32 people killed at Virginia Tech if the students and/or faculty were armed. But of course I'm taking the most extreme example here and I really don't know how it would turn out in general. Though I have to admit that knowing the person sitting behind me is carrying a Glock would unnerve me a bit.

"isn't it obvious"... check out Double Eight's posts. that's the guy you're agreeing with, lol. I understand what you're agreeing with but my point hasn't been that obvious to him and it seems some others.

As for VT and the other cases, you have to account for all the other people that got shot at local bars, frat parties, dorm rooms, etc. My guess is the number would dwarf 32 people quickly. There aren't stats on the number of alcohol related fights on college campuses. I'm not in a rush to give these people guns.

The focus shouldn't even be on the weapon of choice. What if someone decided to poison the food at a college cafeteria? Make a home made bomb and drop it in the quad? Our freedom as Americans leave us wide open to all sorts of things (again see 9/11). I'd never judge the environment that any of you grew up in, but I think some have a false sense of security.

[fishepa]

Re: Are College Campuses Really Safer Now?

When I was at college at Auburn, I can't honestly even remember one shooting at all in the city of Auburn.