Anti-gun group, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, rolled into Arizona this week, along with their latest tool paid poster boy, Colin Goddard.  Mr. Goddard was wounded during the 2007 Virginia Tech Shooting, and is now using his cred to assist the Brady Campaign with their efforts to take guns out of the hands of lawful citizens.

Arizona Senator Steve Gallardo (D-13)* has teamed up with the Brady Campaign and another local anti group to host a series of “forums” on college campuses, and to voice their opposition to AZ Senate Bill 1467, which prohibits college and university governing boards from creating or enforcing a policy or rule that prevents CCW permit holders from possessing a “concealed” weapon on campus.  Currently, law abiding CCW permit holders must leave their constitutional rights at the door when entering college and university campuses.

I am very sorry that Mr. Goddard ended up in the middle of the Virgina Tech mess, but I must question his logic.  The idea that the nightmare he endured has motivated him to fight against a person’s right to defend them self is just astonishing to me.  Virgina Tech was a gun-free “safe zone” when the shooting occurred, and Mr. Goddard is advocating that the colleges and universities in Arizona stay that way.  Wouldn’t that mean that others are doomed to suffer the same fate (or worse) as Mr. Goddard if these misguided policies are allowed to stay in place?

I was thinking about attending one of the “forums” this week, and asking Mr. Goddard in person about his decision to fight to continue to be a victim, but fellow blogger Tam’s recent post on the subject reminded me why I generally stay away from the anti-gunners, either in person or on the interwebs:

I don’t really care about the statistics or the efficacy (or lack thereof) of gun control laws. My right to own a gun (or anything else, for that matter) is not contingent on what other people do with that right. It wouldn’t matter if everybody else on the planet misused their firearms every day, that doesn’t have a thing to do with me or mine

Or, as Uncle Ted says: “To keep” means it is mine, you can’t have it.

* Senator Gallardo is the sole sponsor of AZ SB 1586, which would require federal background checks on all firearm sales (including private) at any “firearm show” (broadly defined to include almost any gathering where firearms might be sold).  Another “we’ve got to do something” bill that does nothing but restrict the freedom of law abiding citizens.