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That's cool. Good job guys.
Thanks a lot Tom!
Good Evening:
I am writing this in as a concerned student from South East, Michigan. I attend Oakland Community College, and hold a Degree in Criminal Justice and am in my final two classes for a Degree in Homeland Security.
Last semester I had the honor being instructed in "School Safety and Homeland Security" by the greatest instructor I have ever known, Fire Chief Ken VanSparrentak of Walled Lake. Our greatest debate in the classroom was based on whether or not students should be allowed to carry concealed weapons of any kind while on campus, firearms being the main object of discussion. Over-all we were able to come up with some very interesting statistics. I will list a few that you may not or may not have knowledge of.
- There has been a total of 323 students killed during school shootings in the United States during the past 15 years. Every one of which could have been avoided had firearms been presently carried by trained students and/or staff. A potential shooter is less apt to place themselves in a situation where they can be targeted or stopped easily without being able to complete their mission.
- Schools are in fact, the most easily accessed target for an active shooter and hold hundreds, if not thousands of potential targets making it high risk for a mass casualty incident. We learned on September 1st, 2004 in Russia; a town known as Beslan, would open the eyes of the world as we became aware that terrorist organizations will do what it takes to promote their message and propaganda by hitting the population where it hurts the most: our children. Although this occurred in Russia and not the United States, it has been discovered that Al-Qaeda had obtained blueprints and layouts of American schools in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and other states. Should our schools be potentially filled with students who carry concealed firearms, some or most of these potential terrorist hazards could potentially be dismissed as easy targets.
- Through researching nearly 350 actual and potential active shooter situations over the last 15 years, none of them were attempted by individuals who had a license to carry a concealed firearm.
- At the same time (of the previous fact), there have been several incidences upon which an active shooter was dispatched by an individual legally licensed to carry a firearm. October 1st, 1997 - Luke Woodham slit his mother's throat, and proceeding to Pearl High School where he opened fire with a 30-30 repeating rifle killing two students, and injuring seven others. He was attempting to leave the scene when Vice Principal Joel Myrick ran to his truck, removed his Colt .45 from the glove box and placed it point blank into Woodham's face who surrendered. Had Myrick's pistol been on him at the time the shootings started, two children could still be alive today; however, the law in Mississippi made it illegal for the Vice Principal to carry it on campus. Instead, precious time was wasted in retrieving his firearm, time which could have saved lives.
In reality, if it were you, or your child sitting in the front row of class when the shooter makes his or her way into the room, and lines up the sights; I imagine a prayer will befall the lips of those in the class before the first shot rings and a life is lost. Would it not be comforting to hear that shot, let the brief moment of uncertainty pass, and open your eyes to see the shooter laying dead on the floor, shot by a fellow classmate standing in the back of the room holding his previously concealed weapon? Or would you rather there be no hidden protectors? No more life; life that could have continued had only it been legal for you or your classmates to carry a concealed weapon if they wished.
As you can tell, I am in full support of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. I hope you can come to share the same views as myself, and thousands of others across our great state feel.
Regards,
Thomas Hamilton
Milford, Michigan
CRJ/HLS - OCC Auburn Hills Campus
Summa Cum-Laude
Last edited by LeoBound; 03-24-2011 at 12:30 PM.
good luck