The average university backpack

The typical university backpack

The typical university backpack may include texts, notebooks, and a laptop, but there is a thought to include a gun in the ability. Since a troubled student killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007, state legislators have introduced legislation that would allow concealed weapons to be carried on campuses, including dormitories and lecture halls. The law has struggled to pass in almost 55 events across 29 states, with proposals now pending in ten counties. The majority of congresses that the bill had been failed to pass a plan to reintroduce legislation (Rostron and Brian). There is no federal law that bans firearms on college campuses. Twenty states have banned the practice, except for the public and safety officers, together with the 23 states that leave the decision with the universities that opt to be ’gun free’, only Utah needs the public schools to adopt the regulation on guns.

Advocates for the gun rights

According to Rostron and Brian (2007), the advocates for the gun rights believe that the students and the institutions need to be accorded similar prerogative to conceal guns on colleges as it would be legally possessed. In their perception, acquiring weapons on the universities seems to be an extension of the observation of the constitutional mandates of firearm ownership.

Historical background

American teachers are currently feeling the urge of standing up in large numbers to express their disappointments about violence due to the gun and the demand for tighter gun control regulations. The educators in the country refuse to have a classroom transformed into a battlefield by the gun lobby individuals and the NRA, and they are against putting their nations and students’ future at risk. It comes with several revelations concerning the power of owning such armory due to misuse and lack of self-control among the youths. There have been various shooting cases reported since January 1, 2015: approximately 23 cases registered in US campuses. The most devastating event of shooting was experienced on October 1 at the Umpqua community college in Roseburg, Oregon with nine students left dead between age 18 to 59years including the amicable English professor.

Issue of guns in the universities

The issue of guns in the universities cannot be fully solved or understood without first analyzing the historical background of schools and campus shootings. In the United States, the idea has been there since the introduction of the education systems. It is significant to put much emphasis on the recent school massacres as the most observable phenomenon. There have been frequent reports of gun violence in the school classrooms. We can consider the situation where student Mathew Ward brought a self-cocking pistol and used it to kill his headmaster. The scenario was more of a revenge mission against the teacher who had earlier punished his younger brother, and the revenge killings were witnessed over the century. It was such frustrating moments, and the educators had to live with the fear of facing gunshot as a counterforce for punishment.

Universities shouldn’t allow students to carry concealed handguns on campus

The regulations across the country infer to the pro-gun lobby’s interpretation of the second amendment as being incorrect. And it stands to be right in drawing such conclusions. But the United States versus Emerson overturned the long applied understanding of the second amendment and ruled such laws apply to individuals. The gun lobby is currently pushing for bills in the state laws across the nation that would allow guns onto the universities. Concerning the safety of students, it is better to consult the professionals on the issue. Allowing the firearms into the colleges would make it challenging for the police officers to identify the culprits: distinguishing between criminals and innocent students. We need to appreciate the effort of the law enforcement officers for the courage and quick responses to the shooting incidents, but not initiate laws that complicate their roles.

Opposition to concealed carry on campus

The whole states university departments of Florida are against the concealed carry on campus. And the security chiefs in the entire nation unanimously agree: in the poll conducted in the year 2009, approximately 5% imagined that allowing the students to carry guns was a way of reducing and preventing shootings. About 95% of the university presidents are against the issue of a concealed weapon in campuses. And in the year 2013, presented a poll conducted on the students at 15 Midwestern colleges portrays that 78% of the learners oppose concealed guns on colleges (Collier 121). It is a clear indication that majority of the students themselves also find it challenging to spend in the same learning environment with guns. It keeps everyone wondering the reason for support the firearms in schools while our policemen, teacher, and students vote against the idea.

Arguments against concealed carry on campus

The individuals in support of the guns cite sexual harassment as the primary reason for allowing the firearms into our classes and lecture rooms. But in fact, the presence of weapons in the domestic violence scenario increases the chances death to the woman by about 500% through the homicide. Therefore, we need to keep such guns very far away from the domestic violators as well as the on the campuses. Some lobbyists claim that the licensed gun owners who carry them to school should not be found with any criminal, mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse records. Also, they must undergo training on the safe use of the guns. But in a recent study on the same issue, reveals that the South Florida Sentinel has licensed gun holders totaling to more than 1,400 persons pleaded guilty or had no felonies contest. Approximately 216 people had outstanding warrants against them; the number of active domestic violence injunctions against them was 128, and the other six sex offenders who were registered owners. It is the right time to speak up against the concealment of guns in the universities and schools as a whole since the fight is beyond the Florida states. It is true that similar bills are currently moving through the congresses in various states across the country. In other fourteen states, lawmakers are struggling to pass amendments that will allow the concealed carry on campus into laws. They include Indiana, Arkansas, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming, Texas and West Virginia (Smith 238).

Conclusion

Conclusively, the essential point here is that the mass college shootings are rare scenarios, but an individual that is determined to engage in violence would not be scare with the fact that other students are in possession of guns.

Works cited

Cobb, Christopher L. Unconcealed Perspectives on Concealed Carry Firearms on Campus: A Case Study. Diss. University of Northern Colorado, 2014.

Collier, Charles W. “The Death of Gun Control: An American Tragedy.” Critical Inquiry 41.1 (2014): 102-131.

Smith, Termika N. “To conceal and carry or not to conceal and carry on higher education campuses, that is the question.” Journal of Academic Ethics 10.3 (2012): 237-242.

Rostron, Allen, and Brian Siebel. “No Gun Left Behind-The Gun Lobby’s Campaign to Push Guns into Colleges and Schools.” (2007).