Two weeks ago on these pages I reported on a bill proposed in the Colorado legislature that would allow registered license holders to concealed-carry in public schools. The bill appears to have stalled in the Colorado House of Representative, but a similar measure in the Florida legislature is progressing through legislative channels.

The legislation, SB 176, would lift a longstanding ban on carrying concealed weapons into college or university facilities. The bill was just approved in a 3-2 vote that split down the party line in the Republican-controlled Senate Criminal Justice Committee. In order for SB 176 to come to a vote it must first navigate through three additional committees.

The House of Representatives’ version, HB 4005, also passed through the Criminal Justice Committee on a party-line vote. In both the Senate and the House,Republicans favored the legislation and Democrats opposed it.

CBS Miami reports on the arguments made in favor and in opposition to the proposed legislation:

Committee Chairman Greg Evers, R-Baker, the sponsor of the proposal, displayed a map of sexual offenders living near the Florida State University campus as he called the bill a safety issue. “The problem is that in gun-free zones, that we have on college campuses right now, those gun-free zones are just an incubator for folks that won’t follow the law,” Evers said. But Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, argued that the proposal would allow “mini-militias” to form on the state’s campuses. “I believe it sends the wrong message to not only our students within the state of Florida, but people who may intend to come to Florida for college,” Gibson said. “It certainly sends the wrong message to their parents.”

Wow! Both sides were in full-blown fear mongering mode for this bill!

Rather than using a principled argument, both sides played on emotions to garner support or opposition for their side. The Republican that is sponsoring the bill actually pulled out a sex offender map to justify the legislation! Not to be outdone, the Democrat opposing the legislation threatened the formation of “mini-militias” on Florida campuses if the bill passed. This use of hyperbole would be comical if it wasn’t being used as a serious tactic to influence the constituency.

When we examine this situation rationally through the lens of the Second Amendment and property rights, a resolution that should satisfy both parties is clear. Due to the fact that many colleges and universities are located on public land and funded by public taxes, it is only logical for these institutions of higher education to adhere to the Second Amendment. Thus guns should be allowed on college campuses.

Gun control advocates obviously won’t be happy with this interpretation of the Second Amendment. But instead of attempting to amend the Second Amendment, gun-control advocates should be pushing for proper enforcement of property rights.

In a more free society, so-called “public” universities and schools would not exist, at least not in the same manner they do today. Today’s “public” schools are funded by coercive methods and individuals that associate with the school are often forced to conform to rules and regulations to which they do not consent.

In a more free society, where coercion is treated as a crime, property owners would be free to dictate the laws that regulate their campus. There would be nothing to stop gun-control advocates from freely associating and forming a gun-free school. Likewise, pro-gun individuals could open a school that allows individuals to freely carry firearms if they meet certain per-determined requirements.

I support the Second Amendment now, because our society does not understand property rights. Once society gains an understanding of property rights, the Second Amendment will no longer be necessary.

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