| Ignatius Piazza has another new ally in the | | | | |
| battle to safeguard and protect schools and | | | | Dr. Ignatius Piazza and Front Sight would |
| colleges across the nation: Brandeis | | | | find the student reactions interesting. For |
| University in Massachusetts. This east-coast | | | | the most part, many students were in favor of |
| college represents more than 5,000 students | | | | the idea, at least tacitly. Many stated that |
| and its president recently announced his | | | | the idea was a good one, and would help |
| decision that the university would begin | | | | prevent any situation from escalating. A |
| arming campus Public Safety Officers. | | | | small number feared that the presence of |
| | | | firearms would make situations that normally |
| Quoted in the Brandeis Hoot, the Brandeis | | | | would've remained small become large, and a |
| University's community newspaper, the | | | | very small few seemed just terrified of guns |
| president of Brandeis, Jehuda Reinharz said, | | | | in general and reacted irrationally to this |
| "Last May, as part of an overall effort to | | | | fear, saying that guns are just bad and |
| further enhance campus safety and security, I | | | | should stay out of the hands of everyone. Dr. |
| asked that a committee be established to | | | | Ignatius Piazza and Front Sight are certainly |
| consider arming Brandeis Public Safety | | | | used to opinions of the last sort: this |
| Officers," said Reinharz in a campus-wide | | | | irrational viewpoint doesn't allow for those |
| e-mail sent Sept. 12. "After careful | | | | who carry firearms illegally or with hostile |
| consideration, I have decided to proceed to | | | | intent. Those who are trained should carry |
| arm the Brandeis Public Safety Officers and I | | | | firearms, and yet, if they are restricted |
| have asked [Executive Vice President Peter] | | | | from doing so, they cannot defend against |
| French to begin the process." | | | | those who are armed despite any law in |
| | | | opposition to this. |
| The Hoot stated later in the article that | | | | |
| without firearms, the college Public Safety | | | | But nevertheless, Dr. Ignatius Piazza and |
| Officers are effectively unable to perform | | | | Front Sight are happy with the decision made |
| actual safe-guarding. According to the Hoot, | | | | by Brandeis. Having been on the bandwagon of |
| "The report stated that all Public Safety | | | | arming and training campus guards for years, |
| Officers 'are trained at the State Police | | | | Dr. Ignatius Piazza is becoming more and more |
| Academy... [and] are required to be | | | | happy as increased reports of schools |
| re-certified on a regular basis.' | | | | deciding on what he knows to be the right |
| Furthermore, the report stated, despite | | | | course of action. The list of schools |
| Public Safety Officers carrying clubs and | | | | deciding to arm their guards is getting |
| mace, their lack of firearms forbids them to | | | | longer, and it's beginning to extend even to |
| intervene in any situation involving | | | | private and public high schools that are |
| weaponry, forcing them to wait until Waltham | | | | realizing the obvious fact that guns are the |
| Police officers arrive on the scene. 'Last | | | | way to protect against guns. Dr. Ignatius |
| year, when someone reported that a weapon was | | | | Piazza is happy with the burgeoning numbers, |
| present at a fight in graduate housing, the | | | | and he's certain that they will continue to |
| Campus Police could not respond until the | | | | grow. |
| Waltham police arrived.' " | | | | |