The Proponents Of Firearms ( 428 )

There have been many pieces of legislation on the state level and on the congressional level regarding guns on school property. A very polarized piece of legislation was introduced in the Nevada Senate. Nevada Senate Bill 286 was created in response to several violent acts involving school shootings (Taylor, 2008). The bill would have given teachers the right to possess and carry guns on school property regardless if the school is a gun-free zone as long as the teacher possessed proper permits the bill specifically required the teacher to possess a concealed weapon permit along with a proof of completion of a specific firearm training program (“SB286,” n.d.). The bill did not pass in the Nevada Senate, but the bill did help to start the much-needed conversation about the ineffectiveness methods of the prevention of school shootings.

They defend this view by saying that,”…people are safer when they have guns to protect themselves; and that an armed bystander could put a stop to a mass shooting in progress” (Skorton and Altschuler 629). Timothy Wheeler makes another point by stating that gun free zones are easy targets for danger and that school killers have taken advantage of effective security (655). He enforces the idea of allowing guns on college grounds by affirming that at “…the Appalachian School of Law in 2002 [a] homicidal Virginia student was stopped from shooting more of his classmates when another student held him at gunpoint” (Wheeler 656). Skorton and Altschuler claim that “colleges and universities are far safer than most public places in the United States” (629). Although that is true, permitting guns on site would counteract that view in and out of the classroom. If firearms were to be allowed on college grounds would campuses still be considered secure locations, would students be able to speak freely on controversial topics, would they really be able to stop attackers if anything was to ever

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.

“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

Throughout its history, the United States has had a fascination with guns. Americans have used guns in times of war, for protection, and for hunting. Americans also use guns when they are intent on killing people. When violence happens in school shootings, drive-by shootings, assassination of public officials, or in the workplace and shopping malls, Americans demand something be done. This demand fuels the debate between gun rights and gun control activists. It fuels the debate over the interpretation of the Second Amendment. It fuels the debate on allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons in gun-free zones. This makes us ask the question: Should guns be banned from college

The safety of schools have been tested more in the recent years with news coverage of the most recent incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty children and six staff members lost their lives. With the recent rise of school shootings it is no wonder parents are concerned for their children’s safety in schools. Where drugs and peer pressure were once major concerns, in today’s society, we worry about our children dying in the hands of armed shooters. While there is much controversy over how to protect the future of America’s children, lawmakers are supporting a bill to allow armed guards to stand and protect our children in the school systems by creating laws to allow armed security in the schools. “The Indiana amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jim Lucas (R), said he believes mass shootings like the one in Newtown could be prevented by more firearms.” (Resmovits, 2013). In support of armed guards, the National Rifle Association has paid for research

We all hear about mass shooting where a number of people are killed and we pray that we are never caught in a situation like the one at Virginia Tech or Oikos University. But the likelihood that it happens at your school, your kids school, or your friends school is at an all time high. From 2000 to 2010 nearly 70 people were killed in college campus shootings in the United States. This number more than doubles the number of killing from the 25 years prior to 2000. Not only are their more shooting but there are a proliferating number of sexual assaults happening on college campuses, in 2009 alone the number of sexual assault on college campuses was nearly 2,600 (Arrigo 120). This combined with mass media coverage has generated passionate debates on how to best stop mass shootings and other violent crimes on college campuses. Many pro-gun activists have started to push for and endorse bills allowing students and faculty to conceal carry handguns on campuses. Campus-carry is a relatively new phenomenon and there is little to no evidence to corroborate the idea that it increases campus security. Those who have not gone through rigorous instructional courses, like police officers, will be unable to stop a mass shooting, sexual assaults, or other violent crimes on college campuses. Instead, allowing students to carry will increase crime rates on campuses and will result in more fatalities due to guns(Ultius). This is why students should not be

“ A 20 - year old man armed with an AK- 47- style rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition entered an elementary school in Decatur, Ga, on Aug. 20 and fired off a few rounds but surrendered before anyone was injured” (Toppo, 2013, para.2). Because of school shooting like Sandy Hook and many others, schools all around are finding ways to become more prepared in case of this kind of tragedy. Many options have been discussed but a common idea to keep students and staff safe in schools is allowing teachers and administrators to be licenced and to conceal a gun on school property. “While many national organizations have rejected the idea, it is now being seriously weighed by some school boards and state lawmakers across the nation” (Shah, 2013, para.5). Teachers and Administrators should be allowed to carry guns on school property because police stations are too far away and It will increase the amount of safety when given proper training.

In the United States of America, there is a rising epidemic happening and its gun violence and the violence will not only rise, but triple if guns are permitted on college campuses and inevitably cause a ripple of issues. With several campus shootings, the most fatal being in 2007, the shooting that occurred at Virginia Tech University, a number of states are pushing harder to consider legislation about whether or not to permit concealed guns on college campuses and to obliterate the existing firearm regulations. This is not Colleges and Universities purpose; they’re for learning and experiences and amongst other things, not about guns. Students and faculty should not be allowed to carry firearms onto college campuses, firearms are illegal on most campuses, and that is how it should remain. In 2015, the number of colleges and universities in the United

Due to the significant number of violent shootings on college campuses in the past recent years, many have argued that both students and teachers should be allowed to carry a concealed handgun on campus to defend themselves. They believe it will help stop shootings and make campuses safer, but will it? These people who are suggesting this are only thinking about their own safety and not thinking about the consequences that will flourish due to guns on campus. Guns on campus would not only lead to an escalation in violent crimes, but will lead to an increase in the number of incidents. Allowing people to bring guns on college campuses won’t solve anything; instead we should be limiting the amount of weapons to make it a safer environment for both students and teachers.

Gun is violence is a very controversial political topic that has been discussed repeatedly over the last couple years. While there are many people that support loosening gun laws there are also just as many people who are 100% against the idea. David Burnett and Darby Dickerson happen to be 2 individuals who both have conflicting views on gun laws and what should and should not be allowed in the United States. In this particular case, the two differ specifically on how gun laws should be treated on college campuses. On one side, there is David Burnett, dean of Texas Tech University School of Law, who completely supports the idea of concealed carry on college campuses. On the other side David Burnett, the director of public relations for Students, who is completely against the idea. Both authors do a very good job at not only standing firm in their position but also providing the evidence to back up their position.

For example, the SCCC, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, believe a gun could save many lives where if there was not one present, many could die. College campus’s are usually safe, but horrible incidents such as violence and rape can occur: “Recent high-profile shootings and armed abductions on college campuses clearly demonstrate that ‘gun free zones’ serve to disarm only those law-abiding citizens who might otherwise be able to protect themselves” (Students for Concealed Carry). One cannot deny that just showing a gun could alter a shooters plan and prevent them from doing more damage. However, they should not be allowed because as previously stated, anyone could have a weapon at any time, leading a constant feeling of uncertainty and lack of safety. Frederick Steiner, a former University of Texas professor questioned, “How do you criticize someone when you know or suspect that they have a firearm? Having been in those situations, people can lose their tempers. That's not a situation where a firearm would enhance the experience” (Visser). If students and teachers have firearms, others could feel uncertain and watch what they say to others, not wanting to risk being shot for saying something too harsh. Although a firearm can protect from a shooter, it can also cause thoughts of supremacy over other classmates and a lack of safety for the gunless students. A gun

“The first thing Violand saw was a gun, then the gunman, ‘I quickly dove under a desk, ’he recalled, ‘that was the desk I chose to die under.’ “(Maraniss). While the U.S. constitution says Americans have the right to bear arms, firearms continue to threaten our schools, work and religious areas. Regardless of the danger that guns possess some states have passed a bill to allow campus carry, which grants professors and college students the choice to carry a firearm on college or university campuses. Although, we have seen the amount of influence that firearms have caused in the past a good amount of public still supports the claim that guns are a reasonable source of protection. However, while many in favor of campus carry view it as a safety precaution, campus carry should not be allowed because there is no evidence that proves campus carry will keep students safer and carrying a concealed weapon can distract from the learning environment.

Today, my child practices “active shooter drills” in his elementary school. Police officers roam the halls, simulated gunfire is employed, and the children hide in the closet. Why not employ the methods of the cold war to protect our society, Mutually Assured Destruction, provide our educators and others licensed to carry the opportunity to defend the lives of our youth with deadly force. Stated simply and appropriately, “Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who supports campus carry, said a gunman could already bring a firearm on to campus, and the law could prevent mass shootings because someone with a licensed concealed weapon could be ready to confront a gunman.” (Herskovitz – Reuters

“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.