LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- The political world is still erupting with outrage over the ever increasing frequency of gun violence in America, with President Obama once again calling for gun reform. But that's not sitting well with everyone, including Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott.
He claims gun reform will do more harm than good, especially on college campuses.
A lengthy social media post by the sheriff addresses recent happenings such as the San Bernardino shootings, adding that it's no secret schools and college campuses are popular targets for active shooters -- with the question being when and where another campus incident will happen next.
In his post he states that crime victims, rather than law enforcement, are true first responders, adding that gun control "would only serve to disarm law-abiding citizens."
Students at Florida Gulf Coast University like Christina Staszak tells Fox 4 that recent campus shootings have made her even more uneasy. “When you see these university shootings I’m like what if my campus is next? How am I going to prevent that?”
She says in the back of her mind the thought lingers that saying the wrong thing to the wrong person could put her life in danger. “It’s a scary thought realizing that if you pissed off the wrong person and made them mad – you could be endangering your life,” Staszak said. “They can just pull out a gun.”
In Sheriff Scott's post, he “It’s no secret that college campuses continue to be popular targets for active shooter,” where anyone at anytime can walk the grounds with no questions.
Staszak says as a college student she’s on the fence about supporting the Sheriff’s statement of being a first responder. “I’m almost wanting to support, even though I’m not even for guns,” Staszak said.”I feel like it’s something I need for my safety going forward.”
Other students on campus told Fox 4 they would like to have the option of carrying concealed weapons on campus.
However, the responsibility of a first responder as a college student wasn’t appealing to everyone. “I feel like a lot of people with access to guns don’t really have the right background checks or they’re not mentally stable,” Gaby Fernandez, a junior at FGCU said. “So they take advantage of that and that’s why we have a lot of college shootings.”
Vice president of Student Affairs Dr.Mike Rolo says firearms is a concern on FGCU like any other college campus but doesn’t necessarily agree students should be able to carry concealed weapons.
“One of the concerns we have on a college campus are firearms. There are a lot of emotions, there’s a mixture of very young people, alcohol and drugs involved and there’s also people who are struggling with who they are . Suicide in that age group is very high,” Dr. Rolo said. “Putting firearms or deadly weapons in that mix can be very problematic so we’re very concerned about having firearms on campus because of that.”
Below a copy of Sheriff Mike Scott’s post found on the department's Facebook page.
Fallacies of Gun Control
December 8, 2015
Earlier this year, President Obama and his predictable following of sycophant, liberal media types were promoting the notion that law enforcement should be demilitarized. Objects of criticism were armored vehicles, tactical uniforms and weaponry, along with suggestions that a kinder, gentler law enforcement officer was somehow needed in response to Ferguson, Baltimore, and like uproars. Yet, at the same time thousands of malcontents were rioting, burning, and looting cities because some lives apparently mattered more than others; rhetoric about demilitarization of the cops poured forth.
As I see it, bullets are bullets and bombs are bombs; whether they are encountered by our Military on the hostile ground of a foreign country, or our Law Enforcement Officers at let’s say the Boston Marathon, San Bernardino, or in the murder Mecca of Chicago which happens to be home base for the Illinois Senator turned President. Suggestions to demilitarize law enforcement are about as shallow as the “gun control” fallacies that would serve only to disarm law-abiding citizens in this country.
Law Enforcement, the Fire Service, and the Ambulance are typically referred to as first responders but are they? The fact is that in nearly every crime against a person or persons, those individuals are in fact the first responder. The innocent folks that died while praying in a Charleston Church were first responders. The moviegoers killed in that Aurora theatre were first responders. The government workers enjoying an office party in California last week were first responders. When these episodes break out in split seconds, efforts to minimize the carnage become paramount. Regrettably, examples of first responders abound and in virtually every instance, these innocents were left to cower and just hope that they were not next to be shot because they were not in a position to defend themselves or others. It is a well known fact that many active shooters actually stop to reload their weapons during the incident and 2nd Amendment naysayers should read this sentence twice.
It’s no secret that elementary, middle, and high schools along with college campuses continue to be popular targets for active shooters. The question is not so much if another campus incident will occur but when and where. Millions of unchecked book bags and lunch boxes everyday traverse the higher education hallways across our country, and we simply hope that they contain books and lunches while many scoff at the notion that a (21) year old student with a concealed carry permit should be allowed to do so on campus. Virtually anyone can enter a college campus at any time, park their vehicle, and walk the grounds uncontested.
Law enforcement at large does a remarkable job in the face of unprecedented challenges and a growing trend of being vilified in whole for the rare misdeeds of an occasional bad actor. Still, we can’t be with everyone at all times and most of the citizens we serve do not have Secret Service protection around the clock like our President who touts gun control as the remedy for the myriad of real threats that face us. I doubt he would condone those that guard him and his family being disarmed or demilitarized, and I believe our citizenry deserves no less in protecting itself.
The criminally insane, the violent offenders, and the mounting number of terrorists within our borders do not give a damn about gun laws or gun free zones and make no mistake, they will always have guns. Few will dispute that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. I salute the good guys (and gals) and their right to legally own and possess firearms, be they for sport and peaceful purposes or for self defense…after all, they are likely going to be the first responder!
-Sheriff Mike Scott