This is in response to the letter Carrying guns on campus could work if regulated (SN 11/19) and the slew of other letters that people have been writing in discussing possible changes in policy relating to carrying weapons on campus. There is one piece of information that every letter I have read so far has left out, and that is the issue of weapons permits in Michigan. In order to carry a concealed weapon in Michigan, you must obtain a concealed weapons permit, or CCW. Among many requirements, which can be found on mi.gov, the applicant for this permit must be 21 or older. Even if guns were allowed on campus, only the population above 21 would be able to “protect themselves.”
As pointed out, it took the police 20 minutes to arrive at the scene of the classroom. This is absurd. I have seen police respond faster to drinking reports in dorms. This raises serious questions for me about what they were doing that could have been more important than a weapons threat in a large classroom. If the argument is made that there are not enough officers around, I would say there always seems to be enough around to break up every party on Friday nights and visit the dorms, too. What would have happened if it was a real threat? Twenty minutes would have most definitely been too late. I say they simply have the wrong priorities.
