JL sends out email updates periodically. Not sure how I got on the list, but I did, so I get them when they come out.
Today’s topics were the basketball team and how they turned it around after the Vandy loss; the hiring of Mike Neighbors; the guns-in-stadium vote; the RRS project and the HOGSPY awards.
Newsy tidbits include:
Basketball ticket renewals will begin May 1 and you will have the option of paying off tickets over four months as they allow in football. In addition they will also use the Seats 3D system to let you choose/upgrade your seats at BWA.
There will be additional updates from the athletic department through the spring and summer on security/safety issues related to the gun-in-stadium vote.
There will be video boards at both ends of the stadium for the 2017 season.
No, you read correctly, but that has been discussed ad nauseam on here and I didn’t see the need to do any 'splainin. Anyway, Jeff’s take was that there are still safety/security concerns and there will be more information forthcoming about those as the season approaches.
My guess is his explanation will pertain to how it affects gameday activities outside the stadium. Concealed guns will be permitted on campus, just not inside the stadium.
Concealed hand guns have been around alcohol since those permits were allowed. I think anyone who thought the man (or woman) next to them at a tailgate was not possibly packing was probably not in the real world. I have many friends who have concealed hand gun permits. Many. If you are around duck hunters and deer hunters, you probably are around someone who could be packing a hand gun. I do own guns, but I’ve never owned a hand gun, and haven’t felt a need to conceal one. So I haven’t.
I’m also sure that there have been concealed guns in the stadium for many years. So this amended law has changed that potentially. I have heard that there probably won’t be metal detectors at the stadium entrances. That’s about the only way I know to stop someone from bringing in a gun, right?
I was checked with paddle detectors outside the stadium for the Arkansas-Texas A&M game. I do recall being checked pretty well when Bill Clinton attended a basketball game at Bud Walton, or am I imagining that?
The amendment allows schools to ban guns from inside the stadium, but it requires them to create “safety plans” with the state police before each event. I suppose each event can have a repeat of the same plan as the one before, but it puts the onus on the school to come up with something. It something of a compromise to assuage those who are scared about all those shootings by bad guys we’ve had in the past where no good guy with a gun was there to stop him. I don’t think the UA will be required to have state police snipers stationed throughout the stadium, but apparently the “plan” must include more that just searching people as they enter the stadium. Anyway, the plan must be approved by the ASP before each event. (Gonna be interesting how we handle all those baseball games, softball games, & track events–lots of planning to do.) Anyway, I think that’s what Long was alluding to. The law could’ve been worse, but it still creates a headache for the schools who’d have preferred to keep guns off campus completely.
I disagree that concealed guns have come into the stadium before. Oh, I’m sure a few have come in, but I doubt very many have. Unless it’s a very small gun, they’re hard to conceal except maybe in a woman’s purse. Even then, it’d almost have to be a pretty small caliber, light gun. Not sure how many gun-buffs are going to put their guns in mama’s purse. Most games are played in pretty warm weather until about mid-October, so not many people are wearing clothes that easily conceal guns. By November I suppose some dedicated weapon carrier can bring it in without anyone noticing, but I doubt people who went to games the first 2 months of the season start packing in the 3rd month.
So, even though I know a lot of people have permits, I’d be very surprised if a significant percentage of them carried them to games.
I thought prior to this new law, guns were banned from campuses. And tailgating happens on the campus. So, if someone was packing at the tailgate, were they not doing it against campus policies and could be prosecuted?
Yes they were banned. I think Clay’s point was if you think people weren’t carrying anyway, you are mistaken. Just like kids under 21 aren’t supposed to have alcohol in their dorm rooms (or is it anyone? Can’t remember) but you know a whole lot do.
Here’s the deal, it was against the law to bring guns on campus. But there was no prosecution. You were asked to take them off campus if caught. They didn’t arrest you. At least, I know of no arrests. You were asked not to take them in stadiums. But if you were caught, you were asked to leave. No arrests. You just weren’t allowed to stay. I’m not sure how many – if any – were actually caught or found to be packing guns. Charlie Collins, the rep who wrote the bill, is the one who explained the past procedure. He was pretty sure of it after doing research, that people were not being arrested, just made to leave – if caught. That’s why he didn’t think it was a big deal. Thought there were probably more than a few guns in the stadium already.
One thing I have discovered in the last few years is those who want the right to carry anywhere and always are adamant about it and, I think, truly believe that their safety is at risk anytime they cant carry. There are also some on the other side who are truly freaked out by the sight of a gun or the thought of a gun being around them. As an example of the latter, I saw a letter to the editor opposing putting armed police officers (talking about your normal everyday policeman who has a gun strapped to his hip, not guys in SWAT gear carrying sniper rifles) in schools because children would see the gun and be harmed by the sight of it. As is in most of discussions I am in the middle. I don’t think it is wrong to say “don’t take your gun when you go to certain places” and I don’t think children or others are going to traumatized by seeing a gun.
The University had argued that legalizing guns on campus would impact out of state enrollment, a major source of revenue. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. As you said, many do not like being around guns.