COMMON SENSE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS? – AT 10:14 A.M. ET:   Campus safety has become a priority, but but achieving it means running into the obstacle course of political correctness and ideology-based "solutions."  What good is safety if one "offends"?

But it turns out that a number of colleges are, very quietly, arming their police forces, and now a leading educator has spoken the unspeakable words.  From the Houston Chronicle: 

AUSTIN – In keeping with their status as in-state rivals, Texas A&M and the University of Texas have taken opposite sides in the debate over campus carry.

State senators on Thursday opened debate for the first time this session on two gun bills, one sponsored by Granbury Republican Brian Birdwell that would allow concealed handgun license holders to tote pistols on campus.

While most higher education leaders oppose campus carry, Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp broke from precedent Thursday by throwing his support behind Birdwell's proposal. In a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sharp said "having licensed gun owners in possession of legal weapons on our campuses does not raise safety concerns for me personally."

The real question is this: "Do I trust my students, faculty and staff to work and live responsibly under the same laws at the university as they do at home?" Of course I do!" Sharp added.

"However, properly funding the higher education of these students is the only issue that counts! This is my personal opinion. The Texas A&M University System will not have a position on this issue, and will not oppose campus carry."

Most higher education leaders, including new University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven, vehemently oppose campus carry. McRaven has issued his own letter to legislative leaders, saying as a Navy SEAL and former head of Special Operations Command he believes allowing concealed carry at universities would make campuses "less safe."

COMMENT:  I'll go with Texas A&M on this.   McRaven is a great guy, but colleges are not military units.  They're small cities.  Someone intent on doing harm isn't going to be deterred by a sign saying "gun-free zone."  Indeed, that might encourage him. 

I'd imagine that many college students already have guns on campus, even if they're hidden.  Why not have a college run, as Chancellor Sharp advocates, by the same rules as the towns around it?  The knowledge that there are armed, trained, licensed gun holders around might just deter the kind of violence we've tragically seen.

February 14, 2015