The National Rifle Association (NRA) Institute of Legislative Action says House Bill 334 “would strengthen current statewide preemption by further prohibiting local governments or state agencies from enacting ordinances or regulations for the use of firearms,” in other words, open carry on places like a college campus.
Allowing the carry of firearms on college campuses kind of defeats the purpose of providing a safe campus for everyone. Look at it in the perspective of a jail. Given, college students are not inmates; however, the analogy still works. Many jail systems do not allow even criminal justice professionals to pack heat while in the jail. The jail works so hard to maintain a level of security and by adding guns into the mix of the jail, inmates always know where they could find a firearm. If a student couldn’t obtain a firearm due to any reason, that individual would have a clear indication of where she or he would be able to get one while on campus. Which means that you don’t have to purchase a firearm yourself, because there will be some around campus that you could obtain.
The idea of gun carry on campus implies that all students on campus are mature enough and emotionally stable enough to be handed the responsibility of carrying a concealed weapon.
Most individuals who carry guns know the huge responsibility it comes with. However, not all young adults would be able to fulfil that responsibility and/or make the appropriate decision if a time came to use it. There have been no studies that have shown that allowing firearms on campuses has provided a safer place for students, nor has there been a study done that shows it doesn’t.
Adding alcohol and firearms sounds like a recipe for pure disaster. Any interaction between two or more students that doesn’t go according to plan could result in a devastating outcome. Alcohol impairs ones ability to make decisions, and having a firearm on a person could lead to a rash decision to use it.
If students are able to carry firearms on campus it could become the new fashion trend. This would lead students to envy the look of packing heat and join the bandwagon for looks rather than for protection or safety. If students start carrying guns because “everyone else is doing it” we are going to be facing a much larger problem.
Keene State College is a beautiful place to reside; full of energy and eagerness to learn. Bringing guns to this campus would negatively affect it and would change the moral of the campus. There is no need to have a firearm on this campus.
Lexi Wessell can be contacted at lwessel@ksc.mailcrusier.com
