Spring Break
Editorial
Gun legislation not a solution
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Opinion
At present, Texas campuses are gun-free zones. While this may not have stopped shootings, such as the infamous University of Texas sniper in 1966, it can't be said that not allowing guns on campus has induced more deaths than it has prevented.
As we write this editorial, a bill has passed through the House Public Safety Committee of Texas which would "make it illegal for public universities to prevent individuals with concealed-handgun licenses from carrying handguns on campus," according to a United Press International article from April 10. The bill was proposed by Rep. Joe Driver, a Republican representative from Garland, Texas, and is making its way to the full House for a formal debate.
While the House has yet to debate the matter, it has been confirmed that the bill has the unofficial support of 76 Texas House representatives. The Associated Press reported on Mar. 29 that the bill's intent was to, "protect the rights of those licensed to carry concealed weapons and help prevent a massacre on the scale of what happened at Virginia Tech and another shooting last year at Northern Illinois University, where five were killed and 18 wounded."
The danger imminent in such a proposal should be obvious to all. While the intentions may be good, one cannot predict the often irrational and volatile nature of the human psyche. Restrictions placed upon such a rule (a training course, criminal background check and be at least 21 years old) can easily be dodged and/or finagled to meet certain individual circumstances.
In the past weeks, a number of shootings have taken place across the country by men with legally obtained firearms. Three police officers in Pittsburgh were shot and killed by a legal gun owner, and a man whose guns were legally purchased in Binghamton, New York, murdered 13 civilians. In light of these shootings, the debate should focus on reforming gun control legislation to make it more difficult to purchase guns.
To let such a law pass would not only be immoral and hasty, but just plain irresponsible.
As we write this editorial, a bill has passed through the House Public Safety Committee of Texas which would "make it illegal for public universities to prevent individuals with concealed-handgun licenses from carrying handguns on campus," according to a United Press International article from April 10. The bill was proposed by Rep. Joe Driver, a Republican representative from Garland, Texas, and is making its way to the full House for a formal debate.
While the House has yet to debate the matter, it has been confirmed that the bill has the unofficial support of 76 Texas House representatives. The Associated Press reported on Mar. 29 that the bill's intent was to, "protect the rights of those licensed to carry concealed weapons and help prevent a massacre on the scale of what happened at Virginia Tech and another shooting last year at Northern Illinois University, where five were killed and 18 wounded."
The danger imminent in such a proposal should be obvious to all. While the intentions may be good, one cannot predict the often irrational and volatile nature of the human psyche. Restrictions placed upon such a rule (a training course, criminal background check and be at least 21 years old) can easily be dodged and/or finagled to meet certain individual circumstances.
In the past weeks, a number of shootings have taken place across the country by men with legally obtained firearms. Three police officers in Pittsburgh were shot and killed by a legal gun owner, and a man whose guns were legally purchased in Binghamton, New York, murdered 13 civilians. In light of these shootings, the debate should focus on reforming gun control legislation to make it more difficult to purchase guns.
To let such a law pass would not only be immoral and hasty, but just plain irresponsible.
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