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Monday, March 1, 1999

Community examines guns

SAFETY: At home or on campus, keeping firearms for protection risks injury to owner, bystanders

By Caridad Lezcano

Daily Bruin Contributor

About nine months ago, Mary, a recent graduate of UCLA, decided to purchase a Remington shotgun for protection.

"It gives me better peace of mind," she said. "If an intruder were in my apartment and went up the stairs, I'd be trapped unless I jumped out a second story window," she said.

In light of the recent attempted rapes near campus, the UCLA community is questioning whether owning guns is a viable safety option.

"It's a very natural human response to want to protect yourself," said Tina Oakland, director of the Women's Resource Center. "But there are more successful ways to do it," she said.

Oakland also said that the chance of a person being harmed with their own gun is greater than the chance of that person being able to successfully defend themselves with it.

For example, the Women's Resource Center offers self-defense classes to students, faculty and staff.

"Your body is a weapon that you always have with you - guns create a false sense of security," she said.

Other students agree with Oakland, but said that having a gun might be useful for protection - with proper gun training and research.

"If they feel confident, comfortable and know how to use it then they should go ahead," said Olivia Martinez, a third-year linguistics and Spanish student. "Otherwise (students) should just take their precautions and use common sense by not walking alone at night," she said.

Mary, a police academy candidate, did extensive research before she bought her shotgun.

"I have a shotgun because the pellets I have won't go through walls like most guns, possibly hitting innocent bystanders," she said.

While Mary keeps her gun in her apartment, other gun-owning students carry their guns with them at all times and illegally bring their guns to campus.

"Carrying a gun makes you not only feel safe, but powerful," said James, a third-year political science student.

James is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and grew up hunting as a child. He uses his gun for "target shooting and self defense."

Carrying a concealed weapon onto campus, however, is strictly prohibited.

"The California State Penal Code makes carrying a gun on to campus a felony," said Nancy Greenstein, director of public relations at UCPD.

She said that the only recent problem with guns on campus happened last December. A student confronted an invited guest in the dorms. The guest became violent, and when UCPD arrived, it found that he had a concealed gun.

Greenstein said that the university doesn't allow guns on campus property, which includes the dorms and university apartments.

James said that he knows other students who bring guns to UCLA.

"My friends don't live on campus, but they have been known to occasionally bring them to school," he said.

Other students were outraged by the idea that fellow students bring guns onto campus.

"I'm not for guns in any situation," said Melita Barkhoudarian, a first-year biology student. "I feel they can only cause further violence, rather than prevent any possible crimes at home or on campus," she said.

James and other people keep their guns concealed when they carry them onto campus. According to the Hand Gun Control organization in Westwood, in seven states - not including California - carrying a concealed weapon is prohibited, and licenses are issued very rarely.

In California, 18 is the minimum age for possession of a handgun, unless consent is explicitly given by a parent or guardian. Yet, there is no state regulation for the minimum age to possess a long gun, for example a rifle.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also recently released its analysis of the program that traces guns routed illegally into the hands of young people, the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative. The study found that at least half of the guns of juvenile criminals were bought illegally from licensed dealers.

The program traced 76,260 guns used in crimes by 18- to 24-year-olds in 27 cities over the past three years.

In his new budget proposal, President Clinton is asking Congress for money to expand the initiative to ten more cities across the country.

Los Angeles is one of the 27 cities investigated in the report. In the aftermath of recent gun control policies, local gun sellers and owners have come under public scrutiny.

Retting Martin B. Inc., a gun shop in Culver City, requires that its customers not only go through the 15-day waiting period, but that they also take the Basic Firearm and Safety Course.

"We offer study guides, a video and classes," said Paul Driscoll, a Retting employee. He emphasized that most people go through the process and take the test.

"Most people that come in here have respect for guns and use them for hobby or sport," he said.

With reports from Charles Kuo, Daily Bruin senior staffPhotos by CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin

"Mary," a UCLA alumna living in Westwood, owns a shotgun for home protection.

"Paul", a fourth-year Japanese student, points his unloaded HK USP .45 caliber pistol which he keeps in his Westwood apartment.

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