Report From The Desert: Young Dems Fighting Carry On Campus

University of Arizona sophomore Daniel Greenberg, an occasional contributor to The Ready Line, shared with me last night an email going around the state of Arizona urging members of Young Democrats to oppose efforts to reform the antiquated prohibition on concealed carry on college campuses.

The subject line is "Take action to keep guns out of our schools." Here is the text of the email:

Fellow Young Democrat,

Super Tuesday is behind us, its time to look ahead to November. Along the way we also must remember that our State Legislature is in session, and if the Republicans have their way we may soon be put in danger. The Republicans have gone too far this time. State Senator Karen Johnson(R-Mesa) has introduced legislation that will allow concealed guns on ourschool campuses. This will affect all schools in Arizona, includinguniversities, community colleges, high schools, and even kindergarten classes!

They have done this before! First Senate Republicans wanted guns in bars, thenguns in restaurants, now they want guns in our schools! Take action to project yourself, your friends, and your family! Go here: http://tinyurl.com/2zux7z to email the Republicans pushing this bill.Tell them to vote "no" on SB1214!The Republicans actually believe that allowing someone to conceal a gun oncampus will stop a shooter from going to a school. "Gun-free zones at schools are almost an open invitation; they are not going to have any opposition whatsoever," Republican Senator Karen Johnson said.

How typical of the reactionary Republican legislature, ignoring the real cause of these heinous acts. We all know that the tragic acts of shootings at schools are carried out by the mentally ill. According to the Arizona Republic, "The shooting sprees are committed by troubled or unbalanced people who expect to die, sometimes including suicide as part of the plan."

We need to stand up to this reprehensible legislation to keep our schools safe,and free of concealed guns.Take action now! Tell the Republicans to vote "no" on SB1214! Follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/2zux7z

Now, I don't disagree at all that people -- if not all -- who come onto gun-free, victim-rich college campuses and start killing sprees are mentally imbalanced. But the memo writer misses the bigger point. Apparently in his or her zeal to get help for that person, they are willing to sacrifice themselves and their fellow students lives to the criminal's actions.

The very reason that students, faculty and staff at universities across the nation who have CCW permits (meaning they have jumped through more legal hoops than you can imagine), is to defend their very lives. Worrying about your fellow man or woman's mental state is noble.

But advocating doing nothing to stop a killer and save countless lives? Where is the logic in that?