Recent bills could allow firearms on college campuses
04 May 2011 Leave a Comment
There has been plenty of debate going on about whether firearms should be allowed onto college campuses. With gun shootings happening in public areas, schools being a main target, would being able to have a gun help protect the students and staff or potentially do more bad than good?
Senate Bill 1467
One of the bills, Senate Bill 1467, was passed by the legislature but according to Governor Jan Brewer vetoed it on Monday, April 18. When the bill was first written it would have allowed firearms into classrooms, but was later changed to only in public right of ways, according to the Arizona Republic.
The Arizona Republic quoted Jan Brewer saying one of the reasons she vetoed the bill was because it was “poorly written,” and didn’t define public right of way, saying it also could have included K-12 schools.
“Bills impacting our Second Amendment rights have to be crystal clear so that gun owners don’t become lawbreakers by accident,” said Brewer.
Governor Jan Brewer shocked many people when she didn’t sign bill 1467. According to azcentral she typically is known for being lenient on gun control. Brewer has allowed guns in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, and carry concealed weapons without a permit.
Keeping students and faculty safe
According to The Huffington Post, gun control on college campus has been a major issue for the pass four years, ever since the Virginia Tech shooting.
Rebekah Aronson, student at Paradise Valley Community College thinks students should be able to carry guns with them on campus as a safety precaution.
“If something like Virginia Tech ever happened on campus, I would want to be able to protect myself instead of running for cover,” said Aronson.
Another PVCC student, Lindsay Mayper doesn’t think that guns should be allowed on campus unless carried by campus police.
“I wouldn’t feel safe with someone my age carrying a gun out in the open… Who knows what someone would do if they became angry enough,” said Mayper.
Though bill 1467 has been vetoed, that is not going to stop other bills that will lessen restriction for weapons. According to Josselyn Berry, journalist for Downtown Devil, there is currently House Bill 2001, which would allow faculty members to carry a concealed weapon onto a university or college campus; HB 2014, which would prohibit a university or community college from banning the possession of concealed weapons by those with proper permits; and HB 2479, which proposes the same legislation.
“Whether it is legal to bring a gun on campus or not, a law does not prevent someone with ill intent from doing so,” said Kyle James, senior at Arizona State University.
University presidents
Currently universities and community colleges are able to decide whether or not they allow guns onto campus, which none of them do. According to ABC news writer, Nathan O’Neal, Arizona’s main universities presidents from Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University don’t support guns being allowed on campus. Saying they will obey it if the bill ever gets passed, but wont be happy about it.
In the same article from O’Neal, the president of Northern Arizona, John Haeger, was quoted saying “Part of the reason is that I think that it will create a climate on campus that is not what you want on an institution…”
According to The Inquirer, Utah is the only state that allows guns on college campuses. The bill was passed in 2006 and so far has had no affect on campus gun violence. Which brings gun-rights advocates saying that shows fears of mayhem are overly exaggerated.
Gun-rights advocates
Gun-right advocates, according to Fox news back the bill because it would help people defend themselves and prevent them from getting in trouble for having a gun in their vehicle. While other people think guns would put people in more danger, and would make it harder for officers responding to a shooting to identify the shooter.
The Huffington Post did a survey in February 2011 with a public opinion poll, and found that 69 percent of Arizonans oppose guns on campus proposals. Other states including Colorado, Florida, Idaho, New Mexico, West Virginia and Virginia have tried passing a bill to allow guns on campus, but have also failed.
Citizens on gun laws
After the tragic shooting in Tucson this year, Arizona citizens have had gun violence on their minds more than usual. According to a poll CBS News took 47 percent of Americans believe gun control laws should be more strict, 36 percent believe laws should stay the same and 12 percent thought the laws should be made less strict.
Getting guns to be accepted onto college campuses will be a constant battle regardless of the outcome. It will never be able to please everybody. The best everyone can hope for is that gun violence will become less common so less people will be afraid of guns.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20028184-503544.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/18/arizona-guns-on-campus-jan-brewer_n_850808.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/university-presidents-speak-arizona-gun-bills/story?id=12751437
Timeline of school shootings
October 2010- North Carolina, student fatally shot another student in the victims dorm room.
September 2010- Texas, 19-year-old student was fatally shot.
March 2010- Ohio, Maintenance employee shot and killed his manager at school for being fired.
February 2010- Alabama, professor opened fire killing three colleagues and wounding three others
September 2009- Georgia, student opened fire on campus killing a 19-year-old student.
