August 1, 1966 a date forever etched in U.S. history. The Texas Tower Shooting happened nearly fifty years ago and yet it is freshly burned into our minds as its anniversary approaches. Coincidentally enough, the mark of its 50th year is also the day Texas will allow concealed carry on college campuses.
Countless of devastating tragedies concerning guns have taken place on and off college campuses since 1966. Many people since then have demanded that we take our second amendment as literal as possible. “The 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution states, “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the Security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”. Even though, our 2nd Amendment clearly
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Being a student, it is tremendously difficult to focus on the task at hand knowing that their might or might not be a gun in another student’s backpack. Guns on campus would create a sort of distraction in the classroom that will not be easily ignored. We would be in constant vigilance, always fearful that someone might lose control of their temper because of something we might say. ). I’m not saying that students don’t have the ability to have conservations about controversial subjects, but shootings most likely happen because the shooter disagreed about something that was said or done to him. “I hate to think of ‘trigger warning’ not becoming a metaphor, but becoming a reality”, “That students who are triggered might actually pull a trigger.” Students that attend college to further their education and express themselves freely, they should not have to worry about the dangers in doing …show more content…
Many Teachers are reconsidering their positions on campus as their safety comes into question. “A professor at UT Austin states that she is afraid for her students but also for herself”. Not only does it affect decisions of Professors but interferes with the Law Enforcement on our campus. With the concealed carry law now being enforced in August, why would we need our Security Guards if we can defend ourselves. People would take matters into their own hands rather than calling for help. Their first instinct would be to pull out their gun not call Law Enforcement or campus security. Thus, creating a problematic situation rather than resolving one. “Guns should not be allowed on college campuses, they present a serious physical danger for faculty and students.” Should we really put our trust into some papers and results that determine who is capable of handling a lethal weapon and who isn’t. Humanity is unpredictable, and deceitful. Putting our faith in the hands of strangers is like putting guns in the hands of our enemies. Our country is determined to find ways and prevent shootings such as the one at UT, but by making campuses a concealed carry zone, they are only enhancing the possibilities of it occurring more often. People often argue that the concealed carry law on college campuses ensures the safety of its students. Even though students will be able to defend themselves
Any school setting is supposed to be a peaceful learning environment. Nothing about guns symbolizes peace. Guns will increase the tension all over campus and students nor faculty should have to fear for their safety. For one professor, the campus carry law was too much of a risk. Daniel Hamermesh is a UT professor who teaches economics to a class of nearly 500 students has stated that he won’t be teaching at UT next year. Hamermesh claims that he has had many confrontations with furious students about grades and that a furious student with a weapon is a risk that he doesn’t want to
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.
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.
Allowing guns on campuses has to be one of the most absurd solutions conceived to regulate safety. Firearms have no place in the hands of staff and students on campus. The idea is totally blown out of proportion because many universities actually considering concealed carry believe the impact will be less crime and more safety, but what exactly does it mean to allow a weapon on college property? People that are for campus carry argue that those with a firearm will be able to defend themselves against any incident that is bound to happen, but what happens when they pull out a gun? How will students, staff, or law enforcement react? Guns on campuses are not a good idea due to the fact students aren't fully mature enough to carry a weapon, they will become inhibited in
Guns and schools just don’t mix. Of course, this could be arguable from both sides. Only nine out of our fifty states allow guns on campus. Most private universities have the choice to decide if they want to allow concealed weapons on campuses. As for public institutions with the law in its state, they have no choice. Public institutions only have control of what buildings are limited. There are numerous reasons that it could be beneficial, but it can also be a complete catastrophe just waiting to happen. In today’s society, people feel the need to be more protected because of what’s going on in the world. There have been many reported incidents in regards to guns being abused on school grounds. Guns end lives, so it’s imperative that we understand the rules and why they’re so important. In order for people to really understand the pros and cons of having guns on campus, they first must began to understand its safety hazards, retaliation and prevention mechanism.
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
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.
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
The idea of Concealed Carry arms at universities is a controversial topic for both students and faculty on whether guns should be allowed or banned on campuses throughout the United States. The idea of Concealed Carry Arms is a controversial topic because it represents both protection and fear as no one knows who has a weapon, whether they have it legally or even if they know how to use it properly and safely. Also, nobody knows of someone else’s intentions with Concealed Carry Arms as they could use that gun for protection or murder. The idea of allowing Concealed Carry Arms on campus is a controversial topic that could affect universities and campuses in the United States.
In Troutdale, Oregon June 10, 2014 a 15-year-old High School freshman brought an assault rifle to school and shot 14-year-old freshman Emilio Hoffman. Two school resource officers, Nick Thompson and Kyle Harris, were armed security guards at the high school during the shooting. The school Resource Officers were able to respond as armed security before the shooter was able to fire additional rounds into classmates. This timely response should be required for all educational establishments that are prime targets for mentally disturbed gun owners (Barkoukis, Leah). According to a survey asking 100 LBCC student if they agree with campus security to be armed, 72% responded in favor of armed staff (Survey). Only 12% of students disagreed with
Firearms are a very profound subject to speak about due to violence and other issues behind them. College students are already aroused and stressed to do extraordinary in their courses. Would consenting untrained students to carry concealed weapons around campus be such an enticing idea, when at any moment someone could lose their mind and go on a shooting rage? One may never know what kind of background that specific being that carries a concealed firearm has. In reality no one knows what kind of effect this would have towards universities or college campuses, but it could result in a students’ academic performance. Weapons on university campuses would create a vast interference towards the education of college students; an individual might never know who is carrying a concealed weapon or what that person might organize to do. Students would be alarmed to speak up in class or anywhere around the campus for that matter. Concealed Weapon Carry should not be allowed in universities because students are immature, it would be a risky environment, and permit holders are not always lawful citizens.
Every day parents send their children off to school with the expectation that they will be returned home safely at the end of the day. However, with an ever increasing number of school shootings some parents are pulling their children out of school because they feel as if school can no longer offer the same sense of security as they once had. Some schools are pressing for the right for school instructors to carry a loaded weapon on campus. School instructors should be allowed to carry a loaded weapon on campus because it helps prevent school shootings, it protects them during school shootings, and gives students and staff an added sense of security.
In 2007 an armed student killed 32 people at Virginia Tech, making it one of the deadliest gun massacres in U.S history. As a result, a group known as Students for Concealed Carry on Campus began a movement to legalize campus carry for colleges in the U.S. Lawmakers then put in place laws that would allow students and faculty to carry weapons to better defend themselves (The Secret History of the Campus Carry Movement). As of 2016 Texas became the ninth state to allow concealed carry on public universities for holders of gun permits. Nevertheless, the debate over whether to allow concealed weapons in schools remains a hot topic in our political society. Although the different viewpoints of the new law are evident, the major similarity is the safety of the student body. There exists’ two sides for concealed weapons on college campuses in the state of Texas. The side that believes students are safer by carrying a concealed weapon, and the side that believes the contrary and says that weapons should not be allowed on school premises. Regulations vary from state to state; 18 states have banned concealed weapons on college campuses and 23 states allow each school to determine its own policies (Campus Carry). Even after the Virginia shooting, the movement did not echo with all Americans.
“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.
Allowing Professors to carry concealed weapons on campus, it could potentially lower the number of victims and tragedies. Cool mentioned how to make the impositions more realistic with certain regulations on the rule; “It would be absurd to allow every college student to be armed. But responsible adult students (including veterans and former police officers) as well as university employees and staff should have that option.” He then also states how people can be intimidated or hesitant and to get a potential threat to