Obedience Can Kill
Obedience Can Kill
Obedience Can Kill As is common in our modern society, the government has laws and regulations in place for our safety. Many of these laws are well thought out and effective. But what happens when these same laws hamper our own ability to protect ourselves? Our obedience to the law can kill us. I firmly believe that my fellow students and the faculty of my college should have the ability to protect themselves from those who would do them harm. Students and faculty with a legal right to carry concealed weapons should be allowed to continue those rights on the campuses of colleges and universities across America. As stated in the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The fact of the matter is that our right to bear our arms is infringed. Our government has taken our right to bear our arms on campus. Normally this would not be an issue other than a debate of rights. But, with the rise of shooting rampages and campus violence the matter has become a life-and-death issue for many. An organization called Students for Gun Free Schools has released an essay with several concerns. The essay complains that:
Allowing concealed carry permit holders to bring handguns onto college campuses would raise a host of public safety concerns for institutions that have a legal duty to provide secure environments for their students, faculty and visitors. As noted in a 2007 report by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, there are four reasons why gun violence would be likely to increase if more guns were present on college campuses: (1) The prevalence of drugs and alcohol; (2) The risk of suicide and mental health issues; (3) The likelihood of gun thefts, and; (4) An increased risk of accidental shootings.(2008, p. 2)
While all these concerns are natural worries that should be considered, let me point out
Obedience Can Kill As is common in our modern society, the government has laws and regulations in place for our safety. Many of these laws are well thought out and effective. But what happens when these same laws hamper our own ability to protect ourselves? Our obedience to the law can kill us. I firmly believe that my fellow students and the faculty of my college should have the ability to protect themselves from those who would do them harm. Students and faculty with a legal right to carry concealed weapons should be allowed to continue those rights on the campuses of colleges and universities across America. As stated in the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The fact of the matter is that our right to bear our arms is infringed. Our government has taken our right to bear our arms on campus. Normally this would not be an issue other than a debate of rights. But, with the rise of shooting rampages and campus violence the matter has become a life-and-death issue for many. An organization called Students for Gun Free Schools has released an essay with several concerns. The essay complains that:
Allowing concealed carry permit holders to bring handguns onto college campuses would raise a host of public safety concerns for institutions that have a legal duty to provide secure environments for their students, faculty and visitors. As noted in a 2007 report by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, there are four reasons why gun violence would be likely to increase if more guns were present on college campuses: (1) The prevalence of drugs and alcohol; (2) The risk of suicide and mental health issues; (3) The likelihood of gun thefts, and; (4) An increased risk of accidental shootings.(2008, p. 2)
While all these concerns are natural worries that should be considered, let me point out
References: Kopel, David B. (2009). Pretend “Gun-free” school zones: A deadly legal fiction. Connecticut Law Review, 42, 515-584. [PDF document] Retrieved from http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=david_kopel Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. (2009). Why our campuses are NOT safer without concealed handguns. [PDF document] Retrieved from http://www.concealedcampus.org/pdf/sfgfs.pdf Students for Gun Free Schools. (2008). Why our campuses are safer without concealed handguns. [PDF document] Retrieved from http://www.studentsforgunfreeschools.org/SGFSWhyOurCampuses-Electronic.pdf Virginia Tech shootings, (2007, April 21). The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/vatechshootings/victims/index.html Vock, D., & Vu, P. (2007, April 17). Va. Tech tragedy revives gun controversy. Stateline.org (Washington, DC). Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nfh&AN=2W6367904362&site=ehost-live