Gun-free zones are a fundamentally stupid idea. All they do is make sure that lawful and peaceable citizens, who have already gone through background checks, training, and permitting, leave their guns behind, while hoping stupidly and in the face of voluminous evidence that criminals and crazies do the same and obey the law.

What’s dumber and more dangerous than standard gun-free zones are roving gun-free zones. These are designated sensitive places that are “mobile” for different reasons. They are designed to cast a wide net and ensnare ordinary people while the crooks and crazies bent on violence don’t and won’t care about them.

In Virginia, former Democrat Attorney General Mark Herring abused his power and designated early voting precincts as gun-free zones. These locations vary from election to election, so it’s very easy for decent, honest people to accidentally break the law. Those who hate the idea that the people have a right to keep and bear arms don’t care. To them, this is an opportunity to trip up more people and strip them of their rights.

In New York, parades and protests are designated gun-free zones. You may be standing quietly on a street, in full compliance with the law, and within a minute, you could be in violation of the law because the gun-free zone came to you while you were stationary. As the New York Daily News Editorial Board wrote, “Where does a big parade or roving protest’s no-gun zone begin and end?”

Gun controllers are driven by a toxic combination or stupidity and malevolence, and today’s update comes from The Daily Caller (archived links):

Blue State Gov Signs More Restrictions On Where Residents Can Carry Guns

By Lillian Tweten

Democratic Gov. John Carney of Delaware made two gun bills official on Friday morning that will prevent individuals from concealed-carrying guns within 1,000 feet of school and entertainment property as well as polling locations, the governor’s office told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

House Bill 201 makes it illegal for anyone except police officers to conceal-carry in “Safe School and Recreation Zones,” while House Bill 202 prevents anyone except on-duty officers from carrying a gun at polling locations and live elections, according to the Delaware General Assembly website. The laws officially took effect after Carney signed the bills at the Delaware Public Archives building in Dover, according to WBOC news.

Safe school and recreation zones are broadly defined and include privately-owned sports stadiums, vehicles owned or rented by college professors and private buildings used as recreation centers, as well as anywhere located within 1,000 feet of those areas, according to the Delaware State Code of Regulations.

This looked a little extreme and/or an uncharitable reading of the law to me, so I followed the DCNF link to the Delaware State Code of Regulations, and this is what it says:

(c) For the purpose of this section, “Safe School and Recreation Zone” shall mean:

(1) Any building, structure, athletic field, sports stadium or real property owned, operated, leased or rented by any public or private school including, but not limited to, any kindergarten, elementary, secondary or vocational-technical school or any college or university, within 1,000 feet thereof; or

(2) Any motor vehicle owned, operated, leased or rented by any public or private school including, but not limited to, any kindergarten, elementary, secondary, or vocational-technical school or any college or university; or

(3) Any building or structure owned, operated, leased or rented by any county or municipality, or by the State, or by any board, agency, commission, department, corporation or other entity thereof, or by any private organization, which is utilized as a recreation center, athletic field or sports stadium.

The Daily Caller’s reading of the law appears correct to me. If a college professor rents a car for university business, that car automatically becomes a gun-free zone. Let’s say a professor rents a car to drive some graduate students for a week-long research conference somewhere. Even if everyone in that car has a permit to carry, the hotel at the destination does not bar lawful carry, no one in the car can legally carry.

So, what is Delaware’s position on the security of their trained and permitted university employees if confronted with a violent criminal or lunatic? “Thoughts and prayers” would be my guess.