While Obama Politicizes, USSC Offer Free CCP Class to Educators

Utah – -(Ammoland.com)- Last week a deranged killer took the lives of nine people and injured nine at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.

Once again the attacks happened in a gun-free zone–this time at a college that had banned even water guns and had recently decided to forgo armed security because it “might change the culture” of the campus.

And, once again President Obama has come out and exploited this tragedy to advance his agenda against law-abiding gun owners.

At least this time he publicly admitted he was politicizing the event.

What is more outrageous than his admitted politicizing is that he continues to call for more gun control, knowing that it is going no where in Congress, rather than working with lawmakers to accomplish the possible, dealing with the mental health aspects of this issue. Although this is a very complex issue, it is an area where he could exert some leadership and achieve some meaningful results.

In addition, the President has also failed to notice what is painfully obvious to all but the most ardent gun-haters, that virtually all of these mass killings occur in gun-free zones. And, the slaughter stops when armed individuals show up on the scene. Decrease the number of gun-free zones and you decrease the targets of opportunity. Decrease the time it takes for an armed responder to show up on the scene and the sooner the carnage stops.

Unlike the President, the Utah Shooting Sports Council has been working with our legislature to reduce gun violence. We have worked to ensure that gun-free zones are a rarity in Utah.

The only public areas that are gun-free are areas that have security and check for weapons prior to entry such as jails and airports. Private property owners can declare their property gun-free, but receive no state support in enforcing their policy, and they can be held liable for injuries or deaths occurring on their property.

As far as decreasing the time it takes for an armed responder to show up on the scene, the Utah Shooting Sports Council has spent the past thirty years strengthening Utah’s gun laws to ensure that those who choose to be armed can. This increases the likelihood of an armed responder being on the scene sooner and allows people to protect their lives and the lives of others, rather than taking a bullet to the head waiting for someone else to show up. Additionally, the Utah Shooting Sports Council supports proper funding, support, and training for law enforcement, and we encourage businesses and institutions that can afford it to have armed security.

For those who think that an armed citizen stopping a mass slaughter is just some silly NRA-Wannabe-Rambo fantasy we suggest you look at the following:

April 17, 2015 – Chicago Uber driver shoots and stops a man who was firing into a crowd. (The park where the attacker opened fire is a gun-free zone.) ~ Chicago Tribune

July 24, 2014 – Shooting spree in Darby, PA stopped by a doctor with a gun. (The hospital was a gun-free zone. Fortunately the doctor ignored the policy.) ~ The Daily Mail

December 12, 2013 – Clackamass, OR mall killer takes his own life after being confronted by a concealed-carry permit holder. (The mall was posted as a gun-free zone. Fortunately the permit holder ignored the sign.) ~ KGW Portland (NBC)

December 9, 2007 – Killer opens fire at parishioners in the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and is stopped when shot by a concealed-carry permit holder. (This was a gun-free zone to the general public, but the pastor wisely allowed select concealed-carry permit holders to carry.) ~ CNN

October 1, 1997 – Killer stopped at Pearl High School in Mississippi by Assistant Principal with a gun. (The school was a gun- free zone. Luckily the Assistant Principal had his gun in his car.) ~ Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

There are others as well that were stopped when off-duty law enforcement used their personal weapons to stop attacks. The Utah Shooting Sports Council is unaware of any mass shooting being stopped by background checks, waiting periods, registration schemes, gun bans, magazine bans etc. If anyone knows of any, please let us know.

Unlike the President, the Utah Shooting Sports Council is not just giving lip service to stopping mass killings and preventing gun violence. To help protect Utah’s children and make our schools safer the Utah Shooting Sports Councilis offering another class in our continuing “Safe to Learn, Safe to Teach” program. This program offers training to obtain a concealed-carry permit to those employed in Utah education, both private and public schools. It is open to anyone working in the schools including teachers, administrators, maintenance workers, bus drivers etc. The class will be held October 16th 2015, during UEA weekend. For more information click here.