A bad idea

Letter from the editor:

He's an avid hunter, supports the NRA, believes in the importance of the second amendment... and still feels that allowing guns on college campuses is a bad idea. No, ladies and gentlemen, I'm not making this up. He does exist, and he even has a letter published in the very paper you're holding. His name is Paul H. Dean, and he's the Deputy Chief of Police and Emergency Operations Coordinator for the UNHPD.

I caught up with Deputy Dean on the phone Monday evening while he was in Texas to teach a program for the Department of Homeland Security. Having been inundated with letters about how much safer our school would be if only we were allowed to have guns on campus, I asked for his take on the issue.

"I don't think a college campus is the proper environment for it," said Dean. He explained that police officers undergo an immense amount of training throughout their careers on how to handle emergency situations and use their weapons, even though it's unlikely they'll ever have to fire a gun.

"I know how I'm going to react in that kind of situation," said Dean, "but simply having a gun does not make you proficient with that firearm… a firearm in the hands of an untrained person just creates more of a risk." He mentioned that two members of the Strafford County S.W.A.T. Team are on the UNH police force, and said that we should concentrate instead on prevention.

"What we need to be focusing on is identifying members of our community who are in need of help… in every one of these school shootings, there were clues - when they do the autopsies of their lives, certain signs and behaviors are uncovered. If these warning signs are recognized, professionals can respond and intervene."

I would agree, and I am tired of hearing that Virginia Tech and the recent shooting at NIU would never have happened if only students were allowed to have guns on campus. Even if firearms were permitted in dorms and academic buildings, it's no guarantee that those choosing to carry a gun would a) be trained in how to use it, b) know how to react in such a stressful situation, and c) happen to have brought it with them at that particular time.

As college students we are statistically more likely to binge drink and suffer from depression or other mental illnesses than many other age demographics. I see bar fights turning into fatal shootouts, and a distressed student making a rash and irreversible decision to end their life - this is not a crowd of people I want to see armed.

Let's let the professionals do their job.

Helen Hocknell Editor-in-Chief

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1 comments

Andy C

Mon Sep 28 2009 18:16

US citizenry who have received their licenses to carry pistols are among the most law abiding groups of people in the country. Further, it does not matter who you would like to see armed, each person is responsible for him/herself. This is why we have a foundation of laws, the US and NH constitution, which solidifies freedoms against government intrusion. While it might be true that students with firearms may not have completely prevented Virginia Tech., they should have been able to defend themselves, instead dozens were murdered. Law enforcement are incapable of instantaneously responding to all emergencies, it is simply not possible. The Chief implies that if you have a firearm, and are not a law enforcement officer, you must be an untrained incompetent. Sheer idiocy. Millions of Americans use their firearms to defend themselves every year, usually without major screw-ups, the same cannot be said for law enforcement. In addition, NH has many firearms clubs, competitions and safety courses which are easily the equal of any state training session.
If university life is a violently drunk and mentally disturbed environment, then surely the various Deans and Board of Trustees should overhaul the faulty system, not our Natural human Rights as enumerated in the Constitutions.

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