SCCC Take Their Fight to Facebook

April 16, 2008 - 1:30 pm By Steve - Seton Hall

Concealed Campus is student group dedicated to legalizing the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses. A year after the Virgina Tech shootings that inspired the formation of the group, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) has taken their fight to Facebook and have the support of over 27,000 students.

Founder Michael Flitcraft, a 23-year-old University of Cincinnati sophomore, wants all students over 21 with gun licenses to be able to carry their concealed weapons at school, too, saying,

In the wake of recent school shootings, such as the massacre at Virginia Tech, SCCC contends it is now abundantly clear that “gun free zones” serve to disarm only those law abiding citizens who might be able to mitigate such tragedies.

SCCC has two main objectives. The first objective is to educate the public about the facts of concealed carry and dispel the many myths about concealed carry. The second objective is to push state legislatures and school administrations to grant concealed handgun license holders the same right—the right to carry concealed handguns—on college campuses that these license holders currently enjoy at most other places (movie theaters, office buildings, shopping malls, banks, etc).

Because SCCC fully supports states’ rights, it is our policy to push for change at the state level, rather than at the federal level. The first step is to see “colleges” removed from the lists of places listed as “off limits” by the concealed carry laws in many states. The next step is to see other states follow Utah’s lead in prohibiting state (tax subsidized) colleges from enacting their own bans on concealed carry.

In the highly active Facebook group Flitcraft encourages supporters and opposition to discuss and debate the controversial topic within the message boards. To date there have been over 1,000 discussion topics ranging from people debating whether or not guns could prevent campus rape to personal stories as to why students feel “carrying” is a good thing.

Flitcraft closes by saying, “Declaring a campus a “gun free zone” may make some people feel safer, but as Virginia Tech taught us, feeling safe and being safe are not the same thing.”

Now, whether or not you believe that can surely be discussed in the message board.

Raf says:

April 16, 2008 at 3:44 pm

This is the stupidest idea I have heard of in a while.

bryan says:

April 16, 2008 at 6:44 pm

He wouldn’t have gotten off more then 1 round if there was another gun in the room, instead of in excess of 32

April 16, 2008 at 9:26 pm

By means of prevention, which is what you are implying, other measures could be used such as increased security (more officers, etc.). It would be just as effective without the huge liability of having more guns on campus.

However, the general argument for this bill is deterrence against any more shootings. Which is a stupid argument given that most if not all of the recent shootings ended in a suicide.

This is why it’s a terrible idea. Also the fact that many of these guns would be brought to parties and any squabble would end in deaths and not just a funny fistfight.

Reason says:

April 17, 2008 at 12:17 am

You are wrong. Colorado State University and all public universities in Utah have allowed students to carry weapons, with a valid permit, for years. There have been zero reports of misuse or theft. The only thing gun-free zones do is take away your right to defend yourself. Just remember that the shooter in Northern Illinois had time to reload.

Josh says:

April 17, 2008 at 1:42 am

Criminals with guns kill people regardless of where they are and what the law says. Law abiding citizens with concealed pistol permits save lives all the time in stores, homes, banks etc. It is a shame students are denied the same protection so that others can perpetuate the idea that a “gun free zone” means nothing bad can happen there.