In a stunning betrayal of conservative principles, Utah state Rep. Walt Brooks (R) is leading the charge to strip away Second Amendment rights on public college campuses across the Beehive State. The Republican lawmaker wants to ban open carry on university grounds while dangling concealed carry without permits as some kind of consolation prize for patriots who believe in constitutional freedoms.
This is exactly the kind of RINO behavior that has conservatives scratching their heads. Here we have a so-called Republican doing the dirty work that Democrats could only dream of accomplishing themselves. Why would any GOP lawmaker voluntarily restrict the rights of law-abiding Americans, especially when it comes to self-defense on increasingly dangerous college campuses?
Brooks' proposal comes at a time when campus safety is more critical than ever. With rising crime rates and the continued presence of radical leftist agitators on university grounds, students and faculty need MORE protection, not less. Yet this Utah Republican thinks the answer is to make it harder for good guys with guns to deter the bad actors.
Trading Rights for Government Permission Slips
The so-called 'compromise' of permitless concealed carry is nothing more than political theater. Constitutional carry should be the standard everywhere – not some bargaining chip used to justify stripping away open carry rights. This is classic establishment Republican thinking: give up ground to appease the left while pretending it's a victory for conservatives.
"When Republicans start chipping away at the Second Amendment, you know the swamp runs deeper than we thought," said one Utah gun rights advocate.
Patriots in Utah need to ask themselves: Is this the kind of representation they voted for? A Republican who thinks law-abiding citizens are the problem on college campuses? The real threats to campus safety aren't coming from responsible gun owners – they're coming from the radical ideologies being pushed in classrooms and the failure to address actual criminal behavior.
It's time for Utah conservatives to hold their representatives accountable. The Second Amendment isn't up for negotiation, and it certainly shouldn't be under attack from someone wearing an 'R' next to their name.