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File Photo by Jill Nance/The News & Advance
Two Liberty University students sit on the steps of DeMoss Hall last month. LU officials say they will consider whether concealed weapons permit holders will be allowed to carry guns on campus.
Liberty University will consider whether to allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry guns on campus at its next board of trustees meeting, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said Thursday.
If it adopted the policy change, Liberty would become one nearly a dozen colleges nationally to allow concealed weapons on campus, according to Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.
Falwell said he decided to bring the matter before the board for discussion after members of Liberty’s chapter of SCCC requested it.
“We just have a group on campus that’s been promoting that idea, and I really don’t have a good feel for whether our community would support it or not,” Falwell said. “So I just decided to take it to the board.”
Currently the university does not allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry a gun on campus, he said.
The board of trustees has 38 members, including Falwell and his brother Jonathan. The next meeting is in early March.
The body may not make a decision on the issue, Falwell said, but will at least consider it.
“I want to make sure that we look at it long and hard before we make a decision,” he said.
“Between now and the board meeting, we’ll have RAs (resident advisers) talking to students and see what they think about it.”
Falwell also has not formed an opinion on the issue, he said.
Liberty senior Ben Neiman, leader of Liberty’s chapter of SCCC, said the group has more than 300 members, mostly students, staff and faculty.
Nationally, the organization has more than 30,000 members at hundreds of schools.
“These are people who already have their concealed carry permits, and you mingle with them in movie theaters and shopping malls around town anyways,” Neiman said. “We’re just all about our own safety. We realize that campuses are generally safe, but in the off chance that we are threatened, we want to be able to defend ourselves.”
Utah is the only state that does not allow any of its nine public universities to restrict people from carrying concealed weapons on campus.
According to the SCCC, Colorado State University and Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Va., are the only other schools that allow concealed carry on campus.
In Virginia, where one must be at least 21 years old to apply for a concealed handgun permit, each college can decide whether to allow guns on campus.
Leading up to the meeting in March, Falwell said board members have much to consider, such as how difficult the process is to get a permit to carry.
He also hopes to ask students and faculty for their opinions, and learn more about the arguments from both sides of the issue.
“I understand all the concern about security, and that’s why I’m even going to mention it to the board,” Falwell said.
“If the board thinks that would enhance security, then it might be something they would be in favor of.”
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Reader Reactions
@navigator73: I don’t think Jesus would NEED to (what with being God & all that). But since i’m not “God” it’s very different for me & my fellow students.
only if he knew the democRATS were there waiting on him…......
Would Jesus go to class packin’?
I am extremely pleased to hear that Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. is considering this move. Allowing trained and responsible citizens to carry firearms absolutely follows rational thought. Gun control is simply a myth. I have never met one person who has been able to explain the answer to the obvious question: If you are a a person looking to go on a shooting rampage or kill someone, do you honestly care about the fact that carrying the gun with which you’re about to use to commit murder is a misdemeanor or trespassing? Would you care even if it was a felony?
The obvious answer is no. Criminals don’t obey laws and there is no reason to force people who do to sacrifice their ability to defend themselves.
The talk and worries about allowing “kids” to run around with guns is nonsensical. The legal age is 21, which some may consider a “kid” but there are many reasons why the government has that restriction and most are based on facts and statistics. Simply put, 21 year olds who go through the proper process to obtain a concealed handgun permit are responsible citizens who are already trusted by the State of Virginia to defend themselves.
FedUp, I appreciate your sincerity and arguments. Many of those who disagree on 2nd Amendment rights (either in small or in part) often fling sarcastic rhetoric that smacks of fear, paranoia, and irrationality, but you seem to have some real, legitmate concerns. I would encourage you to look at the tragedies that have occurred in other places and ask yourself if those would have happened (at least on such a large scale such as VT) if students in the area were armed?
@LynchburgRes:
I have a couple questions to ask you: Do you wear a seat-belt when you’re in a car? Do you look both ways before you cross the street? Do you lock your door at night?
These things are all common safety practices and generally considered “common sense”. However, why should you (or any other Christ follower) DO ANY of these things? Won’t Jesus save you/us from harm?
The answer i would give is that God gave me a brain and expects me to use it. Do i trust God/Jesus above all else? YES. But that doesn’t mean i shouldn’t do all i can to protect myself and my family on this earth. Self-defense is something i take very seriously & i do not think that conflicts with my intense trust in Jesus.
LynchburgRes,
Even Jesus knew the world is a dangerous place and it does nothing for the Kingdom of God to die because somebody want’s your wallet. Before going on a dangerous journey, Jesus instructed his disciples to sell their garments and buy a sword. (Luke 22:35)
Just because you are a student doesn’t mean you forfeit your 2nd amendment rights. I’ll bet there are about 30 students at VT a year ago that wished they had a permit to carry.
If LU wants a shooting range, I have PLENTY of land they can do it on.
You know, this is a real faith telling issue here. I see bumper stickers all over… “Jesus is my co-Pilot” “Not I, But Him”... but there isn’t much faith in Jesus protecting them is there?
I guess they are like everyone else, they believe in the power of the Lord only when it is convienent.
Praise Jesus and pass the Ammo!
FedUp,
First of all, I am a member of SCCC from Wisconsin. I was alerted to this thread via a discussion on the ever versitile facebook.
Now, I want to commend you. Often times we see people who question what we stand for, have their own point of views and are quite disrespectful. It absolutely should go for granted that this should never be the case, but unfortunately for whatever reason it is the obvious.
Finally, to my point, your concerns about training for the students. This is a very good question, and quite valid. It is something that I sometimes find myself asking. However, to cover the not so concrete first. These people, though they are young, they are still considered adults (I think maturity may be the question, but you can find immature people at every age bracket). They carry in those crowded malls during christmas time, in the crowded movie theaters, and still, with these younger people the permit holder demographic is the least likely to commit violent crimes, statistacly(sp?) speaking.
Now, to the concrete part. MOST states require training courses to completely fulfill the permit guidelines (or whatever you want to call them). To tell you the truth I am curently also struggling with that laziness virus, so I’m not gonna throw a link up at the time, but if you want I will be more than happy to help you out with finding this. The only states that I know for sure that do not require such classes are Vermont and Alaska. Also, considering that Viriginia accepts 23 other state’s I would be willing to bet my savings that Virginia also requires said classes. So, to make this even longer, I would argue that the burden to train the students is now off the university (btw, people seeking permits have to pay for all this, classes usually cost about 200 bucks, not cheap for college people).
I am not an officer for SCCC, nor am I a very good orator (or apparently a very good writer) but I do believe that alot of times other people can say it better. So, I strongly urge you to take a look at concealedcampus.com
It has great info on there, a handbook that is available in .pdf version and a list of FAQ that may help to ease any of your concerns. Like I said, though, if you take a look at that and still have questions I would be absolutely more than happy to help you out in finding your answers.
I think that students should be allowed to protect themselves within the law. To apply for a permit, the state has education requirements, and you must be 21 or older. Generally 21 is the magic age that people are universally responsible in the eyes of the law. I think it is excellent that Liberty is considering allowing concealed carry. We are all responsible for our own actions and decisions. All open campuses should be making the same consideration. Who knows who is in the crowd with a weapon? Is it someone with no regard to the law, illegally carrying bent on having their last life accomplishment be a shooting before committing suicide? Or is it someone who the legislature feels is trained and responsible with a weapon. By trained and responsible that means that if someone with ill intent opens fire in a crowd, a permit holder who wants to meet force with force is not going to fire back if someone else nearby will possibly get hurt. (not that I believe that any people will stand close to anyone else brandishing a gun. Some comments make this issue sound like the old TV show Gunsmoke. It is not that at all. I am alumni of Liberty, and they provided me an excellent education. Campus is generally safe, but the number of people who are not students who can waltz onto campus at any time unchallenged is a vulnerability. Campus police do a good job, but are not able to be everywhere at once. We as citizens sadly are expected to protect ourselves. The constitution gets plenty of challenges of interpretation, but the framers knew that ultimately our citizens were responsible largely for their own protection. This proposal by the Liberty Administration shows that they have courage to realize the course that society has taken. While they can educate and help straighten our love for God, they also realize that there are bad people who want to make a name for themselves and leave in a blaze of glory. (cowards, never to face the social penalties of their actions) Recent history has demonstrated that gun control leads to more crime opportunity not less. Every permit holder and those who open carry know that the last thing they want to do is use their weapon. It is merely there and does create a deterrent. Why does the US Navy have submarines? They hide in the ocean peacefully as a deterrent that our enemies cannot easily detect. We are all the masters of our own destiny, and should be granted rights instead of having them limited. Once limited, they do not get reinstated. Again I know LU has some technical challenges to make the policy work, but it can be done with the safety of students. To close, what if someone wanted to come to campus and was choosing which campus to “hit”? If a particular school allowed concealed carry, the perpetrator would not only have the police to contend with, but others of unknown numbers who could end the situation quickly, and potentially without a fired shot. Thanks for reading my opinion, and I hope LU administration makes the right decision to allow carry.
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