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Campus Carry
The debate surrounding gun laws in the United States is a serious one with both sides of the argument making valid points. People own and use guns for various reasons such as personal protection, activities such as hunting, among others. The constitution guarantees Americans the right to own firearms, and this is the most prominent argument against gun control laws. Although guns are useful for self-protection, there has been a rise in cases of gun violence over the past few years, which has triggered calls for gun reform in the country. States have varying laws that regulate guns, in addition to federal laws. Of most concern to those in support of gun reform is the rise in cases of school shootings, and this has triggered questions on whether guns should be allowed on school campuses for the protection of students. Despite such concerns, guns should not be allowed on campuses, and the country should enforce more gun policies such as universal background checks, age limits and ‘may-issue’ laws to reduce gun violence in the country.
Texas is one of the states with more lax gun laws in the country, and it is also one of the most heavily armed. It is estimated that between 35 and 43% of Texans own firearms, with about 1.2 million holding concealed carry permits as of mid-2017. These numbers from Texas are way higher than the national average, which stands at roughly 30% as per findings reported by the Pew Research Center (Gramlich & Schaeffer). The organization has carried out multiple surveys into the gun culture in the United States, which sheds more light into the situation. Gun violence has been a significant issue, with more than 40,000 deaths reported in 2017 as a result. These deaths come from mass shootings, homicides, suicides, among other forms of gun violence. According to another report from Pew, the majority of Americans believe that stricter gun laws would result in fewer deaths. School shootings have taken the country by storm in the past few years. Some of the worst shootings in history include Virginia Tech that claimed 33 lives in 2007, the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting that killed 28 in 2012, and Stone man Douglas High School massacre in Florida that left 17 dead in 2018. These are a few of the many examples that illustrate the heightened threat of shootings in learning institutions in the country, opening up questions on whether guns should be allowed on campuses.
The fight to allow firearms on Texas school campuses has been a long one, and it culminated in a law being passed in support. Senator Brian Birdwell was one of the most vocal proponents of such a law, insisting that every citizen has the constitutional and God-given right to protect themselves. The Senator’s bill in 2013 received support and opposition from different quarters in equal measure. As of the first of August 2016 and 2017, four and two-year colleges respectively were required by Texas law to allow concealed weapons within their campuses. The law allows any person over the age of 21 or 18 for military persons to carry their concealed weapon on campus. Guns are allowed in different parts of campus such as dorms, classrooms and offices, but colleges can make their own rules on gun-free zones (Lewis & DeLuna 135). However, all weapons must be concealed at all times. The main point of support for allowing weapons on campus is to give students and other people a chance to protect themselves in case of shootings that have become more frequent over the years.
Allowing guns on campus is a mistake as it will likely result in more injuries and even fatalities. The most persuasive argument advanced in favour of allowing guns on college campuses is that it gives potential victims a fighting chance. Many people would agree with this point, but upon closer examination, the risks outweigh the benefits. An article appearing on Chron magazine in 2013 supports the prohibition of carrying guns on campus. A shooting at the Lone Star College campus resulted in injuries of three people. The initial suspect arrested Carlton Berry, was later found innocent and Trey Foster found guilty of the shooting. Foster legally purchased a firearm from a sporting store which he later used during an altercation with a student at Lone Star (Rogers). Despite past arrests and misdemeanours, Foster was still able to purchase the gun and had even applied for a concealed handgun license. This shows that the presence of weapons on campus, even those held by licensed individuals, could still lead to gun violence. When a person has a weapon in their possession, they are likely to reach for their gun at the slightest provocation, which is what happened at Lone Star College. Laws allowing weapons on campus are therefore more likely to increase cases of gun violence over protecting students and other innocent people from shooters.
The country should implement stricter gun laws to counter gun violence. An example of gun reform that should be implemented is universal background checks (Gabor 27). The state of Texas does not require background checks for private sales, and this is the same in many other states. This loophole allows convicted felons and other criminals to purchase firearms freely. Universal background checks would allow for flagging of any criminals trying to purchase firearms, and this would be a major deterrent. The government would also have to maintain a database on persons not allowed to purchase weapons, and sellers would use this before making sales.
Age limits on the purchase of guns would also be beneficial in reducing cases of gun violence. Under current gun laws, persons of any age can purchase a firearm. For example, in Texas, buyers do not need a permit to get a firearm, neither do are they required to register their weapons. These are examples of lax laws that allow underage individuals to access and purchase guns which can be very dangerous. Teenagers are at increased risk of suicide and other forms of gun violence; therefore, they should not be allowed unsupervised access to firearms. Many states have ‘shall-issue’ laws, and these should be replaced with ‘may-issue’ laws to reduce gun violence (Gabor, 32). ‘Shall-issue’ states require that a person be given a license to carry a weapon as long as they meet all the requirements. However, ‘may-issue’ states gives law enforcement the discretion to issue licenses, and one may be denied even after fulfilling all requirements. Persons are required to justify why they need a weapon in such cases. Law enforcement officers have the chance to decide whether or not a person can be given a license based on various things such as past arrests and criminal record.
In conclusion, gun violence is a serious issue that requires a sober approach. Guns are an important part of American culture, but it is important that guns are not misused. Gun owners and those who support the right to bear arms insist that guns offer protection, and this is indeed a valid point. However, the gun culture in the United States is a dangerous one compared to other countries such as Switzerland which is one of the most heavily armed countries with very low levels of gun violence. The US should implement stricter laws on gun ownership to reduce rates of gun violence.
Works Cited
Gabor, Thomas. Confronting gun violence in America. Springer, 2016.
Gramlich, John & Schaeffer, Katherine. “7 Facts About Guns in the United States.” Pew Research Center. 22 October 2019. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/10/22/facts-about-guns-in-united-states/Lewis, Shaundra K., and Daniel Alejandro DeLuna. “Symposium on Texas Gun Law and the Future: The Fatal Flaws in Texas’s Campus Carry Law.” T. Marshall L. Rev. 41 (2015): 135.
Rogers, Brian. “Charges dropped against suspect in Lone Star College shooting.” Chron. 29 January 2013. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Charges-dropped-against-suspect-in-Lone-Star-4228996.php
