Keep students unarmed. The N.H. State House passed a bill this month, despite objections from all of the public places of higher learning in New Hampshire, that would make it legal to carry a weapon on college campuses.
Although the bill has yet to pass the state Senate, which will most likely reject the decision, the fact remains that we are just a few short votes away from having our campus open to firearms, and I for one am irate about the possibility of such a scenario.
The University System, which I have the privilege to represent on this campus, is not the only group to take a loud and clear stance on this issue. Keene State College students just last year, when the bill first became a feasible possibility, took a stand as well.
When surveyed by this paper last year, in a story titled “Carrying on Campus,” 72% of students said they opposed the idea of carrying guns on campus, while 90% of students said they would feel less safe. This is a clear stand and should send a message to those in the House that this is unwanted on campus, by both faculty and students.
The bill would allow legislators to make all decisions regarding carrying a firearm in public places and would essentially hold those who make the decisions on our campuses now, the administration and Campus Safety, without power.
Putting my own feelings on gun control aside, those who voted for this decision should have kept the advice of the University System and allowed them to make the decisions on a campus-by-campus basis and essentially leave the responsibility in the hands of those who have it now. In their pursuit of “greater freedom,” they have ignored the freedoms of our supposedly semi-autonomous institutions of higher learning to make these decisions for themselves. This is the logical approach to this issue and should have been the easy answer.
Last month, members of the local “Free State Project” marched on the campus of Plymouth State University with loaded firearms, in a blatant violation of the policies of that institution. This prompted parents to urge their children not to attend school, which happened to be during finals, because they feared for their safety.
This is not the way our places of higher learning are supposed to operate and fear is certainly not something we should feel on any of our campuses.
I urge my fellow students to speak out on this issue either by signing any of the petitions currently circulating campus, writing to our State Senator Molly Kelly, or by taking part in of the actions that will take place in the coming weeks designed in part to voice opposition.
The students of this campus have spoken loud and clear on this issue, and it is evident that they do not want to live in fear. Legislators of the Granite State, I implore you to reverse this decision and help restore a feeling of safety to our colleges and universities.
Jordan Posner can be contacted at jposner@ksc.mailcrusier.com