Students for Concealed Carry on Campus
Encyclopedia
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is a national grassroots
, non-partisan organization of U.S.
college
students, faculty, staff, and others who support allowing law-abiding citizens with concealed carry
permits to bring their legal guns to campus for the purpose of self-defense. In addition to using traditional methods to attract students, the organization also makes use of a Facebook
group, which has more than 44,000 members.
and as of August 2007, there were chapters at more than 60 colleges nationwide. As of April 2008, there were official chapters at over 215 campuses and members at hundreds of campuses without official chapters, for a total of more than 25,000 members nationwide. That figure represented an increase of more than 5,000 over the previous month, and membership has grown substantially following the shooting at Northern Illinois University
. As of March 2009, the group had official chapters at 363 campuses in 46 states and the District of Columbia, and membership had grown to over 38,000. The group differs from other gun rights advocacy groups in that it chooses to maintain a narrow focus on the issue of concealed carry by licensed individuals on college campuses, refusing to take official positions on other gun-related issues. Also, unlike other gun rights groups, SCCC chooses to focus on statistical, fact-based arguments, rather than arguments that revolve around the U.S. Second Amendment.
Laws vary from state to state in the United States of America, however 30 states statutorily ban weapons at post-secondary schools. Of the 20 states where licensed concealed carry is not legally forbidden, 19 allow schools to adopt their own gun policies. It is exceedingly rare for schools in these 19 states to allow licensed concealed carry by rule. The two best-known examples are Colorado State University
, and Blue Ridge Community College, in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Utah
is the only state that specifically requires public universities to allow licensed concealed carry on their grounds. Further, a 2003 study revealed that 150 major colleges and universities restricted firearms in some form. A total of 82 banned guns completely, 25 required them to be stored in a central facility, and another 27 restricted possession to certain groups such as ROTC
units and shooting teams.
The group held a third protest April 5 to April 9, 2010, stating that "Until they can take responsibility for our safety and guarantee our protection, colleges can't be allowed to deny us the right to self-defense." According to the event's Facebook page, 1,500 students across more than 125 colleges participated.
On December 11, 2008, Mountain States Legal Foundation
filed suit against the University of Colorado
on behalf of SCCC and its members. The suit seeks to resolve inconsistencies between state law and campus policies and protect the right of self-defense guaranteed by the Concealed Carry Act and the Colorado Constitution. On April 15, 2010, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in favor of SCCC. Subsequently, numerous colleges and universities in Colorado have repealed bans on licensed concealed carry, including: Colorado State University, Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Community College of Aurora, Community College of Denver, Front Range Community College, Lamar Community College, Morgan Community College, Northeastern Junior College, Otero Junior College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, and Aims Community College.
The group has also faced strong opposition from traditional gun control groups, such as The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
. The Brady Campaign's criticisms include accusations that the group is funded directly by the firearms industry. In a press release challenging the Brady Campaign to "Prove it," Students for Concealed Carry on Campus categorically denied accusations that it is or ever has been organized or funded by the gun industry or the gun lobby. In the press release, SCCC offered to turn over all of their financial records to the media if The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence would do the same. The press release also contained an open invitation to the Brady Campaign's board of directors to debate SCCC's board of directors on the campus of any college in the United States. As of August 27, 2008, the Brady Campaign had not responded to either of these challenges.
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
, non-partisan organization of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
students, faculty, staff, and others who support allowing law-abiding citizens with concealed carry
Concealed carry
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity.-In Canada:...
permits to bring their legal guns to campus for the purpose of self-defense. In addition to using traditional methods to attract students, the organization also makes use of a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
group, which has more than 44,000 members.
History
The group was created following the April 16, 2007 shooting at Virginia TechVirginia Tech massacre
The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting that took place on April 16, 2007, on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people...
and as of August 2007, there were chapters at more than 60 colleges nationwide. As of April 2008, there were official chapters at over 215 campuses and members at hundreds of campuses without official chapters, for a total of more than 25,000 members nationwide. That figure represented an increase of more than 5,000 over the previous month, and membership has grown substantially following the shooting at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University shooting
The Northern Illinois University shooting was a school shooting that took place on February 14, 2008, during which Steven Kazmierczak shot multiple people on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, killing five and injuring twenty-one, before committing...
. As of March 2009, the group had official chapters at 363 campuses in 46 states and the District of Columbia, and membership had grown to over 38,000. The group differs from other gun rights advocacy groups in that it chooses to maintain a narrow focus on the issue of concealed carry by licensed individuals on college campuses, refusing to take official positions on other gun-related issues. Also, unlike other gun rights groups, SCCC chooses to focus on statistical, fact-based arguments, rather than arguments that revolve around the U.S. Second Amendment.
Laws vary from state to state in the United States of America, however 30 states statutorily ban weapons at post-secondary schools. Of the 20 states where licensed concealed carry is not legally forbidden, 19 allow schools to adopt their own gun policies. It is exceedingly rare for schools in these 19 states to allow licensed concealed carry by rule. The two best-known examples are Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, and Blue Ridge Community College, in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
is the only state that specifically requires public universities to allow licensed concealed carry on their grounds. Further, a 2003 study revealed that 150 major colleges and universities restricted firearms in some form. A total of 82 banned guns completely, 25 required them to be stored in a central facility, and another 27 restricted possession to certain groups such as ROTC
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
units and shooting teams.
Activities
One of the organization's forms of protest is called an "empty holster protest", designed to spark discussion about the issue. During a week-long protest in October 2007, students nationwide participated. The main issue raised was the question of why individuals who have been trained and licensed, by a state agency, to carry concealed handguns in most other unsecured locations (locations without metal detectors—office buildings, movie theaters, grocery stores, shopping malls, restaurants, churches, banks, etc.) are prohibited from carrying concealed handguns on most college campuses. The second "empty holster protest" was held April 21 to April 25, 2008.The group held a third protest April 5 to April 9, 2010, stating that "Until they can take responsibility for our safety and guarantee our protection, colleges can't be allowed to deny us the right to self-defense." According to the event's Facebook page, 1,500 students across more than 125 colleges participated.
On December 11, 2008, Mountain States Legal Foundation
Mountain States Legal Foundation
Mountain States Legal Foundation is a nonprofit, public-interest law firm dedicated to individual liberty, the right to own and use property, limited and ethical government, and economic freedom...
filed suit against the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
on behalf of SCCC and its members. The suit seeks to resolve inconsistencies between state law and campus policies and protect the right of self-defense guaranteed by the Concealed Carry Act and the Colorado Constitution. On April 15, 2010, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in favor of SCCC. Subsequently, numerous colleges and universities in Colorado have repealed bans on licensed concealed carry, including: Colorado State University, Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Community College of Aurora, Community College of Denver, Front Range Community College, Lamar Community College, Morgan Community College, Northeastern Junior College, Otero Junior College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Trinidad State Junior College, and Aims Community College.
Support
As of May 28, 2009, the group's membership consisted of approximately 44,240 college students, college faculty members, parents of college students, and concerned citizens (about 90% college students and 10% faculty, parents, and concerned citizens). Aside from earning the endorsement of every major gun rights organization in the United States, SCCC also lists among its supporters prominent state and municipal politicians (i.e., Texas Governor Rick Perry; Georgia State Representative Timothy Bearden; Mayor of San Marcos, TX—home of Texas State University—Susan Narvaiz), law enforcement officials (i.e., San Marcos, TX, Police Chief Howard Williams), and members of the media (i.e., Glenn Beck, John Stossel, G. Gordon Liddy, Lou Dobbs).. In Virginia, Virginia Gun Training offered free courses to college students.Opposition
The group encounters opposition from some students, administrators and other campus staff, who believe that allowing permit holders to carry concealed handguns on college campuses would lead to increased violence and accidental shootings. The group dismisses these opinions as "uninformed."The group has also faced strong opposition from traditional gun control groups, such as The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
. The Brady Campaign's criticisms include accusations that the group is funded directly by the firearms industry. In a press release challenging the Brady Campaign to "Prove it," Students for Concealed Carry on Campus categorically denied accusations that it is or ever has been organized or funded by the gun industry or the gun lobby. In the press release, SCCC offered to turn over all of their financial records to the media if The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence would do the same. The press release also contained an open invitation to the Brady Campaign's board of directors to debate SCCC's board of directors on the campus of any college in the United States. As of August 27, 2008, the Brady Campaign had not responded to either of these challenges.
See also
- Concealed carry in the United States
- Gun politicsGun politicsGun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
- Gun politics in the United StatesGun politics in the United StatesGun politics in the United States refers to an ongoing political and social debate regarding both the restriction and availability of firearms within the United States. It has long been among the most controversial and intractable issues in American politics...
External links
- Students for Concealed Carry on Campus website
- Concealed Carry on College Campuses - The "Guns on Campus" Debate