In the words of spoken word artist Fatima Tall, she describes her experience as an African-American, presenting images that contrast with the stereotypical barriers that people of African-American descent go through, especially in the inner city. Homicide rates in predominantly black neighborhoods have increased over the years and many believe the accessibility to guns is the reason why. In front of bidding white light, her frame the only thing being visible, she points two fingers at the audience; “Bang I graduated high school!” “Bang I’m going to college!” “Bang I'm spittin hot shit on the stage.” In the wake of several mass shootings on college campuses throughout the years, states have debated whether or not to allow students to carry …show more content…
The state of Texas has allowed their students to carry guns. We should be allowed to carry guns too. I personally don’t own a gun but if a student wants to carry their gun around campus that is fine with me,” UI Senior Anthonie Perla said. Earlier in the year, two states, Georgia and Arkansas allowed their students to carry weapons on campus. According to the National Conference of State Legislators website more and more states across the nation have introduced the possibility to allow their students to carry guns on college campuses. In the state of Iowa, this past February, the state of Iowa proposed the SF 256 Bill. According to the original written bill it prevented public universities and the state Board of Regents “from adopting or enforcing any policy or rule that prohibits a person with a valid permit to carry weapons from carrying, transporting, or possessing a dangerous weapon in the buildings or on the grounds of such a college or university.” The Bill has yet to pass the House. Several of UI Student Government members have been publically against the bill. “Personally I am not a fan of the SF 256 Bill. A school is no place for guns. The majority of us in student government are against the bill. We have done everything in our power to fight it and we shall continue to fight against it,” UISG Senator Nate Robinson
Supporting Point Why should college campuses be any different? They contain the country’s future presidents, senators and judges. They are also one of the most vulnerable places because most colleges don’t allow firearms on campus. The most important factor is that many students don’t pay attention to their surroundings so they are put in dangerous situations and they should be able to defend themselves to a certain extent.
Secondly, some people believe guns should not be allowed on campus because they may go off by accident. True, a gun may go off by accident, but according to, Students for Concealed Carry, out of 150 college campuses that allow concealed carry, there have been only three accidental discharges (Common). Two of them were by staff and one by a student. All three of the accidental discharges resulted in non-life-threatening discharges in which no one was injured (Common). All three incidents could have been prevented through proper training and practice, such as wearing a
College is seen as the beginning of young adult life, but campus crime can prevent the continuation of that life.Yet, campuses still prohibit students from carrying essential self defense weapons. This is most likely due to their ignorance of the benefits involved with allowing campus carry. Campus carry improves the overall environment of a college and promotes safety. Students should be allowed to carry guns on campus due to the current lack of protection offered through the university and an individual’s lawful right, despite the belief that it would cause an escalation in violent crime.
Seung-Hui Cho, a twenty three year old performed the deadliest mass shooting on the Virginia Tech campus and State University campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, and then he took his own life. He killed 32 people. The point of students not having a concealed firearm on campus is to protect other students and faculty. Being safe and not in danger can be solved in many ways. Police officers, family, and people with high authorities are around to protect people but not all the time. Students should be prohibited from carrying concealed firearms on college campuses because it causes violence, it could be in the hands of a crazy person, and concealed carry permit holders are not required to have law enforcement training.
College shootings are becoming more and more common and inevitable. Being able to carry guns on campus is being questioned for safety purposes, but there is much more to it. Guns should not be allowed on campus because even though they’re supposed to keep you safe, they can be dangerous, there is no prior training on how the weapon is to be handled, and furthermore the use of a gun on campus can pressure individuals to submit under peer pressure.
“Since 2013, there have been over 200 school shootings in America, an average of nearly one a week”(Everytown Research). How safe is our family members at school? Allowing teachers and staff to carry guns could lower that number. Some people may disagree with it, saying that it would be teaching students violence. School shootings would be a thing of the past if staff were armed.
College students and staff should have the sense of safety that any other perpetrator has that has instigated in a school shooting. Imagine how safe the school shooters feel when being the one and only person in the entire building who has a gun. The mental state that the school shooter has is clearly not stable. Which brings the argument to this: When allowing concealed carry, why not do a number of back-ground tests, mental tests, and a long process in order to obtain a concealed carry license? Some of these things are already done to people who actually take the concealed carry test, but if a student wants to carry a gun on campus, the student must work for it. Concealed-carry shouldn’t be easy to obtain, but it should be offered at least.
Some people own a gun for their own safety. Yet, one of the things they can rely on for protection and defense may jeopardize many lives around them. A college campus is very populated which may increase the likelihood of a gun theft, and could fall into the wrong hands. Campuses provide security who are always ready and prepared for any danger, meaning it is avoidable for anyone other than them to carry weapons. Concealed carry is not appropriate on college campuses because nor is it only unnecessary, but may also result in a situation that can quickly escalate, creating a greater chance of causing more harm than not carrying a concealed weapon.
Recently, state legislators and court rulings have made it possible for students on certain college campuses to carry concealed weapons. This is due in part to the shootings that have happened over the years and the increasing threat of unknown enemies. However, the issue has come into question and concern on college campuses. Some argue that guns on campus should be a choice left up to the individual, after all it is their 2nd Amendment right. Others would say that college campuses are a place of learning, a place that does not require firearms at all. Lastly, there are those who say that stricter gun laws would prevent crimes and shootings.
Texas has passed a new piece of legislation that has now given the students, teachers and other officials to carry a loaded gun onto and around their college campus. The case for this gun carry legislation was that if the students, teachers and other officials were able to have these gun than maybe the issue of school shootings would almost evaporate in some areas. This no doubt sounds like one of the better arguments for guns on campus, seeing as how much of an epidemic we have with school shootings. However, congress seemed to have disregarded an issue on how this could also harm the campus more than it could help. Giving way to empowered threats, reckless engagements, and innocent losses is only some of the ways that this could be a negative thing.
The SCCC group tries to urge people to understand that the right of self-defense does not vanish at the property line of a college. If students who legally own and carry guns are responsible and were allowed to carry on campus, the chances of a possible mass shooting would be small (Calloway, 2013). There are more questions on, why not to have concealed carry on college campuses than there is why you should have concealed carry on college campuses. It is best expressed through these words on why to carry, “Nothing is stopping criminals or people with mental issues from bringing guns onto campuses, sometimes multiple guns. Nobody might even know they are there until they are getting fired upon. Saying you can’t exercise your second amendment
August 1st, 2016 marked the first day the campus carry law was put into effect in Texas. The campus carry law basically says that the carrying of concealed handguns will be allowed on campuses just as long as the carrier is a licensed weapon holder in the state of Texas, and twenty one years or older. The campus carry law has had many proponents for and against it, specifically; many students and faculty members have cited their concern and discontent for it. The law goes all the way back to the Virginia Tech massacre of 2007 when Seung Hui Cho opened fire on the Virginia Tech campus brutally killing 33 and injuring 17. The attack left a lasting impact on America as many tried to cope with what had happened; as a result many states began to
Is getting rid of the gun-free zones on college campuses the smart thing to do? allowing students with a proper license, to carry a loaded gun around with them. The Eight states in the U.S. that allow concealed carry on campus seem to think so. There are many people who have strong feelings, for and against allowing students on college campuses the right to carry a concealed weapon.
For Example, if you are being robbed while walking at night on your very own campus you could use the firearm for you own means of protection. I have been on a total of ten college campuses all who have stated that they have campus security, escorts, and many other facilities and programs such as Crisis Hotline and self-defense classes that ensures the safety of students, so why should we put in the matters of the very weapon that is destroying this society every day. All in all, I believe that college students should not be allowed to carry firearms on campus because it can increase the issues that we have with the carrying of firearms in society today. If we cannot resolve the issue of gun laws in the United States right now; why add more issues onto the plate by allowing college students to carry guns on
Gun Control Gun control is a hot topic that is talked about amongst the nation, due to the fact that the nation itself feels indifferent about the issue. One side condones the use of bearing arms while the opposing side believes in the Second Amendment (the second amendment is the right to bear arms). the issue has come down to universities and college students having the right to bear arms on campuses. Through out the years there have been incidents that cost the lives of innocent people, due to the fact that no weapons were allowed on campuses. The author will explain in the following paper why universities should allow students to bear arms on campuses.