Journal-News.com

Beginning today, some college students will strap on empty holsters in protest of gun control laws.

Miami University students join a national protest this week of students who believe that laws banning licensed concealed carry weapons on campuses should be repealed.

Stephen Feltoon, a senior majoring in psychology at Miami, said he expects about 15 Miami students to join more than 500 from 100 colleges nationwide.

"We're not expecting overnight change," Feltoon said. "We want students to come up and ask, 'Hey, what's with the holster?'"

The move follows last spring's Virginia Tech shooting rampage that left 33 dead. Since then, some have argued that another student with a gun could have stopped the shooter before he killed so many.

"We strongly believe that, when used legally, firearms can save lives," Feltoon said.

The students notified university officials, who, in turn, notified the student body not to be alarmed. Miami spokeswoman Claire Wagner said the university recognized the act as free speech and just instructed the student to keep the holsters in plain sight.

"If it's partly under a shirt, it does nobody any good," she said.

The University of Cincinnati took the same approach, said student Michael Flitcraft, who organized the same protest at UC.

"It's just a student wearing an empty leather or nylon pouch," he said.

Flitcraft said organizers took to the Internet to spread word of the protest, using the social networking site Facebook as its primary tool.

No central event is planned for the protest, but organizers said students will carry holsters through Friday.