Is Campus A Effective For Decreasing Gun Violence On Campus? Essay

Annale Renneker also discusses why concealed carry is necessary on college campuses today. Most college campuses are “open”, meaning that practically anyone can walk on to them and many buildings do not have metal detecters or security guards (Renneker 1). She cites the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy where the shooter was not even a student at the college, he simply walked on campus undetected and shot and killed 33 people before killing himself (Renneker 4). It is not difficult for one to enter a college campus and cause harm with a firearm if they intend to do so, anyone who has been on a public American college or university campus has seen non-students passing through at some point. She also cites the Department of Homeland Security’s

controlled on each campus throughout the state. The University of Texas in Austin is one of the universities that is required to comply with the new regulation. After reading some articles discussing Campus Carry, I realized there were compelling arguments in support of and in opposition to this expansion of gun rights. While some students support Campus Carry, others are quite concerned and feel that it may very well threaten their safety. In this essay, I will analyze the arguments made in support and opposition to the law, how the law may affect the students and faculty on campus, and provide alternate solutions which could provide the desired result.

In 2007, 32 students and teachers die after being held at gunpoint on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University by a student, Seung Hui Cho, who attended the school later on dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In all 27 students and 5 faculty members died. I really think that guns shouldn't be allowed on college campuses at all because it will cause a distraction from the learning environment, would lead to an increased number of suicides by college students, a gun might go off by accident, most college students are too young to carry a concealed handgun license, and school shootings don't happen that often and college campuses are very safe so, therefore, there is no need to carry a concealed weapon on a campus.

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

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.

Allowing concealed weapons on campus can also prevent casualties and injuries in the event of a mass public shooting. According to Smith “Between 1977 and 1995, the average death rate from mass shootings plummeted by up to 91% after such laws [right-to-carry concealed handgun laws] went into effect, and injuries dropped by over 80%.”

The first arguement for concealed guns on campus comes from insiderhighered.com written by Kaitlin Mulhere. She states that so far eleven states are discussing on being able to carry a concealed gun on campus. There has been at least one bill that has been suggested in about half of the fifty states within past few years for guns on campus. So far, seven states have made laws allowing guns on campus. Kaitlin says that there are two views on the issue. One being that it is a constitutional right for one to be able to carry a gun. The second being that it will make campuses safer from shooters and other criminals. It was brought up in the beginning that armed people on campus could commit a mass shooting which worried many people. Kaitlin

One of the largest barriers for firearm carriers is the fear of them causing panic; this panic is caused by other civilians being afraid if they see that they are carrying and mistake them for an armed assailant. Awareness to all students and faculty that campus carry is in place will keep this from happening and will allow more firearms advocates to be willing to carry. People who already legally conceal carry would not be afraid to continue that practice if there are no laws stopping them. One example of a regular carrier being a victim due to them following the law of no campus carry is Amanda Collins. Amanda, a student of the University of Nevada, was raped on campus and could do little since she was not carrying like she usually does(Summers). This incident and others could easily be stopped if campus carry were in place and known to all whom it might affect. Awareness to the general public that concealed carry is allowed would also have a high chance of deterring crime. The truth is that signs that say “no guns allowed” is not going to stop a criminal since with their nature they break the law(Burnett). States that implement concealed carry laws have reduced several different crimes by up to 8.5 percent(ProCon). Criminals want easy targets and knowing that the person they choose to attack may be able to defend themselves with an easy means of defense such as a gun that deters them from those areas. All of these points lead to the end goal of students and faculty feeling safer and it is a fact that up to 59 percent of people who carry a gun because it makes them feel safer(ProCon). The feeling of safety not only occurs for those who carry but those who know that anyone could be there with a gun to assist or save them should the occasion occur. Colleges are dangerous places with no

Even when there has been ongoing campus shootings around the nation. It raises the question will this help decrease violence or only increase it? The idea of allowing guns on colleges campuses will only make students live in fear whenever they are heading to class or even when they arrive to class. Here are a few statements from administrators stating their viewpoints on the issue of guns on college campuses. A proposal was brought to attention after the shooting at Umpqua Community College October 1, 2015. This proposal stated that college students can have a concealed firearm on campus to make students feel safer when walking to classes (Grzywa, 2). This proposal raised a lot of concerns from schools across the UW System and administrators are hoping that the legislation doesn’t pass. Stout’s SSA President Eric Huse quotes, “I agree with our legislators that student safety is of utmost importance. However, the notion that permitting guns in university buildings will create a safer environment is backward thinking” (Grzywa, 2). Another similar opinion was stated from a man by the name of Sportiello, he said that we need to formulate the best way to create a safe society through careful examination and research instead of making the decision to allow firearms to take over classrooms, workout facilities, and residence

How would you feel knowing that a responsible adult you trusted was able to conceal carry on your home campus? Personally, I would feel safe, but I would feel much safer being able to carry that gun and protect myself at any moment needed. Gun laws are the cause of much of the violent crime in the United States and need to be changed in order to make it easier for Americans to purchase handguns, carry them as concealed weapons and protect themselves.

If college campuses legalize the right to obtain a concealed weapon there could a risk of escalation in violence on college campuses. Allowing college students to carry a concealed weapon on campus makes for many opportunities of potential misuse of the weapon. According to the Journal of American College Health, most college students don't have experience shooting or holding a gun, therefore, they could make a mistake and unintentionally harm somebody or even themselves. Granting college students access to guns will pose increased risks of incidents of self-injury, accidental shootings and even murders. The University of Louisiana system shows that evidence also indicates that the presence of concealed weapons on campus would increase the likelihood of

School shootings have altered American history greatly over the past two decades. From 1997 to 2007, there have been more than 40 school shootings, resulting in over 70 deaths and many more injuries. School shoot-outs have been increasing in number dramatically in the past 20 years. There are no boundaries as to how old the child would be, or how many people they may kill or injure. At Mount Morris Township, Michigan, on February 29th, 2000, there was a 6 year old boy who shot and killed another 6 year old girl at the Buell Elementary School with a .32 caliber pistol. And although many shootings have occurred at High Schools or Middle Schools, having more guns on those campuses would not be a good environment for children to grow up in.

“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.

Due to the recent upheaval of violent crimes on campus, many pro-gun activist have suggested that both the students and teachers should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. Those for this may claim that their rights have been violated because many college campuses refuse to allow weapons of any kind on campus. It is not the right to carry a gun which is in debate here, but rather it is whether or not guns should be allowed on a college campus. The Constitution of The United States of America already grants citizens the right to carry guns, and being in the south, I am by far no stranger to seeing a gun from time-to-time, but it is not appropriate for guns to be in a vulnerable area such as a college campus. There are already too many guns available to the public, and allowing them on an educational facility would greatly increase the likelihood of injury or death. Americans, as previously mentioned, have the right to bear arms, and this should be held sacred, and not infringed, taken away, or limited. However, stricter firearm control should be implemented for those who chose to carry a concealed weapon, and gun control should be done by having stricter certification processes before a firearm or gun permit is issued, intensive psychological evaluation for the person or persons applying for a gun permit or a gun,and greater educational requirements for gun owners and firearm safety.

“Gun control? We need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost $5,000. Because if a bullet cost $5,000, we wouldn’t have any innocent bystanders.” (Rock, 1999) Chris Rock got a big laugh when he expressed his comical stance on the issues with guns. With the heart-wrenching reality of the Virginia Tech massacre, the issue of whether or not guns should be allowed on college campus has returned to the forefront of debates, and this is no longer a