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Point Counterpoint: Should students be allowed to carry guns on campus?
Firearms provide safety, sense of security against those who disregard law
Maritza Carroway
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Viewpoints
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Usually when someone hears the word "gun," the word "violence" immediately comes to mind, throw in the words "student" and "campus" and automatically, people imagine a tragedy. All these are in conjunction with recent events, so it's understandable that people might have some fears about allowing students the right to carry their guns on campus. But all these fears can be calmed if we consider a few facts.
The first thing to consider is that in school shootings the student who committed the crime most often planned the murder - it was premeditated. As I've said before, I'm terrified of guns, but a person with a gun isn't what scares me. It's a person who wants to hurt me, who happens to have a gun - that's scary. Someone who has decided beforehand that they want someone else dead is not concerned with any regulations placed by a state or school, and this has been proven time and time again at different school tragedies.
The fact is a law is not going to stop a lawbreaker.
The murderer also knows that the victim will be helpless. Because guns are banned on campus it is understood that said murderer will be the only student with a gun, giving them the power.
Allowing students to carry on campus would provide them with a greater sense of security as well as a plausible means of defense against those who would like to harm them.
Don't think so? Take for example a shooting at the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, Va. A former student walked on to campus and shot two faculty members to death. Two students heard the gun shots and both ran to their cars and retrieved their own firearms; together, with a third student, they subdued the killer.
The students had to run to their cars to get their weapons, imagine how much damage the killer could have done in that amount of time. If the students had been able to carry their weapons with them, things could have ended even sooner than they did.
Guns are useful for your general safety as well. Pepper spray is a nice idea, but nothing will make criminal cower more than another person with a gun.
Not just anybody will have these guns. Students legally carrying guns will be the age of 21 or over, will have gone through a SLED background check and have attended a class on how to properly operate a firearm before they are legally allowed to carry.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 18
Brad
posted 2/27/08 @ 1:45 AM EST
I agree 100% Maritza. This is a point that I've been arguing for years now. Let's give the law-abiding students and faculty a means to defend themselves. (Continued…)
Philip
posted 2/27/08 @ 4:27 AM EST
CCW permit holders should be allowed to carry on campus, but students shouldn't be allowed to keep guns in the dorm rooms. I think that's fair. People live so close together in dorms that guns present a much greater risk than any possible nut that goes ballistic. (Continued…)
mason
posted 2/27/08 @ 8:32 AM EST
I understand the need for safety, but allowing guns on school campuses is the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard. Try to consider for one minute the range of emotions on college campuses in a single day. (Continued…)
Terrence Corcoran
posted 2/27/08 @ 8:43 AM EST
It's just like a movie. The bad stuff doesn't stop until the Good Guy shoots the Bad Guy. There is no reason why a permitted gun owner can't have his/her weapon on campus. (Continued…)
Patrick
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:11 AM EST
Three points: A) In your example you failed to acknowledge the gun carrying person who started the shooting to begin with, B) Your example relies completely on the hypothetical assumption that the results of the event would have changed if rules were different and the students were allowed to carry guns or that it was only the guns in their cars that allowed them to subdue the shooter (what about the third student) and C) I don't believe at any point that you addressed current gun control laws pertaining to college campuses
Autumn
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:19 AM EST
I'm not sure if I agree that students should be able to carry guns, even if certified. One of the most recent shootings in Illinois, the student purchased the gun legally, and was certified. (Continued…)
Leigh
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:42 AM EST
Bad example choice. I'd have to say, considering that the student who shot the two teachers did not go on a killing spree while the 3 others rushed to and from their cars, that this first student went in with a plan to shoot those people and only those people. (Continued…)
JS85
posted 2/27/08 @ 11:57 AM EST
Awesome point. And hey, while we're at it let's make duels legal again. We could turn every campus in the United States into Tombstone, Arizona. It'll be fun, seriously. (Continued…)
Prince
posted 2/27/08 @ 12:36 PM EST
I agree 100% also. The Students that took the opportunity to get the sled background check and took the class should be able to do it. i think it will help out with campus safety. (Continued…)
paul
posted 2/27/08 @ 1:19 PM EST
Some things are best left out. The carrying of guns on school campus is not the best idea. The lights are out on top if you think this will solve anything. (Continued…)
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