Starting in August 2016, Texas
legislation is allowing students and faculty to carry concealed firearms within
the campus boundaries of the University of Texas at Austin. There have been
several campus shootings in the past decade and the real question is if
allowing multiple people to carry firearms around school campuses is the
correct approach to handling the threat of an armed criminal? I believe that the
Texas government should not allow people any form of firearms in campus.
First off, allowing licensed gun
carriers on campus would change the atmosphere of the classrooms. Professors
and students who are aware that one of their peers had a concealed firearm would
psychologically fear that the gun wielders poses more power than them. As
stated in The New York Times, “professors
would fear inviting students into their offices to talk about a failing grade
if they think that students are armed.” The idea that at any moment even student could
pull out their weapon and threaten others who are unarmed should not be the
situation the University of Texas should deal with. The implementation of guns
is meant to make everybody feel safe but instead, these concealed firearms allow
fear to strike others.
Texas government should commit more
resources and funds to increase security measures and law enforcements.
Security measures such as increased cameras, telecoms, and metal detection in
campus buildings allows potential threats to be detected and dealt with
quickly. By increasing the amount of police patrol within the University of
Texas campus, more professional forces would be used to combat attackers. Law
enforces are apt and highly trained to deal with shooting incidents and
therefore work cooperatively and limit the amount of casualties within a
shooting.
The second amendment ensures that
Texans will continuously have their gun rights. But times have changed since
the America Revolution. Mass school shootings were nonexistent in the 18th
century. Is it right to completely abide to a law that was created centuries
ago that was based on the American founding father’s conflicts? Times have
changed, similarly Texas should change their thoughts on approving gun control
within the University of Texas.
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ReplyDelete"Professors and students who are aware that one of their peers had a concealed firearm would psychologically fear that the gun wielders poses more power than them."
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand this mentality. Students in the past could have been carrying weapons on them but the only difference now is that they can do so legally. Also take in account that the majority of students are not even eligible to carry a concealed weapon due to age requirements. Most people that get their CHL don't even carry a weapon due to the "novelty" wearing off, most quickly learn of the inconvenience carrying a concealed weapon has. So what we have here is fear based on the fact that a small minority of students that are eligible to carry might be carrying legally.
“professors would fear inviting students into their offices to talk about a failing grade if they think that students are armed.”
What about prior to the law? Student's could have been carrying then but now they can do so legally. Were they fearful then? I'd also like to expand on my first statement and bring up some interesting numbers to help put in perspective why it's absurd to be so fearful. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Travis county's population last in 2014 was just over a million.
Also, the sum of CHL holders in Travis county from the past four years (these numbers are given annually but I have accumulated from the past four years due to four years being the length one's CHL remains valid before renewal is needed) is 20,811. These numbers can be found through Texas Department of Public Safety's website.
Using the Classical Probability formula, we can deduce the following given the information provided.
P(E) = n(E)/ n(S)
P(E) = n(20,811) / n( 1,151,145)
P(E) = 1 .8%
Symbols:
E: Events
S: Sample Space
N: Number
n(E) number of times an event can occur
n(S) number of times possible simple events that can occur.
There is a 1.8 % probability that any given person in Travis county has a CHL. That is has a CHL, not that they are carrying. Given this number, one has to ask oneself if it really makes a lot of sense to be so fearful? One has higher odds of a payout in Vegas! Please note that these numbers are very rudimentary as a more proper analysis would also take in account multi-variables such CHL ownership of bordering counties, political ideology demographics of UT student body, CHL holders moving out of district and other such variables that are the beyond the scope of this blogpost/comment. Also note that the author of this blogpost/comment is not supportive or against "Campus Carry". I really don't have any strong feelings one way or the other. I often find myself playing Devil's Advocate for sides I don't agree with (again I have no definitive stance on Campus Carry) but do so if I feel as if one side not been given a proper representation.
"The second amendment ensures that Texans will continuously have their gun rights. But times have changed since the America Revolution. Mass school shootings were nonexistent in the 18th century."
Mass school shootings were nonexistent in the 18th but violence wasn't. Human nature is still very much the same with the only differences is that we have grown more creative in how we go about inflicting pain and suffering with each other and the degree in which we hear about it. It would be in everyone's benefit if people in general tuned out some of the news they expose themselves to. I'm not suggesting people be ignorant--just be moderate and mindful of what you're filling your brain with. That way, a 1.8% probability of classmate having a CHL won't pack the campuses across the state full of fear.
ReplyDeleteI chose to read an article on the current law/controversy surrounding the Campus Carry bill. For some background information, Texas will allow students and faculty to carry concealed firearms (with campus permission) starting in August 2016. The author of the article believes that the Texas government should not allow people “any forms of firearms on campus” His first argument against campus carry consists of a “changing atmosphere” within the classroom. He argues that once both professors and students are aware of the individuals carrying, they would become psychologically fearful of them. “Professors would fear inviting students into their offices to talk about a failing grade if they think that students are armed.” I feel this is a great point made, as professors/TA’s are constantly holding office hours. Typically, office hours/meetings are not always about the happiest subjects. Either a student is confused, or concerned about his or her grades in the class. College is an emotional place, and students are constantly under stress and pressure. His second argument consists of the current local government increasing security measures around the state. This would consist of a strong campus police force with professionals trained to react to “school shooter” type scenarios. These two arguments presented by the author are strong and well written. I feel both arguments can be agreed to by both parties in Texas, as they consist of common sense ideas.