Guns on college campuses would create chaos
Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: State of Mind
The tragedy of the Virginia Tech shootings in April left behind a lingering, uneasy feeling about school security, much like the aftermath of the Columbine shootings in 1999. Two sides quickly rose to provide an answer to students' desperate calls for protection: Add heavier restrictions on gun regulations or loosen current restrictions. The latter, being the more overtly extreme and irrational, seems to have hit a new low.
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, with a membership of 8,000 students, is a non-partisan group that promotes the importance for students with handgun licenses to be able to bring their guns onto college campuses. The Virginia Tech incident only fueled the group's cause. It argues that if colleges allowed students to express their Second Amendment right on campus, it would be a safer place.
The truth actually lies polar-opposite with Students for Concealed Carry on Campus' claim. People can't fight fire with fire. Adding more guns to the equation doesn't create a more peaceful environment - campuses will instead be more prone to violence.
Guns being permitted on school grounds could have detrimental repercussions, including accidental firings, gun thefts and an increased risk of violent behavior because of provocation by peers or professors.
School should be a safe haven where students feel comfortable and secure; however, it's also a culprit of anxiety, experimentation and, therefore, impulsivity. Stress, frustration and guns don't make a mix to take a chance with.
Putting students' and the faculty's lives in immediate danger by allowing student gun owners to carry their guns on campus is irresponsible, impractical and counterproductive. Instead of preventing a disaster, campuses would be vulnerable to chaos.
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus claim they're deprived of their right to self-defense. But the refutation to their argument isn't about restricting freedoms - it's about responsibly laying out laws that won't create chaos; it's about the right thing to do. What's flawed about the radical group's rationale is that no one on campus should have a gun except for police officers. A college is an institution for higher learning. Students shouldn't be transporting weapons to class or be concerned about the possibility of other students concealing weapons. Also, a student shouldn't need a gun to protect his or herself because campus should be a safe, controlled environment.
If students should organize and promote any change regarding protection, it should be to increase safety on school campuses via weapon scanners, security cameras and police.
Students shouldn't have the right to bring weapons on campus, but they should have the right to feel safe while on campus.
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, with a membership of 8,000 students, is a non-partisan group that promotes the importance for students with handgun licenses to be able to bring their guns onto college campuses. The Virginia Tech incident only fueled the group's cause. It argues that if colleges allowed students to express their Second Amendment right on campus, it would be a safer place.
The truth actually lies polar-opposite with Students for Concealed Carry on Campus' claim. People can't fight fire with fire. Adding more guns to the equation doesn't create a more peaceful environment - campuses will instead be more prone to violence.
Guns being permitted on school grounds could have detrimental repercussions, including accidental firings, gun thefts and an increased risk of violent behavior because of provocation by peers or professors.
School should be a safe haven where students feel comfortable and secure; however, it's also a culprit of anxiety, experimentation and, therefore, impulsivity. Stress, frustration and guns don't make a mix to take a chance with.
Putting students' and the faculty's lives in immediate danger by allowing student gun owners to carry their guns on campus is irresponsible, impractical and counterproductive. Instead of preventing a disaster, campuses would be vulnerable to chaos.
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus claim they're deprived of their right to self-defense. But the refutation to their argument isn't about restricting freedoms - it's about responsibly laying out laws that won't create chaos; it's about the right thing to do. What's flawed about the radical group's rationale is that no one on campus should have a gun except for police officers. A college is an institution for higher learning. Students shouldn't be transporting weapons to class or be concerned about the possibility of other students concealing weapons. Also, a student shouldn't need a gun to protect his or herself because campus should be a safe, controlled environment.
If students should organize and promote any change regarding protection, it should be to increase safety on school campuses via weapon scanners, security cameras and police.
Students shouldn't have the right to bring weapons on campus, but they should have the right to feel safe while on campus.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 8
Bob Lifer
posted 11/30/07 @ 5:04 AM PST
There are entire states that allow weapons to be carried on campus. They are not in chaos. Nor are any of the states that allow concealed carry as dangerous as East LA. (Continued…)
The Duck
posted 11/30/07 @ 5:21 AM PST
"Feeling" safe & "being" safe are two different things.
Responsible armed citizens are not a threat to peace & safety.
If they can continue to get weapons on airplanes, how are you going to keep them off of a wide open campus? They didn't need scanners at Columbine, they came in shooting. (Continued…)
MadRocketScientist
posted 11/30/07 @ 8:59 AM PST
I must say, this editorial definitely shows that the author has little to no real understanding of firearms or of the people who have taken the steps necessary to, and the responsibility of, a concealed carry permit. (Continued…)
MD73
posted 1/23/08 @ 8:43 AM PST
Here here, the comments above are right on. Notice the author says the campus should be safe. The fact remains that campuses are not safe and people target schools because they know no one is carrying a weapon. (Continued…)
gdeal
George
posted 1/28/08 @ 2:47 PM PST
I think there is a big difference between legal concealed carry and "packing". You need to be trained and certified with a registered handgun to conceal-carry. (Continued…)
Grunt-Man
posted 2/06/08 @ 2:42 AM PST
No guns on campus? Sounds...good, in theory.
How? More laws? Plenty already in place. It's already illegal to murder people, you think breaking a no gun law is going to rattle a person like Cho?
I would gladly have gone to jail for illegally possessing my pistol on a campus where someone was trying to kill others if I could stop him or her, most likely a him. (Continued…)
David Griggs
posted 3/18/08 @ 11:44 PM PST
I think that people would be surprised to find who and just how many people they interact with on a daily basis have a gun on or near the person and the "accidental firings" the author refers to simply don't happen often enough to be considered. (Continued…)
Student
posted 3/31/08 @ 3:44 PM PST
My campus isn't in chaos!
Being from one of the campuses to allow concealed weapons, I'll tell you I didn't even know students could until last week. (Continued…)
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