Conceal and carry on campus?
Opinions are mixed
by Megan Graves, posted May 8, 2009
Students and faculty legally carrying concealed weapons on a college campus — the idea first brings haunting images of tragedies at schools such as Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University. But, the afterthought might be, “Could I be safer?” Missouri State Representative Brian Munzlinger thinks you would.
Rep. Munzlinger recently introduced legislation that would legalize the right to carry a concealed weapon on Missouri college campuses.
“It’s allowing law abiding citizens to protect themselves,” Munzlinger said. According to the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus Web site, all nine public colleges in Utah, Colorado State University and Blue Ridge Community College legally let licensed people carry concealed weapons on their campuses.
“After allowing concealed carry on campus for a combined total of more than eighty semesters, none of these eleven schools have seen a single resulting incident of gun violence (including suicides), a single gun accident, or a single gun theft,” according to the group's Web site.
In order to carry a concealed weapon, a person must complete a training course to receive the necessary permit. Every state has different laws pertaining to concealed weapons, but in Missouri you must be 23 years old, have eight hours of training, firing qualifications and pay costs that range anywhere from $76 to $100, depending on the county you live in.
The new bill proposes that the legal age to get a permit be lowered to 21. According to Munzlinger, in some states, the age to carry a concealed weapon is lower. Why propose this bill?
“College campuses are where our pride and joys are and they have no ways to protect themselves,” said Munzlinger. “They are soft targets.”
Munzlinger says this bill will let criminals know that students aren’t soft targets, and they might think that the person could be carrying a concealed weapon and stop what they were planning.
But, other people don’t see this as a good idea. Many worry that 21-year-old students aren’t mature or responsible enough to carry a concealed weapon. Also, with the added effects of alcohol on a college campus, some see the potentially devastating effects produced by mixing alcohol and firearms.
“Allowing concealed weapons on campus will undoubtedly bring on a lot more violence that could easily be prevented by not allowing guns,” said Abi Getto, an MU freshman. “I would definitely feel unsafe in nearly every single classroom I entered if this law were passed, knowing that the person next to me — trained and licensed or not — could be wielding a weapon. Students shouldn’t be afraid to enter a classroom.”
