Recent history has shown that making a location a gun free zone does not promote safety, but instead creates a prime killing ground for individuals who have no regard for human life. Shootings at Westroads Mall, Virginia Tech, NIU, and every high school all occurred in gun free zones. There have been shootings in Pearl, MS, Edinboro, PA, Austin, TX and Grundy, VA that have all been stopped by armed citizens, yet the media frequently omits the fact that those who stopped the shooters were armed. The state of Utah has granted public university students the right of concealed carry since the fall of 2006, but no accidents or intentional shootings have occurred. Is it fair that a person be deemed less responsible for attending college than someone who is not? No, it is not, and I am not implying that those who do not attend college are irresponsible, but am pointing out the hypocrisy of this line of thought. I would like to point out that the minimum legal age to obtain a South Dakota concealed pistol permit is 18, not 21 as was stated in the Feb. 27 editorial. Because we are in South Dakota, all South Dakota laws pertaining to carrying a concealed pistol shall be enforced. Regardless of the state where the permit was issued, South Dakota law still applies to non-residents carrying in South Dakota.

Derek Douglas