To take input from the VT
community, SCCC at VT is opening a survey and quiz on the topic of
concealed carry on campus.
The quiz will cover basic facts
of concealed carry on campus, and the survey will take input on opinions on
the topic. The results will be reported as quiz results, survey results,
and correlation between the two.
48 states allow citizens
to carry concealed firearms for self-defense. Alaska and Vermont, however, do not require a permit to do so. [www.handgunlaw.us].
To obtain a concealed handgun
permit in Virginia, an applicant must:
In Virginia (and almost
all other states) you must be 21 years of age to get a concealed carry
permit. After a qualifying "competence
with a handgun" course is completed, the proof is submitted along with the
permit application, at which time a background check is run. If the applicant passes, they are issued their
permit [VA State Police]. VA is a "shall issue" state, compared to a
"may issue" state which may require various additional measures, such as
providing "good reason" to get a permit [www.handgunlaw.us].
The number of US colleges and
universities that allow concealed carry (by permit holders) on their campus
is:
The nine public campuses
of Utah (since 2006), Colorado State University (since 2003), and Blue Ridge
Community College in Staunton, VA (since 1995) allow permit holders to carry
concealed firearms, totaling 11 campuses [http://concealedcampus.org/arguments.htm].
The percentage of Virginians (of
legal age) with concealed handgun permits is:
Approximately 2% of
Virginians of legal age hold CHPs, compared to over 7% in South Dakota at the
high end and 0.17% in New Mexico on the low end [independent calculations,
various sources]. Nationwide, the
average has been estimated to be 1-2% of American citizens to have a
concealed firearm permit of some form.
With the exception of police, it
is illegal for a person with a CHP to carry a firearm on Virginia Tech's
campus.
It's not surprising
that there is nearly a 50-50 split on this answer - it's commonly
misunderstood. Colleges are NOT one of the restricted areas listed in Virginia law pertaining to carry of
firearms, and therefore it is not illegal [VA firearms
law link]. See following questions for more information.
Compared to society as a whole,
statistics show that concealed carry permit holders are:
"SCCC
supports the legalization of CONCEALED carry by LICENSED individuals on
COLLEGE campuses. SCCC has no official position on open carry, unlicensed
concealed carry, or concealed carry on the campuses of primary or secondary
schools."
A 2005 opinion
from Virginia Attorney General opinion clarified that the college's governing
body sets such policies, which is the Board of Visitors for public VA
colleges. The opinion also clarified that colleges "may not impose general prohibition on carrying of concealed weapons by
permitted individuals." Therefore, it is not illegal for anyone with a permit to carry, however, if VT
students/faculty/staff carry they can be expelled/fired, but visitors are not
restricted by law nor can they be expelled/fired.
When a firearm is purchased from
an online distributor/dealer, it is:
shipped to the address on the
purchaser's drivers license.
shipped to a local post
office, where the purchaser shows identification before pickup.
0
( 0%)
[0 pts]
no answer
4
( 2%)
[0 pts]
This has been discussed
ad nauseam as people tried to place blame on Eric Thompson for the April
shootings. Any firearm purchased
online, new or used, is shipped to a local, licensed dealer who performs the
background checks and ID verifications in person [various sources, e.g. example]. No
one disqualified from purchasing a gun may purchase one online, either (as
they would be denied by the background check upon pickup).
Which of the following is
generally illegal for a citizen (i.e. not police) in Virginia, in terms of
carrying a firearm in public:
--Only six states prohibit open carry, but they all allow
concealed carry by permit holders. Many of the states allow the person to openly carry without a
permit, also, including Virginia [www.opencarry.com].
--Drawing a firearm is considered a threatening gesture, which is
illegal unless your life is in imminent
danger. This is a serious offense
with typical jail time, and is likely to lead to the revocation of any
firearm permits [various legal resources].
--Citizens carrying concealed without a permit is only allowed in
Vermont and Alaska. However, Gov.
Kaine did sign a bill (to go into effect in July) allowing Commonwealth
Attorneys to carry concealed without permits, without training, in schools,
and in places that serve alcohol [Text of
bill].
--Various sources (law, court precedence, etc.) have confirmed
that using deadly force is only allowed in attempts to STOP an attack.
--Carrying a firearm while legally intoxicated is illegal in
Virginia and most (if not all) states, although some states define the
threshold lower than that to legally operate a motor vehicle [VA firearms
law link]. Most gun owners do not
drink at all while carrying, and lock up their firearm if planning to consume
- similar to a driver giving their keys up to a designated driver before
drinking.
Survey
/ poll:
I believe that:
citizens should be allowed to
carry firearms for self-defense.
This open space is for any
additional comments on the topic of concealed carry on campus that you feel
were not addressed above: 31 responsesview
this questionview
all questions
Optional:
Around campus, I saw ___ people
wearing empty holsters:
Considering we estimated
100-150 participants in the protest on the VT campus, I hope this alleviates
people's concerns that "every student will be packing in a classroom."
I participated some in Firearms
Education Week, and learned:
