Virginia Tech Shooting Survivor Fights to Keep Guns Off Texas College Campuses
I guess that folks like Colin Goddard think that everyone who has a CHL is a gun toting crazy looking to murder anyone at anytime for any reason. Quite the opposite, in fact. According to statistics compiled by the Texas Department of Public Safety, CHL holders accounted for 0.1541% of all convictions reported to the state criminal history repository for the offense during the calendar year for individuals age 21 or over.
Texas State University’s student government supports a bill to allow people to carry concealed handguns on campus. But a survivor of the Virginia Tech massacre is sharing his story, hoping to change their minds.
Colin Goddard has one inspiring survival story. On April 16, 2007 he was one of dozens who were shot by Cho Seung Hui, during the deadliest school massacres in US history.
He chronicled his story in an new documentary called Living for 32.
“People tell me that god was looking out for me that day,” Goddard said in the film’s trailer. “It was just constant gunfire. ”
The film was produced by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The organization has taken the film on a cross country campus tour, in hopes of rallying up support.
“What I learned after that started my crusade,” Goddard said. “He was allowed to pass the two background checks that he took because something as simple as an agency to another agency.”
As the “face” for the Brady campaign, Goddard was on hand to introduce the film to dozens of Texas State University Students Wednesday.
“I don’t think that the solution to this problem to shootings on campus is to put more guns on campus,” said Goddard.
In December, the TSU student government association took a vote on the issue. The outcome was a 24 to 10 vote against the universities current policy, which does not allow guns on campus.
“I feel it’s a just means for self defense,” said TSU freshman Derrick Whitfield.
Whitfield said carrying a concealed hand gun is a constitutional right, regardless of whether or not you’re on a college campus.
“If it’s something given to every single american, I don’t think that they have just means to take that away from us,” said Whitfield.
And that’s where things start to heat-up.
“There’s never been an incident where I’m walking down the quad and said oh man, where’s a bullet proof vest, I need my gun,” said Dana Orr.
“Justices Alito and Roberts both said that you can own a gun in the house, but that doesn’t mean you can take it on a college campus,” said long-time anti-guns on campus supporter John Woods
Woods will join Goddard on thursday morning at the state Capitol. They’re hoping Goddard’s personal story of survival changes lawmakers’ minds on the issue.
“Last time it passed the senate. We’ll be looking at those ones. We’re looking closely to the whole senate and the committee and the house that’s looking at this bill as well,” said Woods.
At least two bills to allow guns on campus have been filed in the state legislature this session. There have been a number of state and community colleges that have come out in opposition of those bills.