GRAND RAPIDS -- If someone should start shooting, Jeff Kellogg wants to be packing his own heat.

But Steve Sager believes that kind of protection should be left up to police.

That's the debate this week at Grand Rapids Community College, sparked by a student group taking part in the national Empty Holster Protest, supporting laws allowing the carrying of concealed weapons on campus."The members of our society who are allowed to carry a concealed weapon are the most law-abiding in our community," Kellogg said Monday while sporting a holster for his Springfield Armory double stack. "They carry weapons in grocery stores. They carry weapons everywhere. What's so special about a college campus? Why is a campus taboo?"

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Kellogg, 23, of Ada Township, is one of nine members who took part Monday in the protest that will go national April 20-24. The group's 50 members plan to quietly wear empty holsters this week in advance of the national event to provoke conversation with fellow students about GRCC's policy prohibiting weapons on campus.

Current state law allows those possessing a concealed weapons permit to carry them except in gun-free zones, such as bars, churches or schools. The current law allows carrying a concealed weapon on a college campus except in classrooms and dorms.

The national group was formed the day after the Virginia Tech shootings that left 33 dead in 2007. Members of the group that formed here in December say there is a contradiction between state law and GRCC's policy prohibiting weapons anywhere on campus.

Sager, an 18-year-old nursing student from Rockford, said he sees nothing wrong with the current weapons ban. He noted the same laws gun advocates say do not stop people from killing also do not stop those with concealed weapons permits from potentially abusing the privilege.

"It's clearly unnecessary to carry weapons on campus," Sager said.

"I understand maybe they could react faster than the police, but the danger of a lot of people carrying weapons on campus far outweighs that."

Lt. Harold Woolworth of the Grand Rapids Community College Police Department agrees, saying the current policy works to ensure a safe environment without the added distraction of students having to wonder if their fellow students are armed.

"We just feel it's safer if we don't have a lot of extra guns on campus," Woolworth said. "In this environment, we want students to be able to focus on the instructors and not have to worry about whether their peers have a gun."

Josh Eberly, the student group's president, said Monday was a good start to an important debate. He estimated group members made contact with some 200 students.

"Some agree, some don't," Eberly said.

"I expect it will snowball from here."

E-mail the author of this story: localnews@grpress.com