UNC-Charlotte students joined in the national empty-holster protest designed to increase support for the legalization of concealed weapons by licensed carriers at schools. It’s their feeling that if law-abiding students had guns available they couldn’t be mowed down by crazy people, as happened at Virginia Tech.

They also have the example of the 2002 shootings at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Va. In that incident, two students who went to their cars to get their own firearms subdued the shooter before the police could arrive. Interestingly, the Charlotte Observer article never mentioned this incident in their story, despite the valuable and relevant context it would have added.

But here’s the kicker. UNCC officials set ground rules for the protesters:

Participants had to give their teachers a heads-up at the start of class if they wore a holster.

Wearing a piece of molded leather on one’s belt requires advance warning, it seems.