The College Fix

New bills before the Michigan state House and Senate would repeal all pistol-free zones, including dormitories and classrooms on college campuses, setting off a hot debate in the state.

Most states have concealed carry bans on campus, but Rep. Richard LeBlanc, who introduced the House bill, said Michigan’s situation is unique.

“The Constitution [of Michigan] allows a law-abiding citizen to carry openly a weapon in all parts of the state, with no restrictions,” LeBlanc said. Meanwhile, concealed carry laws prohibit the same person from carrying a concealed weapon on college campuses. “It’s really odd,” he added, “which is one of the reasons to have the proposal considered.”

Michigan is a traditional open-carry state, which means anyone over the age of 18 has the right to openly carry firearms anywhere in the state.

“I would say 99 percent of people aren’t aware of their constitutional rights,” LeBlanc said.

Reid Smith, Midwest Regional Director and Michigan State Director of Students for Concealed Carry, supports the bill.

“By repealing pistol-free zones, you’re saying responsible gun owners are now allowed to carry [guns] around on college campuses,” he said. Getting a Concealed Pistol License is hard work, said Smith, “and for the most part, zero criminals are going to go through the hassle.”

“They don’t have to, and they can’t,” he said. “Lots of misdemeanors disqualify you from a concealed carry permit.”

Matthew Tuzas, President of SCC at Central Michigan University, echoed the sentiments.

“All Michigan CPL holders have gone through background checks (medical and criminal), and are found to be upstanding citizens, competent, and fully able to carry concealed weapons,” he said.

The President’s Council of State Universities of Michigan, which, according to its website, serves as a forum for the presidents and chancellors of Michigan’s 15 public universities to discuss and frame positions on key higher education finance and policy issues, is “actively opposed” to concealed carry on campuses, said Mike Boulus, the Executive Director of the President’s Council.

“Anytime you expand guns on campus, you create more of a problem,” said Boulus. He cited stress and alcohol as reasons for concealed carry bans. Guns make people more dangerous, said Boulus, “throw in a little alcohol and anger, and bad things happen.”

“It’s cliché to think someone will get drunk and shoot up the place,” said Scott Poet, a National Rifle Association Certified Instructor and part-time student at Eastern Michigan University. “What many people don’t know is that the blood alcohol content limit for lawfully carrying a concealed pistol is less than .02. That is 4 times more restrictive than the limit for operating a car, .08.”

Adding guns, said Boulus, will increase the potential for suicides. “Students have enough stress already,” he said, “we don’t want to see guns introduced.”

A 2008 study by the New England Journal of Medicine found the suicide risk in homes with gun-owners 2 to 10 times higher than non-gun-owner homes.

He also added that campus law officials have been opposed to a repeal of pistol-free zones because concealed carry weapons are not a good deterrent of crime.

For the time being, Boulus and his organization are working on educating legislators so they do not pass bills such as these.

“It’s all about keeping campuses as safe as possible,” said Boulus, “we’re not going to prevent a Virginia Tech, but neither will a concealed carry.”

Boulus has been in contact with GunFreeKids.org, an organization which works on state and federal gun issues.

“Keeping guns off campuses is our primary campaign,” said Andy Pelosi, President of GunFreeKids.org. He said his organization has been reaching out to university and college presidents around the world, getting them to sign a resolution opposing guns on campuses. Currently, only three public schools in Michigan have signed.

“Campuses are safe environments,” said Pelosi, “most crime occurs off campus.”

Gun advocates don’t disagree with the location of crime, but say there’s room for improvement in student safety.

“Citizens in Michigan are 10 times less likely to commit a crime if they have CPL. I don’t think concealed carry bans are preventing crime,” Smith said.

Pistol-free zones become “defense-free” zones, according to Poet.

“The only people who will obey these laws, are law abiding citizens,” he said. “Criminals don’t care what the law says, that’s why they are criminals.”

Stephanie Wang is the news editor for the Michigan Review. She is a contributor to the Student Free Press Association.

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