Pro-gun rights USC students carry empty holsters on campus

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Holsters carry guns, but this week about 50 University of South Carolina students have sported empty ones around campus. The intention? A conversation starter.

"An armed criminal can do a lot of damage and we would like the ability to defend ourselves and not be forced to rely on someone else's protection," said student Kenny Adamson.

The "we" in this case are USC Students for Concealed Carry. The Second Amendment gives qualified citizens the right to bear arms, but state laws restrict them from a university setting.

"I have a concealed weapons permit," said student Matt West. "I can walk a couple blocks over and carry a concealed weapon and I wouldn't be breaking the law, but the minute I walk onto campus suddenly I'm a felon."

The group says the most pressing argument for overturning the law is crime on campus. Reports show during the month of February, there were several violent crimes at USC, including one rape.

We spoke to a number of students on campus about the issue and found that they were divided. Some say not being able to carry a concealed goes against their Constitutional rights while others say being able to carry a weapon could cause more problems in the end.

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