Campus guns

At the risk of sounding like we are over beating the gun issue, we must address legislation an Alabama state senator is sponsoring that would let some college students pack a weapon to class.

State Sen. Hank Erwin, RMontevallo, came up with this crazy idea as a means for students to defend themselves if a situation like the tragedy that happened at Virginia Tech ever presents itself at a state institution. Similar misguided legislation has been presented in other states too.

Sen. Erwin's bill does limit who can have a gun: Students who have had no prior felony or misdemeanor convictions, secures a gun license, belongs to an ROTC program and completes a gun safety course.

Most colleges in the state do not permit guns on their campuses and Sen. Erwin apparently has not consulted with any administrators or campus police.

Merlin Owens, director of security and public safety at Auburn University said he would be "hesitant" to allow students to have guns on campus. Firearms in the hands of students are allowed now only in connection with ROTC exercises.

Sen. Erwin proposed similar legislation last year but it failed. He may be well intended but sanctioning weapons on campuses that do not currently permit them isn't the answer to tragedies such as what happened at Virginia Tech.

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