If concealed carry is legal in the rest of Arizona, why not on college campuses?

For decades, Arizona has empowered citizens to carry concealed firearms for self-defense. Obtaining a permit requires being over 21 years of age and clearing criminal and mental health background checks and training requirements. Once cleared, the law recognizes their right to protect themselves in their homes and travels.

A new bill that would extend the same protections to college campuses is getting the usual condescending objections that students are irresponsible and unqualified, endangering themselves, others or democracy more than any would-be assailant.

Here are the facts.

Other states safely allow campus carry

First, the status quo isn’t working. For years, colleges have hung bright red “gun free” signs and stickers on their campuses under the absurd and dangerous delusion that this will ward off violent offenders.

Such signs have proven to be instruments of futility for the simple reason that stickers don’t stop armed psychopaths. In fact, it’s the opposite: gun-free zones create a uniquely welcoming invitation to criminals by guaranteeing their victims are defenseless.

Broad, sprawling campuses are difficult to secure, and guns can easily be carried into a classroom by hostile offenders. (Source: Every college shooting ever.)

Cameras, text alerts and emergency phones are reactive at best and ultimately ineffective at preventing crime. Without realistic methods of enforcement, students are left utterly unprotected and vulnerable.

“Campus carry” may not seem an obvious solution, but it’s been in effect in roughly a dozen states for years. These laws passed over the vociferous protests of critics claiming campus carry would lead to increased shootings, suicides and would chill speech on campus.

Few if any of these negative effects have been observed. Anyone claiming guns on campus will make students less safe must contend with hundreds of campuses and years of data to the contrary.

Permit holders are not dangerous people

Characterizations that college students are fraught with mental illness, alcoholism and general immaturity are not only harmful and offensive, but suspiciously contrary to the recruiting pitches those same colleges (and the military) use to attract top-tier talent.

But even if students were as bad as critics insist, campus carry applicants are subject to a rigorous application process that would weed out dangerous applicants.

Permits are only available to persons over 21, and include state and federal criminal background checks, mental health background checks, residency and citizenship verifications, training requirements and identification/fingerprinting.

In practice, campus carry is a sensible, narrowly tailored provision to comply with existing licensing laws, affecting only a small minority of campus patrons who have demonstrated clean records.

These permit-holders already carry in the rest of the state, including restaurants, banks, shopping malls and movie theaters. Nothing about a college suddenly renders these same professors, seniors or graduate students irresponsible.

Bearing arms is a fundamental, individual and natural right codified not just by the U.S. Constitution, but by the state constitution, state law, federal and state court cases, common law jurisprudence and political theory as ancient as Aristotle.

We want consistency and a sensible set of rules

State lawmakers take certain authorities to regulate these rights, and private institutions have discretion to set their own rules (some of whom have invited campus carry), but as the recipients of state and federal funds, public colleges shouldn’t.

The regulation of fundamental rights cannot be delegated to or usurped by the whims of unelected college bureaucrats with known, partisan biases against those individual rights, especially when they won’t be with us in the classroom when the psychos open fire.

All we’re asking is consistency with a sensible set of rules the government has already approved. Trust law-abiding citizens, not violent offenders. Trust veterans with combat experience, graduate students studying late at night, or victims of sexual violence whose assailants are still on the loose.

Whether the next threat is a mass shooter, rapist or robber, it’s only a matter of time until they emerge. Which would give them greater pause – a sign warning that guns aren’t allowed, or a sign warning one or two of their intended victims are also armed?

Until colleges can guarantee our safety on campus, it’s time they stop threatening to penalize us for protecting ourselves.

David Burnett is a writer, former intensive care nurse and attorney. He currently serves as director of public relations for Students for Concealed Carry.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Concealed carry should be allowed on Arizona college campuses