So its now legal in one US University for students to carry a firearm.
Interesting! So when somebody asks if someone has got a 2:2 do they want to know the calibre of the student or the ammo they're packing?
I wonder what the unintended side-effects of this undoubtedly well intentioned idea will be? Just think...universities are high pressure environments (despite their often calm appearances) Students are under intellectual and deadline pressure and marks, feedback and grades are very important and sensitive subjects.
I've seen how badly students can react when they miss out on a 2:1 mark for an assignment never mind overall grading for a degree...as for reacting badly with an armed weapon...well...imagine handing out marks and being told by an unhappy student pointing a gun at you to 'moderate this you b@8stard!'
Do you believe a rule against firearm possession is going to keep those who are inclined to shoot 'em up from doing so?
ReplyDeletePeople who go through the process of getting a concealed carry permit are most often exactly the sort of people you want to have a concealed carry permit. They are conscientious and responsible.
The scenarios you envision haven't historically played out, and there is no evidence to suggest this will be any different.
hi Cam - many thanks for atking the time to post a comment on this interesting subject. I don't believe I was asking anyone to 'believe' anything :) I simply asked readers to 'imagine if'...As for the fact that there is no evidence that the future will be different, may I refer you to the concept of naive inductivism in my previous posts :)Like you I think responsible people will always behave well, its just that the 'red mist' can overcome even the most sober and even tempered at times.
ReplyDeleteHm. I don't believe I was engaging in naive inductivism. In fact, I was simply pointing out that the contrary claim lacked evidential support, which is a problem if you're building a case for anything -- particularly one that will affect laws that impact everyone.
ReplyDeleteIndeed - The Law of Large Numbers (or is it the "General Guideline of Large Numbers?" ;) suggests that if you gather a large enough group of people, you're going to have some outliers.
The question we must ask ourselves when making law is not if one person in 100 million with a concealed carry permit would in fact, one day, do any harm, but if having a law against such permits would actually prevent it, and if allowing the permits would conceivably afford self-defense, should an outlier (licensed or not) having fallen to the "red mist," try to take his aggression out on others.
Good point Cam! can i just clarify the 'naive inductivism' is a descrpition of an approach to reliance on past empirical evidence and definitely not a personal implication. I guess this starts leading us into Utlitarianism and the 'greatest good for the greatest number'. maybe (like two bees in a jar) gun attacks would decrease if the potential 'perp' knew that lethal consequences for themsleves could ensue!
ReplyDeleteI am final year ECE from Haldia inst of technology.
ReplyDeleteTCS is coming to my college on 15th january for 2010 batch. But apart from past years criteria for campussing, they are having the criteria of one year gap. This is quite frustrating as I am not eligible under this criteria. Till last year there was nothing like than then why only this year they are having this.
anybody having any logical reason for this??