Did I Say "D"? I Meant "B!"

Every Spring when our collegiate track team ventured to Austin, Texas, for the Texas Relays, I always got a little nervous. Not nervous like before a big meet: that would involve not eating for two days and throwing up for hours before the race (this happened a LOT). No, this nervousness caused me to glance around campus, no matter where I was, to be sure there was nobody in the Tower. For those of you not around on August first of 1966, this might have been the scene of the first mass school shooting of note. Charles Whitman took a rifle to the observation deck of the 307-foot tower and began a shooting spree that lasted more than 90 minutes and ended in death for 14 people on campus as well as injuries to dozens of others. While I'm not sure how old Rep. Joe Driver is, it's my guess that he has heard of Whitman's act, and it's in the back of his mind these days. Texas...it's a whole 'nother state of mind.
Mind you, this is the state in which a politician running for office two years ago suggested that every student be issued a book to keep at his or her desk just for the sake of holding it in front to deflect bullets in case a shooter came into the classroom. I am NOT kidding, and neither was he. This would-be politico even went to the extent of TESTING several books to see which might be most effective (to nobody's surprise, the physics book won out). Thus, the latest idea attributed to Rep. Driver is not the least bit surprising.
Legislation currently making its way through the channels in Texas with a CERTAINTY of having the votes to pass is one which will allow concealed handguns ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. Rationale is simple: we'll get the shooter while he or she is reloading. Somebody (Rep. Driver) actually said that. He and others reckon (it IS Texas, after all) if people have the time to video assaults with their camera phones, they have time to gun down a shooter. I work with enough college students to know that the frontal lobe has not yet fully developed: that's the part that helps us make reasonable decisions (mostly). Add to this impulsive nature the typical things found on campus like alcohol--yes, mother and dad, alcohol--and social anxiety...whew! that's a trifecta for trouble. Note also the number of suicides among college students, and add accessibility to guns to THAT!
Of course, Texas is not unique in its desire to arm folks. A representative in Wisconsin suggested arming teachers just three years ago. His reasoning was that it had worked great in Thailand...terrorists hardly ever kidnapped any kids once the teachers were armed. Of course, in Wisconsin, the teachers would have to lock their sidearms up in the vault...and go check them out when a shooter entered their classroom. He was SERIOUS as were the other 18 state legislators who proposed some sort of concealed carry law on campuses. All, thankfully, failed. I was glad because some of MY students failed, too, and I would hate to give them the bad news if they were packin.' did I say "failed"? I meant "D minus."
If I remember tomorrow, I'll tell you about my experience in police training with a handgun...scary.