Passing a concealed carry law for UNC’s campus is not the answer
Wednesday’s lockdown once again sparked the discussion on gun control
After the lockdown at UNC on Wednesday, and among other recent tragedies, gun control has again become a topic for public discussion.
One advocate for a concealed carry law at American universities argues it is better for students to have the ability to protect themselves, especially in case an incident like the lockdown on Wednesday had materialized into something much more tragic.
But is legalizing guns on campus really the answer?
Even if students take classes in self-defense, learn how to use firearms and carry them concealed on their campuses, that will not eliminate the problem we are having with mass shootings today. In fact, it might even make it worse.
In his article for The News & Observer, Peter McClelland advocates for a concealed carry law because he believes students have a right to self-defense. But he failed to recognize the repercussions a law like this could have.
While most students in possession of a permit could be law-abiding citizens, it only takes one shooter to terrorize an entire campus, a fact we unfortunately know all too well.
It only takes one drunken night at a house party to commit irreparable damage.
It only takes one dissatisfied student to create a scene of chaos and fear in a lecture hall.
Maybe McClelland’s argument would be different if he were discussing a separate subset of the United States’ population, but that’s a different argument entirely.
I’m talking about college students.
Just because we can carry a gun doesn’t mean we should have the final say on whether a person lives or dies.
Lawmakers should not focus on legalizing concealed weapons on UNC’s campus. They should instead look at how people like the Sandy Hook and San Bernardino shooters were able to legally purchase their ammunition.
There is an astonishing number of mass murders within this country, and the number is only growing. It’s important to talk about them.
But giving college students the ability to carry firearms is the last thing that will solve this problem.