Just read about Gun Rights Week at James Madison University.

I attended JMU for my undergrad. If it’s anything now like it was back then this probably won’t go over well with the general student populace. But that’s to be expected with a bunch of 18-21 year olds at a liberal arts college in the United States, likely on their own for the first time in their lives, experiencing freedom (i.e. no mom & dad looming over them) like never before. Given how I thought at the time, if this had happened when I was there I too probably would have wondered what the point was and thought concealed carry on a college campus was more dangerous and inviting bloodshed in the classroom if there was a minor disagreements over how to interpret some poem in English class, shootouts on The Quad over hackey sacks, or poor food choices in D-Hall.

But as I’ve documented here, I’ve since changed. I’ve improved my education on and understanding of the matter. And the stark reality is creating “gun free zones” in reality creates a “victim-full zones”. Virginia Tech is just a short drive from JMU. If creating a “gun free zone”, like a school or university, also erected a magical force-field that kept the bad guys and the crazies out and allowed a blissful sheep-like existence within, I’d be all for it. But alas, such things don’t exist, and the wolves roam without regard for artificial boundaries. All “gun free zones” do is keep out the sheepdogs, and the sheep keep grazing on The Quad.

Ignorance is only bliss until your rose-colored glasses are violently shattered (VaTech, various other school-based shooting tragedies). There’s movement within Texas for this year’s state legislative session to improve things in this very manner, and I support those efforts and will do what I can to help them succeed. I’m all for removing barriers that abridge sheepdogs.