Idaho Allows Firearms Onto College Campuses

According to Al Jazeera, the Senate of the state of Idaho has passed a law stating that college student will be allowed to carry firearms in a concealed manner on the state's college campuses for use in self-protection purposes. The legislation passed with a majority vote of 25-10. The bill requires those who wish to carry a firearm to be of the age of 21 or over and to have passed a firearms training course that lasts for approximately eight hours. The bill also denies firearms to be brought into locations with more than 1,000 people at one specific time or the dormitories. Also, an enhanced concealed carry permit is required to be allowed to carry a handgun on campus grounds. This law has unfortunately met great opposition. Many state that the law will cause disruption of the classroom and the learning process. I do not see how this possible for the classroom to become disrupted, since the firearms are concealed. Of course, the anti-gun people claim that the guns with just end badly when the mix with the drinking culture of colleges and the stresses of school work. I personally do not believe that this fear is sound, as most firearms owners are of stable mind and know what is right and wrong. Plus, as Georgia has done, anyone in a bar is not allowed to carry a firearm inside the establishment. This could deter people from drinking and carrying at the same time. Idaho is not the only state that has decided that college students should be allowed to carry concealed on campus. While 21 states have prohibited the carrying of firearms on college campuses, 23 other states have moved in the opposite direction and are allowing firearms to be carried on campuses. I sincerely hope that more states realize that laws like this will aid in the security of college students and will decide to move in that direction.