Carrying on Campus: Rights or Risks? (ft. Cheryl Todd)

Cheryl Todd joins hosts Kaylee and John on Gun Owners of America's State of the Second to make the case that gun-free college campuses leave students unprotected for no good reason. Todd wears many hats. She co-hosts Gun Freedom Radio with her husband, serves as Arizona State Director for Women for Gun Rights, is vice president of the AZCDL and president of the AZCDL Foundation, and sits on the board of the Second Amendment Institute. Campus carry is personal for her. It was the subject of her senior thesis, and she argues that mass murders happen overwhelmingly in gun-free zones because predators look for the path of least resistance. She and the hosts point to real momentum, including campus carry taking effect in West Virginia and more than half the country now having some form of constitutional or permitless carry. The conversation moves into how the community grows. Todd talks about normalizing gun ownership, her "polka dots are my camo" approach, and meeting new and curious owners where they are. The group digs into practical barriers that turn people away, from the lack of good concealed carry clothing options for women and curvy or petite bodies, to gun-counter staff who sell the wrong tool for the buyer's actual application. They also share why they stopped pairing firearms with liquor in photos and why naming your exact carry gun online can work against you, drawing on a friend who was wrongly accused and a court's habit of digging through everything you have ever posted. Todd then turns to advocacy and apathy. She recommends three books, walks listeners through how easy testifying is in Arizona's Request to Speak system, and contrasts education-not-legislation messaging with the emotional talking points of the other side. She closes by promoting the rally GOA is taking over in 2025 as the Arizona Freedom Festival, set for March 1st, and points people to Gun Freedom Radio, AZCDL, Women for Gun Rights, and the Faster Saves Lives school safety program. Questions this episode answers Why does Cheryl Todd believe gun-free zones on college campuses make students less safe? Todd argues students are arbitrarily disarmed on campus for no good reason, leaving them unable to protect themselves. She points out that mass murders happen overwhelmingly in gun-free zones because predators look for the path of least resistance. What momentum is the campus carry movement seeing, including in West Virginia? Todd points to real momentum, including campus carry taking effect in West Virginia. More than half the country now has some form of constitutional or permitless carry. Why does Cheryl Todd choose not to name her exact carry gun in public? Todd warns that naming your exact carry gun online can work against you, citing a friend who was wrongly accused and a court's habit of digging through everything you have ever posted. Keeping it private avoids handing that ammunition to anyone. What barriers keep new gun owners, especially women, from carrying? Todd points to the lack of good concealed carry clothing options for women and for curvy or petite bodies, plus gun-counter staff who sell the wrong tool for the buyer's actual application. These practical barriers turn curious new owners away. What does "polka dots are my camo" mean and why does Cheryl Todd use it? It is Todd's approach to normalizing gun ownership by meeting new and curious owners where they are rather than fitting a tactical stereotype. The phrase signals that a gun owner can look like anyone. How easy is it to testify on legislation in Arizona through the Request to Speak system? Todd walks listeners through how easy testifying is in Arizona's Request to Speak system and mentors women in the state to do it at the capitol. She frames civic participation as far more accessible than people assume. How does Cheryl Todd think the gun community should fight apathy at the state level? Todd contrasts the community's "education not legislation" messaging with the emotional talking points of the other side, and urges people to show up and testify. Her slogan is that education, not legislation, is the key to safety. What is the Arizona Freedom Festival and when is it happening? It is a rally that Gun Owners of America is taking over in 2025 as the Arizona Freedom Festival, set for March 1st. Todd promotes it alongside her work with Gun Freedom Radio, the AZCDL, and Women for Gun Rights. Chapters 00:00 — Welcome and meet Cheryl Todd 00:28 — Cheryl's many hats and organizations 01:10 — Campus carry and her senior thesis 04:21 — Why gun-free zones aren't safe 06:31 — GOA's Two A Defenders campus program 08:14 — Rapid fire questions 11:00 — Why she won't name her carry gun 12:50 — Firearms, liquor, and what you post online 16:50 — Polka dots are my camo 18:55 — Clothing and gear barriers for women 29:18 — Education not legislation vs the other side 34:46 — Testifying in Arizona's Request to Speak system 39:08 — Three books for the advocacy journey 46:44 — Soapbox: battling apathy at the state level 53:33 — The Arizona Freedom Festival 1:02:40 — Where to find Cheryl and her work About the guest Cheryl Todd is a wife, mom, and grandma who co-hosts the podcast Gun Freedom Radio with her husband. She and her husband ran a firearms retail store, AZ Firearms, for about 20 years. She is the Arizona State Director for Women for Gun Rights, vice president of the AZCDL, and president of the AZCDL Foundation, the education and safety arm of that work. She also serves on the board of the Second Amendment Institute. Campus carry was the subject of her senior thesis. She mentors women in Arizona to testify at the state capitol and helps lead the AZCDL Foundation's Faster Saves Lives emergency preparedness program for schools. Key quotes "we're arbitrarily disarmed on our college campuses for no good reason." — Cheryl Todd "predators look for the path of least resistance." — Cheryl Todd "Polka dots are my camo." — Cheryl Todd "Our slogan is education not legislation is the key to safety." — Cheryl Todd "We all want to protect what we love." — Cheryl Todd "we know that we are our own first responders." — Cheryl Todd "Education is how we're going to win and advocacy only can happen when we're well educated." — Kaylee