Michael Bérubé and My Post on Gun Free Zones

The point that must not go unacknowledged is that there is no way University of Alabama- Huntsville students can feel safe on campus until professors are permitted to bring guns to faculty meetings. Apparently, David Beito agrees.

Well, thank goodness somebody’s finally thinking about the children.

In reality, the question of whether professors should bring their .45s and glock nines to faculty meetings has very little bearing on student safety. But it would definitely raise the stakes for the discussion of whether to revise the Literature Before 1800 requirement of the English major.

In his amusing post, Bérubé has a single sentence (emphasis mine) opining that this question has"very little bearing on student [or faculty/staff?] safety." Perhaps he could elaborate.

How does he suggest we improve campus safety? If, for example, he believes in"gun free zones," what measures would he propose to better enforce them? Should universities install more metal detectors? Should they redouble the size of their campus security forces? We'd all like to know.

To move along the discussion, I'll elaborate on my views. I believe that Alabama's concealed carry law should trump the current"gun free zones" at government universities and colleges. As a believer in liberty and property rights, however, I oppose imposition of a"one best system" on private institutions. They should be free to set their own standards, mistaken or otherwise.