Campus Carry - Welcome to Texas

Campus Carry - Welcome to Texas

By Zach Freeman, zjf5@txstate.edu

On June 1, 2015, what is commonly referred to as "Campus Carry" was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. Texas Senate Bill 11, which allows students and faculty with concealed carry permits to bring firearms to public universities, has drawn fair amounts of criticism, support, and indifference among the students and faculty at Texas State University in San Marcos.

Roy Smith. Image
and quotes courtesy
of Jason Lanthier

While gun safety and responsibility are important to many at Texas State, opinions differ as to how implement said responsibility. Roy Smith, a senior at Texas State University, had few reservations about the new law. "I don't have my CHL, but if I did, I would," said Smith on the subject of carrying a gun on campus. "[I]t is always frightening thinking about a crazy person with a gun on campus."

Alicia Dorado. Image
and quotes courtesy of
Dionna Womack

Alicia Dorado, another Texas State Senior, supports the 2nd Amendment, but said that there should be a few exceptions in various places on campus. "I believe that there is an inherent need for 'safe zones,'[...]such

as the counseling center, Alkek library, or in residence halls," said Dorado. "I don't wish to own a gun personally. This doesn't mean that I want to keep others from owning them."

Paula Monzon. Image and
Quotes courtesy of
Bailey Green.

Other students are skeptical of the usefulness of the new law, which went into effect August 1, 2016. "It makes me feel really uncomfortable," said Paula Monzon, a freshman at Texas State. "I feel like it makes school shootings more likely to happen." Monzon also implied that the current laws we have concerning handgun permits are inadequate. "[A]nybody could get a license to carry, even a murderer[.] They just have to know how to hide their evil habits."

David Gonzalez. Image and
Quotes courtesy of
Benjamin Mcinnis.

David Gonzalez, a student at Texas State, feels that untrained, armed students are a liability: "If they ever decided they need to use [their guns] they could miss and hit someone else," said Gonzalez. "Only the police should carry guns because they're trained to use them."

Weston Morgan.
Image and quotes
courtesy of
Gabriela Perez

Some students feel that the new law won't affect the life of the average college student in a positive or negative way, largely because handgun laws are difficult to enforce. "Nothing really concerns me about this law, said Weston Morgan, a senior at the University of Texas in Austin. "[I]f somebody wants or needs to bring a gun to school, the law isn't going to prevent them from bringing it."

Kristen Flowers. Image and quotes
courtesy of Dionna Womack.

Kristen Flowers, a Texas State junior, doesn't think guns are the universal answer to humanity's problems, but doesn't judge others for deciding to carry a gun. However, Flowers was concerned about the thoroughness of background checks: "I'm definitely concerned about it just because I personally don't think they do an extensive background check[,]" said Flowers. "But not all people are mentally questionable so I guess in the end, I'm neutral about it."






For more information about gun permits and weapon carry laws in Texas, visit the Texas DPS website or txstate.edu/campuscarry