Did Gov. Jim Justice inadvertently give West Virginia a new state slogan Wednesday when he signed Senate Bill 10, the Campus Self-Defense Act that allows people with concealed carry permits to attend class while carrying firearms?
“If you want to mess with us, we can mess back,” the governor said as he signed SB 10 into law. His comment isn’t likely to replace “Wild, Wonderful West Virginia” as the state’s marketing slogan, which is good for many reasons. It does, however, fit with the bravado that some gun owners feel the need to display.
The ownership, use and display of firearms is one of the divisive issues of American life where the middle ground is drowned out by rhetoric and emotion on both extremes. Some people aren’t safe without a gun on their person. Others are afraid of firearms and don’t want them to be seen. The middle ground, however, accepts that some people want firearms and are responsible in using them.
Opponents of SB 10 did their best to prevent its passage, but given the composition of this legislature, its passage was almost certain.
SB takes effect in July 2024. It allows people with concealed carry permits to carry firearms on campus, but the firearms must be concealed. The next month, when students return to campus for the beginning of the fall semester, some undoubtedly will be carrying, but if the law is obeyed, most people won’t know. And it’s not as if some people on campus now aren’t carrying weapons to class or work anyway. Most people just don’t know. It’s only when they’re careless that anyone finds out.
With SB 10, it’s not as if Second Amendment auditors will walk around campus openly displaying their hunting rifles and hoping to get a reaction that generates thousands of views on TikTok or YouTube.
The presidents of Marshall University and West Virginia University opposed SB 10, but after the governor signed the bill into law they said they will abide by it. They really have no choice, of course.
Now it’s up to people with concealed carry permits to show they are as responsible as legislators trust them to be. What one Legislature gives, another can take away. As long as gun owners behave themselves and don’t scare their fellow students or fellow workers on campus, this could all be forgotten. However, one or two incidents will lead to SB 10 being revoked.
As the late radio commentator Paul Harvey often said, “Self-government without self-discipline won’t work.” In this case, it will be up to the people with concealed carry permits to show the self-discipline necessary to keep SB 10 as part of state law. They wanted it. It’s up to them to prove they should keep it.
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