Monday, March 1, 1999
Community examines guns
SAFETY: At home or on campus, keeping firearms for protection
risks injury to owner, bystanders
By Caridad Lezcano
Daily Bruin Contributor
About nine months ago, Mary, a recent graduate of UCLA, decided
to purchase a Remington shotgun for protection.
"It gives me better peace of mind," she said. "If an intruder
were in my apartment and went up the stairs, I’d be trapped unless
I jumped out a second story window," she said.
In light of the recent attempted rapes near campus, the UCLA
community is questioning whether owning guns is a viable safety
option.
"It’s a very natural human response to want to protect
yourself," said Tina Oakland, director of the Women’s Resource
Center. "But there are more successful ways to do it," she
said.
Oakland also said that the chance of a person being harmed with
their own gun is greater than the chance of that person being able
to successfully defend themselves with it.
For example, the Women’s Resource Center offers self-defense
classes to students, faculty and staff.
"Your body is a weapon that you always have with you – guns
create a false sense of security," she said.
Other students agree with Oakland, but said that having a gun
might be useful for protection – with proper gun training and
research.
"If they feel confident, comfortable and know how to use it then
they should go ahead," said Olivia Martinez, a third-year
linguistics and Spanish student. "Otherwise (students) should just
take their precautions and use common sense by not walking alone at
night," she said.
Mary, a police academy candidate, did extensive research before
she bought her shotgun.
"I have a shotgun because the pellets I have won’t go through
walls like most guns, possibly hitting innocent bystanders," she
said.
While Mary keeps her gun in her apartment, other gun-owning
students carry their guns with them at all times and illegally
bring their guns to campus.
"Carrying a gun makes you not only feel safe, but powerful,"
said James, a third-year political science student.
James is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and
grew up hunting as a child. He uses his gun for "target shooting
and self defense."
Carrying a concealed weapon onto campus, however, is strictly
prohibited.
"The California State Penal Code makes carrying a gun on to
campus a felony," said Nancy Greenstein, director of public
relations at UCPD.
She said that the only recent problem with guns on campus
happened last December. A student confronted an invited guest in
the dorms. The guest became violent, and when UCPD arrived, it
found that he had a concealed gun.
Greenstein said that the university doesn’t allow guns on campus
property, which includes the dorms and university apartments.
James said that he knows other students who bring guns to
UCLA.
"My friends don’t live on campus, but they have been known to
occasionally bring them to school," he said.
Other students were outraged by the idea that fellow students
bring guns onto campus.
"I’m not for guns in any situation," said Melita Barkhoudarian,
a first-year biology student. "I feel they can only cause further
violence, rather than prevent any possible crimes at home or on
campus," she said.
James and other people keep their guns concealed when they carry
them onto campus. According to the Hand Gun Control organization in
Westwood, in seven states – not including California – carrying a
concealed weapon is prohibited, and licenses are issued very
rarely.
In California, 18 is the minimum age for possession of a
handgun, unless consent is explicitly given by a parent or
guardian. Yet, there is no state regulation for the minimum age to
possess a long gun, for example a rifle.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also recently
released its analysis of the program that traces guns routed
illegally into the hands of young people, the Youth Crime Gun
Interdiction Initiative. The study found that at least half of the
guns of juvenile criminals were bought illegally from licensed
dealers.
The program traced 76,260 guns used in crimes by 18- to
24-year-olds in 27 cities over the past three years.
In his new budget proposal, President Clinton is asking Congress
for money to expand the initiative to ten more cities across the
country.
Los Angeles is one of the 27 cities investigated in the report.
In the aftermath of recent gun control policies, local gun sellers
and owners have come under public scrutiny.
Retting Martin B. Inc., a gun shop in Culver City, requires that
its customers not only go through the 15-day waiting period, but
that they also take the Basic Firearm and Safety Course.
"We offer study guides, a video and classes," said Paul
Driscoll, a Retting employee. He emphasized that most people go
through the process and take the test.
"Most people that come in here have respect for guns and use
them for hobby or sport," he said.
With reports from Charles Kuo, Daily Bruin senior staffPhotos by
CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
"Mary," a UCLA alumna living in Westwood, owns a shotgun for
home protection.
"Paul", a fourth-year Japanese student, points his unloaded HK
USP .45 caliber pistol which he keeps in his Westwood
apartment.
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