How The Bill Will Affect College Campuses Across Texas

In addition to youth and gun crimes, much debate has sparked over whether or not college officials should allow students to carry concealed weapons with them on campus. Renee Montagne has interviewed many people, college students included, in her article, “Texas Lawmakers Aim for Guns on College Campuses” About their opinions of guns on campus. Many disagree, stating that it is a terrible idea, and will lead to gun-related accidents, or mass killings, like the one that took place at Virginia Tech (Texas Lawmakers). Some people, such as Stephen Wright, point out the fact that by simply carrying a legally weapon does not cause mass killings or

Concealed carry and college campuses are two major topics currently in the media, yet these two topics are rarely used in unison, until now. The topic of whether or not concealed carry should be allowed on college campuses is a now mainstream debate with multiple views and numerous differentiating opinions. Many of the general public question if campus police is capable enough to protect a university’s enormous student body? Another commonly discussed issue is if concealed handguns actually do deter crime, and if they are capable of aiding in stopping a mass shooting spree? Or if guns on campus, carried by fellow classmates would make students as a whole feel more cautious or on the opposing hand make students feel more secure with guns carried on campus? If guns are allowed on campus, how will this affect a growing student’s ideology? These questions and many more are highly spoken of in our social media based generation, the answers to these questions help to improve our knowledge on this debate of concealed carry on college campuses, which will lead us to form our own individual opinions on this debate topic based on the facts and evidence presented.

With backpacks in tow and pencils in hand, college students crisscross campus with stress of acing the test, hardly thinking about their safety. This was the case on a clear Tuesday at the University of Texas on September 28th, 2010. Students fled from a mask gunman carrying an AK-47 and shooting randomly around campus. Nineteen-year-old Colton Tooley, wearing a black mask, eventually killed himself in the library. Remarkably, no one else was injured or killed. (MSNBC) This was not the case in 1966 when 16 people where killed with 32 injured by a gunman in the UT clock tower. The debate still wages on to allow concealed guns to be carried on college campus in Texas despite a recent bill that failed to pass. The US Constitutional Second

The difference on perspectives has been a major issue especially after President Obama’s constant effort to pass more gun control laws. In contrast, the presumably and deeply Republican state of Texas, which has very few restrictions on guns, has just passed a law that makes concealed carrying on college campuses legal. Such law has been a controversy and had divided reactions from Texans all around the state. The problem that is tried to solve with this bill is to prevent more mass shootings from happening in the facilities of higher education institutions. It is very important to

In the light of recent events and crimes across the nation, the Texas legislature has adopted a new law in attempt to decrease crime. The new law, which allows for the licensed gun holders to carry their weapon openly,went into effect on January 1st, 2016, and it is particularly disquieting to some due to the size of the state of Texas. Normally, as with any law, there will be unintended social consequences that affect both those with position of power and the general public. Thus, the introduction of the open carry law in Texas will create misunderstandings between the public and authorities and will psychologically affect the general public's idea of firearms.

According to the NCSL, National Conference of State Legislatures “Over the last five years, campus safety legislation has been a hot issue across the country”. Authors like Jazz Silva are standing up for student’s rights that some State Legislatures might not care about. Not only are weapons dangerous but it is unsafe to students who may struggle with mental health issues. College campuses are safer than the communities that surround them. The University of Louisiana system states “93% of the violence against students occurs off campus.” Allowing guns on campus would lead to an escalation in violence, can lead to an increased number of suicides by college students, and the possibility that a weapon can go off by accident.

During the month of January 2013, Carlton Berry was accused of opening fire at Lone Star College. He was accused of shooting two people before wounding himself in the leg. Even though it came to be known in the course of the investigation that it was really not Carlton Berry who was involved, but Trey Foster, the question arises as to whether guns should be allowed in colleges. This lone incidence that happened at Lone Star Community College reflects the April 16th, the year 2007 where there was a shooting on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute along with State University. In this incidence, a student by the name Seung-hui opened fire on unsuspecting scholars killing approximately 32 people and wounding many others before he

Numerous bills have been proposed throughout the history and timeline of Texas. Though many bills have been introduced, only a few from the batch will proceed to the House and Senate committees for further speculation and debate. Bills do not instantly become laws over night. It could take weeks, months or perhaps years for a bill to become a law. There are processes and even sub-processes when reviewing a bill and determining whether or not it shall be passed. Public policymaking includes five important steps, which are agenda setting, policy formulation, policy adoption, policy implementation, and policy evaluation. With that being said, this essay will focus on Senate Bill 11 – the Texas bill that allowed individuals with a license to carry concealed handguns on campus and in campus buildings.

As of the beginning of this year 2016, Texas has now been an open carry state. Open carry simply means that every single 21 year old or older gets to purchase a gun if they choose to do so and wear it out on the streets. Texas had been going back and forth on whether or not to allow this to pass and in the end it did. Many Texans had mixed emotions about the open carry system and did not approve of it due to situation that might have occurred in their lives or others that hit them hard, and/or because of the sense of fear that guns just can have on a person. Texas’ citizens are usually portrayed as cowboys/girls, and westerners that live-eat-breathe all things country, and gun loving machines. In some cases that may be true but not all Texans are, for example the Valley. There are many views and opinions as to how others feel about Texas’ new gun control policy and they vary from great things that this new policy can contribute to this state, compared to negative aspects that it can lead up to. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with Texas now allowing the open carry system in this state. Yes, it might be frightening at first but to me there is nothing wrong with letting people carry guns. It is simply giving them their rights as a citizen of the United States of America.

Gun ownership is on the rise and even college students want firearms now. Since 1999 college students owning firearms for protection has increased over 19 percent (DiMauro 17). With this rise whether or not these numbers should increase has become a heated issue. As of now 26 colleges allow concealed carry on campuses, totaling in over 70 campuses(Burnett) and many others are in consideration. Organizations such as Students for Concealed Carry are at work to educate the public on the truths of how on campus carry would to some degree benefit college students, professors, and all visitors. Firearms can be and should be allowed on college campuses primarily because it is a not only a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution but also

Blood covers the streets, screams of terror boom through the halls, and silent tears stream through a young girls cheek. This is officially not an uncommon act, even though the news will still cut the show you are currently watching with some “breaking news” with another tragic event of massive shootings. These attacks are now a possibility to those wishing to wreck the peace in Texas, with bills and laws making more accessible to commit heinous crimes . The State of Texas needs to reconsider if campuses should allow concealed guns in their premises, and remove this “liberty” to massacre.

Zenobia Harris argues in an article in the VSU student newspaper The Spectator titled, “Guns on Campus Will Hurt Not Help,” that students and faculty carrying guns on campus will do more harm than good. She presents a selected study from The RAND Corporation as well as citing a CNN article, balanced with a counter point to show that the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to high stress situations involving

“Colleges and universities occupy a special place in American society. They are much more than a series of buildings and collection of individuals. Instead, they are dynamic living and learning environments where individuals with varying levels of maturity interact, often under stressful circumstances. While recognizing the right of responsible individuals to possess firearms under other circumstances, the unique characteristics of a university campus make the presence of firearms problematic. The shootings that have occurred in recent years at US colleges and universities have generated passionate debate about how best to prevent such violence and whether persons should be allowed to carry concealed guns on campuses. Experts believe there is no credible evidence that students or staff carrying guns would reduce crime. In fact, research has shown that the brains of most college students have not fully developed regarding impulse control and judgment” (Dickerson). Therefore, guns should not be allowed on college campuses because it would lead to an escalation in violent crime, distract from the learning environment, and lead to accidental discharge incidents.

The modern world is a lot different from 200 years ago; however the need for self-defense still remains and should be available to any citizen at any time or any place. Johanne Kimberline (2008), another supporter, discussed the annual number of weapons produced by American gun-manufacturers; “American gun manufacturers crank out roughly 3.5 million firearms annually. The country's most popular handgun is the semi-automatic…” (p. A1); which were also the same weapons used in the Virginia Tech shooting, partly because of the abundance, as well as the convenience of the size. Johanne (2008) goes to also talk about carrying handguns without a permit; “In Virginia and 10 other states, residents 18 or older can "open carry" a handgun without a permit” (p. A1). Since so many people can openly carry a handgun in restaurants and bars they should also be allowed to carry it on campus.

The new legislature that recently passed in Texas allows gun owners who are licensed to conceal carry (C.C. for short) the ability to have their concealed gun on their person while they are on the college campus including the ability to carry indoors. There are many concerns regarding gun laws, safety, and control that are making their way into the spotlight as a result of these new laws for gun owners. Given the fact that the right to carry a weapon is purely for protection of yourself, your family and your community there is no reason that guns should be restricted from being carried in any given environment, however there is good reason to place restrictions on who might be able to obtain one. Many of the concerns surrounding gun safety revolve around a number of statistics that are used by different groups in order to fuel their individual agendas. My intention here is to look at the laws and restrictions in Texas and to compare the rates of gun violence (including murder, suicide and accidents) to other states and countries in order to show you as a reader how responsible gun usage is a benefit to the community as well as to the individual and should be encouraged more than it is feared because it ensures not just personal safety, but the safety and liberty of our nation.