Missouri campus carry bill needs help

May 13, 4:35 AMSt. Louis Gun Rights ExaminerKurt Hofmann

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    Oleg Volk photo

I've written about Missouri House Bill 668 before (with more here).  The bill has several pro-self-defense provisions, including lowering the age of eligibility for carry permits from 23 to 21, and expanding the circumstances in which the "Castle Doctrine" applies.  The biggest part of HB 668, though, came in an amendment that would end the status of Missouri college and university campuses as self-defense-free zones.  Students, faculty, and staff, in other words, who are licensed to carry a defensive firearm nearly everywhere else in the state of Missouri would now be able to do so on campus, as well.

Such legislation, as one might imagine, faces a hard battle everywhere it is introduced, so deeply entrenched is the idea that people on college campuses should be unable to defend themselves effectively against armed psychopaths. 

HB 668 passed by a landslide (105-50) in the Missouri House of Representatives, but the Senate is proving a tougher nut to crack  This, despite a Senate committee hearing about the bill, in which public support for the bill was widespread, with nary a dissenting voice (from the MissouriCarry.com discussion forum--must be a member to see the post).

About 30 pro 2A supporters turned out, on very short notice, to testify at the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing in favor of HB668 without Amendments or Substitution.

No one turned out in opposition!

It was obvious some Senators were desperately wanting someone...anyone to testify against this bill, but they were sorely disappointed.

The hubris of our opponents never ceases to amaze me.

As of last Friday morning HB668 was a done deal. The Senators had agreed to strip everything but 23-21 from the bill, call it a great pro-gun victory and expect our support in the next election.

Our backs were to the sea with adversaries who have great political power out-numbering and surrounding us.

Tsun Tzu (in the Art of War) says; When you find yourself in this position (back to the sea, against stronger opposition, and the only way to victory is forward), then the proper command from the leaders is:

"Burn the boats!"

Give us HB668 as written in the House or give us nothing!

By turning out in-force, with well spoken witnesses, who stayed on Message Discipline, we may well have changed the outcome of this legislative session. We will know for sure in the next four days.

Some corroborating evidence:

Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Jack Goodman, R - Mt. Vernon, offered several opportunities for anyone to voice their opposition but no one did.

The committee chair, Sen. Matt Bartle, R - Jackson, has already spoken up in support of the bill. The measure needs only one more vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee before it reaches the Senate Floor.

The Missouri legislative session ends this week, and the opponents of armed self-defense are clearly determined to stall the bill's further progress beyond that time.   A vigorous fire needs to be lit under Missouri state senators, to push them into expediting passage of the bill.

If that doesn't happen this year, Rome wasn't built in a day, and important groundwork has been laid for passage of this life-saving measure.  We will be back, and we shall overcome.