California universities stockpiling AR-15s, grenades and submachine guns

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/09/california-universities-military-equipment

by sizzle • 13 days ago

13 7 13 days ago

Weapons purchases by any state organisation should be subject to a white list.

Like, if I'm running a group and am given the chance to buy a rocket launcher or whatever, a decision I can make with no oversight or consequence, at some point curiosity is likely to get the better of me.

pmdulaney• 13 days ago

The inclusion of a captioned picture of the University of Southern California (USC) implies that it is a state school. It is not.

bell-cot2• 13 days ago

A 2021 state law allows campus police to own military equipment for civilian safety – students fear it may be used to quash dissent

<sigh/> Maybe they should ask their History Dept's - or whatever is left of those - how well the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_massacre actually worked out, for the sides which had the guns and "won"? A competent Evil Chancellor would make sure that their dirty work was done by the State Police, ICE, or some other "outsiders" fall guy.

The article mentions "training" all of once, in the phrase "at least annual". Not good. If there's something worse than an angry confrontation between students and over-armed campus security, it's an angry confrontation between students and over-armed but under-trained campus security.

(Yes, in theory the stuff could be intended for active shooter situations. But even allowing for the Guardian's open relationship with factual reporting, it just doesn't sound like that.)

Schiendelman2• 13 days ago

It worked out fine for Kent State. None of those National Guard troops were even tried, IIRC.

That's the problem - we haven't really enforced consequences for abuse of power.

bell-cot2• 13 days ago

I was thinking about the senior leadership, not the junior enlisted on the firing line.

For KSU, Wikipedia notes -

The shootings caused an immediate closure of the campus with students and faculty given just 60 minutes to pack belongings. [...] In Kent, schools were closed and the National Guard restricted entry into the city limits, patrolling the area until May 8. With the campus closed, faculty members came up with a variety of solutions—including holding classes in their homes, at public buildings and places, via telephone, or through the mail—to allow their students to complete the term, which was only a few weeks away at the time.

- which doesn't sound like "academic success", nor bragging rights for KSU's leadership, nor useful to their recruiting and fundraising efforts.

And that I recall, the shootings didn't work out so well for the Pentagon, either. Public support for their war in SE Asia failed to solidify. Major downsizings of the Army, Navy, etc. continued. Military conscription was eliminated, and recruiting promising young Americans to serve was not easy.

metalman• 13 days ago

what happens the day that justifiably enraged but unarmed students are attacked by the mindless thugs with guns, but massivly outnumber the thugs and fight back? is there a policy to retreat? or gun them.down. order at any cost! the question of who's order and in what context is off course, not up for discussion.

California universities stockpiling AR-15s, grenades and submachine guns

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