“The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.”Alexander Hamilton spoke those words in defense of the Second Amendment and in support of the philosophy that firearms would be the last resort of the people to protect their freedom, should the other laws of the land fail to do so.On a smaller scale, Hamilton’s words advocate not only our right to be protected from our government, but from each other.But in some areas, such as the University’s campus, this right is suspended in favor of the naïve assumption that disarming the student body improves campus safety. Over the years, pro-carry student groups have formed in protest.  “You are allowed to carry elsewhere. What makes campus less dangerous than anywhere else?” said Brandon DeShotel, president of the LSU chapter of the Firearm Rights Coalition. “If one meets the qualifications established by law to carry elsewhere, why not be allowed to carry on campus?”DeShotel makes an excellent point, especially considering studies support a decrease in crime in areas allowing concealed carry.The University of Michigan studied the relationship between concealed carry permits and crime rates in 1996. The university’s research found murders decreased by 8.5 percent in areas that issued concealed carry licenses because the license itself deterred murderers from attacking. For each year, the murders declined an additional 3 percent. This effect was especially pronounced for women. The rate of   attack dropped 3 to 4 times more for every woman carrying a concealed handgun, whereas it only dropped 1 unit for every man carrying a concealed handgun. Some may argue issuing licenses may cause handguns to fall into the hands of criminals. However, Louisiana distributes permits on a “may issue” basis to prevent this from happening. A “may issue” mandate simply refers to the application process and requires the applicant to meet several criteria.In addition to filling out the application, Louisiana law requires fingerprint submissions on an FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card and safety and training requirements as mandated by the National Rifle Association and Department of Public Safety and Corrections. These training sessions are conducted by an NRA or POST certified instructor.These regulations ensure the person applying for the handgun is a responsible and capable individual and effectively weeds out applicants deemed dangerous by state law.The biggest flaw in Louisiana’s concealed carry law, however, is the age requirement. Anyone under the age of 21 is automatically disqualified for a permit.Initially, this may seem like a good rule. Raising the age implies raising the maturity level of  the individual. And assuming disarming someone is for their own good, the idea makes sense.This is why Louisiana’s drinking age rose from 18 to 21 in 1987 — because tacking on three extra years would be enough to deter kids from guzzling booze.But, as any underage drinker can tell you, that ideal hardly holds a candle to reality. Age does not always correlate with maturity, either.The same idea applies to the concealed carry laws, only with more dangerous repercussions. The age limit disarms those who abide by the law but does nothing to discourage those who break the law.Someone who will flout the law and carry a concealed weapon on campus — essentially, a criminal — is only emboldened by the idea that a majority of campus residents are underage and unarmed.Therefore, age stipulations and concealed carry restrictions on campus only subject students to more harm.The only way to effectively deter criminals is to issue arms to as many eligible adults, including 18-year-olds and college students, as possible.  After all, if an 18-year-old adult is eligible to take up arms for their country, then that same adult should be granted the right to take up arms for their own protection.Increasing the amount of armed citizens can only increase the safety of the community as a whole.  —-Linnie Leavins at [email protected]