Along with cowboys, barbecue, and the rodeo—Texas is known for its radical legislations and conservative mindset. Though Texas has always been a big, bold and opinionated state, students feel that the recently proposed legislation allowing people with concealed handgun licenses to carry guns onto college campuses is taking state pride a little too far. Deaths involving firearms make up less than 1 percent of all fatal accidents, yet with the passing of this bill, that percentage may skyrocket.
Some UT students are staying far from quiet regarding their feelings about this legislation. Early in the morning March 22, over 170 students rallied in front of the state capitol to voice their concerns regarding safety. Some students were members of non-partisan student group Invest in Texas.
“We’re not anti-gun. We’re not anything like that,” said Invest in Texas member and Plan II freshman Andrew Wilson. “We’re just simply advocating that each institution should have their own say regarding whether or not they want guns on campus. This should be the college’s decision, not the state’s.”
Invest in Texas also consists of a number of students who believe that guns on campus are a benefit to UT’s current security system. These students, however, agree that the decision should be the school’s and not the government’s.
“We need to do everything in our power to make sure our legislatures know that we’re not okay with this,” said economics freshman Tina Dai. “Guns on campus? That just makes me feel unsafe. What if someone gets angry? Or, what if they get a bad grade…and then they just snap? With a gun within reach, who knows what could happen.”
At the rally on March 22, student attended various hearings regarding the proposed legislation. Throughout the afternoon, professors, police officers and a number of students expressed their opinion regarding the bill. UT students felt especially strongly about the legislation due to last semester’s gun scare and suicide on campus. UT police officers, along with the Austin Police Department, want to continue sufficiently responding to on-campus incidents.
“It was comforting to heart that more than just my friends and I oppose this bill,” said Wilson. “It really isn’t just the students. It’s teachers, police and parents everywhere.”
Invest in Texas plans to continue fighting until their voices are heard.
“We’re not going to stop,” Wilson said. “This bill puts my life at risk, and I’m going to fight it until the very end.”