...Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 1 Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? Toni Struve COM/155 University Composition and Communication I May 6, 2012 Kathleen Zurich Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 2 Abstract This essay debates the pros and cons of allowing concealed carry weapons on campuses. Both sides have relevant information that supports their point of view. I have presented data from both sides of this issue and leave it to the reader to decide which argument they will support. Concealed Carry on Campus: Yea or Nay? 3 In the war over guns, the first casualty was the truth (Kleck, 2009). Could the results of the tragedies at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and the private college in California been lessened if concealed weapons were permitted on campuses? Studies have been conducted, but there have been no definitive results. Each side of this question can quote statistics and studies that will prove their point of view. There is no absolute answer to this question, but many people believe that the outcome may have been much different if concealed weapons were present on campus. As with every issue of this magnitude, there are two sides to this question. The debate about whether to allow concealed weapons on campus raises questions of personal safety, legality and are gun-free zones really safer. Students for Concealed Carry is a nationwide organization made up of over 43,000 students, professors...
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...Gun Control Laws Do Not Work Across the United States there have been many shootings and attacks. The most recent being in San Bernardino California where 14 innocent lives were taken. Most of these shootings are in schools, state buildings, movie theatres etc. Every public mass shooting in the USA since 1950 has taken place where citizens are banned from carrying guns. There are ways to end these people going on killing sprees once and for all. Many law abiding citizens are experienced and comfortable with a firearm. Imagine these people being able to take their concealed weapons into places that are now “no gun zones”. This would act as a deterrent against the people who go on killing sprees. At the least, law abiding citizens could save lives and protect themselves and others from sick individuals who have no regard for society. At a state level our country needs to get rid of mo gun zones. There are some individuals who are going to do what they please. All schools have rules that state “firearms are prohibited”. This sign does not stray psychopaths and or terrorists away from going in and shooting the whole school up. We need a good deterrent for these criminals. We need a way to protect ourselves against these people. In place we already have laws that allow us to have a conceal and carry license. In Missouri one must be 19 years of age and you must go through a background check with no felonies appearing on your record. Having a conceal and carry allows...
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...Gun Control It has been debated whether or not American citizens should have the right to own firearms. Some may argue that most Americans don’t have the proper gun safety education that should be required before someone owns a gun. Few may even assert that everyone should have the freedom to own guns regardless of their education and experience with firearms. I believe that most Americans don’t take a strong stand on either side of this issue. Nobody wants to completely eliminate all guns in America. Likewise, I don’t think anyone wants to give people full access to guns. The issue that I’m arguing is simply whether or not the government should permit gun control by restricting the use and/or possession of firearms for American citizens. I believe that restricting guns would violate our personal freedom to bear arms. The problem with violence isn’t the gun itself, but the problem rests on the people who choose to use guns to commit acts of violence. To solve the ‘gun abuse’ problem, why doesn’t the government impose stricter consequences for people who still choose to commit acts of violence involving firearms? That way it would only affect the criminals, and the law-abiding citizens could continue to live in freedom. In an article titled “Gun Control: Does it Really Matter?”, Will Fawcett states, “There is no logical reason to believe that making it more difficult or impossible to own or poses guns, would deter individuals who already are taking part in illegal behavior...
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...and Reid K. Smith. "Gun Control Facts." 11 Feb. 2013 Web 18 Sept. 2014. http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp. This is a web document in which the authors cover pure statistics and facts. Graphs, tables, quotes, and statistics are all that this piece contains. This resource is useful since it was updated a little more than a year ago with the most recent data and continues to be updated as new stats and facts become available. It is also neutral in nature, giving just the facts and referencing both the affirmative and negative sides of the argument. 2. McEntee, Peg. “Utah Teacher Shoots Herself in Leg With Concealed Weapon.” Huffington Post 11 Sept. 2014 Web 18 Sept. 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/11/teacher-shoots-self-concealed-weapon_n_5807826.html?utm_hp_ref=gun-control The Huffington Post is a news site with an entire section dedicated to news surrounding gun control, both recent and past. This article is helpful because it outlines the concealed carry laws in Utah schools, a state which has closely modeled it’s laws after Colorado’s. This article is useful because it describes some of the negative effect that concealed carry on campus has for the person carrying as well as the student population/their parents if they find out about the firearm. 3. Students for Concealed Carry. “Common Arguments Against Campus Carry.” Concealed Campus 2011-2012 Web Sept. 18 2014 http://concealedcampus.org/common-arguments/ Students for Concealed Carry is a student run...
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...Antonio Texas carried a concealed firearm onto school grounds. Alfonzo was charged under Texas law with the possession of a firearm onto school grounds. The charge was later dropped after federal agents charged him with violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. Lopez was found guilty and was sentenced with six months of imprisonment and a two year probation. The court ruled five votes to four in Lopez’s favor. William Rehnquist wrote the decision stating that the “Gun-Free Zone Act was unconstitutional and exceeded the limited powers of Congress under the Constitution” (PBS 1). The decision overturned Lopez’s conviction. I believe the Supreme Court ruled fairly in the Lopez v. United States case. Congress has the power to regulate actions that directly affect interstate commerce. However the Interstate Commerce act doesn’t have the power to create Gun-Free Zones in schools. The government claimed that possessing a firearm could change the national economy in days. If this was true, then the federal power would be limitless, the commerce act would extend to all activities that could result to a violent crime. The possession of guns in a school zone is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce. The Commerce Act tried to control guns when it isn’t inside their jurisdiction, the commerce act controls trading between states but not where a gun is and isn’t permitted. The dissenting party had argued that there would be more gun related school violence...
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...are in agreement or disagreement on allowing student carrying guns on campus. Although Guns shouldn’t be allowed on campus because a campus is considered a safe zone. The state of Texas is considering about having concealed or open carry weapons on campus but many believe it’s a great thing but in reality it’s not due to the fact that It is very rare for a shooting to happen on campus, people with guns around campus can easily escalate, and student will feel unsecure. Over the years it has shown that a campus or university is very safe due to it being a gun free zone. Also it is rare for a shooting to happen on a campus. The reason why it’s rare is because students aren’t allowed to carry weapons around the campus zone. Although there might not be a lot of securities around but having many students in a facility it is hard for them to carry a weapon without going unnoticed. It’s also safe knowing that students that attends college are known to be good students due to the...
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...The Truth about Guns and Rights Christine Tarver COM220 February 17, 2013 Lori Pash Amendments amend provisions to the Constitution. The Second Amendment’s provisions are in regard to a militia with the right to bear arms. The word militia is not specifically defined in the Constitution or within the Second Amendment. With no specific definition, this brings about many debates of whose rights these documents protect. The word militia in these terms can be defined as a “general” militia, made up of all able bodied men. This was a check on governmental entities and the belief that people could be protected by individual rights. In 2008, for the first time in American history the Supreme Court defined the right to bear arms. This took place in District of Columbia v. Heller. The Supreme Court stated the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to possess firearms independent of service in a state militia and to use firearms for traditionally lawful purposes, including self-defense within the home. Gun control laws in America are responsible for the possibility of who can or cannot purchase and possess guns; laws also give valid reasons to gun ownership. The right to bear arms has limitations and debates. The second amendment does not protect people against any and every weapon readily available. In fact there are obstacles one must cross before they legally have full ownership of a gun. The rules, regulations, and laws according to this process vary greatly from state...
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...the search for a weapon within a backpack. Both cases involved a tip that named a specific student who was in possession of a weapon in their backpacks. In regards to K.P. v. State the possible threat of a student carrying a firearm on school grounds and the tip contained indicia of reliability, the Fourth Amendment privacy for that student was diminished due to these circumstances forming reasonable suspension. Another case involved a seventeen year old high school student who was asked to empty her pockets when the principal approached and noticed that she and two of her classmates were trying to hide an unknown substance. Upon empting her pocket she pulled out marijuana. The lower appellate court reversed the initial ruling in the trial court that had denied the students motion...
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...• SUBSCRIBE • RENEW • GIVE A GIFT • DIGITAL EDITION Print | Close The Case for More Guns (And More Gun Control) HOW DO WE REDUCE GUN CRIME AND AURORA-STYLE MASS SHOOTINGS WHEN AMERICANS ALREADY OWN NEARLY 300 MILLION FIREARMS? MAYBE BY ALLOWING MORE PEOPLE TO CARRY THEM. By Jeffrey Goldberg The Century 16 Cineplex in Aurora, Colorado, stands desolate behind a temporary green fence, which was raised to protect the theater from prying eyes and mischief-makers. The parking lots that surround the multiplex are empty—weeds are pushing through the asphalt—and the only person at the theater when I visited a few weeks ago was an enervated Aurora police officer assigned to guard the site. I asked the officer whether the building, which has stood empty since the night of July 20, when a former graduate student named James E. Holmes is alleged to have killed 12 people and wounded 58 others at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, still drew the curious. “People drive by to look,” he said, but “not too many.” The Aurora massacre is noteworthy, even in the crowded field of mass shootings, as one of the more wretched and demoralizing in the recent history of American violence, and I was surprised that the scene of the crime did not attract more attention. “I guess people move on,” he said. I walked up a slight rise that provided an imperfect view of the back of Theater 9, where the massacre took place, and tried to imagine the precise emotions the victims felt...
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...------------------------------------------------- THE CASE FOR MORE Guns (AND MORE GUN CONTROL). Language: English Authors: GOLDBERG, JEFFREY Source: Atlantic; Dec2012, Vol. 310 Issue 5, p68-78, 9p, 4 Color Photographs Document Type: Article Publication Information: Atlantic Media Company Subject Terms: GUN control -- United States CONCEALED weapons AURORA shootings, Aurora, Colo., 2012 COLUMBINE High School Massacre, Littleton, Colo., 1999 MAUSER, Tom FIREARMS -- Law & legislation -- United States SCHOOL shootings -- Prevention Geographic Terms: UNITED States Abstract: The article discusses gun control in the U.S. and argues for a connection between increased access to guns among law-abiding citizens and the prevention of gun violence. The author looks at several shootings such as the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado and the state's 1999 Columbine High School shooting. Topics include gun control advocate Tom Mauser whose son died in the Columbine shooting, laws related to U.S. gun shows and concealed weapons, as well as university policies. Document Information: Essay last updated: 20121204 Lexile: 1310 ISSN: 10727825 Accession Number: 83811665 Database: Literary Reference Center Translate Full Text: HTML Full Text ------------------------------------------------- THE CASE FOR MORE Guns (AND MORE GUN CONTROL) ListenSelect: THE CENTURY 16 CINEPLEX in Aurora, Colorado, stands desolate behind a temporary green fence,...
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...Court Cases: US v. Lopez (1995) Is the Gun Free School Zones Act an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s power? This case was based on the commerce clause. Alfonso Lopez walked into his San Antonio high school carrying a concealed weapon, violating a Texas law that banned firearms in schools. But the next day those charges were dropped and he was then charged with offending a federal law: The Gun Free School Zones Act. He was indicted and found guilty, and sentenced to six months in jail. He challenged his conviction saying that the federal government had no control in education, but the federal government said that it had the authority to ban guns in schools under the commerce clause. The Supreme Court rejected the federal government’s claim, holding that the law wasn’t related to commerce. The Court stated if they upheld the government’s statement, then there wouldn’t be limitations on federal government’s power. The Court referenced the Founders’ belief that there should be a balance between state and federal government powers. The case is significant to society because it’s the first time in fifty years that Congress overstepped its power under the commerce clause. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Does the elastic clause give Congress the power to create a national bank? This case was based on the elastic clause. The state of Maryland passed a law in 1818 taxing the national bank’s Baltimore branch $15,000 a year. The branch refused to pay; instead it sued the cashier...
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...Court ruled that the Commerce Clause did not extend to the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The case began with Alfonso Lopez, a senior at a San Antonio, Texas high school, carried a concealed weapon into the school and was later charged with the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 which forbid "any individual knowingly to possess a firearm at a place that [he] knows...is a school zone.” Lopez argued that the act, specifically section 922(q) which dealt directly with interstate commerce, was unconstitutional as it exceeded Congress’ regulation power granted under the Commerce Clause. Eventually, the United States government filed a writ of certiorari, arguing that the section was...
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...Gun Control Rhetorical Analysis Bryan Cabrera Devry University 12/08/2013 Gun Control There are many people who argue about the topic of gun control. The topic that is discussed can be heard in television, among people’s conversations, on the radio, and in political debates. In the United States, 36% of the population owns a firearm for their personal use, whether it would be for hunting as a sport, personal defense, or just plain gun collections. So there are always debates on whether there should be stronger gun control enforced. However before anything is discussed, what is gun control? Many people can say gun control prevents the sale of firearms to regular people. However other people can say gun control is merely just restricting sale to people who are mentally healthy. Gun control is defined as “efforts to regulate or control sales of guns”. Therefore, gun control just regulates the sale of firearms. There are two sides to every debate, in the debate of gun control; it’s whether or not to increase gun control. The reasoning behind increasing gun control would be shooting related tragedies. The school shooting in Columbine High School is a prime example chosen by pro control people. However now the top example chosen would be the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The people who are against gun control base their reasoning on the constitution and common reasoning. People believe that gun control goes against the second amendment of the constitution...
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...First of all, we must define a “gun-free” school zone as stated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and...
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...in today’s America that may actually be harming Americans and causing more people to be murdered in mass shooting is the theory of gun free zones. Gun free zones make all citizens in these areas at risk for being a victim. There has been a rise in mass shootings over the past few decades. The shooters in these mass killings come from a wide range of backgrounds. The Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho was a senior at the vary university he carried out his attack on in 2007. He had a history of mental illness whose family had emigrated from South Korea when he was eight years old, at the time of the murders...
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