WHAT LUNACY?
(In response to Oonagh McQuarrie's April 11 column entitled, "Lunacy has prevailed.")
First, McQuarrie has the facts wrong. The original version of the SB 1467 which she quoted applied to concealed carry permit holders. The version that passed the state Senate applies to all lawful possessors.
I wonder what Amanda Collins might have to say about this bill. Collins, a concealed carry permit holder, was a Nevada university student. In October 2007, while walking to her car after class, and unarmed per the university's weapons policy, Collins was attacked and raped in the parking garage only 300 yards from the campus police office. Had this happened elsewhere, Collins would have been armed and capable of defending herself. Unfortunately in this case, she was not. Her attacker, James Biela, would go on to rape two others and murder 19-year-old Brianna Dennison.
Lunacy has prevailed? Tell me who is the lunatic here.
McQuarrie questions whether or not she, or any "under-nourished, over-stressed 20-year-old college student," would be able to stop a gunman. I think in a situation such as the one faced by Collins, the decision to protect one's self would be easy. If you don't believe you need to carry a weapon on campus, fine, but I believe that everyone has the right to a means of defending himself or herself.
I am glad that the state Legislature is protecting the right of the people to "keep and bear arms." I believe the current version of the bill, which was lightened to facilitate passing the Legislature, falls short of protecting our right to carry. I look forward to new legislation that extends this protection inside university buildings.
Justin Hoffman
Undergraduate Student
