More Guns, Less Crime...Right?

UT Shooting Reignites Debate Over Guns on Campus

Mark Ward, staff member of the American Statesman, writes about what happened on Tuesday, September 28th at the University of Texas at Austin. The article itself makes me really think about the pros and cons of concealed handguns being allowed on campuses. "Coincidentally, the high-profile shooting occurred just hour before John Lott, a nationally known author and advocate of concealed-weapons laws, was the speak at UT." No one knows for sure if the two incidents are related but it certainly is ironic. Mark Ward appears to support concealed weapons on campuses even though he discusses both sides of the spectrum. "Governor Rick Perry said Tuesday that he supports allowing properly licensed students to carry concealed weapons on campus; his challenger, Bill White, said he favors letting each campus decide whether or not to ban licensed guns." He goes on to discuss how the bill was opposed by Texas' colleges and universities and was passed in the Senate yet died out once it got to the House. Senator Dan Patrick and other lawmakers are claiming that an incident like the UT shooting pinpoints exactly why we need to make a change in state law. Ward quoted Lott, "Would you put up a sign in front of your house saying, 'This is a gun-free zone'? This simply informs the criminal, "hey, there is no one here that could defend themselves if you decide to open fire." Wards intended audience is directed to American people as a whole, everyone has an opinion on whether or not guns should be allowed in public, and especially on university campuses. 

My opinion changed on the subject after reading the article due to Wards points. My first instinct was to oppose against carrying concealed weapons on campus but when i really thought about it, if an unstable individual wanted to carry a gun onto campus he is going to whether the law permits it or not. Yet if the bill is passed and concealed weapons are allowed for licensed holders, those potential victims could turn the situation around and become heroes.