Texas State University Campus Carry
By Kaylin King
kek103@txstate.edu
SAN MARCOS,
TEXAS- On June 1, 2015 Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas Senate Bill 11 (SB11)
allowing 21 year-olds with a conceal carry license to carry concealed guns onto
Texas college campus.
The bill has now
gone into effect at the start of the Fall 2016 term for all state 4-year
colleges as of August 1, 2016. Then in August 1, 2017 carrying concealed
firearms will be legal on 2-year college campuses.
In spite of all
the controversy surrounding campus carry, from Columbine to the recent
shootings at the University of California Los Angeles, Texas State students
have varying opinions in regard to the carrying of firearms on their campus.
“They(Guns)
should be (carried on campus)- I would hope so,” says Tori Cirlos, 21-year-old
Theater major and senior at Texas State. “People are going to want protection
all the time because they are in a vulnerable spot with guns on campus.”
Cirlos is one of
many students concerned about not only their safety, but their classmates
safety in regards to guns on campus.
Cirlos then
asserts that guns “give more chance of college campus’ to become hotspots for
school shootings.”
A large amount of fellow students also
share the view of Hannah McDougal, a Houston native 22 year old senior. “The
only word I’d use to describe campus carry is nervous,” McDougal says, voicing
her concern for safety of students.
“I will not sit
on campus for more than my class because it freaks me out,” McDougal continues,
she then goes on to say that if campus carry becomes a reality,” no one is safe
anymore.”
Another student from Texas State, Keith
Estes, 19-year-old junior says “I feel like campus carry is pretty dangerous.
Although I am all for people exercising their rights, carrying a weapon at
college where emotions are all over the place is scary and not a smart idea.”
Lindsay McCall a junior at Arizona State
University agrees with Estes about exercising ones rights by saying, “I think
that people have the right to carry a gun if going to be used in self defense.
College campuses aren't always the safest place for people to walk around but I
don't believe it should be used for violence.”
While most
students voice their concern over campus carry, some students support the idea.
Alyssa Johnston,
a freshman at Texas State, supports the idea saying, “I’m for it because if
there were to be a shooting there would be someone in the room that could have
a gun to be able to defend other pedestrians which could save more lives than
someone not having a gun to protect his/her peers.”
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