Nationwide movement challenges concealed weapons policy
Students have been wearing empty holsters on campus this week — and not because they misplaced their guns.
Rather, they are taking part in the Empty Holster Protest, a nationwide movement that encourages schools to allow students the right to carry concealed weapons on campus.
The protest was brought to USC by fourth-year criminal justice student Joshua Cohen and third-year criminal justice student Cody Armstrong and has gained most of its support through Facebook and word of mouth.
The Facebook event for the USC Empty Holster Protest 2012, which Cohen and Armstrong created, had garnered 53 attendees as of Wednesday evening and is just one of many similar pages started by students across the country.
The South Carolina state government allows schools to choose whether or not concealed weapons can be carried with a concealed weapons permit on their respective grounds. Currently, USC does not allow concealed weapons to be carried on its campus.
Cohen said the recent increase in violent crime shows that although there is a large police presence at USC, it may not enough to protect students.
"Even though USCPD is doing a great job, they can't be everywhere to protect us," Cohen said.
The protest calls for students to wear empty holsters this week, which Cohen said symbolizes that students are currently unable to protect themselves.
The protest also calls on students to write their state lawmakers to encourage legislative changes that would allow concealed weapons on campuses.
"The laws as they stand right now only serve to benefit criminals," Armstrong said.
Armstrong said three states — Colorado, Oregon and Utah — have repealed laws prohibiting concealed weapons being carried on campuses. Utah, he said, has allowed concealed weapons on college campuses since 1994 and hasn't had a school-related shooting.
Armstrong also noted Colorado's new state law, enacted in March, that nullifies school ordinances banning concealed weapons on campuses.
Ultimately, the protest aims to have similar legislative changes at USC.
"We want USC to realize that we need to carry (concealed weapons) on campus," Cohen said.
Banning concealed weapons on campus, Armstrong said, goes against not only the Second Amendment but also a human right to self-protection.
"We need to carry on campus," Cohen said. "Right now, we are helpless, we are empty and we have nothing to protect ourselves with."