Gun bans leave us defenseless

Whenever I read about a shooting spree, I check to see what the weapons policy is at the place where the incident occurred. I almost always find that self-defense weapons are prohibited there. Such was the case at both Trolley Square and Virginia Tech.

Everyone at Virginia Tech, with the exception of on-duty law-enforcement officers, is prohibited from possessing any type of weapon on campus. A bill aimed at enabling concealed-weapon permit-holders to carry on college campuses in Virginia was defeated last year. While this weapons ban didn't prevent Cho Seung-Hui from bringing firearms onto the campus, it ensured that faculty, staff and students were defenseless, enabling the killer to easily shoot dozens of people.

N.W. Clayton

director of communications

GOUtah! (Gun Owners of Utah)