As of Aug. 1, 2016, holders of concealed handgun licenses will be permitted to carry concealed weapons at public universities in Texas.
Supposedly, this new legislation will increase student safety in the event of campus shootings. However, most Texan academics beg to differ, arguing that guns and the violence that they perpetuate are contrary to the views held by educational institutions.
As a Canadian, guns make me uncomfortable. I’m not certain I’ve ever actually seen a gun in person. Perhaps a police officer I’ve walked past had one holstered by their side, or maybe a neighbour has one in their garage. I have absolutely no idea, and I’d rather not think about it.
Guns are not at the forefront of our minds here in Canada. You hear someone has a gun, and you’re surprised. I would assume that the majority of Canadian gun owners live somewhere with a lot of wilderness, where there’s a very real chance that a bear or a cougar might walk into their yard, or so that they can hunt game. Few Canadians I have spoken to express the opinion that a gun is necessary to feel safe in your home.
It’s a fact that the risk of death increases when there is a gun in the home. The probability of a suicide is more likely in a home with a gun, simply because a gun is more lethal than other suicide methods. Between 2003 and 2007, 680 Americans died in gun accidents, with half of those victims being under the age of 25. The chances of women dying in a domestic dispute increase threefold in a gun owning household. Safe? I don’t think so.
So why do some people think firearms are a necessity on college campuses? Some argue that allowing concealed weapons will help defend potential sexual assault victims. However, a study conducted on the relationship between permission of “campus carry” and sexual assault in the states of Colorado and Utah, two of nine that have permitted concealed carry on college campuses, shows that the rate of sexual assault has increased in those states.
College campuses are remarkably safe places already: crime rates tend to be significantly lower on the grounds of post-secondary institutions than in other areas. Allowing guns on campus will just open people up to gun violence. Arming yourself with a gun to prevent gun violence is backwards logic that can no longer be perpetuated in good conscience.
Gun laws in Canada remain reassuringly strict, and I can continue to pursue my education on a gun-free campus. I sincerely hope that more states in the U.S. see the wisdom in this policy, and follow suit.