A Critical Analysis of Gun Control Policies on University Campuses

This essay delves into the contentious debate surrounding gun control on university campuses. It examines the arguments of both proponents and opponents of allowing concealed carry, exploring the implications for student safety, security, and the Second Amendment rights. The essay pr...Read More

Running head: BANNING OF GUNS
BANNING OF GUNS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Response:
David Burnett who has been the director of public relations for students for Concealed Carry on
Campus (SCCC) are of the opinion that mass murder at university can be stopped by giving
allowance to students for carrying concealed guns for self safety. He had stated that the Virginia
university incident could have been prevented if the shooter could have been stopped by students
by directly shooting him. Secondly, he is of the opinion that rapes and sexual assaults at the
Colorado University could have been also diminished. Thirdly, he had provided an argument that
if individuals can drive a car at 16 and get married, join military at 18, they would be enough
responsible for handling guns without causing any gun accidents. These three points make it
important for allowance of concealed carry along with students (Burnett)
Darby Dickerson is an expert in the field of higher education law and policy and elected member
of the American law institute. He is of the opinion that no data had been collected after
researches which suggest that students carrying concealed arms will eventually make them safe.
Moreover, different students have varying levels of maturity and their development of brain and
rational thinking is not yet developed to handle guns responsibly and involving in gun violence
(Dickerson). Thirdly, it in turn becomes results of suicides, homicides, attacks on university
police officers and others. Public safety is threatened by guns where they may be vulnerable to
harm in ands of students with binge drinking, high alcohol consumptions and others.
I agree with the later expert as handling of guns is dangerous and adolescents and young adults
are vulnerable to mood swings and can use their guns in negative sense affecting themselves and
others without being aware of the consequences and acting impulsively.

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Overview:
It is of a great debate that whether concealed carry should be allowed in university campuses or
not. These had gone for long in the nation where different petitions have been filed and
numerous debates have been conducted (Webster). The thesis statement is that whether carrying
of guns should be allowed or not on the university.
Over the year, students have demanded for their rights to carry guns for their safety after the
famous mass shooting of the Virginia University took place (Kellner). While some have allowed
the carrying of guns but many universities have opposed against it. After the mass shooting and
Virginia and following similar cases in other universities, it has become a concern for the
students and also the universities to make sure of the safety of their lives (Burnett). They belief
self defense is the best defense any individual can attend to and hence after many debates,
universities has passed laws in favour of it (Mobile.Nytimes.Com). However the pathway of
making such law in university campuses has not been easy. There has been petitions, protests,
severe debates, discussion among exerts and many others.
Supporters are of the opinion that when individuals are responsible for carrying essential duties
of their lives like driving, maintaining academics, joining military, taking decisions about career
and others, they should be similarly responsible for it. Sexual assaults and harassment is another
genre that had also been another cause for making guns allowable in offices. Perpetrators can be
kept away if the victims use their guns for self protection. This is believed to reduce the levels of
harassments and rapes in universities as well (Dahl).
Still critics of these decisions are holding their position strongly on their version of the debate
that making guns allowable in campuses will not make students safe. Adolescent and young

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adults are highly vulnerable to mood swings as their hormonal flow of the age makes them
impulsive and quick decision maker. Adrenaline rushes are very difficult to control and
judgmental power before taking decisions in adverse moments are difficult for them (Proffitt).
Their brain still remains in a developing stage and all individuals may not have similar levels of
maturity (Dickerson). Taking all individuals on the same cognitive power level seems to be folly
for the part of the supporters of the using if guns in campus. Different individuals behave
differently in any strenuous situations and therefore guns become easier way to harm someone or
harm one own self. Therefore, it becomes very important to consider all areas of harm done by
possession of guns before allowing them in the college campus.
Argument:
Many arguments provided by experts such as David Brunette have raised a concern as allowance
had been made on my university campuses about the use of guns. He is of the opinion that use of
guns will keep them safe form terrorist attacks where they can counterattack the terrorists to save
their lives. Moreover, he is also of the opinion that possessing guns to save themselves is a right
of every student. The Washington post by David Kopel had given incidents where the rape
victims have appropriately used their concealed carry that resulted in incomplete rape sessions,
and 26 cases were noted where victims did not suffer any additional injury during deploying
their weapon when rape was attempted on them (Kopel). An argument took place with a rape
victim and the state senator that had she had a weapon with her she could have correctly used it
to stop the perpetrator who later raped two more women in the campus. Sheriffs had told the
court that all the law abiding adults who were given the permission to carry guns should not be
stopped from retaining their rights even at the university campuses (Ncls.org).

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However, retired Navy Admiral William McRaven in his interview with the Morning Edition is
not a supporter of the view. Although he said that he had handled guns throughout his lifetime,
but allowing guns on campus did not seem a good idea to him. His pint of view can be rightly
supported as college goers are not matured enough to handle the responsibility of guns in the
young age. Although David Brunette say that f they can get married and take decision at 16, they
can rightly conduct guns. However this argument can never be supported. The discussions of
Darby Dickerson can be used to protest against the previous comment. No credible evidences
have been found which state that having concealed carry makes them safe and reduced crime but
will in turn increase them. The safety of the public can be threatened by the possession of guns
by students who get engaged in fights outside or inside campus (Dickerson). Not all college
goers can be considered mature to handle situations responsible as the age itself portrays
impulsiveness, vulnerability, improper rational thinking, inability to far sight things and others.
Fights may occur in campuses within students may be due to love triangles, exhibition of
strengths an power, heavy competitions and others where guns become easy weapon to affect the
competitor. Death of college students by applications of concealed weapons during high binge
drinking and alcohol related situations are high ("Guns On Texas Campuses Won't Make Them
Safer, University Chancellor Says"). Often using guns can be used by many college goers
negatively to blackmail fellow students by making them perform unethical works, cheating in
academics and many others. The hormonal influx and adrenaline rush may often seem to be
some of the factors that make such college-goers vulnerable to improper use of guns (Horran and
Leah).
From the view point of both the supporters and critics, one can suggest that every university, in
place of fighting out over the decade old debates, should make the security systems much stricter

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to avoid the entry of terrorist in college campus. Recent artificial intelligence and advanced
technologies can be implemented by universities in the entrance systems so that only known
person can enter. Moreover, appointing stricter university campus polices and increasing them in
number would also help in regular checking of bags and belongings to prevent the entry of
harmful weapons in the campus. Proper security posting in each corners of university can reduce
incidence of rapes. This according to me would be much better and less debatable option to
prevent violence on campus.

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References:
"A Bid For Guns On Campuses To Deter Rape." Mobile.Nytimes.Com, 2017,
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/us/in-bid-to-allow-guns-on-campus-weapons-are-linked-
to-fighting-sexual-assault.html
"Guns On Campus: Overview." Ncsl.Org, 2017, http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/guns-
on-campus-overview.aspx
"Guns On Texas Campuses Won't Make Them Safer, University Chancellor Says." NPR.Org,
2017, https://www.npr.org/2015/06/05/412177034/guns-on-texas-campuses-wont-make-them-
safer-university-chancellor-says
Burnett, David. "Opposing Viewpoints In Context - Document." Ic.Galegroup.Com, 2017,
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?
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display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE
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Dahl, Patricia P., Gene Bonham, Jr, and Frances P. Reddington. "Community college faculty:
Attitudes toward guns on campus." Community College Journal of Research and Practice 40.8
(2016): 706-717.
Dickerson, Derby. "Opposing Viewpoints In Context - Document." Ic.Galegroup.Com, 2017,
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?

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display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE
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Horan, Sean M., and Leah E. Bryant. "Guns on campus: creating research to inform
practice." Communication Education 66.4 (2017): 488-490.
Kellner, Douglas. Guys and guns amok: Domestic terrorism and school shootings from the
Oklahoma City bombing to the Virginia Tech massacre. Routledge, 2015.
Kopel, David, and David Kopel. "Guns On University Campuses: The Colorado
Experience." Washington Post, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-
conspiracy/wp/2015/04/20/guns-on-university-campuses-the-colorado-experience/?
utm_term=.401d70601b37
Proffitt, Jennifer M., et al. "11 Preventing Violence or Promulgating Fear? ALEC, the NRA, and
Guns on Campus." (2017).
Webster, Daniel W., et al. "Firearms on college campuses: Research evidence and policy
implications." Center for Gun Policy and Research, Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved from
www. jhsph. edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-
research/_pdfs/GunsOnCampus. pdf (2016).