There is considerable increase in crime rate in campuses within the United States, especially with regard to murders, robbery, as well as aggravated and sexual assault. This situation has led to the debate regarding whether to allow students to carry guns in a bid to protect and defend themselves from criminals while in college (Birnbaum 13). It is important to note that in the state of Utah, students, faculty members, and visitors who have licenses to carry concealed weapons are allowed to carry firearms on campus. From the outset, it is also important to note that many, if not all, states allow students to carry guns under exceptional circumstances. The increase in shootings and killings on campuses has led to increased agitation regarding the need to carry guns on campuses as more and more students feel the need to defend themselves from such unfortunate incidences. Ultimately, although the government bears the duty to protect everyone, each person has the right to defend him or herself and this is one of the things that informed the decision of the forefathers while enacting the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allows people to keep and bear arms.
Accordingly allowing students and faculty members to carry guns in campuses will enable them not only to defend themselves but will also give them the opportunity to stop assailants before the latter kills or injures more people. An example of how the policy to carry guns on campus can be effective is the case of Pearl High School where a sixteen-year-old student shot and killed three people including his mother and injured several others but the vice principal was able to use his handgun to stop the student from causing more harm (Borum 29). It is important to note that the vice principal did not fire any shot but managed to overpower and restrain the student before handing him over to the police. On the other hand, the Virginia Tech shootings that led to the death of 32 people and injuries to 17 others including students and faculty members, committed by a twenty-three year old student, is an example of how unsafe campuses can become (“We Remember”). Allowing students and faculty members who have permits to carry concealed guns on campus would have given the victims a chance to defend themselves.
It is noteworthy that the people who have the concealed carry permits have guns and have the responsibility to carry such guns anywhere. This is particularly because individuals are supposed to use their firearms to defend themselves from any assailants anywhere, otherwise there is no need of owning a gun that one only leaves at home and cannot use when need arises. Accordingly, anyone with the intention of using his gun to commit a crime will think twice before doing it knowing that other people have their guns with them. In this regard, allowing students to carry firearms in campus will also act as a deterrent measure. However, some people do not believe that existence of guns in colleges can deter criminals from committing crimes and therefore do not believe that potential shooters have the benefit of second thoughts even when they are facing the prospect of being confronted by armed students and/or faculty members. However, even when potential shooters cannot be deterred, armed students have a high likelihood of retaliating to prevent the shooters from causing more harm.
Targeting the Vulnerable Where Guns Are Banned
It is hard to disregard the fact that mass shooters and other criminals are increasingly targeting college students and other victims who are not in a position to defend themselves. A good example regarding the fact that people with guns deter criminals from committing crimes is the shooting that occurred at the Charleston, S.C., church where it has emerged that the primary target of the shooter was a college not a church. Apparently, the killer did not proceed to the College of Charleston because he realized that the guards in charge of the college were armed. Instead, he proceeded to the church because he believed that there would be possibility that the people there would not be armed. Accordingly, there are those who argue that allowing conceal-carry gun policy in campus would increase the number of firearms in such institutions and this would be stressful to the teachers (McCarthy). However, it is clear that most, if not all, school shootings are happening in campuses with ‘no gun’ policy. As such, it makes much sense to allow students and faculty members who have permits for concealed carry to bear their guns even when they are within the campuses.
No Proper Training
The opponents of allowing students to carry guns on campuses argue that students do not have proper training regarding how to use firearms (Nevada System of Higher Education 2015). This observation is true but it is not a compelling reason not to allow concealed guns on campuses given that with the exception of the police and other security forces, majority of the civilians who own and carry firearms also do not have proper training on how to handle guns. Accordingly, the argument that the high population of people in campuses makes it a high risk to allow students to carry guns is flawed because when they are not within campuses, students are not prohibited from carrying concealed guns in other populated areas such as market places where the population is also high. Further, the opponents argue that employing more security guards to work on campuses is the solution to deter possible shooters but fail to acknowledge the fact that like students guards are generally not well trained and are usually poorly paid and poorly motivated. As such, guard positions seem to be lonely and require people with special personalities and proper training. Ultimately, training students regarding how and when to draw a firearm is an important aspect but is not a compelling reason to deny students their right of self-defense, precisely because the right does not only exist when they are outside the campus and cease when they are in college, it exists in all places.
An Extension of the Society
A policy to allow students carry concealed guns in campuses should not only be adopted because of the possibility of mass shooters but because of the murders and grievous assault crimes that have become prevalent in campuses. Those opposing the permitting of guns in campuses should bear in mind that campuses are an extension of the society. The fact that campuses do not exist exclusive of the society means that there are largely peaceful people in campuses but there is also a section of criminals within the population and it is important to protect and to give a chance to the peace-loving students to defend themselves from the possible actions of the criminals. Notably, those opposing the decision to allow students to conceal-carry guns argue that campuses are largely safe places as compared to other areas and that ensuring students do not carry guns to campuses is important for safety and education (OJJDP Report). This argument is faulty because they suppose that those licensed to carry a gun should only carry their firearms to places where violent crimes are prevalent. The truth of the matter is that people decide to carry their firearms just in case they face a situation where their lives are threatened, such threat may arise from any place including in movie theatres, restaurants, or even in campuses.
Work Cited
Birnbaum, Robert. “Ready, Fire, Aim: The College Campus Gun Fight.”17 Nov. 2012. Web. 20
Apr. 2016. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED537905.pdf
Borum Randy, Dewey Cornell, William Modzeleski, and Shane Jimerson. “What Can Be Done
About School Shootings?: A Review Of The Evidence.” Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications 531, 2010. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1533&context=mhlp_facpub
McCarthy, Christopher. “School Shootings: Teachers Do Not Need Another Reason to Burn
Out.” UTNews. 9 Oct. 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://news.utexas.edu/2015/10/09/teachers-do-not-need-another-reason-to-burn-out
Nevada System of Higher Education. “NSHE Arguments Against Concealed Weapons on
Campus.” Legislative Session. 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. http://system.nevada.edu/Nshe/index.cfm/data-reports/legislative-reports1/legislative-fact-sheets/fact-sheet-concealed-weapons-on-campus/
“School-Based Enforcement Programs”. OJJDP Report. n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect05-c.html
“We Remember”. VirginiaTech. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. https://www.weremember.vt.edu/
