With terrorist fear-mongering from both Republican and Democratic politicians steadily rising, Americans don’t feel safe in their own homes. Presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., recently said he bought a gun in self-defense because “the last line of defense between ISIS and my family is the ability that I have to protect my family from them or a criminal.”
No matter how many columns I or others write, college students will likely never have the opportunity to exercise their full Second Amendment rights on campus. Even in a red state like Louisiana, there is strong resistance to guns in schools.
How about a compromise? I’ll stop writing about how gun free zones are dumb if I can bring a stun gun to campus.
Georgia State Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, reignited the debate about weapons on campus last week when he announced a bill allowing students at public Georgia colleges to carry stun guns and Tasers.
“As diligent and hardworking as campus police are, they cannot protect all the many people on campus at all times, so let those folks protect themselves,” Brockway said.
In contrast to some Georgia colleges, the LSU Living on Campus Handbook is unclear on what it allows. It mentions “firearms” and “dangerous weapons” and lists a few examples, but made no mention of stun guns or Tasers.
For clarity’s sake, a non-police Taser shoots 15 feet while a stun gun has to be touched to a person to shock them.
I called Catherine David, associate director of Communications and Development at the LSU Department of Residential Life, and found out LSU students can carry mace or pepper spray. However, she said the University encourages students to leave stun guns and Tasers at home.
So, I can’t keep a stun gun in my desk drawer if I live anywhere on campus. What about bringing it to class? Surely I should be able to shock somebody if they surprise me by Stubbs Hall, right?
LSUPD Spokesperson Cpt. Marshall Walters said, although ResLife has their own policies, it is legal to carry stun guns and Tasers around campus and in classrooms. Why can’t residence halls be more like the rest of campus?
Imagine walking to your room in West Campus Apartments after your exhausting lab only to find some jerk at the door demanding your wallet. Now, imagine that person running away screaming, “Don’t taze me, bro!” in such a high voice it could shatter a wine glass. I’d prefer the second scenario, as would most people.
LSUPD can’t prevent crimes, they can only react to those in progress or those already committed. Students are, for the most part, on their own.
Tasers and stun guns aren’t guns. They usually do not kill people when used properly. Both function similarly to pepper spray, which is already allowed in residence halls. You can’t walk through the LSU Student Union without seeing a fluorescent pink canister of mace on somebody’s key chain.
If we trust students to handle hydrochloric acid and tackle each other on a football field, then why not make campus more shocking?
Jack Richards is a mass communication junior from New Orleans, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @jayellrichy.

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James Richards

“You should be able to protect yourself, you never know what happens,” said Jacob Seep, biochemistry sophomore.