Guns enthusiasts rejoiced last Wednesday, Sept. 28, when the Oregon University System’s conceal-carry ban was lifted by the Oregon Court of Appeals, making it possible for anyone to carry a concealed weapon on campus with the proper permits.
OUS created the law, but the Court of Appeals decided it was invalid, stating that the Oregon Legislature is the only governing body that can create any rules or regulations about gun ownership and use.
At this time, OUS is still in the process of deciding what its next steps will be. There are plans, however, for other policy changes to prevent guns from appearing on campus.
“For things like buy(ing) tickets online, we want to have a box that you have to check and say ‘I agree to not bring firearms into Autzen,” Di Saunders, the OUS Director of Communications@@http://www.ous.edu/about/saundersbio@@ said. “We’re looking to create contracts.”
However, Kevin Starrett, director of Oregon Firearms Federation@@http://oregonfirearms.org/store/uorlbk.html@@ — a subgroup of OFF, the Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation, filed the suit — sees this as one of many strange views on gun use.
“It assumes you need a ban in places already approved for guns,” Starrett said. “What places should be ‘peaceful’ places, and what places should not?”
One of the major factors in the suit was the violation of Second Amendment rights. For students, it became a question of which rights mattered most.
“The ban assumed that there were places where people couldn’t have their Second Amendment rights,” Starrett said.
University junior Taylor Helms@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Taylor+Helms@@ has been wanting to buy a gun for months, and with the ban lifted it, his goal is easier.
“I feel like people should be able to protect themselves,” Helms said. Still, he knows there is more to it than protection.
“I feel like it’s a gray area, to be honest,” Helms said. “There’s no real reason to bring it around campus@@Thank you, Mr. Helms@@.”
Some people feel protection with a gun — other do not. This is where the majority of the issues hit a wall.
“People have the right to feel safe on campus,” ASUO President Ben Eckstien said. Starrett sees it the same way.
“It’s ironic because people are carrying guns so they don’t have to be afraid@@What does that tell you about what kind of a society we live in@@,” Starrett said. “They’re being denied that @@Really?@@.”
The Court of Appeals’ decision comes in the wake of Senate Bill 405, which makes it possible for University DPS to become a fully-armed police force in the future. For University junior and former DPS Community Service Officer Cameron Hershey@@Not finding her name in Directory@@, this is not a blessing.
“It somewhat frightens me,” Hershey said. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t trust the entire staff, but there are definitely a few people who would feel too powerful.”
Starrett believes it is insulting to have a police force without guns@@Insulting? Tell that to the Norwegian police force, which as recently as last week voted overwhelmingly in favor of not having their officers carry guns – even after the July 22nd events. It was either 8 or 9 out of ten against @@.
“Why would you ask someone to risk their lives for you and not give them the chance to protect themselves?@@Seems like this guy thinks everyone is out to get him, every moment of his life@@” Starrett said.
Hershey believes the DPS would need to start at the beginning to comfortably gain use of their guns.
“I can see the arguments on both sides,” Hershey said. “It’s not even just permits, there are so many criteria that campus should be safe. But what happens when it accidentally goes off?”
Helms believes when it comes to DPS, it’s rather simple.
“If anyone can have guns, then DPS would have to,” Helms said. “They’d have no choice@@no choice?@@.”
Lifted OUS conceal-carry ban leaves mixed feelings around campus
Becky Metrick
October 2, 2011
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